Chuck Most

Count on me watching this one. I also have to ask, what are you planning on doing with the Fuso? Can't be any earlier than late 1983- that's when Toyota started selling their vans in North America. It does look pretty well-maintained for something that couldn't have been any newer than 13 years old at the time!

The best way to stretch the frame is to use sections cut from a second kit, but since I'm assuming you're new at this I'm going to also assume you don't have any other 378 kits or parts laying around. In that case finding some plastic c-channel similar in size to the frame rails would be the way to go. It's usually a good idea to reinforce the stretched area by gluing plastic sheet or brass in from behind. The old "measure twice, cut once" trick applies here, but as long as you take care to keep everything square and straight you'll be fine. For making bigger stacks, (or even a simple improvement over the kit-supplied stacks) just check out the K&S metal section at the hobby shop. They should have a decent selection of aluminum rod and tubing you could use. It's easy to work with and looks great with a little polishing. As far as tools go, you should be good with the basic arsenal any modeler should have- hobby knife handle and blades, adhesives, sandpaper and files, etc. One thing I'd recommend beyond that is an Atlas Super Saw (or something similar), which you should be able to get at any decent hobby shop that caters to model railroaders, or online. Small clamps and rubber bands are handy to have, to keep things held together as glue sets. Here's a link regarding the kit itself- http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/?showtopic=65864 There you'll find a review of the kit, a few ways to improve it, and some tips on assembly.

Might be a little late to the party, but here goes... It may differ from manufacturer to manufacturer, even in the US. I'm aware of at least one exception. I say this because the method that had never failed me (measuring from center of front axle to the center point of the rear axles) failed me a while back. I was working on a short-nose Diamond REO C92, which had a wheelbase (listed by DR) as 124". So, I measured back 124 scale inches from the center of the front axle, and marked that spot on the frame. When I centered the axles, they were WAY too far ahead. As in, the front axle's tires were about even with the back of the cab. But, when I slid the bogey back so that the front axle centerline was even with the 124" mark, it looked right. Like I said, that's the only time that method of measuring the wheelbase didn't jive with the "center of front axle/ center point of rear suspension" rule. The DR is a late '60's tractor, maybe they measured it that way back then. Anyway, I measured my built Moebius Lonestar, and the wheelbase is 280", as measured from front axle centerline to the center between the rear axles. International does offer the LoneStar in a 280" wheelbase, so it would appear that International uses that method to determine wheelbase.

For the straight lines, I like to use a saw instead of a scriber- for me, that's the best way to get a good, straight line. For the rest, or areas where using a saw wouldn't be practical, it's a straight edge and the back of a #11 blade.

And I've dug out a couple of other long-stalled projects in the last few days. ^The rear wheels and tires on the KW in this pic are the same exact ones on the Western Star, which they are staying with.

I've toyed around with the idea of using a second body, but any open phaeton-type body might work to lengthen it. As far as I remember, the Jolly Rodger frame wasn't any longer than the BH version. The body was significantly longer, of course, but not the frame.

I believe it was this fellow http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showuser=4084

Nice! That would be the way to do it.

Yikes! It sucks that it was damaged, but it looks like you're already making great progress with the repairs. I once had a model crushed by a box falling off a shelf just above my workbench. Shortly after that happened, I took everything off the shelves and then removed the actual shelves.

Not the best quality pic, I know, but you'll get the gist... Tanks and steps are installed- I attached them to a piece of L-shaped Plastruct ABS strip so they'd mount a little bit higher up, and to push them out away from the frame a little bit, so as to clear the rear cab mounts. I've also mocked up the headache rack, mostly just to see how it will look. I'm kicking around the idea of using the rear fenders from the Black Magic kit, as well. I still need to add the fuel caps.

That's a '56 Ford.

You have my attention!

I've got something like that in the "half finished" pile. The original idea was a single-axle drag truck, but the project stalled about a third of the way through.

Nice! I think I've seen a picture of the 1:1 you based this on.

According to what I've seen on Moebius' Facebook page, HL takes issue with some of the Moebius "Monster" kits. They've tried getting HL to carry their products in the past with no luck.

And so did Mack, when they got into the pickup market for a very brief period.

I've got about four of those Western Stars planned. One with the early style front end (Illini used to cast that one), a dump truck, the Happy Toyz "Green Goblin" from Maximum Overdrive, and the one I posted previously, which will be a sort of mild custom... not a full blown "large car" trailer queen, but not a 100% factory stock restoration style, either.

IH used the A-series cab on quite a few of the heavier trucks and semi tractors. In fact, they kept using it on some of the heavier rigs up until 1977, even though the light-line trucks were redesigned for 1969. The medium duty cabs had a raised roof, and a flatter floor than the pickup cabs. Then there was the extreme example, the IH 'big cab' as used on the ACO Sightliner. And in Australia IH and Dodge used the IH A/B/C series cab for many years on a variety of different trucks, but I'm guessing that's a story for another time.

I will say... It's a damned fine looking model. And the fact that it's based on an R&R casting? Takes a little work to get one of those looking good, much less great, generally speaking. If the guy can get that much for it, more power to him. And if the buyer considers it money well spent, who am I to complain? Me? If I had that much I think I'd put it toward a 1:1 version.

I really should do something with this, too. Dug it out of the crypt last night along with the daycab Lonestar.

Very nice conversion, but he did get one detail wrong. The F8 DID have wider grille bars than the F1 through F6 trucks. Take a look at the panel with the FORD lettering- it's the same width on all models. The F1 grille bars fit between the gaps at either end, while you can see that the F8's grille bars extend past it.

You mean, you didn't enjoy the drums that sounded like banging on trash cans and the complete lack of guitar solos?

Nice!