Semi Trailer Mechanic

What's goin' on... I like using those made by Titchy Train Group and Grandt Line. If I remember I used an .019 drill bit and a spring loaded pin vice. here's a Peterbilt I used those on. These rivets are out of scale I purposely did that so the paint wouldn't drown them out.

What's goin' on... Dave This one here is AWESOME!!! In high school I had two 1970 Chevelles. Remove the hood scoop and this looks "IDENTICAL" down to the turn-outs in front of the rear tires. I even had the dice hanging from the mirror different speed parts decals in the windows though each sticker added 15HP I traded a 1949 Chevy truck to a guy that did the metal/paint work on it in 1990. The paint and supplies was an early graduation gift. Needless to say I sold it a little over a year ago to my old boss who'd been asking me to sell it for over 12 years. WELL DONE!!!

What's goin' on... NOW THAT'S FUNNY I DON'T CARE WHO YA ARE!!!

What's goin' on... Well Done!!! It reminds me of the cars my former classmates in high school used to build. They'd find a car w/ a so/so body. Instead of doing the body first they'd spend every last dime and barrowed dollar building a mean engine and getting a nice set of tires and rims. Usually the engine wound up (no pun intended) blowing up before the body was done!!! Did I do this to a car or two? NO COMMENT

What's goin' on... Well done. A friend of mine has a 1967 Capris 327 400 turbo bucket seats ratchet shifter. Light blue w/ a black vynal top restored 100% factory stock. Driving it normal it's a serious sleeper. Punching it that thing comes to LIFE!!! The way you built yours reminds me of that one obviously not the exterior/interior colors but the stance rims and so on.

What's goin' on... Here's the latest WIP pictures. Thanks for looking!!!

What's goin' on... A 359 Peterbilt w/ 32 Ford Street Rod head lights would look good or an R-Model Mack. I think you should tie in some colors from the decals to the truck would look good. Paint the chassis matt black,the cab a semi gloss or gloss black w/ subtle weathering w/ a red stripe wrapping the cab. Make the stripe between an 1/8 - 3/16 inch and have it just below the hood line directly below the pass/drivers window. IF you could find some more Texaco decals cut out the small logos using them for door decals on the cab then add your DOT compliance numbers and unit numbers. White BUDD rims on the drives and aluminum rims on the steer axle. On some tanker yankers they're equipped w/ a pump used for on/off loading the fuel/oil to the trailer. That would be cool to do. I built a 359 w/ a scratchbuilt pump/pto and used a 25th scale car driveshaft.

What's goin' on... WOW!!! You need to "AT THE LEAST" send her some flowers w/ a thank you note !!!

What's goin' on... Jeff I worked for a trucking company that was contracted to U.S. Mail. For that company I repaired trailers where on occation I found large and small envelopes behind scuff liners and plywood liners. Granted that a box the size you packed that model in wouldn't fit in between scuff liners and plywood there's always the slim chance of it getting lost. If someone stole it they'll pay their debt in one way or another.

What's goin' on... These are pictures of my new hobby room. I have more plans including a new table/stools for building. As is I found some really nice floating shelves at Lowe's. The accent wall is painted w/ a color called "Cast Iron" the surrounding walls are just light tan. Once all set up and tooled I'll take a few more pictures. Thanks for looking...

What's goin' on... Stunning!!! By the way... I enjoyed reading your write up in MCM!

What's goin' on... Ahhhhh Yes...Those were the days!!! Back when a fairly solid Camaro,Nova,Duster,or even a Cutlass could be bought for under $800.00. Several trips to Nationwise Auto parts for the cheap chrome engine dress up kits,a pair of Mr.Gasket Blackjack headers and Thrush header mount glass packs. Don't forget the bondo and all the black rattle can primer you could carry or afford!!! If you were lucky you had a set of Crager S/S rims 15x10s or the slots on the rear and air shocks that always seemed to bleed off no matter how many times ya replaced the plumbing. When they did ya always cringed when the fender rubbed on bumps. Let's not forget the stock rally rims up front and ya held back from power braking because you couldn't afford to replace those Mickey's! You should paint those slots w/ aluminum metallizer polished or the alclad. Those being polished was always on the priority list. Do that and you'll be ready to drive w/ your buds downtown to the local parking lot on Friday/Saturday night. Go to that drive thru where that one guy that works there never cards ya for 12 pack or Busch beer (Budwieser was too expensive) and crank up 38 Special AC/DC or Iron Maiden. Tell lies to the chicks w/ the hopes you might get laid (if you were lucky) and bragg about what you're doing to the old fart can w/ the air shocks! Then later on go instigate the cops for a game of catch me if ya can. Remember back then if they got ya pulled over you just got a speeding ticket and a lecture about the hazzards of drivng fast!!! Keep up the good work on this one!!!

What's goin' on... If that doest work for ya I have three here taking up space Small Block Chevies 1966 327.40 over 1973 350.060over and a bare stock 1967 283. HA!!! I sold the Chevelle a little over a year ago and these things are nothing to me but in the way!!! LOL

What's goin' on... This is a problem I've run into several times. I'll have to try a few of these tips.

What's goin' on... COOL!!! I remember KAY BEE Toys having a good stock of kits back in the day.

What's goin' on... George Thanks for the compliments. Back in the late 1980's were my high school hot rod hey days!!! Just about every car I had the tires stuck out like this w/ the high jacker air shocks.

What's goin' on... Here's one that I just finished up. There's a few mistakes on here that might be seen. For the most part this was a care free project. The wing will probably get used and my mirror has been reset in place. Thanks for looking!!!

What's goin' on... To make a long story short I patched/plugged the tire remounted it and was airing it up when it exploded. I guess you can say I got lucky.

What's goin' on... Hang in there!!! I know what you're going thru. An 11R24.5 truck tire blew (zipper) breaking my right arm in three places back in 02. Just take it a day at a time and before ya know it you'll be back in business!!

What's goin' on... Constipation has me backed up!!!

What's goin' on... First let me ask you this... What type of truck interior are you working on? Truck interors can be just about anything. It all boils down to the driver. Is he/she clean and cares about his/her enviorment or a pig of a slob? Next is the type of truck. If the truck you're detailing is going to be an Over The Road truck (CR England) in the bunk you'll find the things a driver would need to survive on the road. Obviously clothes, smaller appliences(fridge,TVdvd player game console,laptop, a qualcom console, CB, a breif case,hat,boots/shoes, blanket/pillow, books,magizines, hobby related interests,. Inside those would be a fairly clean rubber mat. Up front in the cab a log book, permit binder,maps/truck atlas,coffee cup,carton of cigarettes/packs. In the storeage compartment you'll find a case w/ the three orange reflective triangles maybe a small tool box, some work boots the driver keeps out of the cab (could be muddy or road oil or filth from a factory.) In a line haul day cab (Yellow Frieght Lines) The cab would be fairly basic. Inside you'd find a portable CB brief case,log book,book/magazine, pack of smokes,coffee cup, fast food bags/cup clean uniform (work shirt/pants for an over nighter at a hotel possibly. Mainly the things a driver would need to driver from terminal to terminal or from the terminal to make deliveries. Something different like a local on/off road truck beit a logging company,dump truck/trailer,trash hauler, and so on. You'd find the same things as a line haul truck but the interior floor will certainly have dried mud on it. The filth will come from where the driver has to tarp his/her trailer at the transfer station and untarp it at the land fill getting in and out of the truck in mud snow and dirt or if he she has to chain/unchain a load of logs or climb in the dump and manually shove/lbreak free some dirt that didn't dump out. Or if truck is a large car that belongs to an Owner Operator you'll find alot of the amenitties (sp) that an OTR driver would have but in the back of that bunk would be more like an upscale apartment. Les the MountainDewd can help ya out w/ that!!! Now to make the above mentioned details just take a little creativity. There are accessories for models you can get from Detail Master,Model Car Garage, and some of the smaller aftermartket companies such as KFS,SourKout, and so on have things you can use. (I haven't bought anything from these guys YET). Good Luck!!! Here's some interior pics from a few of my projects.

What's goin' on... I prefer to use one of two degreasers. Either Castrol Super Clean or Manny Rose. CSC is what I used to strip the paint off this truck. The paint on this was 6 years old. Good Luck on repainting your project!!!

What's goin' on... I just recently took a resin hood from Griffen Desings and stripped it is CSC only for it to fall on the floor and I stepped on it. I thought it might soften the resin but in this case... it didn't.

What's goin' on... The only way for aluminum to rust is for it to be against steel or another ferrous metal. Example on semi trailers the lower rails are aluminum and the crossmembers are steel w/ steel mounting plates. From the factory and when repairs are done mylar tape is used to cover the steel to slow this process down. Over time being exposed to the elements the two metals will create whats called galvantic corrosion or electrolosist. When polished aluminum is exposed to acid it will get a chaulky gray color. If you're wanting weathered antennas and stacks try using round stock styrene and then paint that how you want it weathered. Paint the styrene steel and mix in a little rust color then while the paint is still wet use some rust color chaulk grade it or grind it over the stack so chalk dust adheres to the paint let the paint dry and you've got a par of weathered stacks. If the thickness of the styrene looks unproportioned just sand the inside diameter down until it gives the illusion that they aren't thick. Good Luck