BigBad

Lookin' good Chuck! When you go on the official Lonestar site,(http://www.internati...fgtr/index.html) (don't forget to move your mouse over the truck pictures to choose the model...) you can configure your own paint scheme and colors. There are over 200 color shades so you might just find the Cat yellow to be not so out of place after all.

Hey Brian, I know you're mocking up the cab on the frame, but do you expect it will sit the same way once installed on its mounts? Meaning that it sits just right the way you're showing it in the pictures. The cab to wheel gap looks good.

"Speaking of stacks, I am unhappy with the look of the kit supplied stacks, is replacement with tubing the way to go?" It depends on what you want to replace. If you don't want to use aftermarket parts for the whole muffler/end pipe assembly you might want to use a minimum of parts. I suggest cutting the end pipes to a short stub right after the muffler and adding larger diameter aluminum pipes that fit right over those stubs for added realism. When polished with some mild automotive compound, these pipes will look great! At least make them bigger cause the kit pipes look like bicycle handle bars.

I've been toying with the idea of building a late model milk tanker. I've got the right subject for the tractor, a Lonestar with Dave's daycab conversion. But for the tanker trailer... I'm not so sure which way to go. I tought of the AMT Texaco tanker or the Lindberg chrome tanker that is packaged with the Dodge L700. The Linberg is almost ready out of the box, but then again, the AMT Fruehauf is almost the right size for a modern tanker. I see the big Tremcars on the road all the time and they're lookin' really good. I guess I could go with a PVC or ABS pipe with a trailer suspension... Suggestions welcome!

Stunning! I see you have super singles rolling back there!

Better get rid of the tabs on those fuel tanks!

Nice Mack! very cleanly built. Those R series looked pretty good, they were recognizable from a distance and nothing else looked quite like it. Not quite a classic like the B but close.

That looks very promising!

John, what do you mean by 53 series (Chevrolet) and 71 series (GMC)? To my knowledge (certainly limited) both series were available to both makes and everybody else for that matter. Maybe I missed something or don't understand what you meant. A 4V-71? That's a new one by me. I learned of the existence of the 8V53 not too long ago, so I guess anything is possible.

Made ME dizzy! Thanks!

Quite impressive! This is beautiful work indeed.

I like the color of that interior. Nice detailing.

Jac, this website has been modified from the time I ordered parts from these guys, I just don't know how to access it anymore. Unless you have to be a member?

So, how's this big Chevy doing? Something you might want to check is the front grill's thickness, if you install the bumper really close to the cab (so it looks right), that thick grill will prevent you from tilting the cab properly. One thing I saw on another build, the grill seemed to be mounted very flush to the cab front surface. As if you'd put a thin photoetch grill like the guys were talking about earlier in your topic. I just don't know how it was done though because the mounting holes for the cab hinges are right behind the grill frame. By the way, I have bought both photoetch kits for the GMC Astro, while I haven't built my Titans yet, I can say that the details on these parts are really good and if you want to build the latest version of the GMC Astro, that big grill kit is the way to go. On the photoetch tree you get all the GMC logos, a multi part grill assembly (grill and frame), the WIPERS, (you know how thick the ones in the truck kit are...) the rearview mirror mounts, the exhaust heat shields and straps (nice and accurate) and the fuel tank steps. The grill is from white metal and most of the other parts are brass, nothing a little chrome paint can't fix. But I'm not so sure about that "Modelmakershop" website anymore.

I have respect for people who can make something out of very basic material. This is great work! By the way those chain drives are incredible!

Has anybody submitted stuff yet? I'm thinking about it.

Ha, the more I look at it, the more they look like straws! I just might cut them down and put some 3/16" pipe instead for less of a kiddy look. I'm happy this truck can be of some interest Kevin, thanks!

I second that request...

Thanks! Apparently, there's nothing like an old Freightliner to get some attention! I had fun building that beast even if it wasn't perfect to start with... I could have refined the stripes a bit with better masking tape, but I have great material to work with now. Maybe I'll have to make another one with OEM factory stripes and a DD 8V71, two snorkel air intakes...

Great paint job! I like it a lot. Take allll the time you need to complete this. It's a really nice piece!

I think the driver of that truck made real sure his fifth wheel was good and ready for a trailer!! Jokes aside, this is a very good build. I don't see anything wrong with it, even the grill seems to fit nicely. I like your weathering and the slight rusting. Very convincing. Lots of eye candy on this one! Good job.

Unusual subject and very interesting too. While I am a GM fan, this all Mopar theme rig is very cool! Nice work!

You sold the LTL... Too bad I didn't catch that one! You do nice work, you should show it a little more!

Mark, all the tires are kit supplied and the same size on this truck. The wheels are also the same diameter. Of note: Ever since I built it, I find the front axle a little wide for the cab, not by much but still a bit wide, so that would be something to watch for somebody who wants to build a Freightliner. Thanks for the nice comments guys!

Sounds almost tasty doesn't it? Actually I built this rig about 3 years ago and its my first build since I was a teenager. I saw the truck kit at a local hobby shop and decided it was time to build again. Most of the paint stripes were rather obviously painted except the medium brown in the middle which is automotive tape. It's a little rough but I think still looks okay. Anyway, I just wanted to paint this Freightliner in these colors for kicks. The brown is Testors modelmasters rootbeer brown and the metallic beige is Dupli-Color Toyota touch-up paint. I had some trouble with painting, I think I had encountered a phenomenon called "degassing" because when I laid the second color on top of the first, it started bubbling like crazy... Didn't leave enough time between coats I guess. One day was not enough. So I removed part of it from the roof and left the base champagne color there. I wanted to see what this truck would look like with spoke wheels, so I swapped the ones from a Chevy Titan I bought some time later. I cut the exhaust stacks and put in aluminum pipes instead. I should have put something bigger but they were the same size tubing as the kit pipes. Then I put on some plastic wire for the CB antennae. The flatbed Fruehauf is simply built out of the box.