k100 Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 I recently bought a cheap 4300 kit at the local flea market it was a complete kit , the frame had been started but was broken and badly bent I fixed the frame by making it shorter , the 4300 hood and cab on the shorter frame just didn't look right , so I decided to cut the hood down to make it a 4200. I got the engine built ,painted and plumed . I know the front axle is too wide ,so I used the axle from the C0-4070A as a reference to cut the axle down ,also replaced the kits plastic tie rod with brass tubing . Added some detail to the air tanks and battery box , I'm going to use 2 hole Bud wheels and tires from Sense Unlimited. Thanks for looking . 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockford Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 (edited) Looks like a good chunky monkey that. Cutting the hood down was a clever move. Wheels and tyres look excellent. Edited January 8 by Rockford Text corrected Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Chastain Posted January 9 Share Posted January 9 Like the looks of the cut down hood. What did you do to refit the hood to the cowling? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cifenet Posted January 9 Share Posted January 9 That is a good looking truck already! Great prep work and good start of the build! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k100 Posted January 15 Author Share Posted January 15 Thank you for all the comments . Steve: thank you, I might put spoke wheels on the rear ,undecided yet . Gary: actually the hood lines up fine off the frame , with the frame twisted Ill have to shim the cab to make it fit correctly. Steve: thank you Started some under hood detail, I added 2 stiffening ribs and trying to make some generic inner fender wells . Also reworked the hood hinges I added some styrene to the original hood hinge so I could drill holes to use brass rod, the hinge mounts on the frame were drill all the way through. Thanks for for looking . 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Chastain Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 I will be following this build and thanks for posting the details. I have a couple of these kits and really like what you are doing. Always wanted to build one of the short hood trucks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Chastain Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 You will need to move the cab forward, I assume and will you need to modify the firewall. Interesting to see what you do 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Eriksen Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 Looks great!!! I aways liked the snub nose look . All the years of working on trucks ,and a lot of corn binders,,I never saw a 4300 with the IH V-8 ,,usually a Detroit or Cummins .. they make for a sweet looking wrecker 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k100 Posted February 3 Author Share Posted February 3 Thanks for the comments . Gary: yes I moved the cab forward about 3/8 of inch from the original mounting Location, as for the firewall just had to sand a little off bottom cab corners , it fits good off the frame I’ll need to do some shimming to get it fit good on the frame . Scott: I’m just using the kit motor in this one , I thought about swapping the motor out maybe on the next one I’ll do that. I got front axle mounted added U bolts & nuts , made new shocks , and mocked up the steering box and shaft , all the pictures I’ve seen online has this type of steering box not like the one in the kit, I have an old S- series in the parts bin I took steering box off that just to see if it would fit , I think it will work . The U joint is from a Moebius Ford pickup kit . The under side of the hood is finished it didn’t turn out too bad. The last picture reminds me of seeing Glider trucks setting in the lots when Intentional Harvester was still in Ft. Wayne . Thanks 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k100 Posted February 3 Author Share Posted February 3 Quick update I got the steering all connected it fell right into place with no modifications. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cifenet Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 You are doing an excellent work at this making systematic improvements! Nice progress! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k100 Posted February 12 Author Share Posted February 12 Thank you for the comments. I decided to swap out the IH Engine for Cummins it’s a tight fit but with some modifying of the fire wall it fits in well . Also got the rear suspension mounted and some air lines plumed in . Thanks 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Eriksen Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 Nice detail on the engine,PT pump,air compressor and A/C compressor bracket look good! ....where did you get the brake chambers,,they look a lot better than the Auslowe ones I use Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k100 Posted March 22 Author Share Posted March 22 Hello It’s been a while sense I’ve been able to work the Transtar , I decided that frame was a little too short and I didn’t like the look of the cobbled mess of the old spliced area , so carefully cut the frame and added about 3/4 of an inch of frame , also reworked the fire wall area around the motor to make room for the Cummins , and reworked the air intake and filter box . Steve : thanks for the comment the brake Chambers are from a Revell Peterbilt 359 . 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chariots of Fire Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 Did that cut and paste splice of the frame straighten it out any? Nice work that you're doing. Lots of little detail things beginning to show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k100 Posted March 23 Author Share Posted March 23 Thank you for comments Charles yes it help quite a bit, but still need to shim the front of the cab just a little . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRIPTROIT 71 Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 I like it! Nice work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Force Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 (edited) On 2/12/2024 at 1:05 AM, k100 said: Thank you for the comments. I decided to swap out the IH Engine for Cummins it’s a tight fit but with some modifying of the fire wall it fits in well . Also got the rear suspension mounted and some air lines plumed in . Thanks The IH V-800 is a boat anchor anyway so you might as well.😁 But that engine is in the 4300 kit so International must have had it on the option list as I don't think ERTL who originally developed this kit would have put in that engine otherwise, the V-800 are also in the other ERTL international truck kits except for the F 4270 wich had a Cummins V903 and the CO4070A and CO4070B wich had 8V-71. Good work on this one. Edited March 24 by Force Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cifenet Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 Excellent work, I like the look of the truck so far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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