International 4300 tractor

[Gary Chastain]

Started this build some time ago. While waiting on parts for two other builds, thought I would throw it back on the bench. Will be a mild custom with fenders, larger fuel tanks, maybe do something with the battery boxes, aftermarket exhaust, headache rack and so on. Will follow the colors of my growing fleet. Got a couple trailer ideas but will see where this goes. 

did a lot of work to the front axle to get wider tires to fit in the fenders. 

[cifenet]

You are multitasking now!  

I can never work several projects at once, I would lose parts or mix up parts.

Nice starting so far, the fenders fit like gloves in there.  

I think I had to also move the front axle to the front by 1/8 inch, but it could be just me building mine.  

[Gary Chastain]

Two fuel tanks built, eight mounting brackets made, need four more brackets, then can assemble. Next, battery boxes. 

[Firebuilder]

Looking good!

[Pete68]

Nice start 

[Scott Eriksen]

On 2/4/2024 at 2:21 PM, Gary Chastain said:

Started this build some time ago. While waiting on parts for two other builds, thought I would throw it back on the bench. Will be a mild custom with fenders, larger fuel tanks, maybe do something with the battery boxes, aftermarket exhaust, headache rack and so on. Will follow the colors of my growing fleet. Got a couple trailer ideas but will see where this goes. 

did a lot of work to the front axle to get wider tires to fit in the fenders. 

Gary,I have that in my pile yet to do,,, I understand that the front axle in the kit is a bit on the wide side? 

[Gary Chastain]

6 minutes ago, Scott Eriksen said:

Gary,I have that in my pile yet to do,,, I understand that the front axle in the kit is a bit on the wide side? 

Yes it is to wide and it sits to far to the rear, tires are not centered in the wheel openings.  On the width, you could narrow the axle but be careful of the spring perches, second, find a narrower axle or thirdly I used a different set of wheels that have a different offset. it sets the backing plate a bit deeper in the wheel and it does clear the brake chambers 
Instead of glueing the axle forward on the springs, or moving the springs forward, I moved the hood rearward. I have seen guys remake the hinge to correct this issue which I think is the best way using removable pins. That way you can glue the grill to the hood before installing hood. 
I believe they have reissued this kit as the Sprite International 4300, hope they fixed these issues, but I still have a couple more of these kits. 

[Scott Eriksen]

10 hours ago, Gary Chastain said:

Yes it is to wide and it sits to far to the rear, tires are not centered in the wheel openings.  On the width, you could narrow the axle but be careful of the spring perches, second, find a narrower axle or thirdly I used a different set of wheels that have a different offset. it sets the backing plate a bit deeper in the wheel and it does clear the brake chambers 
Instead of glueing the axle forward on the springs, or moving the springs forward, I moved the hood rearward. I have seen guys remake the hinge to correct this issue which I think is the best way using removable pins. That way you can glue the grill to the hood before installing hood. 
I believe they have reissued this kit as the Sprite International 4300, hope they fixed these issues, but I still have a couple more of these kits. 

I have a few aftermarket front axles in the parts dept.,,I'll have to check them with the kit axle..........so the hood has to be shaved off a bit where it meets the cab cowl also ?

[Gary Chastain]

4 hours ago, Scott Eriksen said:

I have a few aftermarket front axles in the parts dept.,,I'll have to check them with the kit axle..........so the hood has to be shaved off a bit where it meets the cab cowl also ?

I am not planning on shaving at the cowl, I am just going to move the cab back and the cab cross member. I moved the hood back just enough so the hood closes and the grill just misses the radiator, about .100 inch. There is a post in WIP where a member is shortening the hood to a 4200 series from a 4300 series, the way he changed the hood hinge is probably better than what I did. 

[Gary Chastain]

Readjusting the fit of cab, hood and front axle. 
I choose to run wide tire setup which further complicated things. 

[Scott Eriksen]

I have the Revell 1/25th W900 Kenworth wrecker kit ,I plan on using the Transtar with the wrecker body and put a Detroit in it

[Gary Chastain]

48 minutes ago, Scott Eriksen said:

I have the Revell 1/25th W900 Kenworth wrecker kit ,I plan on using the Transtar with the wrecker body and put a Detroit in it

That sounds like a really cool build

[Gary Chastain]

I didn’t like the smaller fuel tanks I was building so I am trying another route. Stripped the chrome off, glue up, fill seams and sink spots, sand off the straps. Ready for paint, make new chrome straps and steps. See how this goes. 

[Rockford]

I'm sure you'll do a great job. This is a real sturdy looking kit. I made one many years ago and thought ERTL did such a good job on it, the contrast to the AMT stuff. Things actually fitted together like a..... Kit!

[Gary Chastain]

Today was mostly painting. Final coat on cab, second color added to hood, toolbox painted , fuel tanks got first two coats and a bunch of miscellaneous parts. 

[Scott Eriksen]

Looks good Bud ! 

[Gary Chastain]

6 minutes ago, Scott Eriksen said:

Looks good Bud ! 

Thanks, see where this goes. 

[Gary Chastain]

Coming together

[Pete68]

On 2/7/2024 at 2:07 PM, Gary Chastain said:

Readjusting the fit of cab, hood and front axle. 
I choose to run wide tire setup which further complicated things. 

They really don’t look bad at all. 

[Gary Chastain]

Some progress today, finish up fuel tanks tomorrow 

[Pete68]

22 hours ago, Gary Chastain said:

Some progress today, finish up fuel tanks tomorrow 

Nice color on the tanks and fenders 

[k100]

Great job Gary I like look of the wider tries on the front . I was thinking the same way about doing the fuel tank on my 4300/4200 , I’m got a set of Photo etch steeps from Models by Dave I’m going to try those.

 

[Gary Chastain]

1 hour ago, k100 said:

Great job Gary I like look of the wider tries on the front . I was thinking the same way about doing the fuel tank on my 4300/4200 , I’m got a set of Photo etch steeps from Models by Dave I’m going to try those.

 

Yes, the wider tires I think look better. The fuel tanks are just kicking my ………t. Needed to put the straps on in segments and just couldn’t get them aligned, so I am scratch build a third set of tanks with a slightly longer tank and new mounts. Trying out a couple building techniques on the tank mounts/straps. 

[Gary Chastain]

Finally getting some bench time after the weather has turned cold and snowing. Added more color to the hood, was just too much white color,  still playing around with fuel tanks. Scratch building a better looking visor also  

[cifenet]

Yup, looks sweet already. 

I think Int 4300 is one of the good looking trucks and this one building up very well with various customer parts.