Gary Chastain Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 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. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cifenet Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Chastain Posted February 5 Author Share Posted February 5 Two fuel tanks built, eight mounting brackets made, need four more brackets, then can assemble. Next, battery boxes. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firebuilder Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 Looking good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete68 Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 Nice start Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Eriksen Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 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? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Chastain Posted February 7 Author Share Posted February 7 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. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Eriksen Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 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 ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Chastain Posted February 7 Author Share Posted February 7 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. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Chastain Posted February 7 Author Share Posted February 7 Readjusting the fit of cab, hood and front axle. I choose to run wide tire setup which further complicated things. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Eriksen Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Chastain Posted February 7 Author Share Posted February 7 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 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Chastain Posted February 9 Author Share Posted February 9 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. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockford Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 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! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Chastain Posted February 9 Author Share Posted February 9 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. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Eriksen Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 Looks good Bud ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Chastain Posted February 9 Author Share Posted February 9 6 minutes ago, Scott Eriksen said: Looks good Bud ! Thanks, see where this goes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Chastain Posted February 9 Author Share Posted February 9 Coming together 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete68 Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 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. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Chastain Posted February 10 Author Share Posted February 10 Some progress today, finish up fuel tanks tomorrow 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete68 Posted February 11 Share Posted February 11 22 hours ago, Gary Chastain said: Some progress today, finish up fuel tanks tomorrow Nice color on the tanks and fenders 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k100 Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Chastain Posted February 12 Author Share Posted February 12 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. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Chastain Posted March 18 Author Share Posted March 18 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 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cifenet Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 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. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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