Lonestar - Hot Rod custom

[LOBBS]

I had originally picked up a ProStar for my birthday at the Heartland Nats in June with the intent to pair it with a Featherlite race hauler that'll be parked in the display case/race shop that I'm laying out. I wanted that tractor/trailer combo to have a hot rod vibe and the ProStar, ultimately, was just too "fleet" so it's over in the trade section (and the online marketplaces) with a CTM Conversion Kit to go along with it.

I decided to go with the LoneStar instead and it arrived today. Its CTM set isn't far behind. The LoneStar's styling is a love/hate thing, I'm aware, but, and I forget who said it on one of these threads, the LoneStar just has a more O/O feel to it that would lend itself well not only to a hot rod vibe but also to an independent race team. I've got some Super Singles on the wish list over in the trade section but regardless if I receive them that way or have to buy em outright the LoneStar will be wearing them. Their "meatier" look just fits the theme better. The chrome trees are about to go take a swim in the purple pond. I'm not a huge fan of chrome and this truck has a ton of it. I'm still up in the air whether I want the majority of the brightwork to be gloss black to match the paint scheme or a darker metal color like a titanium or gunmetal. And that front bumper.... The vent opening just irks me for some reason. It doesn't fit in visually. I'm tempted to just fill it but I don't know if it actually serves a purpose in the cooling on the 1:1. If it does then I need to figure out some better way to tie it in with the design of the truck because International's designers sure treated it like an afterthought. Possibly reworking the grille as well if it helps bring it all together. Some bigger driving lights down there may also be in order. I think I have a nice set of buckets and lenses from the Revell Tomb Raider Wrangler Rubicon that would look better.

I toyed with the idea of a toterhome/race hauler, Scott Bloomquist's LoneStar rig will still be a huge influence, but I believe I'll still end up going with a more traditional tractor and Featherlite style race hauler combo. The Moebius 53' Smooth Side will serve as a base kit for that endeavor.

Anyhow, if you're still with me, this is where I'd perform the ceremonial "Gluing of the Engine Halves" that's the kick start to all projects but research tells me this motor shouldn't even be in the LoneStar. The Maxxforce 15 was never an option in them and the Cummins ISX-15 should be under the hood 😅. I believe that Auslowe's Cummins Signature is the correct motor but as unfamiliar as I am with big rigs I'm not sure if I can pull off a convincing engine swap. I may just have to paint the Maxxforce red 🤣.

Edited July 19 by LOBBS

[stavanzer]

21 minutes ago, LOBBS said:

I may just have to paint the Maxxforce red 🤣.

That's what I'd do. Save the Money and Effort for the Outside Changes where you'll get more Bang for the Buck.

Congratulations on the Start!

[Gary Chastain]

I have this kit but was undecided what to do with it, like you. Like your ideas, will be watching. 

[Jim B]

Interesting hauler.  I always though the LoneStar would look good in Steampunk.

[Scott Eriksen]

21 hours ago, Gary Chastain said:

I have this kit but was undecided what to do with it, like you. Like your ideas, will be watching. 

Me too,,I'm looking for a day cab conversion kit for mine,,,someone made one ,,can't remember who

[Swamp Dog]

8 hours ago, Scott Eriksen said:

Me too,,I'm looking for a day cab conversion kit for mine,,,someone made one ,,can't remember who

Models by Dave makes a day cab. he was having problems with messenger so DM him or email. this was the update on my group from him last week.. if you dont see it just for it...    Models by Dave    ......    http://www.modelsbydave.com/    

 

Edited July 21 by Swamp Dog

[Model Builders Mafia]

I have built 15 lonestars since the release. it's a fantastic kit, and super easy to modify. 

[LOBBS]

Got a notification that the CTM detail set had been delivered so I grabbed it from the mail on my way into work. Two of the frets are shared with the ProStar and two are specific to the LoneStar kit. Beautiful work on their part and I can see why this is so highly recommended for these trucks.

[Firebuilder]

The hot rod vibe sounds interesting, will follow this one

[TopherMcGinnis]

I'm digging it. I've got one in the stash to build soon.

[Model Builders Mafia]

Like I said I have built 15 of the lonestars in different configs. It's an amazing kit, but even the best have some issues. First download the Revell germany version of the instructions. Second when setting up the build mount the back mounting point to the chassis first then use the interior floor to line up the front mounts. There are some other tricks but that should help

[LOBBS]

15 minutes ago, Model Builders Mafia said:

Like I said I have built 15 of the lonestars in different configs. It's an amazing kit, but even the best have some issues. First download the Revell germany version of the instructions. Second when setting up the build mount the back mounting point to the chassis first then use the interior floor to line up the front mounts. There are some other tricks but that should help

Did you remove the vertical slats of the grille? That was one of the ideas that I've had running thru my head on how to improve its looks. That and removing or thinning the horizontal bar in the bumper and added a vertical spine in the center to make it more inline with the upper grille.

[Model Builders Mafia]

12 minutes ago, LOBBS said:

Did you remove the vertical slats of the grille? That was one of the ideas that I've had running thru my head on how to improve its looks. That and removing or thinning the horizontal bar in the bumper and added a vertical spine in the center to make it more inline with the upper grille.

i think i tried but Im impatient so i butchered it. I Have done work on the bumper to add different style splitters. Also If you go on Etsy they have jewels that are the right size togo under the cab and sleeper. All my stuff is packed right now but I will try to find the link

[LOBBS]

24 minutes ago, Model Builders Mafia said:

i think i tried but Im impatient so i butchered it. I Have done work on the bumper to add different style splitters. Also If you go on Etsy they have jewels that are the right size togo under the cab and sleeper. All my stuff is packed right now but I will try to find the link

I can imagine it would be a delicate process. Would almost have to drill them out. Hitting them with sprue cutters would likely distort the horizontal slats you'd like to keep.

[LOBBS]

The parts acquisition continues as the Super Singles showed up yesterday.

Going down the rabbit hole of the interwebs, I found that International offers this grille for the LT now. These hexagonal/diamond pattern meshes are quite common now on modern performance car grilles. It's got more of the hot rod vibe that I'm after. I've reached out to International to see if they would allow me to have access to the CAD models of the grille assembly and front bumper of the LoneStar thru their resources link on their site. Seeing as how they were willing to work with Moebius to create the kit, the sheer number of LoneStars out there is 3D form for gaming, and there's also a guy on Cults3D that is doing bodies in 1/14th scale it is worth a shot. Somehow, someone, somewhere is modeling up these trucks. Adapting a pattern like this to a CAD model and 3D printing it wouldn't be too terrible of an exercise. If I can't make that a reality, I'll carefully remove the vertical slats of the kit grille and try to find a photoetch mesh that is similar to attach behind it. The front bumper will also get a thin vertical spine in the center to tie in its appearance with the upper grille and I'll fab up or rework the existing horizontal bar to be more similar to its counterparts in the upper grille with the same mesh laid in behind it.

On a more technical note, after looking at several builds on here, the 280" wheelbase seems awfully long. Is there a standard set of wheelbases that were offered for these trucks or were they all just built to whatever length the end customer specified? To my eye, somewhere to 3/4" to an inch really needs to come out of the chassis to tuck my race hauler up near the fairing which would land it somewhere in the neighborhood of 250-260". Just curious if there was an "official spec" length in that neighborhood that I should target.

I also have the Moebius Smooth Side trailer and Trailer Super Singles on the way to get started on the race hauler. I got a message back from a rep at SAF Holland stating he'd be willing to try and find me a spec sheet of some kind for their underslung CBX trailer axles so I can model those up. If not, I found a .PDF with some dimensions of their older Neway models and I'll do my best with it. But that race hauler project will get its own build thread.

Anyhow, now that I've got the majority of parts in place I'm ready to start slinging some paint and plastic.

Edited Tuesday at 07:59 PM by LOBBS

[BK9300]

I’m not knowledgeable about toterhomes, but your question made me curious.  Some searching around says toterhomes can be anywhere from 25’ long to 65’ long,  depending only on how much money an owner wants to put into one.  Average length was mentioned to be around 36’, so the 280” wheelbase you mentioned would seem to be in the lower to mid range.  It does seem, like you said, they are built to whatever length the owner specifies (and can afford!). Looking forward to what you decide to make it for yours.

[vincen47]

Yes, the wheelbase is generally whatever the customer wants. 280” is on the longer side of most tractors today, but not unheard of. It’s a generous wheelbase for a Lonestar. It could be shortened a little, if you prefer, but watch out for swing dip clearance for your trailer. Meaning, make sure it doesn’t hit the corner of the sleeper when turning sharply. 

For Toterhomes, or any RV for that matter, 45’ is the legal limit for a rigid vehicle, just like straight trucks, buses, etc. This would apply regardless if it has a 5th wheel or it’s a bumper pull. 

RVs can be up to 65’ overall in combination with a trailer, but some states allow 75’. Of course, many privately owned rigs are much longer, and the DOT/police will rarely stop them, much less take out a tape measurer.

So legally, 65’ overall for an RV registered rig, but if you’re commercial, then there’s no limit to the overall length, just 53’ for the trailer. That’s how you can get huge race rigs with enormous stackers and toters. Of course many of them are not for hire, too, but they usually don’t get into trouble.

If your Lonestar will have a 5th wheel deck for a big 53’ featherlite-style trailer, 280” will still look good.

If you’re going with a full coach body (like my 379 RV project) and a bumper-pull style stacker trailer, then 280” will give you up to a 36-40’ rig (about a 26-30’ coach body) and look proportional without too much length behind the rear drives. If you don’t want one that long, then you can shorten the wheelbase. Some don’t have much length at all behind the drives, allowing for even greater trailer tongue weight. My 379 Toterhome will be 45’ with a 350” wheelbase, 24’ bumper pull stacker, and a scale 75’ in total length.

I made a smaller toterhome model from a Lonestar a little over a year ago, a scale 32’ in length, single axle, bumper-pull style. I put some flames on the hood. Like you said, the Lonestar lends itself to that “hot rod” look. 
 

Edited yesterday at 12:44 AM by vincen47

[vincen47]

With the engine, the Maxxforce 15 was a failure in and of itself, but it also didn’t make it very far into the production Lonestars because of cooling issues with the radiator set up. Moebius used one of the first ones built with the MF as the example along with early specs from Navistar. One of those situations where if they waited, maybe we would have gotten a Cummins ISX15 kitted. Though, we have them available now from A&N Resin. Highly recommended.

But, I totally understand if you don’t want to go the engine swap route. When I built my Lonestar RV, I used Cummins red on just the basic engine block and glued the hood shut. It was originally a day cab tractor glue bomb without an engine that I got on eBay and the hood was warped. A red painted MF block and some glue solved both problems.

Edited yesterday at 01:14 AM by vincen47

[LOBBS]

25 minutes ago, vincen47 said:

With the engine, the Maxxforce 15 was a failure in and of itself, but it also didn’t make it very far into the production Lonestars because of cooling issues with the radiator set up. Moebius used one of the first ones built with the MF as the example along with early specs from Navistar. One of those situations where if they waited, maybe we would have gotten a Cummins ISX15 kitted. Though, we have them available now from A&N Resin. Highly recommended.

But, I totally understand if you don’t want to go the engine swap route. When I built my Lonestar RV, I used Cummins red on just the basic engine block and glued the hood shut. It was originally a day cab tractor glue bomb without an engine that I got on eBay and the hood was warped. A red painted MF block and some glue solved both problems.

That would be the Red American X15? The one I saw from Auslowe also seemed to avoid calling it a Cummins. It was the Signature something or other IIRC. I'm guessing major licensing issues with them? The A&N version appears to be a much cleaner and better detailed casting.

I'm not opposed to an engine swap. I'd rather have the Cummins. I would just need a whole lot of reference photos to know how to plumb it all properly 😅. I'm not at all familiar with diesels.

Edited yesterday at 01:40 AM by LOBBS

[vincen47]

On 7/29/2025 at 9:28 PM, LOBBS said:

That would be the Red American X15? The one I saw from Auslowe also seemed to avoid calling it a Cummins. It was the Signature something or other IIRC. I'm guessing major licensing issues with them? 

I'm not opposed to an engine swap. I'd rather have the Cummins. I would just need a whole lot of reference photos to know how to plumb it all properly 😅. I'm not at all familiar with diesels.

Yes, the A&N “Red American X15” is the accurate engine for the Lonestar. Specifically, it represents a 2014-2018 CM 2350 Cummins, the ISX15.

The Auslowe “Signature” is a good representation of a slightly earlier Cummins, the CM 570, the pre-emissions Signature 600. It wouldn’t be accurate for a Lonestar, because Cummins made them from about 1998-2002, the successor to the N14 and the precursor to the EGR-equipped ISX-15, the CM 870.

There were two additional ISX-15 engine variations that followed the original ISX-15 before A&N’s version, The CM 871 and CM 2250 (the first with a DPF) but they are close in detail to A&N’s later version.

Currently, Cummins is making the next gen, the X15, CM 2450. One way to tell them all apart is the shape of the front timing cover.
 

Edited 1 hour ago by vincen47

[vincen47]

Forgot to mention, A&N currently has a wait time of 3 months for shipping. They make absolutely fantastic products, though. The engine is highly detailed. Lots of reference photos are available online of Lonestars with ISX15 engines, as that was the only engine option they offered. 

[LOBBS]

I did some digging last night and this morning. I was most concerned about the dual air cleaner set up of the LoneStar but it appears that is very similar between the kit Maxxforce and the Cummins. The air inlets attached to the radiator should be easy enough to massage. The upper radiator hose looks to come in from the top on the Cummins but the front of the block on the Maxxforce so that'll have to be fabbed. I haven't really found a clear shot of the lower radiator hose on any of the 1:1 Cummins pics but overall this doesn't seem to be as awful a swap as I originally thought.

Edited yesterday at 02:42 PM by LOBBS

[LOBBS]

Not 100% related to this project but my order from STS showed up today. Two of the biggest ones (9 scale feet) are for each side of the race hauler with a medium one (3 scale foot) for the aero cap and 1 of the 5 door sets (2 scale foot) being destined for the LoneStar. The other big boy is for a wall in the race shop/display case, a slightly larger medium pair (4 scale foot) for either signage or a sedan delivery with the remainder of the sheet being a couple of lifetime's worth of window decals in scale 12, 8 and 6 inches.

[meechum68]

Following this for sure!