Peterbilt 357 sbfa with 60t lowboy

[Twist67]

Hi there,

I just started on the truck for my wip lowboy.I used an Italeri 378 on an 377 frame.Started with the conversion of the hood and made a new bumper..Don´t know if it will get dual or single headlights...The headrack is on of my latest kits.

This is the trailer so far...I´ve made some blueprints on my pc and milled the parts with my CNC machine.I started this one early this year and made few things on it from time to time.Last addition where some movable deck extensions...It´s been a lot of work but it´s going on.....

[Twist67]

More Traile pictures

More progress on this one,soon

Regards,Chris

[Jim B]

Great job on the low-boy. It looks great. Will you be offering this on your site or through Sourkraut's?

[Convoy]

Looks amazing so far, cant wait for more updates.

[Turbo590]

11-19-09

Christian....

I was wondering where you have been. Hope all is well.

Glad to see you building...AWESOME project you got going here...I need to hook you up with some real oak planking for the flooring

Please keep us updated with progress reports...the 378 Pete turned out great as well.

Take care, Kurt

[Twist67]

Hi there,

thanks for the compliments.

@Jim B, maybe I´ll offering it through Sourkraut´s as I do it with my other kits...But first I have to finish it and have to look how it will come together..maybe next year and than only for preordering...It will have a lot of parts,Styrene,wood,resin,photoetched taillight etc....I have so many other ideas....there are so many possibilities with such a machine.....

@ Kurt,yes thanks all nice here in Germany,I hope things are well on your side,too.I build some AFV models the last time so I´ve read here from time to time but didn´t post....Now I make a break in the AFV things and went back to the good American iron,lol.Those trucks are my first passion and will ever be...second are the US-cars....and finally I bought two 1:1 US cars this year...I love it.....I will finish the triaxle dropframe for my 378 first and go on with this truck and trailer from time to time.The triaxle trailer maybe will be offered through Sourkraut´s next year and I also will redo my four versions of the Toolboxes for next year,a new cabguard,some other types of daycab panels for Ford,Freightliner,Westernstar and Mack....they are in the close planning status...

And also I need some advice for my 357 hood.I´ve seen some heavy haul 357 hoods and they seem different to the normal hood...What are those difference´s and can someone give me some measurements of that hood?Any advice will be helpful.

Thanks and kind regards,

Chris

[mackinac359]

Chris

Nice work!

Regarding your question on the 357 heavy haul hoods - the one you are building is a 1987-2003 SBFA. In mid-2003 for the '04 model year they introduced a new 357/378 SBFA hood that had more slope to the hood and larger fenders. The actual heavy-haul hood came out in '04 and is much taller than the sloped hood, even taller than the older 357/378 SBFA hood.

Here are several photos for reference:

This photo shows two 357 SBFA's

The unit on the left is a Heavy-Haul (originally called "Vocational hood"). The red unit on the right is an older 357 SBFA.

This next photo shows two SBFA's

The green truck in the foreground is a standard SBFA sloped hood. The red truck in the background is a Heavy-Haul.

Here's another Heavy Haul

Here's an older SBFA hood like you are building:

I've built a couple of Heavy Haul 357's using fenders cut off a Spaulding resin hood 357 (modern slope hood) grafted onto a scratchbuilt taller hood. The grille is from the 377 kit with a slight extension of the surround at the bottom to give more height.

This one was my first attempt at the Heavy Haul hood.

Here's the real truck that was the inspiration:

My next version of a Heavy Haul was this big tri-drive

The inspiration:

The 357 Heavy Haul was replaced by the 367 Heavy Haul in 2007 and looks very similar to the 1st version in 2004.

When the Heavy Haul hood debuted the cab still had the older style mirrors mounted to the cab, along with the kit style door handles, so if you made a Heavy Haul hood, you could pop it right onto the Italeri cab and have a nice '04/early '05 357 Heavy Haul.

Tim

[Modelsbyroni]

GREAT WORK ON THAT TRAILER CHRIS. WILL U B OFFERING THE HEADACHE RACK ON SOURKRAUT ALSO?

NICE REFERENCE PIX TIM.

[chuckyr]

Great start.

[Brizio]

Looking good, nice project!

[Kostas Parchas]

@ Tim, I don't like to repeat my self, but you are Peter-pedia!!! LOL!!!

@Twist, 1. Your models are very impressive.

2. Where is you place in Germany, I am visiting Wurzburg for business twice per year. It would be my pleasure to meet you.

[Twist67]

Hi there,

Thanks for your compliments.

@ Tim.Thank you a lot for the infos and pictures...Now I have to think about the type of the hood I want to build...

@ Modelsbyroni.The cabguard and also my other kits and some decals are available through Sourkraut´s.He just got a lot of things from me...

Please take a look at My Fotki for all parts I have actual.New things are coming next year.

@ Kostas. My place in Germany is near cologne.I think it´s about 300 or more km from Wuerzburg but if you want to go that distance you´re welcome.

Regards,Chris

[Kostas Parchas]

Hey Chris,

Before my next visit in Germany, I will Contact you.

Using ICE, 300 km is nothing LOL!

Kostas.

[chuckyr]

Hey Chris,

Before my next visit in Germany, I will Contact you.

Using ICE, 300 km is nothing LOL!

Kostas.

Using ICE, 300 km is nothing LOL!

Don't rub it in. We short sighted Americans will never see such an efficient source of public transportation, but I digress.

[rronning84]

Cant wait to see this one done. Looks very cool.

[Old Albion]

Chris,

This is superb! I like the details, this really is a precission engineered model.

Best Wishes

Dave