Tractor Trailer Community Build

[highway]

Yeah, Justin, I agree with the others, it would be fine and just a custom painted engine. Anyway, Cat engines are yellow, so you could just say it's a Cat!

For future projects, you could use this site for reference for the engine colors.

http://www.jobbersinc.com/

They have some nice pics of many different engines, all you need to do is click on the name of the manufacture. If you aren't sure what engine is in a kit, don't be afraid to ask, there are many of us like me who have been around the real things most of our lives, somebody will steer you in the right direction.

[highway]

By the way, here is an example of what you can find on the Jobbersinc site, these are pics of the Cummins NH 250 that is in the Freightliner kit from their site.

[highway]

I have very cleanly taken the entire engine off the frame. Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Highway's pictures of the cummins everything is tan except for the fan. And on ricks He has more black parts to his. I think ricks looks alot better but for realism which one should I do? All tan or have black in it aswell?

Justin, the main reason everything in the pics are all tan is because Jobbers Inc is an engine rebuilder. A common practice with engine rebuilders and factories as well, at least truck engines anyways, is that they normally assemble the entire engine first before painting it. That is why everything in the pic is tan except for the fan. Rick is building his more as a road worn engine with some weathering, and along with that, some parts may have been replaced or worn over years of use. A couple of good examples of this comparing Rick's engine to the pics I posted, the alternator and starter (which I noticed is on the left on the real engine and on the right side of the kit's engine, don't know why ) could have been replaced, so they would be different colors. The exhaust manifold is another, it's painted on the rebuild, but Rick's shows what they look like after a few years on the road after the exhaust heat has burned the paint off.

As for realism, that is the great thing with trucks, most anything can be concidered real. Parts colors can vary since it might be a new part on an old engine, parts makers might paint a part where others might be bare aluminum or other metal finish, and drivers might even add their own little custom touches. I know, even though I drove company owned trucks, I added little custom touches to my rigs just to be apart from the crowd. One company, even though they had a strict policy against it, complemented me on the vinyl lettering I added to my company truck and the time I took to paint the lettering on my tires with a paint pen so I was the only company truck running raised white letter tires! Just goes to show some rules can be broken!

[cam]

Thanks Dave, The Paystar is my favorite build to date. I am looking forward to finishing the 4300. The engine is the 3408 from a Revell of Germany w-900 kenworth.

Justin it depends on the look your after, a new or rebuilt engine would be all one color, or if you want a used look , replaced parts like starter,alternator would be a different color.

[mistermodel]

Justin,krylon kacie is a good match for a cummins.Its a big cn so you can paint lots of engines,also its a good choise for interiors also.A lot of the engine commponents were installed before painting when new so allmost every thing would be painted

[highway]

Im going to go the weathered route because I really, really like ricks engine. But im going to change it up a little bit. I think im going to have replaced parts on it like its been haulin for years but will still be decently clean like the owner likes to keep it really clean and lookin good. Yay or nay?

That sounds like a great idea, Justin, especially for an owner operator truck. The guys who own their own rigs like keeping them clean, you can't blame them after dumping upwards of sometimes $150,000 for some trucks today. The engines in those would be just like you described, clean but not clean like the picture I posted earlier, it would be a used clean, if that makes any sense.

[Rick]

Im going to go the weathered route because I really, really like ricks engine. But im going to change it up a little bit. I think im going to have replaced parts on it like its been haulin for years but will still be decently clean like the owner likes to keep it really clean and lookin good. Yay or nay?

Thank you Justin, you just made my day!!

And yay on your idea, I was going for that but over- did it...

Rick

[cargostar]

I'm a little late on the 1/32 wheels question, but check out Don Mills models. He has alot of 1/32 stuff.

[cowboysevens]

hello yall im checkin in to let ya know im gonna be a part of this biuld, my plan is to biuld a 358 tilt hood pete with a mercury sleeper, not sure of trailer yet but probably gonna be a reefer

dennis

[dwc43]

I'm a little late on the 1/32 wheels question, but check out Don Mills models. He has alot of 1/32 stuff.

Thanks. Not too late at all. I'll keep that in mind if the Coke truck wheels don't work out for some reason or I miss the bid on it.

[Blake Rogers]

ok matt heres my trucks and my idea for the kenworth witch there's a long list to make it look like

this. let the fun begin!!!

Edited December 22, 2010 by Blake Rogers

[Nick Winter]

Well apparently lack of sleep is good for my building, couldn't sleep at 3 AM so I went back to working on the truck.

Started on the 480 Mechanical, not doing a lot of working stuff here except the sling.

gave everything another coat of primer.

and re did the grill, still not perfect but much better.

and a sneak peak to whats next

[highway]

Welcome Dennis and Dave!

Blake, I updated your list to include the Dodge, and let me know if the trailer will be part of the build, too.

[BigBlockLyle]

Well, I figured I would give my phone's camera a shot to at least show where Im at. And the logo Im trying to find someone to turn into a decal for me.

[Clay]

Dukes Hauler is nearing completion!!!

[highway]

Looking nice so far Dave, at the rate you did your Titan, you should be able to build a fleet by the time this ends!

Good news Clay, let's see some pics!

[highway]

Alright, since there's a couple of you close to finishing and I haven't even made up my mind, I figure it's time I made it up!

This is the plan I've had since I started the build, and I finally decided to make it more than the plan. I'm entering two heavy haulers, and here is just the start of the kits I'll be using.

Two AMT Lowboys

Pulling this as a load!

As for tractors, I'm 99.9% sure both will be new Moebius Lonestars! After seeing Tim's built test shot, there is no question they will look awesome pulling the train. One will be converted to a tri axle, since I think it would look more natural with the main engine part of the train, and the other will be just a tandem like the new kit pulling the tender. Oh, by the way, it will still be legal even with a train, through research I found the real train is just slightly over 50,000 pounds.

Since heavy hauls need escorts, I plan on these being part of the escort crew.

I have plans for one more escort vehicle and a police escort for the convoy, since the train is a museum piece, but have not decided what those will be yet.

I'm also going to use the dually not only as an escort vehicle, but as an excuse to build something I have wanted to build for many years, my 1:1!

It will be slightly different, because I will add the stacks I've wanted for years, and will be appropriately marked as an oversized vehicle escort.

Also, since I haven't heard any complaints otherwise, if you guys don't mind, I'll finish this one up, too!

[dwc43]

Since I am 3/4 way on the Paystar and it's going together fast, I may add another truck I just picked up today. Right now, I'm just waiting for the last of the detail parts to arrive from Detail Master. I can't work on anything else right now anyways. I tried to get decals from J Bot. They are not taking orders. Must be backed up for Christmas.

See,

Dear customers:

I am trying to respond to all my emails.

I am also printing and mailing the decals I still owe to customers.

Please dont send orders (or money, or requests) in the mail until I am caught up.

I WILL catch up before opening my website again.

Thank you.

Anyways, my new truck is a Ford with a ramp bed car hauler on the back. Not sure what model it is though. Not a lot of info on the box or instruction sheet. It older than a 9000 but the grill kinda look like one without the gap where the 9000 numbers go. IT also has the round grill work on the passenger side hood of the aircleaner. It has a V8, but not sure it has a lot of good detail while looking over the instruction sheet. Might need another engine for better detail.

Was looking at the decal sheet. I bet they are useless. I want to scan them and try to reprint them. I bet some wont show up on a scan though. All the white numbers are faded out. I can see them when I tilt the sheet in the light, but I bet they wont show on a scan. That really stinks cause I need all of them.

Any help on engine colors, replacement engine, details, decals would be great. I'll get a pic up when I can along with some update pics on the Paystar.

Edited December 23, 2010 by dwc43

[highway]

Sounds good DW, there is no limit to how many kits anyone choses to build, the more the merrier!

The Ford you are decribing is just like this one, and I believe they are LN 8000s, it's more or less also the Louisville and the snow plow kits.

[BigBlockLyle]

Highway, this is off subject, but can you send me a couple pics of how your guide posts on your truck are wired and mounted? I have some that I want to put on mine.

[highway]

Highway, is there a kit that you don't have?

Well, with an inventory of almost 450 unbuilt kits, I have almost as many kits as all three of my local hobby shops COMBINED!! Sometimes it takes a while before I come across a kit not here, but there are a few.

[highway]

Highway, this is off subject, but can you send me a couple pics of how your guide posts on your truck are wired and mounted? I have some that I want to put on mine.

Sure thing, Ben. As for wiring, here's a pick that I took over the summer while measuring heights for the model, the wires just come out the bottom of the tube and I think are held out of the way by the pole mounts.

I'll get a couple better pics tomorrow, it's a little dark outside right now.

[highway]

Sounds like you have alot of building to do. Lets see here

2 Lowboy's

A train

2 possibly 3 trucks

about 2 lonestars

and A police escort!

By the way, you forgot all the modifying I have to do to the dually to make it look like my 1:1! I have to shorten the cab to a regular cab, build the front and rear springs not only for the 4x4, but the massive rear springs I have for the rar axle.

Plus I have to shorten the frame just enough to make up for the loss of the extended cab, but still long enough to replicate the gap between the bed and cab since it's slightly larger being a chassis cab frame. Then after all this, I have to figure out how to make a diesel out of the kit's gas engine!

Oh, and hacking the frame on a brand new Lonestar for the third rear axle! Oh, and did I mention I might convert the lowboys to a detachable front neck, too?

[niteowl7710]

I tried to get decals from J Bot. They are not taking orders. Must be backed up for Christmas.

Have you happened to order anything off him in the past say...3-4 years? He and I were just getting to know each other back then, and scheming on some decal ideas when he had the longest consecutive string of bad luck I've ever personally witnessed that included numerous computer disasters (both hardware & software) and a messy personal situation. I have not seen his website open to new orders since then. I would really like to see him come back online as his decals are fabulous.

[dwc43]

sounds like you have the old Ford LN based racecar hauler kit which was issued in a few different ways with different cars and by itself. took me a long time to find an affordable one but i just got one recently too.

Sounds good DW, there is no limit to how many kits anyone choses to build, the more the merrier!

The Ford you are decribing is just like this one, and I believe they are LN 8000s, it's more or less also the Louisville and the snow plow kits.

That's the one. And was not affordable, but I got it anyways. lol