Russell C Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 (edited) This is the original Ertl International Transtar cabover, a kit I first built rather poorly in the late '70s (even driving it around in the carpet if I remember right), which I rebuilt as you see here in June 1982, with substitutions of the steerable front axle, engine and front turn signals which went toward my Ford CL-9000. The engine, front axle & wheels likely came from an AMT Peterbilt COE I scrapped, but I can't ID those improper turn signals. The rooftop A/C is a cut-down one from the AMT Peterbilt 359. Originally I had the thing painted black with red stripes that were just the bare plastic, using the simple instruction sheet stripe templates. But in 1982 I liked the basic look of the 'team color' stripe option for Toyota 4x4 trucks, so I adapted that concept here, adding a third color in the stripes. I still like that look, that's how hopelessly stuck I am in the '80s. The New Mexico plate is a hand-lettered bit of yellow paper. I thought the rear axle caps in the Ertl kit looked quite flat, so I substituted some two-level ones from the AMT Diamond Reo kit. In the interim time between 1982 and now, the blue trailer connection hose went springing off to places unknown, so I remade the hose just a couple of days ago from copper wire wrapped around a file handle, painted with a thin acrylic blue color. Got it pictured in Scale Auto's October 1986 issue, in the Model Truck Lines column when Don Shenk was writing it. There are two of my other models in that same column, but I'll show each of those in different posts later. These days I could do better by making the fuel tanks out of aluminum tube and lathe-turned end caps, to avoid having those unsightly lines, and I'd polish the paint flat before finishing the model, along with adding basic wiring and a few other details to really crisp-up the model even more. However, it is still not half bad after all these years just the way it is. Edited April 29, 2020 by Russell C fixed busted photo links Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 The 4070A was the very first truck kit I ever built, back around 1973 if I remember correctly. I always thought it was and still is the best truck kit ever made. Nice build! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim B Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Very nice looking Transtar. I like the stripes, too. Those turn signals look like they are from either the GMC Astro or Chevrolet Titan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petetrucker07 Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 (edited) This kit is on my dream list or hope to be re-issued list. Very nice build Edited August 14, 2014 by Petetrucker07 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DynoMight Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Looks really good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alangarber Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Looks really good. Love the stripe work, it really sets it off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disabled modeler Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 I remember building this one as a kid when it came out....still love it...its a great kit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slusher Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 Very sharp model. Love the paint scheme.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asfastasu Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 Nice job. Wish they would re-issue it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danno Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 Excellent model, Russell! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
towman1271 Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 Great Job... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackinac359 Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 She's a beauty ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tesla Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 Great looking build! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBad Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 That is a nice build! The paint scheme sets it off perfectly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbill Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 that is a great looking rig! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russell C Posted August 16, 2014 Author Share Posted August 16, 2014 (edited) Thanks, gents. On 8/14/2014 at 1:56 PM, Jim B said: ...Those turn signals look like they are from either the GMC Astro or Chevrolet Titan. That would probably be right, since I had used the AMT Chevy Titan cab as the basis for my CL-9000 project, which had robbed the turn signals off this IH. Edited April 29, 2020 by Russell C fixed busted photo link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Buckaroo Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 Nice to see another one of your Impressive old builds. Nothing wrong with being stuck in the '80's - paint jobs were way much better then bland graphics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBad Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 I'm with you Mr. Davis, the paint schèmes from the 70's and 80's were indeed wild but, they sure looked great! Man has it been bland ever since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
signguy2108 Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 Good looking truck. Still a couple of em around here pulling old grain trailers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superpeterbilt Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 Ive love the period correct paint man! Thats about as cool as the old school photos in Overdrive. Great job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1930fordpickup Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 Great looking truck. Takes me back to the 70's vacations in our camper/Ford school bus. If this is ancient history I must be really old! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kostas Parchas Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 Time machine!!! Nice, really nice rig! Kostas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 ... I still like that look, that's how hopelessly stuck I am in the '80s... I agree entirely... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam I Am Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 What a beautiful survivor !! I agree with the stripes, they really make the model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pegaso Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 It would be as well a dream, to build one of this. Hope as well a re-issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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