Peterbilt Work Trucks

Inspired by photographs of several different style of Schlumberger trucks I built this hybrid late '80s Peterbilt 357-123 butterfly hood. I started with the Italeri Peterbilt 377 A/E kit. I scratchbuilt the hood, fenders, bumper, frame rails and the pump equipment box from flat plastic. The wheels and tires are resin from Aitruckmodels.com. The headlights are resin from Spaulding Trading and Shipping. The RH fuel tank steps are from a Revell of Germany Peterbilt 359. The LF tank is from an Italeri Freightliner FLD. Yves at White Fang Enterprises made the mudflap logos. The orange color is Allis-Chalmers orange from Krylon. The Schlumberger door logos were made on the computer and printed on Bare Metal Foil decal paper. The white portion of the logo is white vinyl.

The inspiration - photos courtesy of Mark Reitz. My SLB unit is a "hybrid" truck. (a fancy term for I made it up).

These photos show the 357-123 and the 377 for comparison. I sanded and recontoured the shape of the crown and grille shell to "harden" the look that the softer 377 grille and crown.

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I photographed the real truck on September 16, 2005 at the Peterbilt plant in Denton, Texas. That's me beside the real truck. I planned to build a model of the 379 and started in mid 2006 modifying an Italeri 378 kit reworking the hood to a short hood 379 and reworking the doors for the '06 style doors. The mirror arms are aluminum tubing bent to shape.

The kit frame rails were shortened and the wheelbase changed. I used smaller AMT Peterbilt 352 fuel tanks. Kit Form Services front wheels and tires and another casters rear tires were used. Colors are Krylon yellow and Duplicolor metallic green. Plenty of Bare Metal Foil graces the fuel tanks, bumper, muffler shields and door sills.

I titled this "Peterbilt 379-119 - Part One" because there is more to this truck.. Hank Suderman has photographed this truck in Canada where it works as a transfer dump.

My plan was to build the truck as seen at the factory and also as seen in Hank's "Lunchtime at the Overpass" photographs. In order to build the truck two ways, I needed to temporarily install several pieces. The headlights, mufflers, visor and factory window stickers were all taped in place for these photographs.

Photo at left shows the model with the headlights, visor, windowstickers and exhaust removed. 8/25/07.

The photo above shows the 379 as it looked in the summer of 2007. The truck is set up as a transfer dump. The factory headlights swapped for single rounds on DoubleJ brackets, a droopy visor added and big fat pipes replace the factory stacks and muffler shields. Chicken lights added along with driving lights below the headlamps.

Photos by Hank Suderman used with permission.

www.hankstruckpictures.com

The finished 2006 Peterbilt 379 Canadian Transfer dump. The real truck is owned by Davinder Uppal. I scratchbuilt the dump box on the truck using various strips of Evergreen and Plastruct and large sheets of plastic (formerly a Wendy's display sign). The fat exhaust pipes are Evergreen tube covered in Bare Metal Foil. The transfer trailer is an AMT/MPC Gravel Trailer frame that was reworked. The dump box is from an AMT Paystar with new side posts and front wall made from plastic. The trailer fenders are sheet plastic. The "chicken lights" on the truck and dump boxes are round Evergreen rod salami-shaved and glued in place then painted. The two amber emergency lights on the dump box are Evergreen square rod cut and sanded to shape.

Aftermarket items include: Big Droopy Visor from Dan Poulin at www.dansmodeltruckworld.com; Front wheels and tires from www.kitformservices.com, resin tires from Jamie R; Hot Rod headlamps from Matt Burnett/Monkey Claw; Peterbilt ovals for the mudflaps from Yves at www.whitefangmodel.com ; reflective tape from www.stsmodeltrucks.com. Kits used: Italeri Peterbilt 378; AMT IH Paystar for the trailer dump box; AMT wheels and tires for the trailer(junk parts); AMT Peterbilt 352 for the fuel tanks (junk parts); AMT Gravel Trailer for the trailerframe; AMT Fruehauf trailer parts for the trailer front suspension; Misc parts such as spotlights, horns and quarter fenders.

I'd like to thank Hank Suderman for the photographs, Huston Marlowe for the chance to see the truck when in the plant and the aftermarket guys for their cool parts. 8/26/2007.

The doodle idea. A truck owned by a metal fabricating company for transporting their finished products.

Heavy duty, yet highway, and somewhat fancy looking.

My plan is to use the Revell or Italeri Pete 377 kit with minimal kitbashing and with a bit of custom resin and aftermarket pieces tossed in.

Rough hood and fenders.

I cut the top off the 377 hood, then added side panels. The grille surround/crown was also flattened removing the radius at the leading edge.

Modified Revell PB 377 cab and hood.

I cut the front corners of the cab off and replaced them with flat plastic. Dual air cleaners will be mounted on the finished cab.

Daycab panel. The rear window was made by tracing the opening of an AMT Pete 359 cab rear window.

Rough body, frame and bed.

357-123 butterfly hood for reference

These twin 357-123 in blue cab, red frame with black fenders are cool looking, and mine will have these colors.

9/26/06

The battery box is an AMT Peterbilt 359 box with the step removed. I added chassis warning lables

The tool cabinets are from the old RNK Conversions.

The bed was weathered slightly with a blackwash and sandpaper.

The fuel tanks are from a Revell of Germany Peterbilt 359 kit. I stripped the chrome, sanded the ugly seam, then painted with Duplicolor Bumper Chrome.

Gary at MAG decals made the door signs for me.

This is a reflection of the model in the standing rainwater on my outdoor "road." I discovered this nifty image while editing photos.

The air cleaners are polished aluminum from Jamie at Mo'Luminum.

With the new for 2007 Peterbilt models the older Italeri and Revell kits are getting "old" as the kits represent 1996 trucks. I challenged myself to see if I could make the Revell of Germany PB 377A/E into a 2008 year truck. I scratchbuilt the hood for the new 115" BBC 365. The fenders are from a damaged 378 kit hood. The grille shell is scratchbuilt with brass mesh and the upright bars from the 377 kit. The headlights are resin from Spaulding Trading and Shipping. The bumper is scratchbuilt. I modified the 377 SBFA springs for the forward axle, then lengthened the frame rails for a straight truck rail. The fuel tank is from an AMT Peterbilt 352. I made the diesel particulate filter (DPF) from Evergreen tube. The exhaust stand pipe is also Evergreen tube cut to shape (ice cream scoop?) and tapered at the bottom to mimic the diffuser and then covered with Bare Metal Foil. I modified the kit 377 cab sawing off the molded on fenders, reworking the windows and doors for the modern cab look. The backwall was made from sheet plastic creating a daycab. I scratchbuilt the battery box cover using Don Mills treadplate as the 377 kit has no usable cover. Front wheels and tires are Supersingle steer items from Kit Form Services. The rear wheels are the kit items with the holes filled in and new holes drilled to simulate 2 holes. I had a terrible time mounting the right mirror as the glue set too quickly and I ended up damaging the paint, so I left the mirror too high in order to avoid further damage. June 20, 2007

Early 1990's Peterbilt 357-123" BBC with butterfly hood and flat fenders. The real truck was featured in Peterbilt Construction Truck brochures in the 90s. I built mine using an AMT Peterbilt 359 as the donor, a resin 379 cab and hood, resin 353 fenders from Spauldings, resin front tires and wheels from Rick Mark. 7/20/2006

Left and right views of the 357. The fuel tanks are AMT, The steps, air cleaner and rear fenders are Revell, the battery box and air tank stack are from an Ertl Paystar, the muffler is Italeri, the fenders are resin 353 and the headlights are resin from Spaulding Trading and Shipping. The bumper is scratchbuilt.
Side view of the 357. The rear wheels are from an Ertl Volvo (metal frame). The front wheels and tires and the rubber mudflap on the rear fender is from RNK.	The white mudflaps are Evergreen plastic. The Peterbilt logos are from Whitefang
Bare Metal Foil was used on the grille/crown, door trim, vent window trim and door release handles. The fuel tanks and steps are painted with Duplicolor Bumper Chrome. The "T.Ahlborn Trucking" decals are from Gary at MAG decals.	The real truck and my 1/25th scale version.

2006 Peterbilt 378 tri-axle dump truck. The real truck was see at the Peterbilt factory in September 2005 and was donated by Peterbilt to the City of New Orleans to aid in clean up after hurricane Katrina. Finished June 25, 2006

I used a 377 cab for the underhood air cleaner, this required reworking of the cab side panels.

Red engine color is to simulate a Cummins

I modifed the Italeri cab for the modern windows and mirrors. The mirrors are aluminum tubing bent to shape with the kit mirror head attached.

The dump box is from an AMT/Ertl Paystar 5000. I modified the box sides and cab guard. The tarp system is made from aluminum tubes.

Peterbilt 357-SBFA and 378 dumpers both using the same Italeri and AMT kits. The 357 has a resin hood from Spaulding Trading and Shipping and front tires from the old RNK conversions.

The New Orleans 378 photographed just before leaving Denton for New Orleans.

The factory crew Pictured in the top row from left to right are Ken Montgomery, Trey Chambers, Erica Monday, Leroy Berry and Plant Manager Jim Fykes. Pictured in the bottom row from left to right are Len Montgomery, Kenneth Walterscheid, Long Cao, Willie Lopez, Betty Silmon and Kristie Bowling. Photo copyright Peterbilt Motors.

11 axles grace this one. The chassis is from an Italeri 377, the cab from a 378. The hood is resin from Griffen Designs (Spauldings Trading and Shipping too), the wheels and tires are RNK Conversions items (truck only). The log crane, bunk, tower and trailer bunk are all scratchbuilt from Evergreen and Plastruct.(Summer 2004)

The logs are birch from a tree in my yard. Colors are Duplicolor metalic bright blue. The fuel tanks are AMT tanks covered in chrome vinyl with Revell 359 steps.

Picker - old hood

Picker - new hood

I built the blue Peterbilt 378 SBFA Michigan Logger back in 2004. The white tandem steer Canadian picker truck was built from pieces-parts and resin in January 2007. The hoods are resin copies from Bobby Griffen from a hood that I made. I made the hood slope incorrectly and never was pleased with the look, so in mid '07 I made a new hood. I decided to replace the wrong sloped hoods with the new hood.

I started at 5PM on 1/19/08 by first dismantling both trucks. Then removing the hoods. Luckily I still had the same paint that both trucks were painted with.

The paint gods were smiling on me for this quickie project as I painted in the garage with the temp in the garage at 15 degrees. All paint curing was done in the house. Less than 24 hours later the hoods were ready to install.

Logger - old hood

Logger - new hood

I swapped cabs for these pics

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I finished the hood redux at 9:00PM on 1/20/2008.

Peterbilt 357 SBFA-Heavy Haul Mixer
2004 Peterbilt 357. This one is a tall/flat hood "HeavyHaul" version meant for front PTO applications. I was inspired by a factory fresh unit.

I started with an Italeri 377 cab, 378 hood and a Paystar Mixer. I combined plenty of plastic-massaging, some resin wheels and tires from RNK and reworked the mixer a bit for a more modern look. The grille is an AMT 359 grille, inside a modified 378 grille. The fenders were moved rearward and sloped, the hood top was raised for a slight slope (less than a 378).

8/17/06 I installed new mirror brackets. Thick aluminum tubing was bent to shape rather than the thin stainless wire.

My late-model Peterbilt row. 357 Vocational Hood 6x6, 379-119", 357SBFA slope hood, 357 SBFA and 385 single axle tractor.

Peterbilt 351 West Coast logger. Based on a real truck seen in an article in the ATHS Wheels of Time magazine. I scratchbuilt the hood and chassis. Wheels and tires are RNK Conversion items. The trailer is the AMT Peerless Roadrunner.

1974 Peterbilt 351.

A rare combination of the 1100-series cab and older 351 set-back axle flat fender. I used a Griffen Designs 351 hood, scratchbuilt the fenders and radiator surround. Rear tires are from a Paystar kit. Stacks are from an Italeri Pete. There's an old Peterbilt factory spec sheet that shows this truck, minus all the extra chrome and polish. In the 3rd photo, you can see several unique features I've added. The AM/FM antenna is brass wire. The spotlight has a through-the-cab handle, the Luberfiner and power steering reservoir are plumbed to the chassis, the wiper is made from Evergreen strips.

Different view...Look inside the windshield, and there is a red flag hanging down, that's the low-air "wig-wag." Look on the outer edge of the mirror, that's a little marker light popular in the 70's. I cut it from the end of a Peterbilt mudflap.

Michigan Gravel Train. The lead is a stock AMT Gravel Trailer, the dolly is a modified suspension from some AMT van trailer kit, and the pup trailer is a shortened Gravel Trailer kit

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1950's Peterbilt 390 heavy tractor. RNK Conversions SSS-Classic Pete resin cab and hood, RNK Conversions wheels and tires. Modified Pete 359 chassis with a heavy duty suspension added.

Peterbilt 359 wrecker. Using the AMT/Ertl Pete wrecker, I added chromed parts from ChrometechUSA, modified the grille for a "grille densor" option (no rooftop A/C needed). I narrowed the wrecker body by 1/4 inch so that the body didn't overhang the rear tires as much. Paul Kittle made the "Winslow" stripes for me, and the Peterbilt of Wisconsin logos I made on the computer, on Bare Metal Foil decal paper. Engs Peterbilt (now Rush) had a Peterbilt 359 with the "Bakersfield body" South Union Body Works towbody. Mine is similar, but not the same. The Engs' truck has a longer wheelbase and fatter boom than the AMT wrecker body. Mine also has different stripes on the body. I'll build the Engs' version eventually

2002 Peterbilt 357 SBFA

I mated the AMT Paystar Dumper with an Italeri 378 and 377, some scratchbuilding and reworking of the hood and have a 357 SBFA. Front tires and wheels are resin from RNK. The chrome is mostly Bare Metal Foil, and the chrome on the dump body is 3M "chrome" vinyl.

1972 Peterbilt 351 dumper. I built this out of nothing but junk parts and sheet-stock styrene. Loosely based on a real 351 that operated in the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Peterbilt 359 Set-Back Front axle heavy tractor. The hood is a resin conversion from Griffen Designs, based on the master pattern I made. Wheels and tires are resin from RNK Conversions. I modified the cab for the "Severe Service" windshield mask. Bumper and grille are Bare Metal Foiled. The third photo is after I added taller stacks, moved the front axle forward to center it in the fender opening, and refoil the bumper.(10/21/04)

1974 Peterbilt 346. I built this truck based on the real truck still in operation in Traverse City, Michigan. The real truck was still owned by the original owner. Only 10 346's were built from 1972-75. Mine uses a Paystar kit's chassis, AMT Pete cab, Griffen Design's 346 hood/fenders, modified International engine to look like a Cummins V555. Scratchbuilt flat deck, modified Italeri crane. RNK Conversions wheels and tires. MTFAco handles, hood latches and lights

The truck is weathered and faded to look like the real truck. Company names on the doors are decals made from the real truck, photo-reduced, and printed on Bare Metal Foil decal paper.

Peterbilt 346 Mixer. This 346 is fictional, and features more polish and doo-dads. Griffen Designs hood, RNK Conversions wheels and tires. A Paystar Mixer was the donor kit.

Matching the 346 is my Peterbilt 348 dumper. I modified an AMT Pete 359 hood for the sloped fiberglass 348. Wheels and tires are from RNK.

Back in July of 1975 I spotted this new 359 at the Peterbilt headquarters in Newark, California. I snapped a couple of pics, but this is the only photo that remains.

The truck has always intrigued me. Long wheelbase, lift axle, single stack, steel wheels, large fuel tanks, straight-cut end of frame, no visor, twin horns, big bumper, painted headlights, no extra chrome.

Here's my version of the cab painted. I modified the AMT kit's fenders to the right length, reworked the cab roof seam to the right location, added Revell 359 fender flaps, reworked the sleeper roofcap to be a bit more rounded (not enough), and added the small filler panel above the sleeper door. (10/04)

Here's the finished truck. I lengthened the AMT 359 frame by 5 inches. Swapped in the walking beam suspension from a GMC Astro kit, added Revell 359 fuel tanks, RNK Conversions wheels and tires, 5th wheel from the Revell 359.

Since this model is of a brand-spanking new 359, I didn't weather the tires or drivetrain. I made the Peterbilt "quality check" for the windshield, just as the new trucks had then.

Other modifications include new wipers made from thin strips of plastic (the kit wipers are too klunky). I lengthened the air horns to match the longer ones on the real truck. I cut the kit horns just behind the bell, then added almost an inch using Plastruct tubing that matched the diameter of the horn, assembled the parts and covered with Bare Metal Foil. I added the front-of-fender steps that the AMT kit is missing, mine are made from small scraps of plastic, using the Revell 359 fenders as a template. I also added the missing rolled edge/lip of the fender using thin Evergreen round rod. I am really pleased at how this truck turned out. The 3 coats of clear coat really make the red pop! 3/21/2005

Peterbilt 353 mixer. This started as several glue-bomb kits I bought off ebay. There's an AMT 359, Revell 359, Italeri 377, Mack Rex Mixer and several other kits mixed in on this one. Resin wheels from both RNK Conversions and Spaulding Trading and Shipping. Tool cabinets from RNK. I took this truck to a model show in Sault Ste.Marie, Michigan in 2000 and won best of show with it! At the time of the contest it wasn't finished.. it still isn't today! (The muffler isn't connected to the manifold).

I planned this one to be a simple slighty-modified AMT T501 Peterbilt 359.

I used resin conversion 353 hood and fenders from Spaulding Trading and shipping.

Once I got started I extended the frame for a tri-drive tractor. This is an axle-forward 353 flat fender. The STS conversion piece is for the Revell 359 which required me to cut the 353's hood sides off and graft them onto the AMT hood and modify the top of the AMT hood.

I used a Revell 359 instrument panel to bring the truck into the 80s. Also from the Revell kit are the modified stacks, Luberfiner and the breather.

The grille guard is made from thick kit sprue heated and bent to shape.

I used another AMT kit for the third axle and fuel tank.

My original plan was a single color, no chrome, no frills construction tractor. Okay, so now it's a circus wagon!

The loading crane is from the Italeri Accessories kit. It's a bit lightweight but looks right sitting behind the 353's cab.

Peterbilt nameplates from the AMT decal sheet are too large and not the right color (white lettering, it should be silver/chrome). JBOT Decals made these for me. The door logo is from a model railroad decal sheet (Microscale).

I started this in mid August of 2006 and quickly ran out of steam. I started back at it and I tell you, this truck fought me every step of the way. Everything from paint problems to having a front windshield panel popping out AFTER the cab and sleeper were mated together. If it could go wrong with a model while building, it did. The more I tried, the more it resisted. It tasked me. In January of '08 I replaced the incorrectly shaped hood with a more accurate hood.

My picker is built from parts from an Revell 377, Revell snap 359, Ertl Paystar, Revell Can-Do wrecker, AMT Pete 359, Revell Pete Alaska 353 and other kits along with resin.

Thanks to Merle at Stahl Peterbilt in Edmonton for the reference photos. www.stahlpeterbilt.com

1/14/2007

Thanks to Jamie R. at Mo'Luminum for the fantastic wheels and tires!

The hood is resin from Spaulding Trading and Shipping, as are the single headlamps.

James House trucking ran Pete's like this out of Essexville, Michigan. Tim Gibson has photos of the real trucks in his collection on Hank Suderman's www.hankstruckpictures.com .

I based this 357 on the different trucks used by both Mackinac and Chippewa County Road Commissions in Michigan. Belly blade, front plow frame, large stand-up fuel tank and wet-kit. The Italeri 378 is also a 357, just add some heavier spec'd components. RNK Conversions wheels and tires all around. The Mackinac County Road Commission logos were made from a digital photo, reduced and printed on Bare Metal Foil decal paper. I'm honored that this model was featured in Readers Models in the April 2004 issue of Truck Model World magazine. Thank's Peter!

1994 Peterbilt 357 tilt hood with dealer modified flat fenders. Waukesha County Wisconsin plow #115.

Photo courtesy of Mark Reitz

I started with an Italeri 377A/E kit and a Heil dump box from the Ertl Paystar Dumptruck.

The plow blade is scratchbuilt, thanks to Ryan "Plow King" Pedone for the help.

I combined the scratchbuilt plow with parts from the AMT Ford Snowplow kit.

The spreader unit was scratchbuilt from plastic.

The yellow is Krylon Short Cuts Sun Yellow. The blue stripe is vinyl.

Cab on frame. The battery box is an AMT 359 box modified to look like the taller newer style.

The finished plow.

The right wing blade is from the AMT Ford Snowplow. Modified as a wing blade. The fuel tank is from an AMT reissue Peterbilt 352.

12/9/06

Resin items: Headlights from Spaulding Trading and Shipping. Front wheels/tires came from.. um..? I dunno! They were in my wheels/tires box and I don't know if they came from Matt Burnett or ?