Italeri's Peterbilt 378, shortened, and with milk trailer (Italeri 3911)

Treehugger
I wonder if there is some photo etch for this, I think maybe I saw something earlier when I did a super quick search but got distracted.

So this kit is afaik a long version (maybe meant to come with a sleeping cabin).Anyway, apparently there are various versions of the 378. One even has fewer wheels. I think I will shorten mine, paint it white, and maybe also remove the chrome and paint the wheel hubs white, to go with a white milk tailer. Ofc, this photo off the internet shows the front wheels having chrome rims.

Could be that, maybe the US truck doesn't "match" the perhaps Euro like trailer, but I don't mind. Presumably, there will be a way to make the trailer connect to the truck, both being Italeri kits but different kits though.

Looking closer at the content for the milk trailer off photos on a website, the kit apparently comes with big silvery "stickers". I expected decals. I guess I could use a sharp blade and cut off the silvery part, keeping the cows.

Czech Truck Model has some fun photo etch for this Italeri kit! 🙂 Product seem to say also 'resin' parts, but I only saw photo etch on the product photos, which was weird.

Treehugger
Update: I am reading on some website that this item (the truck) is out of production. Eh, I better order it then as I don't dare wait a couple of months. :| I already ordered the other stuff, and thought I could wait with this one. Luckily I am dieting, so spending less money on food. 😄

Treehugger
Looking closer at the photos of various variants of the Peterbilt 378 truck, and comparing it with the kit, it now looks certain that shortening the frame will be easy, because how how the kit has only one single fuel tank, and also that one fuel container is located on the right side, just beneath the door. Other variants in real world also have multiple fuel tanks, and some are located further aft (which would have complicated the build if wanting to shorten the frame, and repositioning the fuel tanks more forwards I am thinking).

I was thinking it could be fun to scatch build a compact boom crane, but together with a trailer, maybe adding a boom crane wouldn't look nice.

Another idea is to keep the trailer plain white without cow stickers, and instead put on ADR metal signs on the trailer (some fun piece of photo etch available for that, but US style). ADR = dangerous goods, or "Accord relatif au transport international des marchandises Dangereuses par Route".

Although the trailer is I think 44cm long, I can't help but wonder if the trailer might look "short" compared to the truck.

Christian W
I'm on it 😉

Clair Greenwood
Boy, big rigs, I might know a little something about those. Drove 18's for 20 years buddy. Class 8's are very different from how cars are made, usually built to order to the owners specs for power, weight, legnth, and many other conciderations. Everything pretty much is customizable when ordering a new semi tractor from a dealer/manufacturer.

I will say this about the trailer, semi's in the US almost never have a 3rd axle except for dumps and special use. Triples really chew through tires fast so they aren't liked very much. Usually if you have a heavier load here you'd go with a spread axle arraingment than trips. Of course there are drop axles too, being lowered by air pressure only when needed for heavy weight on a short trailer.

On the fuel tanks, they are generally possitioned centered with the weight of the machine, otherwise full fuel tanks would cause you all kinds of headaches at a chicken coup ( weigh station ) when the weight of the fuel itself gives you illegal weight on the steer or drive axles. The reason some only have 1 tank is the rig is meant for local/regional work, not over the road. You know you'll burn less fuel not going far, so save the weight for product in the trailer that makes the truck revenue.

The boom is a cool idea but you wouldn't see that on a rig that pulls a trailer. Too much weight and the big problem.... these things bend in the middle. I can just hear steel getting mangled as soon as you look at the steering wheel.. LOL

On wheels, theres rarely actual chrome but they does exist, mostly on show trucks or owner opperator rigs. The chrome looking wheels like the steer in the photos is actually polished aluminum, doesnt rust and weighs less than steel, but costs more. The white painted wheels are known as Budd Wheels, stamped steel centers welded to an extruded steel hoop. Cheap but a little heavier.

I could littlerally go on for days about semi's, both driving and maintaining them.

One last concideration, when a truck gets sold used the new owners will sometimes modify them for the use they have in mind for the machine. So you can litterally have a blank canvas modelling semi's. One I drove in the early 90's started life as a wrecker, you know, semi size tow truck. The guy I was driving for took off the tow body then installed a fifth wheel to pull 48' flatbeds. The tractor was an old 60's Diamond Reo at almost 40' herself. It would take days to turn that thing around. LOL

Clair Greenwood
Oh I drove a Pete 378 for a while, nice trucks but I thought the KW version ( T8) rode better.🙂

Ben M
The cows are great.

Peppy
Hey 'hugger, the headlight conversion looks like
the headlights that are standard in the kit.
I thought at first the conversation was for the later
style lights.

Treehugger
Ah yes, the aftermarket stuff is just photo etch, as there is no photo etch in the kit box.
Hm, I think the photo etch just replaces the existing details, but I guess I should check.

Ah one thing. I did notice that the insides of the lamp, looked off maybe, or, not what I epxected. I expected a cavity, but there wasn't any, instead some detailing iirc and two small flat spots (clean flat surface). So the photo etch is ofc flat.

Treehugger
I started to strip the chromed parts with chlorine for about 14 hours, and was only partially successful. Apparently the backside came off easily, but the front side still has the chrome on mostly, so I will maybe have to consider trying the chrome stripping process again later. I guess I could just ignore the chrome and just sand the parts like I started doing for the large external fuel tank.

Bozzer
Treehugger, the Chrome used by Italeri is clear coated. You need to remove that first. I found that DOT4 brake fluid, removes the clear coat, without damaging the plastic. Soak in the fluid, for upto an hour, then give it a little scrub with an old toothbrush. Wash well with cold water, paper towel dry, then drop the part in some thick bleach. Part will be back to plastic, in less than 5 minutes. If you look through my stuff, I did a tutorial on this. Obviously, if you try a piece of chrome sprue first, you'll put your mind at ease. Good luck mate and I love that 378. They're pretty rare, these days.

Treehugger
I am happy to report that a second round of chlorine is removing more chrome, and so I hope after a day or so, I can remove the chrome. Now that I think about it, removing the chrome isn't very important to me, instead I could have made use of the chrome, because of how sanding the plastic smoother, is easier when you have some paint or something on the parts, instead of light gray plastic. 🙂 I also read that sunlight breaks down the substance, so I try cover the box I keep the liquid in.

Treehugger
Sigh, I received photo etch parts today in the mail (package), seemingly well packed and protected, still, the most fragile PE parts, three long pieces of metal for a large front grill PE part, one obviously and maybe a second as well were dented and is likely un-fixable. I will have to replace the three long metal bits for the front grill with styrene I think. :| No big deal, but not ideal.

I also ordered PE parts for the lights, which also includes transparent "glass" already created on top of the photo etch parts, which was very, very nice. I was worried it would only be all flat photo etch metal for the lights.

Bozzer
Sorry to hear your bad news mate. Maybe you could contact the manufacturer and they could send replacement parts? A true test, of customer service!