1/25 Ertl International Transtar II Eagle (Eagle Rehab)

[Pete68]

I bought this built Ertl International Transtar II model last winter on eBay for a very reasonable price and got an extra cab out of the deal too. The paint and decals on the cab to me look fine so I’m going to leave them alone. I’ll be painting the frame a tan color and reworking the front axle. Probably going to keep the rear wheels don’t know yet but if I do they will be painted white. Hope I can get this Eagle to fly again. It was 30 years ago this week that I bought my Real 1.1 1979 International Transtar Eagle so I thought it would be fit to start this project. Hope you ride along. 
 

 

Edited February 14 by Pete68

[Rockford]

How did it feel to climb into the seat of your own, brand new Transtar? Must have been a great feeling. 

Tell us more of the story as you go through the build, that would be great. 

I built that kit over 30 years ago with the cab in that exact colour combo. I still remember how good that kit was, especially in comparison to the AMT ones I'd built. 

Edited February 14 by Rockford

[Old Buckaroo]

I cant wait to see what you do with this. 

That is my all time favorite truck model, I use to pay some crazy money for them built and unbuilt before Round 2 reissued them.

[Pete68]

4 hours ago, Rockford said:

brand new Transtar?

Steve it wasn’t new but it was pretty. It was a 1979 and this was in 1995. My first big truck I owned besides my antique show trucks. 
  I was 26 years old and sitting in that seat after I bought it in the driveway I felt like I had the world by the tail. I’ll dig up some pics of it and post them and may tell a few stories about the old girl for you as I go along. 

 

 

[Pete68]

2 hours ago, Old Buckaroo said:

I use to pay some crazy money for them

I bet you did back in the day I sold several on eBay for some crazy money too. About the same time I owned my real truck Ertl came out with that limited run of the kit any remember that? I bought several of them and kept them till around 2006-08 and dropped them on eBay making a killing.  Now I just have this one with an extra cab/interior and one I bought from Bill which is a flip lid with the airbag suspension. 
 This also was one of my favorite Ertl kits when I built it as a teenager it went together so well and had no issues with tilting the cab and the gear shift hanging up or wouldn’t sit all the way down. Thanks for stopping by. 

[Rockford]

Oh aye, 30 years ago wasn't 1979 was it!? What an idiot. I promise I'll learn how to count. 

[Pete68]

2 hours ago, Rockford said:

What an idiot.

Steve you’re NOT an idiot! I think it’s all that high end scratch building your doing lately is frying your brain 😂. Your counting is spot on sir. 

[Jürgen M.]

I'll be watching what you make of this great kit!

I loved building mine! It's really fun!

[Mopar - D]

Going to be an interesting rebuild Lee. 

[Pete68]

13 hours ago, Jürgen M. said:

I'll be watching what you make of this great kit!

I loved building mine! It's really fun!

Thanks Jürgen they are a fun build 

[Pete68]

21 minutes ago, Mopar - D said:

Going to be an interesting rebuild Lee. 

Thanks for stopping by Dan. 

[Scott Eriksen]

Lee,,that was/is a great kit ! From what I understand those molds got lost. I found mine on ebay too ,,,I should have shortened the wheelbase up a tad though .You'll make her sweet ,,,nice project!

[cifenet]

I think it is definitely different kind of fun when restoring something that was already built long time ago.

I find the building experience both fun and difficult because sometimes the required parts are either in a bad shape or even missing...

From the photo, looks like most of the parts are usable so that is a good thing.  

Interest to see how it will turn out!