Western Star

[Dingo]

This is my latest and really a dream rig that I would like to build if I had the money to do so and ofcourse drive everday.

Cab's not glue in position and bullbar was found to have come unglued so was re-glued.

Top stone is aftermarket, bottom one is kit stone guard boy does the aftermarket one look better and yes I used it.

Dingo

[mackinac359]

This is going to look cool!

Tim

[airhorn]

Lookin' good Dingo. Hang in there.

Win

[Dingo]

Here is some of the ute that I have been working on it's getting there slowly.

Stripe work will continue down the tray whenit's painted and I can get some more stripes.

Detroit V6 sits in under the cab

Mirrors are now fitted & drivers mirror has worklight

Cab lights & sleeper light plus air horns inner sleeper light R orange not red.

6 spoke spiders colour coded to body paint with black wheel nuts.

Horse mascot & clear bug deflector

Pins for holding barwork in place plus driving lights.

Exhaust pipe at side of cab is now connected to engine pipe.

Dingo

[Jim B]

Diang,

Nice work. I really like the stripe job. Are those from the kit?

Also, what's the purpose of the tray on the back? Is is a dump bed or something? Does the fifth wheel sit in it? Sure is intreagiung.

[Dingo]

Jim the purpose of the tray on the back is the same as the standard pick-up in the U.S. or our utes here in Oz and it will hold camping gear and the like there will be no 5th wheel sitting inside or anything like that this rig is purely a go/show truck, the stripe work on the model is from the kit and this kit is the Italeri No.719 Australian Truck and I'm looking for the same stripes so I can finish of the tray.

Dingo

[Jim B]

Interesting concept. I actually considered picking this kit up a while back, but I don't think there is a way to convert it to left hand drive.

[cossett]

Interesting concept. I actually considered picking this kit up a while back, but I don't think there is a way to convert it to left hand drive.

Hi Jim B,

I heard that Kit Form Services or Auslowe did a left hand dash for the Aussie Westernstar a while ago not to sure if they still make them but worth a try

Cossett

[Jim B]

that's good to know. I'll have to look into that.

Thanks.

[Dingo]

Jim, I don't think Aulowe would do a LHD dash for the Western Star being a builder of Australian truck stuff but K.F.S. would certainly do so, so it might be worth trying them rather than Auslowe I have one of their latest cats and I can't see any L.H.D. dashes in there for the Star.

Here are some more pix of mine as it is just about done all it needs is camping gear and the tray to be reset due to slippage during glue drying.

Inner tray will be hand painted to get the right wood grain texture and new battery box location

Chrome tanks fitted to so it looks as though they where fitted as an aftermaket add on to extand range of rig.

Dingo

[John Bain]

Interesting concept. I actually considered picking this kit up a while back, but I don't think there is a way to convert it to left hand drive.

Now hang on a minute, can't convert to LEFT HAND DRIVE, you got to be joking.

What about all those other model kits, that have been converted to right hand drive, from the normal box of bits that were ALL left hand drive.

Come on, where's your get up and go, just because you can't buy the bit, does not mean that it can't be done.

John

[Jim B]

John,

You're talking to a guy that can't draw a staight line with a T-square. Believe me, I've tried. Converting a RHD to a LHD without someone else's parts is beyond my skill level.

[ns4ever]

i seriously want one of those!!! Now, where to park it.....

Looks super, well done

[Kostas Parchas]

Cool!!!

Kostas.

[Dingo]

Jim I'm like you could draw a line if my life depended on it but at least I give it a go and my friend with a little care and a bit of patience so can you, about 12 months ago I needed a RHD dash for a '72 Ford Escort rally car as the kit one was LHD so I sat down and slowly but sure put a dash together OK it doesn't look like the kit one with all the fancy bits & pieces but when it's in the cab no one is going to see it anyway and if U'r going to put it up on the forum for all to see no one will give bad comment U never know they may even say where U went wrong in doing to build and help U right that wrong in a constructive way that's what this great forum is all about. OK so there R a few who will give U heartache just don't take any notice of them everyone else will help ya.

Dingo

[Jim B]

Thanks for the encouraging words.

For the bed of you truck, I know some pick-ups here in the US have "tents" that mount directly to the bed of the truck. Are you thinking of something like that?

[mardtrp]

I do hope that everybody viewing THIS thread, has at least looked at the Pierce-Arrow thread started by Chariots of Fire.

Hmmm, chalk and cheese !

[Dingo]

Hmmmm yea mine the cheese his is the chalk, mardtrp this is exacly wot I was telling JimB about I don't really care if the Pierce-Arrow is put together and painted ten time better than mine at least I have a go and another it could also be the difference between having lots of parts in the parts box and spares area and lots of money, I'm a 60 yr old who has even though built many trucks & cars over my years I haven't had the money even when working family is always first and my hobby last a long way last. mardtrp I had a look at the piece-arrow and yes it is a brilliant little truck but the diference is chalk & cheese his a complete show truck to win prizes, mine an every day working rig that would go camping, to the local shopping centre etc but that's where the differences ends we are in this hobby for a reason to help each other and everytime I am able to buy a new model I try and do better and JimB this is one thing U should remember it is only U that you have to please OK you are showing it here but once it's on here that's it. It sits in your display case for every and a day pleasing you and you get that satifcation of building something you like too bad about the guy who doesn't like it that's his problem not yours.

Dingo

Edited June 2, 2009 by Dingo

[Dingo]

The camping equipment is beingplaced in the back as I slowly get it.

Driver resting in the back and will be reading a magazine whilst seated in an old car seat.

Dingo

[SpreadAxle]

I like it. It's different.

[Jim B]

Looking nice. I like the figure; gives it a human touch. Where did you get it?

I know it's probably too late now, but a door from the bed to the sleeper would have beed a nice touch. If the weather got really bad you could dive into the sleeper!

Also, in an earlier post you have a photo on a blue Kenworth(?) in the background. Whatever it is, the COE has a huge grill. What is that? I don't think I've see a K100 with a grill like that before.

Edited June 4, 2009 by Jim B

[Dingo]

JimB, the answers to U'r question R easy. First of photo behind all my pox is a poster from an Australian Mag called "Truckin' Life" and the rig is a K100B the large grill is a trickery of photography only. The second answer is yes it's a little late for the door in the rear of the sleeper but I have now changed it from the tarp to a covered wagon style covering "U.S. Old West style".

Old west U.S. type covered wagon.

[Modelsbyroni]

LEFT HAND DASH CAME IN THE WRECKER KIT.

[RodneyBad]

That is one Huge Pick up

Good looking truck.

Nice work.