OK, here we go again: Transformers 3 Optimus Prime

[Drago]

Guys, to make this famous truck from the 3rd movie, which kit is more indicated?

Long Hauler

or

US Conventional Truck

Optimus Prime

Thanks guys! ;-)

[Jim B]

I think the 378 Longhauler would be your best bet since the US Conventional Truck actually has a Freightliner sleeper.

[Fat Brian]

You will have to do some mods to the hood since the 378 has a sloped nose, you can either buy a resin 379 long nose conversion or do the mods yourself. The truck pictured on the long hauler box is a 379 but the kit has the 378 nose with a bigger sleeper, it will get you close but it still needs some work. I took some measurements from a 359, a 378, and a 379 and I've been meaning to do a post about making a correct 379 hood but just haven't got around to it yet.

Edited August 1, 2012 by Fat Brian

[Platerpants]

would revells peterbilt 359 like my profile picture be a good start? its got the flat top sleep and the 379 took over after the 359 was discontinued.

by the way love the transformers series

[Fat Brian]

There are other changes that make a 359 to 379 conversion a challenge, the firewall is wider on the 379 and I believe the doors are different not to mention aircleaner piping is routed through the cab instead of notching the rear of the hood like a Kenworth. I would start with an Italeri 378 and either buy a long hood 379 conversion or build it yourself.

Since it looks like it will be a while before I post a how to on getting the hood right I will post the measurements here for you. I have always wanted to get the perfectly flat hood top as seen on most 379 Petes and no kit or conversion has gotten it completely right so I paid a visit to my local Peterbilt dealership. Cruising around the service center I found what I needed, a 359, a 378, and many 379s. First I measured the grill on the 359, it is 50 inches wide and 45 inches tall. Then the 379, it is 50 inches wide and 46 inches tall. And the 378, it was 50 inches wide and 41 inches tall. This is why using the 378 grill doesn't get you where you want to be, it's too short to make the hood flat. According to our resident Pete expert the 378 cab also sits 3 inches higher on the frame than a 379. What you need to do is make the 378 grill taller by a little more than an eighth of an inch then cut off the top of the hood and raise and rework it to fit. Ideally you would make the hood flat on top and then lower the cab and sleeper to make it match the new hood since it's too high to be correct for a 379 anyway. The Italeri 378 cab sits on small raised tabs that are about 3/16 tall so you have some room to bring it down a bit. It will take some test fitting but the results should be worth it if you are as insane about getting the correct hood pitch that I am.

Edited August 9, 2012 by Fat Brian

[Drago]

That´s why I love this forum!

Jim B, Fat Brian and Platerpants, thanks for the repply.

Fat brian, Thank you very much for the info.

What about these other kits?

[Fat Brian]

I guess it depends on what mods you want to make, if you want to use a Revell kit the first two are the ones to use. The snap kit has a different cab that isn't correct. I believe that the 353 thats out now also has the 359 round fenders in it but you should try to find out for sure. You would still have to lengthen the hood a quarter of an inch and fix the aircleaner piping among other things.

[highway]

I believe that the 353 thats out now also has the 359 round fenders in it but you should try to find out for sure. You would still have to lengthen the hood a quarter of an inch and fix the aircleaner piping among other things.

Yes, the 353 does have the 359 round fenders as well. The kit is the same kit as the 359s posted, just with the square fenders as a option.

[clayton]

You in for a lot of work,

Optimus Prime looks like a 379 with flat top walkin sleeper , What you will need is a 378 kit, hood conversion from P&P or GW Resin, air cleaners and Revell 359 sleeper. For a Working hood a set of hinges from a 359 will work at lest for me they do. J&J lite brackets from P&P(His are real close) also the 359 bezels. From what I can see from your photo there is a set of extra toolbox's so the frame will have to be made longer there also.

add about 3 or 4MM to the frame however long the hood is,(cut between the springs and cab mounts). Trim the cab mounts on the fire wall to 2MM(I think)Have too look. Look on the floor pan there is a tab it shape like a V from what I can see,shave down the sides so it is square and floor sits lower. Cab wall will have to be reworked too fit sleeper.(maybe) Have not seen the LONG HAULER kit.

The 359 sleeper is a 1/25,the long hauler is a 1/24 about 1MM or so difference. And too do that it will need to be longer,wider and taller.

You can do 2 things leave sleeper as is or make it bigger to scale.

(Could be a after market sleeper by now) you would have too ask around.

Link too Optimus Prime photos.

http://www.autoblog..../#photo-2129615

here is my 379.I used a hood from GW Resins and the 378 conventional kit for a base. Sleeper Humm done forgot were it came from.

[clayton]

Start with the Long hauler kit,I under stand it is a bit more up to date than the 378 conventional that I used.

From looking at the photos from the link you will need motor from the Revell 359 snap kit.

Yep lots of work, I been working on this almost 2 years now,spent most of that time rounding up parts. So far the only hold up is door hinges ,fuel tanks and decals then done,that will not be long from now.

[eviltwincustoms]

Very interesting information on the differences between the 359 and 379. Planning to build a 379 with a 303" wb and trying to find out how much longer I need to stretch the hood on the 1/16 to make it a long hood. Anyone know what one would need to stretch it in 1/24 or 1/25th? I can then convert for my larger project.

Thanks,

Brian, any plans of getting a Tut up on how to rework the hood on one of these soon?

[Fat Brian]

To make a long hood in 1/24 you add 1/4" to the hood, I think the 1:1 measurement is either 6 or 7 inches. I'm not ready to do any kind of tutorial yet, I still need the sleeper from the long hauler kit before I'm ready to start mine. The grill mods aren't too bad though, the first thing you need to do is sand the top of the 378 grill until the radius of the corner of the top matches the radius of the sides and it's flat on top. Then you need to measure the new height and find out how much you need to add to make the final height 46 inches, it should be about 3/16 to 1/4 inch. I think the best place to cut the grill is below the first bolt head on the vertical portion of the grill sides, you will lose the center bars but you can make new ones or make a custom grill.

[eviltwincustoms]

To make a long hood in 1/24 you add 1/4" to the hood, I think the 1:1 measurement is either 6 or 7 inches. I'm not ready to do any kind of tutorial yet, I still need the sleeper from the long hauler kit before I'm ready to start mine. The grill mods aren't too bad though, the first thing you need to do is sand the top of the 378 grill until the radius of the corner of the top matches the radius of the sides and it's flat on top. Then you need to measure the new height and find out how much you need to add to make the final height 46 inches, it should be about 3/16 to 1/4 inch. I think the best place to cut the grill is below the first bolt head on the vertical portion of the grill sides, you will lose the center bars but you can make new ones or make a custom grill.

Thanks Brian for the information, that is an easy conversion to make the proper adjustments for the 1/16 build. On another thread h am reading the 1/16 Pete is actually 1/18th scale... So it looks like I need to do some scaling to verify if that is correct.

[Fat Brian]

I believe the short hood Petes are 119" from the bumper to the back of the cab and I know the grills are 50" wide. In 1/16 scale the kit grill should measure 3 1/8" wide, hopefully that will give you some insight as to what scale it is.

[scale trucker]

short hood 379 is 119 and long is 127 from bumper to back of cab

[scale trucker]

also if you need the correct headlight they are in the revell germany pete fire truck.bumper from gw trucks hood from pandp 63 flat top bunk you can use the long haul bunk then 2 roofs from the 378