Friday, September 13, 2013

Pete 387 - A Sneak Peek !

The new hard drive is in, so I am up and running again.  To my surprise, Sketchup has a new 2013 version which I discovered after the new install.  It looks very similar to what I was using before, but I haven't used it yet to see what is different.  I am itching to get back to designing, but meanwhile, I have had a couple Shapeways packages arrive.  I have sleepers for my Pete 379 and a new frame which includes twin 150 gallon fuel tanks.  I also revised my front wheels to make the rim more prominent for ease of painting the rim/tire.  Thanks Glenn for that suggestion.  The highlight however was a pair of Peterbilt 387's.  I posted the 3d renderings of this beauty a while back, and now that I have the actual print result, I am very impressed.  My focus to date has been day cab tractors and trucks, yet I have been eager to start designing some over the road rigs.

Well here is a sneak peak of the pair so far.  One is in primer, and the other cab has its final blue coat.  I designed the simulated sleeper glass and headlights with a slight recess to provide a subtle line for filling in with a brush or marker.  After the solvent bath, clean up was very minimal.  This is where I am as of tonight.  I think the primered cab will get red paint, and I might shoot that before I go to bed.  Hopefully in the next couple of days I can paint my details, and have a completed model to share.  Let me know what you think.





Here is a comparison between the 387 Pete and a Kato Volvo.  The biggest difference that pops out at me is the Honda Civic tires and wheels that Kato put on their truck model.




Here's a converted reefer that my friend Bob made up for me.  I think it makes a nice pair.


3 comments:

  1. Looks great. I'm a KW fan myself but gonna add some Pete's to my wish list. Do you think your wheels and tires can replace the Kato Volvo tires? Has anyone tried that yet with good results?

    Brian N Denver

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It should be possible, and I have wanted to try myself. the wheel well might be a bit tight. The black inner fender component that is part of the bottom frame has to be removed for sure.

      Delete