January Digest #3

Bucket List Item #1 for 2026

Pulled out the unfinished Peterbilt rig. Looked at it. Then quietly, conveniently, put it aside for a moment. Then drew a large heavy sigh. Here we go again, I said to myself...! 

There will be some dilly-dallying back-and-forth happening before I finally get something done. Priority will be painting something followed by moments of assmbly. However, I'm in two minds at the moment because of what I've been able to unearth through internet research about doing this rig.

(1) Stripes were a more common thing than logos. If they tended to do logos, then they were more likely large scale abstract designs like stars and bars that splayed from the initial straight lines of the striping. Peterbilts were, and are, workhorses so I gathered so it made more sense that any outward appearance would reflect the functional use of the truck rather than an artistic declaration of any kind. Unless you are a restorer or collector of kind.

And I am starting to lean towards stripes but in a different design than the colours originally chosen. Maybe stay with the notion of expanding as the stripes race toward the cab area in a more expressive manner. Or not. It comes down to willingness to try.

(2) The 50's lady logo design suits what I would consider a personal expression of the trucker. And it remained strongly a motivation for tackling the truck in the first place. 

As a fan of the forties or fifties glamour ladies artwork adorning war planes, so common with many Allied bombers from that era. Maybe this is a transference of what I admired then onto a working truck? I don't know but I've had reservations since my initial enthusiasm regarding the design. Choosing the rear of the cab to display seemed fitting because it was the largest and most logical "blank canvas" space available. 

On the bonnet or front of the cab might work but then the design would need to fit. But it would have been a pointless spot on the bonnet top while the side of the cab would require a closer physical inspection to appreciate the artwork done. And in a moving vehicle, that's kind of difficult.

(3) Originally I had this idea of a female mechanic in a swimsuit working on the rig in some woodyard. But it's just not working for me as a concept. However, as a photo shoot opportunity it sounds more plausible especially when I can assemble a photo shoot crew as well.

Yet a strong visual image persists within my mind of a street scene where there is an alley, a bend, and a group of bystanders watching someone work on the rig. A street scene therefore. Or a workshop area. Haven't really fixed on a final decision, and not likely to while there is still much more need before reaching this final stage.

Above is just a preliminary debate over ideas that have persisted over the intervening years. And I really want to finish this project this year. 

Took some state of the project as it currently stands photos to get me going.

 

Decal design printed out on A4 copy paper. Thought about using transfer paper but as I don't have much, I'd rather use it for my jet planes than this rig. Painting her would be a challenging but not impossible. Having spent a fair time painting miniatures both modelling and artisitically, it's not an issue whatsoever. 

Not sure about the stars design to be honest, ie. I can't remember what the original plan was for them. But more than likely, I will change or abandon them altogether.

Work done already on the cab outer and interior. It is roughly done with lots of more finer detail required. Although it does look adequate enough for now once the cab is placed atop. 

Hand painted the console a mahogany colour. And went with the retro light yellow dashboard and cherry red interior. Dark leather seating and steering wheel cover.

Prior to abandoning this, I spotted the engine exposed on an Internet image for this vehicle. And simply copied the colour scheme, detailed a couple of items, and then applied a black wash for shadow effect. Definitely loads more work needed to finish this off.

Here is the real problem. This WAS going to be a mechanic working on the rig. But trouble assembling the figurine (came in pieces) coupled with frustration assembling her, followed by a crap paint job afterwards, proved to be the moment when I gave up on this all those years ago. 

Now, looking at the image, it's workable. No doubt thanks to the simple presentation and use of effective lighting. 

But as pointed out above the idea of a stripped down female mechanic working on a Peterbilt is a bit of a stretch. But as a model shoot for a 60s style magazine it is, however, more than acceptable. I do have several other female figures in a various other attire that can also join in posing alongside the rig once it's properly finished and assembled. And I will need to locate a photo shoot group of models in the same scale to complete the scene. 

Thus is the first review of this project. Hopefully it won't be the last. Cheers.

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