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B.R.B.O. Kenworth W900L...7/17 update...with color!


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Nice start Mike, and honestly I think I'd ponder over the pic Clayton posted a little more. :D

I had seen that one before in my research (Google images:lol:) and it's a very sharp rig. Mine may end up with a lot of those characteristics but I don't want to just replicate down to the last detail someone else's truck. I've gone back and forth on the sleeper thing a hundred times in my head. The T600 kit comes with an older version of the studio sleeper you see on the W900L so a lot of fabrication would be necessary to copy the newer one. In addition, if I go the studio sleeper route I'll have to slope the roof upward to mate to the sleeper. It might be an optical illusion but the forward part of the T600 sleeper seems to hang over the roof than the W900L studio sleeper does. I've also been trying to find a pic of a W900L without stacks to see behind them with no luck. I guess that's the fun of truck modeling, everything doesn't have to be exactly how it is on a 1:1. 

Edited by Mike77
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I had seen that one before in my research (Google images:lol:) and it's a very sharp rig. Mine may end up with a lot of those characteristics but I don't want to just replicate down to the last detail someone else's truck. I've gone back and forth on the sleeper thing a hundred times in my head. The T600 kit comes with an older version of the studio sleeper you see on the W900L so a lot of fabrication would be necessary to copy the newer one. In addition, if I go the studio sleeper route I'll have to slope the roof upward to mate to the sleeper. It might be an optical illusion but the forward part of the T600 sleeper seems to hang over the roof than the W900L studio sleeper does. I've also been trying to find a pic of a W900L without stacks to see behind them with no luck. I guess that's the fun of truck modeling, everything doesn't have to be exactly how it is on a 1:1. 

That was what I was suggesting, use the pic Clayton posted as a guide, and hopefully with the studio sleeper. Actually though, you'd be surprised how close the sleeper in the T600 actually is to the newer style like in the pic, the biggest changes are just the window on the access door and the top windows, the shape is about the same on them, the bar in between has just been deleted to make it a one piece window. The windows on the access door are optional if I remember correctly, but many do have them. The slope in the roof to meet the sleeper shouldn't be to hard, regular Bondo would make the transition and blend everything together. I used Bondo in the roof of my custom sleeper Ford that is on here, and after 5 years it has held up quite well, including the curve that is in the roof of the original kit sleeper I used and kept through the entire length of the sleeper. The blending would probably also lessen the illusion of the overhang. I think the main parts of the newer sleepers are the same as the kits, but I'm not 100% sure so don't hold me to that. 

As for seeing behind the stacks, what are you trying to see back there? If it is to see if there is a gap between the cab and sleeper like the kit would be built, there isn't. The cab and sleeper, while I'm not sure if they are a true integrated sleeper like the Cascadia I drive is, there is no seam between the cab and sleeper. I have a pic of another W900L that I have as one of my desktop backgrounds that shows that area a little better, but still has stacks, as soon as Photobucket is not down for maintenance (AGAIN!! :rolleyes:) I'll post it for you. I'll also try to keep an eye out while I'm at work to see if I can come across one that just may roll into the distribution center. :D 

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That was what I was suggesting, use the pic Clayton posted as a guide, and hopefully with the studio sleeper. Actually though, you'd be surprised how close the sleeper in the T600 actually is to the newer style like in the pic, the biggest changes are just the window on the access door and the top windows, the shape is about the same on them, the bar in between has just been deleted to make it a one piece window. The windows on the access door are optional if I remember correctly, but many do have them. The slope in the roof to meet the sleeper shouldn't be to hard, regular Bondo would make the transition and blend everything together. I used Bondo in the roof of my custom sleeper Ford that is on here, and after 5 years it has held up quite well, including the curve that is in the roof of the original kit sleeper I used and kept through the entire length of the sleeper. The blending would probably also lessen the illusion of the overhang. I think the main parts of the newer sleepers are the same as the kits, but I'm not 100% sure so don't hold me to that. 

As for seeing behind the stacks, what are you trying to see back there? If it is to see if there is a gap between the cab and sleeper like the kit would be built, there isn't. The cab and sleeper, while I'm not sure if they are a true integrated sleeper like the Cascadia I drive is, there is no seam between the cab and sleeper. I have a pic of another W900L that I have as one of my desktop backgrounds that shows that area a little better, but still has stacks, as soon as Photobucket is not down for maintenance (AGAIN!! :rolleyes:) I'll post it for you. I'll also try to keep an eye out while I'm at work to see if I can come across one that just may roll into the distribution center. :D 

Thank you very much for that, any input is helpful. One other thing I noticed about the T600 sleeper is that it appears to me to be shorter, as in the front sleeper windows seem to come right down to the roof of the cab. The roof slope on the W900L gives me the impression that the bottom of the front windows is higher up which would mean the sleeper is taller. Another optical illusion maybe? I've tried to find info on the various sleeper heights with no luck.

Edited by Mike77
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If you want to see how the aerocab sleeper looks without stacks, maybe this will help. I know it isn't the W900L, but the T800 uses the same cab and sleeper, just a different hood. The front corners of the sleeper slope in to the cab, the roof of the cab slopes up and fits into the rounded top front edge of the sleeper.

 

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Thanks KJ, that gives me a good view without the stacks. I noticed on that one as well that the front sleeper windows seem higher, even with the sloped roof. The T600, at least the kit version, has the bottoms of the sleeper windows down almost to the top of the flat roof. That's what leads me to think the later versions of the studio sleeper are taller so that the front windows are higher to accommodate the slope.

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Thanks KJ, that gives me a good view without the stacks. I noticed on that one as well that the front sleeper windows seem higher, even with the sloped roof. The T600, at least the kit version, has the bottoms of the sleeper windows down almost to the top of the flat roof. That's what leads me to think the later versions of the studio sleeper are taller so that the front windows are higher to accommodate the slope.

That just might be that the kit windows might be off, I don't have a kit here to compare it too. Other than the pic I mentioned earlier, which KJ supplied an even better one to help you, I did find a couple in a Google search (and it took a while LOL) that has an older sleeper like the T600 and the flat roof. 

Maybe comparing the height if the side windows compared to the lower edge of the front might help to see if AMT messed up the front window position, that's why I tried to find close to the same angle for the older cabs as the newer orange one. It may be more than an optical illusion though, because to me it seems that the orange and red trucks front windows do match in position, but on the purple one the windows do seem larger and lower. 

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The difference is just the angle of the Aerocab. It has an angle, just not as much as it may seem. The side windows should line up with forward facing windows. If they dont, AMT got it wrong. The windows should be even, no matter what year, at least on this style. The work you have done so far looks great. I'm lookin forward to seeing what you do next.

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These last few comments are interesting because I'm in the process of very slowly building a late model W900 using a t600 and an extra bunk.lots of mods and redos required to get it close.The last pictures that have a bunk like the kit are flat cowled w900l's not curved cowl aero cabs.Saving those for reference for sure.  Now back to the regularly scheduled build..........flat top curved cowl

12651348_579891555497514_4670546168540436728_n.jpg

Edited by mistermodel
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Had the day off work and it's actually looking like a project now. Everything's just set in place...as you can tell by the fenders resting atop the tires. There'll be a sleeper in there too, preferably a KW flat top double if I can find one.

 

20160204_170836.jpg

you could ask around for a ROG kenworth or a revel 359 sleeper flat roof and use the kit sleeper

 

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Thank you for all the research and photos guys. I guess what I'll just have to do is get the T600 sleeper assembled and see if it's just my imagination. Just when I had my mind mostly made up on a flat top you've all just about swayed me back to a studio sleeper! :lol:

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Thank you for all the research and photos guys. I guess what I'll just have to do is get the T600 sleeper assembled and see if it's just my imagination. Just when I had my mind mostly made up on a flat top you've all just about swayed me back to a studio sleeper! :lol:

:lol::lol: Believe me, having driven flat tops, midroofs, and condo sleeper trucks, it's much nicer to be able to stand up to put your pants on in the morning! Once I had a Freightliner FLD 120 flattop that still half asleep tried to stand up in one morning, would still like to know the genius who thought the big square light in the center of the roof just forward of the edge of the bed was a good idea, gives me a headache just thinking about it!!:lol::lol:

Edited by highway
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Thank you for all the research and photos guys. I guess what I'll just have to do is get the T600 sleeper assembled and see if it's just my imagination. Just when I had my mind mostly made up on a flat top you've all just about swayed me back to a studio sleeper! :lol:

BUILD WHAT YOU WANT ,not what others think you should do.

On that note its a pet peeve of mine to have an "aero" type body on a super long frame.Kind of negates the advantages of aero,so your flat top bunk idea  makes sense to me .Of coarse this doesn't matter if its a flat bed or heavy haul truck.Driver comfort as mentioned above has a lot to do with the stand up designs also,but were probably a secondary thought over aero

 

Edited by mistermodel
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 You guys are killin' me! :D  I agree that nowadays most drivers probably prefer headroom in their sleepers as I did...being 6'3" tall. On the other hand, a hi-rise sleeper cancels out the "low" part of a "long & low" truck. Then there's the midroof like the one Clayton posted which I guess is a compromise between looks and practicality. That said, I've finally decided...it'll either be a flat top, midroof, or studio sleeper! :lol: 

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 You guys are killin' me! :D  I agree that nowadays most drivers probably prefer headroom in their sleepers as I did...being 6'3" tall. On the other hand, a hi-rise sleeper cancels out the "low" part of a "long & low" truck. Then there's the midroof like the one Clayton posted which I guess is a compromise between looks and practicality. That said, I've finally decided...it'll either be a flat top, midroof, or studio sleeper! :lol: 

I almost fell out of my chair laughing at that last sentence Mike! :lol::lol::lol: You sound like me with my "seems like forever" Ford custom project and engines for it. I've tried everything from a V12 Allison aircraft engine, a Detroit 16V71, a Detroit Series 60, a 4306 Cat, and even dropped a Detroit 8V92 between the frame rails the other night, and if I had a kit that had one, would have probably tried a 3408 kitty in it. I only know it will have an engine!:lol:

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I hope he doesn't mind me borrowing it, but Kevin's thread in the "Workbench" section illustrates perfectly why I was mentioning needing to increase the sleeper height to accommodate the roof slope. On the stock T600 kit the front sleeper windows come down to the top of the flat roof, so if the kit sleeper height is left as-is then the back of the slope would run halfway up the windows.

I know, shut up already about the sleeper and get back to building the truck! :lol:

 

Edited by Mike77
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I hope he doesn't mind me borrowing it, but Kevin's W900L thread in the "Workbench" section illustrates perfectly why I was mentioning needing to increase the sleeper height to accommodate the roof slope. On the stock T600 kit the front sleeper windows come down to the top of the flat roof, so if the kit sleeper height is left as-is then the back of the slope would run halfway up the windows.

I know, shut up already about the sleeper and get back to building the truck! :lol:

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