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Kenworth K-123 COE.


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I started this build last week, before I knew that BigBad was building the same kit in similar fashion... This is mainly a box-stock build, something to get me back in the groove, so to speak... this should be a good study in similarity and contrast SO, here we go:

I'm waiting for the cab to finish gassing out, then it's a coat of Future and decals. I don't like the super-flat finish of the insignia blue on the frame so it'll get a coat of semi-gloss once it arrives... I did scratch-build the AC unit on the roof... That's the only addition, other than Modeltruckin's decals that I'm adding to this kit...Well, I do have an extra Indiana roadmap from the C-800 project so I may spread it out, open, over the center hump...

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Like I told BigBad in his thread, if these trucks aren't brothers, they're certainly cousins! Great minds do think alike!

More to come!

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Now where have I seen this before? LOL, nice Kenny, Chris! Apart from the intake-exhaust thing and the rear suspension angled brackets, this kit is pretty easy to build, I'd recommend it to somebody who wants to start with a decent COE. These are going to look really good.

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;) just clear the blue on the frame.

That's the idea. I'm just waiting on my new bottle of Semi-gloss clear to arrive.

If anyone plans on building this kit, know this: The intake and exhaust pipes will need some tweaking... I'm currently fitting, shaving, shortening and extending these to fit and to clear the underside of the cab. I'm getting close...

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That's the idea. I'm just waiting on my new bottle of Semi-gloss clear to arrive.

If anyone plans on building this kit, know this: The intake and exhaust pipes will need some tweaking... I'm currently fitting, shaving, shortening and extending these to fit and to clear the underside of the cab. I'm getting close...

Chris, I remember that about the original (late70's-early 80's) issue as well. Of course, back then...never had the talent to tweek/fit/shape those parts, so most (lol-ALL, actually) were "illegal". I agree with your observation about the K being a faily easy COE to build, as was the Pacemaker. I built maybe three 352's in my "career", but those just seemed to fall together quite nicely.

I do like your paint work on this one..looking forward to seeing more of your's and Big Bad's as well.

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Hi Chris! I'm at the point where I'm ready to install the cab of my K100 on the frame, as I said before, I installed the grill and the cab pivots on the frame way before I was ready to install the cab so it would be a little easier to slip on. As a matter of fact I really think I helps, because I found an interference of the cab's doghouse with the radiator's top tank. So I'll have to grind a little (about 1/8 of an inch or so) of both to make everything fit.

The rest of it seems to fit nicely except for that darned shifter stick that keeps getting stuck under the driver's seat. I'll try to get this aligned so it doesn't interfere. So I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, (no it's not an incoming train...) LOL! So I left the cab paint as-is, it still looks good enough to be on a shelf, but not to compete in a show. I'm waiting on the fuel tanks to get here to install them, thses should look pretty good. Stay tuned for the conclusion... Let us know where U at on your KW!

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Excellent, Robert! That is good to hear. I stole your idea and mounted the grille and hinges... Makes a lot more sense than trying to support the weight of the entire cab while waiting for glue to cure on two tiny hinge surfaces... Curiously, I somehow managed to install the radiator low enough that it clears the cab but my intake pipe is about a 1/16" too tall. I was away from home, this weekend so getting it to clear is on the list, this week. The cab has finally gassed out and my semi-gloss clear, for the frame, arrived so I'm in the clear to finish it, hopefully this week. I should have something more to show very soon!

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Progress! It's a roller! Here's where we are, currently...

I dull coated the rear wheels to simulate polished aluminum and left the fronts shiny chrome... I had to lengthen the intake runner from the snorkel to the cleaner by .080" and had to do some tweaking with a little heat to get the two-part runner from the intake to the turbo to fit properly. Also, kudos to Robert, AKA BigBad for his idea of fastening the grille to the hinges instead of trying to hold the weight of the cab on freshly glued hinge surfaces... Now, the funny thing is that when I tried to mix some Cummins tan, I ended up with something really close to 'KITTY' yellow... At least I'll have it for the next couple 3406's I plan to build...

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More to come, so stay tuned!

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Lookin' good there Chris! I see you installed your front mudflap at the correct location on the air filter canister, I put mine on the retainer strap for some stupid reason... Oh well, I'll do the next one better... About the grill installed before the cab, no doubt about it, it really helps. It has to be installed really straight to get the cab on straight too. I'm almost but not quite finished on mine, still have some minor details to add on along with the grab handles. I'm working on a 48' spread axle flatbed for it! Keep on truckin' with this one!

By the way for the stripe decals, you might want to keep the front face curved ones together to keep the width and correct curvature. Leave the clear material between the two as it will almost not show once applied. Start with those curved lines to establish the face first, then apply the straight ones. You probably planned it that way already, it's just to confirm. The fun really starts with the thinner pinstripes that end near the roof... Modeltruckin' has really good decal material, it's thin, the clear material almost disppears once applied on the surface and conforms pretty nicely with most contours. Have fun...

Edited by BigBad
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