Old Albion

Uwe, This looks great so far. I like the single headlights on the Freightshaker and that Garrett paint scheme is very different from the CF one we often see. Are the decals your own design or are they bought from someone else? Good to see you making some progress on this truck. Its been a long time coming and I will certainly look out for further updates. Good luck with the rest of the build! Dave Bates

Simon, I like the working trucks 100 times more than show trucks. For me a show truck is a lot of expense for very little return, on the other hand a working truck is capable of doing the job it was designed to do and earn you a living. With regards to bending tubes for plumming exhausts and other pipe work. I don't bend them. Instead I cut small pieces of tube at varying angles and then glue them together to give the desired curves or bends. When the glue has set I use filler/putty and then sand to the required blend radii. Much easier and better!! Interestingly the twin Turbo NTC 475 Cummins in the kit would be a quiet running engine but more of a whistle from the twin turbos. It is questionable whether the silencers/mufflers would be required since the twin turbo acts like a baffle. This subject was discussed on the ATHS web site some time ago. Apparently in some of the states if a truck was naturaly aspirated it had to have a silencer/muffler, where as if it was turbocharged it didn't. Does anyone have any further details or information regarding this? Best Wishes Dave Bates

Scott, Interesting looking truck. I like the tools and equipment details in the lockers and in the back of the truck. Good Luck with the rest of the build. Best Wishes Dave Bates

Simon, Great progress so far. I to like the weathering, looks good. The Revell Kenworth Aerodyne COE was the very first truck I built when I got back into building model trucks. I would prefer if the kit manufacturers would not chrome the parts. By the time you have cleaned them up, corrected, modified etc. there is no chrome left. I remember the air intake pipe and exhausts were a pain to fit. Now I would probably make my own rather than rely on the kit ones, that way I know they will fit correctly. The truck sits in the window looking out onto the world and is starting to look a bit worse for wear. Maybe sometime in the future I will restore it? Watch for the fit of the cab floor (it was twisted on mine), fit of the doors and the fit of the cab tilt hinges. Good Luck with the rest of the project. Best Wishes Dave Bates

Tim, Great looking Pete. Sometime ago we all talked about the lack of truck kits particularly the modern ones and what our wish list would be. Well we all know the old saying "Time and Tide wait for no man". You have bypassed the need to wait for altenative kits and done your own thing. Your inventory of trucks (Particularly Peterbilt) is substantial to say the least. Is there a Pete model you have not built? Hmm!! A 383? Or one of the NASA 351s. Keep up the good work and keep pushing model truck building to new heights. Inspiration to us all. Well Done Tim. Best Wishes Dave Bates

Aaron, There are no bottom dump kits that I know of. I built my own about 3 years ago. My very first scratch build project. I found a web site for General Trailer www.generaltrailerparts.com If you look down the left hand side of the page until you get to Ranco you will see the bottom dump trailers there. When you open the page check on the trailer description it gives you a dimensioned outline drawing to use as the basis of the trailer (Something to work with). It was not too difficult even for me. http://public.fotki.com/oldalbion/bottom-dump-trailer-/ Good Luck with the project. Tim, What was the correct Pete underhood colour? Was the undersides of the hoods and fenders black or the same colour as the body work? Best Wishes Dave Bates

Kurt, This looks great. I like the little interior details. How did you make the Lap Top Computer? Best Wishes Dave Bates

Tim, Thanks! I new you would put us right. So is the hood Fibreglass? Was this a standard fitting from Peterbilt? Aaron, I do like the look of your brothers truck that blue and white colour scheme goes well on the Pete. This will certainly make a good prototype for a model. Will you be weathering it to look like the original or straight from Paint Shop? Best Wishes Dave Bates

Travis, This looks great so far. Have you any close up photo's to show how you formed the tank? Best Wishes Dave Bates

Aaron, I would say a 359 119" BBC if it is a tandem drive tractor. If it is a single drive axle tractor a 289. But Tim will confirm. Year at a guess 1976 to 1978 (Look at the headlights). Engine Cummins 400 Big Cam 3 with RTO 12513 transmission. Just a guess? Not an expert. The AMT T501 California Hauler (The one with the Cummins NTC 350) would be the base kit for this. For me anyway. Good Luck with the project. Best Wishes Dave Bates

Jason, Pardon my ignorence but what is MSDS? Is this the safety data sheets for chemicals? With regards to glues and solvents I content myself to using Revell Glue, Super Glue (Cyanoacrylate) and on the odd occassion 5 minute resin. Dave Bates

Scott, Just had a thought this would look great pulling that tandem axle Garbage or Scrap metal trailer you built a while back. Best Wishes Dave Bates

Tim, Another great looking truck, made all that more special by it being modelled on a real truck and I must say it does look like the real thing. I like the little details such as the cab items like the map book and other things. Does anyone know of these sort of items being available commercially for us heavy handed moddellers who are not so good with Hocus Pocus compurters? Merry Christmas Tim and all Truck Modellers Best Wishes Dave Bates

Scott, The KW looks great. Have you fitted the 3408 Clatterpillar from the kit? I like how the paint work looks. As far as trailers are concerned how about a scratch build of the end dump in the photo? Having seen photo's of many of your projects this would be right up your street and well within your capabilities. What ever you decide to do, Good Luck and thanks for sharing the Kenworth with us. Best Wishes Dave Bates

Tim, Great looking truck. The short hood looks unusual on a Pete. Dave Bates

Does anyone know if the Scale Realism web site is still operational? I can open up the front page but when I press enter the link is dead???? I was after the Clint Freeman detailing information for the air lift axle. Does anyone have this? If not I will have to see about coming up with my own design or is there an aftermarket axle out there somewhere. I need the information for a 5 axle dump trailer I am building. The first two axles are air lift type. Below is the link to the front page. http://www.geocities.com/scalerealism/ Many thanks Dave Bates

Ryan, I would be really interested to see this. I think Aaron raised the topic of building a 50s trailer not so long ago. The side panels with the ribbed detailing are the stumbling block. Are you thinking of using an AMT or Ertl trailer as a donor or are you going to scratch build the sides? Good Luck if you decide to go forward with the project and Yes I for one will be looking forward to see updates as you go along. Best Wishes Dave Bates

I've tried to search through the ATHS web site for the paint scheme. I think I have found it. I reckon that it is the seminole. Look through the thread below and make up your own mind. http://forums.aths.org/InstantForum414/Topic4655-4-1.aspx Go to the bottom and look for the posts by John Costley. Best Wishes Dave Bates

Ray, Any progress on the Freight shaker with the flat engine under the middle of the frame? Dave Bates

Ray, Your right I for one had forgotton about this. Thanks for bringing it back into the lime light. This will look great when the completed pup is added to the rig. It amazes me how these multi axle trailers get around corners. Must cost a lot for tyres? Great progress keep us posted. Best Wishes Dave Bates

Ray, I searched for "Smokey and the Bandit Kenworth" and found a forum just on that. One of the contributors said that there were 4 trucks. One was powered by a Detroit. On the ATHS web site they were discussing a while back the passing of Jerry Reed and the discussion got onto the trucks in the movie. Apparently one of the Kenworths had a KT 450 with an RTO 12513 transmission and I think it was a 1973 model with the gold emblem. Not to sure of my facts as I'm not an expert on Kenworths. Does anyone know which paint scheme the movie truck was? http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_10238-Kenworth-W-900-1973.html http://forums.aths.org/InstantForum414/Top...ight=jerry+reed Must have been quite a challange to get that KT under the short hood. This would be a great project truck. Best Wishes Dave Bates

Wow!! Is it really August 2007 when Uwe started this one?? How time has flown. It would be good to have an update. Looked like a great project and having seen some of his other works I'm sure many folks out there were looking forward to seeing the progress photo's. Best Wishes Dave Bates

Matt, Never thought about using parts from a monster truck kit. That gives me some ideas. Good Luck with the rest of the build. Best Wishes Dave Bates

Matt, I don't think it will be long before a Bentley is the same price as a YUGO. The factory is about 10 miles from where I live and a big employer for the area. They announced a couple of weeks back that they were laying the work force off for 6 weeks through Christmas and the New Year. This is because of lack of orders due to the recesion/slump. Nobody here is buying anything and credit has run out. The banks are not lending anything. The future looks pretty bleak. Not much more to say about that. I think every person and country will be effected, whether they like it or not. Anyways back to the Kenworth, never built the T600 from Revell or Ertl/AMT. When I was in the US in May this year I saw a number of new Kenworth T660??? (Is this the correct model designation? Not sure.) What a great looking truck. This I presume is the follow up to the T 600. Does anyone make after market parts for this? Steven, Which ever model you choose. Good Luck and keep us posted with you progress. Best Wishes Dave Bates

Matt, Very interesting looking project. I was just trying to work out where the donor parts were from? Paystar radiator, Cummins from an AMT truck, front wheels from the International tractor, rear wheels from?????? Is this all wheel drive? What will you use for transmissions? I like the dark green colour and the weathering. Good Luck with the rest of the project and keep us posted. Best Wishes Dave Bates. PS this would be a great load for one of Tim's (studioman3) low boys.