Kenworth W900 Aerodyne, A Little Trip Down Memory Lane

[highway]

I decided to pull this off the shelf after deciding I needed a little time away from the "BJ and the Bear" custom, and something a little different for once, a build with NO modifications! This is a little trip down memory lane for me, the 1/16th scale Kenworth was the first truck kit I built 30 years ago. 

The plans for this is to more or less build the box art truck, 30 years ago as a 10 year old I loved the "Metal Glow" blue metallic the original was molded in, and this one will be painted a dark blue metallic. There isn't much progress to show right now, just the basic frame is done with the crossmembers installed. I haven't decided yet what to paint the frame, whether to stay with the basic black or maybe find a little lighter shade of metallic blue to paint the frame to match the body. 

[gino]

nice project !  I have one of those that's been sitting in my closet for about 20 years.

space limitations kept me from building it.   looking forward to your progress.

[highway]

Thanks Gino.

I did a little painting for this today, tried some Ford Twilight Blue metallic I actually had for a Thunderbird like the 1:1 my ex and I had. I don't know if this will be the final color or not, I like the color itself but would like something with just a little more metallic in it to be a little closer to the "Metal Glow" metallic the original issue was molded in. 

I also got a little on the cab, but it was a small can, started running out so it came out a little rough. 

I don't know if is just because the paint was old, maybe 10 years, or just because there just a lot to cover, but the little touch up can didn't go very far.  

As I said in my previous post, I plan on building this like the box art model, no wild modifications or customizing, but I am considering changing a few colors of things possibly, like chrome looking air cleaners, a chrome visor instead of body color, and maybe using this teal metallic for the frame color to compliment the body color instead of just basic black. 

This is what I have completed on the frame so far. 

I'm also thinking about changing the miter cut stacks to a curved stack, using my 8" stacks I originally bought for my Ford and then was thinking of using on the "BJ & the Bear" custom since I have been wanting to order sets for both of those that are longer and have the elbows at the bottom. 

I haven't tried them yet, but I'm thinking they might just have the right height and look for a stock stack on this.

[extmcdriver]

Nice progress, looking great!!!

[gatorincebu]

 

   Your mock up looks great ! Though my preference would be not to use those huge stacks . I think that they are a bit too large . But I like everything else you have done on this project . keep up the good work.

 

 

   Be Well

   Gator

 

[highway]

Nice progress, looking great!!!

 

   Your mock up looks great ! Though my preference would be not to use those huge stacks . I think that they are a bit too large . But I like everything else you have done on this project . keep up the good work.

 

 

   Be Well

   Gator

 

Thank you Rick and Gator. 

Gator, the mock up with the stacks is my B.R.B.O. "BJ & the Bear" custom, but was considering getting a different set of stacks (still a large diameter for the huge engine that is going to be in it but a set with elbows at the bottom and a little more length) for it and using those to replace kit stacks for this from the muffler up. Those are 8 inch in 1/25th scale, but since this build is 1/16th scale, they should be close to a 5 inch stock pipe for this truck, just changing the stack top from a miter cut to a curved tip. 

[Mike77]

Although they take up a lot of display space the size of the 1/16 trucks makes them easy to modify, and you can do as little or as much as you want. I tended to lean on the "as much" side!

 

Edited June 13, 2016 by Mike77

[highway]

Although they take up a lot of display space the size of the 1/16 trucks makes them easy to modify, and you can do as little or as much as you want. I tended to lean on the "as much" side!

 

Yeah Mike, I know they take a LOT of space to display, and especially the one I had when I was a kid I'm basing this build on because I had the Freuhauf flatbed to go with it!  I just wish I still had the original, I lost it in a fire in 1997, because I would have both it and this build displayed together. 

Oh, and thanks for showing me some of my other ideas!  I had been planning on picking up one of the flat tops for a "Movin On" truck and was throwing around the idea of a custom too. I also think I have made the decision on whether or not I was going to leave the air cleaners painted or do them in a nice, shiny shade of Alclad. Y'all are just going to have to keep following my progress to find out what they will be!