De-Aerodyned K100

[Rockford]

I scored these two K100s last year. They were assembled already. The one in the foreground is an AMT and the one behind is a Monogram. 

I must be mad to start another project but I've decided to build a single sleeper, none-Aerodyne tractor using the Monogram cab but the AMT chassis because they're the best bits of both. 

First though, I wanted to try something that has been churning in my mind for months. I wanted to build a sliding 5th wheel where the 5th wheel itself doesn't keep falling off. I've built a few sliders along the lines of the old AMT 1/25 trucks and they're great, but at my age I don't like bending down all the time to pick things up, so I want a slide plate where all stays put. How to go about it? I've added a picture of the one I built for my Chevy Bison. It works great but the saddle just sits on the rails. I must do better! 

[Rockford]

I used some 5mm strip with a lip along each edge and some square tube about 5mm too. 

 

I cut a slot in one face of the tube so that it resembled a C viewed end on. This then slid over the strip, the lip acting as the rack and running inside the tube.

I linked the tube sections together to form the saddle, then linked the side rails at each end to capture the saddle.

 

Now I had a sliding assembly that couldn't drop out. I detailed a fifth wheel, added gudgeons and put a closing piece under the whole assembly and it looks great. Still sits lower than the original kit mess. 

To try and explain myself a bit better, here's a picture:-

[Joe Nunes]

Nice work on this fifth wheel assembly. Remember to grease that wheel before you grab yer trailer.  ??  Well done!  ?

Joe

[Rockford]

Scary day today. Had to take my saw to the cab. I'm not a great bodywork man but I'm committed to this. I decided to make the cut right on the rear door frame, partly because it seemed right but also because the door frame would mask the joint except for the top and bottom ends, so minimal filling and sanding. Also the grab rail would be over it, further hiding it. Then I've only got the roof to sort. 

Made the cut, seems to have come out ok. 

I've got two scrap T600 cabs so I'm going to try to use the rear half of one sleeper roof to form the rear of the new roof, but I'll have to widen it slightly. Then I can carry the shape across with some of the old Aerodyne roof cap. That's the plan anyway. 

[Rockford]

I've decided to drop the T600 sleeper idea and will use the centre section of the top panel on the Aerodyne cap I cut off. 

[Rockford]

Ended up using bits of both the T600 and the Aerodyne cap to make up a roof cap for the cab. I wanted to keep it all red otherwise I'd have used card stock. Then slathered some filler over it and will leave it to set fully for a week. 

Shortened the chassis by 23mm, would have made it more but I want to use the KW tanks that come with the kit. 

Fabbed some cab hinges and quickly drilled the chassis and used some wire for a hinge so I may possibly be able to have a tilting cab. 

[Repstock]

Looks nice...Well worth doing!

[Dutzie]

Coming along well. 

[Rockford]

Had another chance to work on the K100 today. Trimmed the rear of the chassis, added mudflaps.

Remounted my fuel tank brackets and mocked it all up. Even got my cab to tilt, though that causes more problems than it's worth, engine etc... I'll use the Monogram battery box and air filter housing, they're a much better job than the AMT. 

[gotnitro?]

Nice work so far

[Rockford]

I used the gull-wing front bumper from this kit on the W900 I'm doing so I needed a bumper for this kit. A piece of "I" beam filled the bill with one side flattened off. I used the gull-wing to mark out the tow bracket holes and drilled at each corner to open them out. Then I drilled the auxiliary lamp holes starting at 1mm and using every step size up to 4.5mm. it meant drilling about 20 holes but it stops the piece being distorted. I'm really pleased with the result. 

[Pete68]

On 2/18/2023 at 1:24 PM, Rockford said:

Scary day today. Had to take my saw to the cab. I'm not a great bodywork man but I'm committed to this. I decided to make the cut right on the rear door frame, partly because it seemed right but also because the door frame would mask the joint except for the top and bottom ends, so minimal filling and sanding. Also the grab rail would be over it, further hiding it. Then I've only got the roof to sort. 

Made the cut, seems to have come out ok. 

I've got two scrap T600 cabs so I'm going to try to use the rear half of one sleeper roof to form the rear of the new roof, but I'll have to widen it slightly. Then I can carry the shape across with some of the old Aerodyne roof cap. That's the plan anyway. 

Nice surgery 

[Pete68]

On 2/21/2023 at 11:00 AM, Rockford said:

A piece of "I" beam

The older real KWs used a piece of  Frame rails. 

[Rockford]

Would that be the aluminium rails? I can picture that, makes sense. They look a little more agricultural than the Pete bumpers of the time. I think the gull-wing bumper came out in the 70s didn't it? 

[Rockford]

Been busy today. By shortening the cab I've exposed the gearbox so I had to make it look a bit better. I used a cutting disc and sliced the top off the moulding. I rounded the top of the casing sides and added a lid out of an offcut. I then added a shift housing and the KW UJ shifter and lever. 

I cut the securing tabs off the back of the cab and fabbed a cab mount frame out of card stock using quartered plastic tube sections for the top curves. 

 

I also detached the exhaust mounting frame from the back of the cab, fabbed some mounts and attached it to the frame as in the real thing. 

The sun visor was a daunting task. I've tried making a K100 visor out of ali sheet in the past and it's been a nightmare. I ended up with a sort of drop visor, not great. This time I wanted a factory looking visor. The only thing was to cut the brow off the AMT K100 cab I had. It was a hard decision but I decided I would never use the piece, it has too many flaws. After a few hours filing and fitting I've got something I'm fairly happy with. I just need to add the ends that attach to the cab sides. I'll use plastic card for that. Rubbed the roof down for the first time and I'm rather pleased with the result. Might primer it, you get a better idea of how it really looks then. 

[DRIPTROIT 71]

I like what you have done with this!

[J.B. Customs]

Nice work on the roof modifications looks great ? 

[Rockford]

I've had a few heavy weeks so couldn't get to anything until today. Made myself a pogo stick out of ali tube, drilled it and bent up a hose holder from wire. 

I never intended to use this chassis and for some unknown reason I'd glued the rear suspension together. Now, I had two empty diffs which would be on view to all.  It's too far into the job to start cutting the tandems off. What to do?

I realised that I still had the unused axles from the AMT W900 and they're exactly the same moulding.Using scrap card and plastic shrapnel I built two cassettes that I could shape to fit the voids.

Once set I just dropped them into place on the K100. Look acceptable from most angles and the clutter around the chassis will hide any failings. 

[DRIPTROIT 71]

You are the Master at these trucks! Excellent work!

 

[Rockford]

My usual slow progress on this one. Had to cut down the Aerodyne interior to a single sleeper. I cut it just behind the seats and fitted a new bulkhead. In the cab, I glued a pelmet just in front of my bulkhead. Then I glued two partition pieces behind the seat backs and added the closed curtains from the interior. The pelmet hides the top of the partition. Looks ok. 

Piped up the brake chambers. Look ok when the fifth wheel is in place. 

Also added the side bars in the windshield. They're moulded into the windshield piece but it looks better as part of the frame. 

[Rockford]

Cleaned the fuel tanks up today. Added my wire & sprue indicator lights rather than accept the rubbish ones on the mirror brackets. Look great. They're dead easy to do. You 1/25 guys would love them.

[Dutzie]

Impressive updates. Well done. 

[Bennyg]

Very nice! 
 

Ben

[cifenet]

Tough surgical operation here!  You managed the hard part very well, nice job so far.  

 

[Rockford]

Thanks for your positive comments gents. 

Managed to find some time to work on the K100. Did some mundane things like true the rear wheels up as they were all over the place. Chamfered the chassis edges. Reskimmed the cab roof and will leave that for a week before I rub it down. It seems to shrink. 

Dechromed the fuel tanks. Added filler caps and fuel pipes.

Built some front shock absorbers from plastic aluminium tube. 

I'd like to think about paint but the weather still isn't playing ball, too cold. I now have several projects awaiting paint. Very frustrating.