1980 Kenworth W900

[Jim B]

Thanks. I think I need to add some sort of steering linkage, but I'm not sure quite how.

[Janne Herajärvi]

Black wears always great... Johnny Cash did know that maybe best

[m4A3E2 sherman]

jim almost done with my rev-germ. w900 will post pics when i figure out how to new to all this fancy computer stuff. have dig. camera also. my brother's boy will show me how. mine is black also with mango. pulling hog tralier.

[m4A3E2 sherman]

guy's where can i get scale plates for ILL. i don't have printer so can't print any off.thanks for any help.

[Jim B]

Check with Jerry over at Model Truckin'. He has U.S. Plates decals. Among other things.

[Jim B]

Well, I managed to get some more done on the W900 over the last several weeks. One of my major hold-ups was making new exhaust elbows. I tried bending aluminum tube, plastic tube, nothing seemed to work right; so I broke down & bought some Plastruct elbows. Problem solved.

So I managed to get the stacks completed, the air cleaners on, and some chrome details (mirrors, grab handles). I corrected the marker lights that mount on the top of the headlight buckets (that was bothering me). Now I need to finish the air intake piping (I hope SourKrout comes throught for me here), mount the fender mounted turn signals, and mount the wing. That should take about four months!

[highway]

Looking very nice, Jim. I REALLY need to pick one or two of these up!

[Old Albion]

Jim,

Great progress so far. Very Impressive! Exhaust and air intake systems can be a bit tricky to make. If you have a pipe bender with the correct formers and bend radii then yes you can use aluminum tube. Unless your a master craftsman in metal working stay clear of trying to form the bends by hand. For me there are two options. The first do as you have done buy the elbows. Or secondly take a length of tube. Cut off small pieces a sutable angles to suit the bend radi. Glue these pieces together to form the redquired bend radius and pipe profile. Once the glue has set sand the bend to suit. You may need to use some filler to get the right shape. This is the method that I used to produce all the pipes on my Autocar. On my currect build I will use a combination of both methods. It will be the first time that I have used the bends.

Dave

[Kostas Parchas]

Nice rig,

I like it in black!

Kostas.

[cowboysevens]

black beuty is lookin good, nice job jim

dennis

[Jim B]

Thanks, guys. Glad you like it.

@Matt: They go together quite well. This is the older 1990s orange reissue, and the only fit problems I've had are the left front wheel didn't want to snap on (I was affraid I would snap the axle if I pushed too hard), and the fenders hit the air cleaners when you raise & lower the hood.

@Dave: thanks for the tips, I'll have to give them a try. I tried to bend the aluminum tube with those spring-type benders, but the tube cracked. Then I ended up streatching out the spring trying to remove the broken tube. What a fiasco!

[MRCIVICWITHSTYLE]

Wow she turned out Great i love it where do you find the Mags at in the sleeper i have been looken for some for my shop that im hoping to start maken here soon. Great Build

[highway]

@Matt: They go together quite well. This is the older 1990s orange reissue, and the only fit problems I've had are the left front wheel didn't want to snap on (I was affraid I would snap the axle if I pushed too hard), and the fenders hit the air cleaners when you raise & lower the hood.

Thanks, Jim. I had one of those back in the day!

[Jim B]

Jason, I made the book in the sleeper & the map on the passenger seat. For the book, I copied the cover of the book that I have, then scaled it down. The map book was taken from Rand-McNalley's Web site then scaled down. Once I did that, I printed them on photo paper & glued them to .020" sheet plastic for some "thickness". Pretty easy, actually.

[MRCIVICWITHSTYLE]

Jason, I made the book in the sleeper & the map on the passenger seat. For the book, I copied the cover of the book that I have, then scaled it down. The map book was taken from Rand-McNalley's Web site then scaled down. Once I did that, I printed them on photo paper & glued them to .020" sheet plastic for some "thickness". Pretty easy, actually.

ook how do you know what size to scale them down to

[Jim B]

Well, if the book in the sleeper is 8-1/2" x 11" in real life, then on the model it would be .34" x .44" ((8.5"/25 x 11"/25). I added the picture to a Word document, then resized the picture to .34" x .44".

[Jim B]

Ok, so not much has happened since the last update, but I did manage to replace the air intake system with aluminum tube, scratch build some 90deg elbows, got the "Alcoa Wheel" logos on the front wheels, and make a fifth wheel release handle. It's not much, but it's something.

[cam]

Great job Jim, you made those monogram wheels and tires look easy. I had the orange issue of that truck but the frame had a significant sag, I tried to straiten it and wound up messing it up completely. I am slowly using the parts in other kits.

[Jim B]

Thanks, guys. Justin, the license plate is a 1987 Florida apportioned plate.

Edited October 30, 2010 by Jim B

[superdog]

Hi Jim,I have to say ,that has got to be the nicest snap KW I've seen black and chrome is always classy and sharp looking,you did an excellent job on detailing and finishing ,I like the aluminum tee pipe for the intake,really pops the engineroom, I have a couple of these kits I have robbed parts from (mirrors are excellent)but now I will definitely be doing a full build.....Thanks for sharing the pics ......Todd, are you going to do the red or blue cap in the center of the front wheel for the stemco seal ?

[Semi Trailer Mechanic]

Jim

Fantastic. IMO here a flatbed trailer w/ aluminum style 10 hole rims would be perfect for this tractor.

[Jim B]

Thanks, guys.

Scott, a flatbed? Hmmm, I'll have to think about that. I do have two in the stash, and one will be a aluminum drop-deck. That one is slated for the Alaska Hauler, though. Actually, it looks prety good with the Amoco tanker, but not so much with the Willson livestock trailer.

[highway]

Thanks, guys.

Scott, a flatbed? Hmmm, I'll have to think about that. I do have two in the stash, and one will be a aluminum drop-deck. That one is slated for the Alaska Hauler, though. Actually, it looks prety good with the Amoco tanker, but not so much with the Willson livestock trailer.

I think I have to agree with Scott, a flatbed would look nice behind this. I'm just surprized you don't like the bullwagon behind it, though. When I was still driving out west, it seemed if a Pete wasn't pulling a livestock trailer, a KW was.

Edited October 30, 2010 by highway

[Jim B]

Oh, it just has to to with the position of the trailer in relation to the rear of the sleeper/mudflaps. Since the fifth wheel is fixed on this kit, I cannot move it back. If this truck were to haul the livestock trailer, it could only go straight; because if it tried to turn the trailer would punch a hole in the back of the sleeper & rip of the mudflaps.

But I agree with you, it seems like Peterbilts & Kenworths do a lot of livestock hauling out West.

[highway]

Oh, it just has to to with the position of the trailer in relation to the rear of the sleeper/mudflaps. Since the fifth wheel is fixed on this kit, I cannot move it back.

DOH!! I had a Homer Simpson moment, I totally forgot the fifth wheel is fixed!