truckabilly Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 (edited) This model started its life as a pure stock box build in the late 1980´s or early 1990´s. It is my second truck model and the first model of American truck. My modelling know-how and skills were very poor then and my reference material next to none. No PC, no internet, no real truck around. Just a few pictures in the old KW brochure that I requested a long long time ago. As the time was passing by my knowledge of American trucks improved with a great help of internet. I looked at my old T 600 model and realised how many things were wrong. Originally I just wanted to improve the looks of some parts like the engine, the fuel tanks and the smoke stacks. But as I had the model in my hands so many times, things started to fall off. That´s when the idea of a more complex rebuild came across my mind. There was one important limitation that I set at the begining. The paint scheme on the cab and sleeper must be preserved. The whole paint job was done for me by the father of my friend and work fellow. Both are skilled and experienced modellers and I asked them for this favour. I was the one who chose the paint scheme. The inspiration came from the old KW brochure. But the whole painting is their job, not mine. Unfortunatelly, I never took a pic of the original build. It was partly dismantled already when I took some. This was the starting point. I changed some of the parts and their arrangement but the basic set up remained the same. Will show everything bit by bit. Jarda Edited July 18, 2017 by truckabilly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truckabilly Posted October 28, 2011 Author Share Posted October 28, 2011 The stock box engine - twin turbo Cummins - is not a correct engine for T 600 but I left it in the truck. I didn´t have any other to replace it. I just repaired the whole turbo set up and added some details to the engine. Then I sprayed a new paint. One of the things that puzzeled me was the air filter location. The kit had the filter located on the RH frame rail just behind the bumper. But all the pictures of T 600 engine compartment showed the filter sitting on top of the engine. So, I scratchbuilt a new filter including the bracket and placed it on the engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truckabilly Posted October 28, 2011 Author Share Posted October 28, 2011 (edited) Some more pics: Edited October 28, 2011 by truckabilly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim B Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Great engine work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catd11rpusher Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Outstanding work on the engine detail, I really like the weathered look!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truck parts Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 Great job on the motor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sticks Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 nice engine work, well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewaskew Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 Nice work man Earl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truckabilly Posted October 29, 2011 Author Share Posted October 29, 2011 Thank you all for your comments. Now I would like to show you some of the parts that I scratchbuilt or modified. Since I moved the air filter from its original location, I wondered what the real truck has in that place. And I found the air dryer. Here is mine. I had to modify the tube running from air filter to turbocharger. I also changed the air tanks. Those in the kit were much too short and thick for a KW. The kit mirrors lack some of the brackets. I used the the mirrors but made the brackets of my own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truckabilly Posted October 29, 2011 Author Share Posted October 29, 2011 (edited) The cab steps / tank coveres looked very strange to me. It wasn´t like anything I´ve seen on the T 600. I tried to make the steps of my own but I never did such a thing and didn´t know how. But I have built some paper models before. So I went in that fashion and here is how I made my steps. Here you can see the new steps in comparison with the old ones. Edited July 18, 2017 by truckabilly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truckabilly Posted October 29, 2011 Author Share Posted October 29, 2011 My old KW brochure said that the exhaust pipes run above the frame. I hope that it is the case of T 600 too because I have made that change. Here is the old under frame tube and the new above frame tube at the same pic. The line running from the tube is the pyrometer sensor wire. Here is the exhaust tube painted and mounted to the frame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truckabilly Posted October 29, 2011 Author Share Posted October 29, 2011 (edited) I added the amber lights to the bumper corners. I don´t know if they are the turn signal lights or the width clearance lights. One of the parts that are completely wrong in the kit is the firewall. I threw it in the trash and made the one of my own with the windshield washer reservoir and the "box" on the other side. I don´t know what it is. A cab heater? Edited July 18, 2017 by truckabilly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truckabilly Posted October 29, 2011 Author Share Posted October 29, 2011 (edited) I dug out the interior and added the headliner with the drop shades and FM and CB radios Edited July 18, 2017 by truckabilly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truckabilly Posted October 29, 2011 Author Share Posted October 29, 2011 (edited) Another interior item that I added is the 3pt. seat belts. I made them of a cigarette paper and the buckles are made of a plastic scrap. I also changed the steering wheel spokes. That´s all for now. Thanks for looking. Edited October 29, 2011 by truckabilly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
69A-CAR Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 You are such a great builder! Your attention to detail is fantastic. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jekylljr Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 wow absolutely amazing detail!! very insparational keep up the super work....!! steve farway model truck fleet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truck parts Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 WOW, Great job so far,looking to see what you do next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Semi Trailer Mechanic Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 (edited) Cool! You even put a pyrometer gauge sensor on the exhaust! Some of the earlier T600's in fact had NTC Cummins. When I started my career as a mechanic there were a few I worked on that had those engines. Edited October 30, 2011 by Semi Trailer Mechanic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truckabilly Posted October 30, 2011 Author Share Posted October 30, 2011 Cool! You even put a pyrometer gauge sensor on the exhaust! Some of the earlier T600's in fact had NTC Cummins. When I started my career as a mechanic there were a few I worked on that had those engines. Wow, thank you for the info. I didn´t know that. I have seen only pictures with some of the newer engines installed in T600. One of the typical features I spotted on these pictures is the intercooler located in front of the radiator. But this old NTC is equipped with an aftercooler. I hope my engine and radiator set up is alright. No intercooler, no big tubes running to the sides of radiator. I would appreciate, Scott, if you could confirm this to me. I do not see any logic in using both the intercooler and the aftercooler on the same engine. But I am not a mechanic. Jarda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truckabilly Posted March 5, 2012 Author Share Posted March 5, 2012 Somehow I left this build sleep for a while. No wonder since the kit´s name is "Big Sleeper". Probably nothing to do with Raymond Chandler´s book so they should have named it "Big Bunk" or something. Anyway, I took the model outside the other day and took some pictures. Hope you like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim B Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 That looks really nice! I think you did a great job on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBad Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 I got to hand it to truck modelers, they are great recyclers! Great job on this one Jarda, looks really nice, especially with the weathering and the work in the engine compartment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trick my mixer Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 You should be very proud of yourself on this project. Alot of attention to detail and weathering. Super cool I like the way you put what looks like polished aluminum or chrome air scoop on the passenger side. Nice paint scheme Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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