Kenworth

The real thing

Kenworth stopped using their own K-series COE cab for its heavy duty cabovers in 2007. They now use the DAF XF series cab. I thought I'd try my hand at a PACCAR relative and attempt a K500. Using an Italeri DAF XF Space Cab, resin from the old RNK, a couple of junk and fresh Paystar frames and plenty of scratchbuilding are called for here. I really enjoyed this project. 2/22/08.

Kenworth low-entry COE. Peterbilt and KW marketed these small COE's. I scratchbuilt the cab from sheet stock styrene. The fuel tank body is the old IMC Milk Tanker. An RNK resin tool cabinet was installed. Built in 2001 or 2002?

Based on an AMT T600 using a T800 resin conversion hood from Plaskit of Quebec, RNK Conversions front wheels and tires and stepbox toolbox. Colors are GM Torreadore red with gold stripes. I mated an AMT cab and the cowl and windshield mask of a Revell of Germany KW cab. Daylight door windows cut in, rear corners block sanded for the beveled angled look, corner windows cut in and a daycab panel installed made from sheet styrene. 7/6/2005

I was contacted by the owners of the real truck, they wanted a model of their truck, actually they wanted dozens of them, they were looking for diecast toy/collectables to sell at truck shows when they would display their truck. They wanted me to build one anyway. I explained that there was no kit of the KW T300, and I would have to improvise. I took an AMT Kenworth T600 and heavily reworked the hood, fenders, grille, bumper and the cab. The service body and chassis are scratchbuilt from Evergreen styrene sheets. I was at a loss for the graphics, as I knew I could never make water-slide decals of right size and quality, so I called upon Cheryl Riley at Flamin'Frog graphics in Cedarville, Michigan. I provided Cheryl the dimensions of the model, the available space for logos, and the photo of the real truck. The results are beautiful vinyl peel-n-stick decals that are superb! She even made the air cleaner holes for the hood.

There are no fresh-kit parts in this T300 (can I call it a T300 if it only sortof-vaguely-resembles a T300?). Everything came from the parts bins except for the Evergreen styrene and the resin front tires and wheels from RNK Conversions. (9/5/2005)

1961 Kenworth K123 COE. This started as a partially built eBay kit. I modified the AMT kit cab backdating the 1970 cab to a '61, reworking the lower panels and grille. Single headlights were grafted in too. The sanders in front of the drive axles were scratchbuilt.

I was doing some repair work on several trucks on the display shelves, fixing mirrors and broken pieces, and decided that my '99 build of an AMT Kenworth Alaskan Hauler kit as an AMT wrecker was time for a rebuild. It never looked right as the wrecker. I modified a Revell-Germany tanker body, widening the body by 1/2 inch, then making new front and rear end panels, added some water outlets, fenders and catwalk and have a construction company water truck!

Kenworth K100 daycab. I got the idea for this truck from a real KW in the weeds. Using an Aerodyne kit's long wheelbase, I scratchbuilt rear fenders, and flatdeck, cut down a damaged AMT cab, added some RNK tool boxes, and covered everything in chrome tape and foil. Kenworth nameplates are etched metal from Model Car Garage

1967 Kenworth W900 narrow nose. I scratchbuilt the hood. Lenghtened the chassis, added a resin Mercury sleeper from Spauldings, RNK tool cabinets, scratchbuilt the flat deck, and added rooftop full of lights. Thanks to Rick Mark for the doo-dads (bull horns)

My 1965 Kenworth C500 dump truck. I was inspired by a dump truck built by Phil Jensen back in an old Car Model Magazine article, and also in the book Building Model Trucks.

I used an old AMT KW W925 and a reissue Fruehauf Gravel Trailer. I reworked the KW's hood for a Set Back Front Axle, also omitted the external air cleaners. The cab has door-mounted mirrors (optional on KW's back then) and a rooftop air conditioner.

Remember the old NBC TV series Movin'On? Sonny Pruitt drove a Kenworth W900 VIT. What if Sonny decided to branch out and have a couple of trucks, say around 1980 or so.. how about a cabover! A K100 Aerodyne all dressed in Sonny Pruitt style! The stripes are from JBOT (www.jbot.ca) and are SUPERB! The decal sheet comes with the full arrow from the In Tandem pilot episode truck, the hood-only arrow from the series, all the plates, and even a set of stripes and door logos for Will Chandler's original K123 seen in the beginning of the pilot.

1972 Kenworth W900. Sonny Pruitt's In Tandem truck. Modifications to the kit include single breather, single stack, shortened wheelbase, painted 5 hole rear wheels, added rightside tool/battery box. Inside the cab is a photo of a dog, "Dog" was in the pilot episode of Movin'On, but never made it past In Tandem. Nameplates are etched metal from Model Car Garage.

What If Sonny Pruitt branched out and bought a couple of trucks? Here's my "Phantom Sonny" truck, an early '80s Kenworth K100 Aerodyne COE! All dressed in typical Sonny Stripes. (decals from www.jbot.ca)

I used an almost box-stock AMT Kenworth Aerodyne Cabover, shortening the wheelbase by 1 inch, added a Revell Peterbilt headache rack, chrome wraps over the fuel tanks, warning lights on the roof and using a spare KW bumper, I made a correct deep taper gullwing bumper. Everything else is stock from the kit.

During the 2004 Richard Crane Truck Show in St.Ignace I came across a beautiful '04 KW W900L dressed in Sonny Stripes! Here's my phantom Sonny COE on the fender of the 900L. The folks that own the 900L told me they got the paint ideas from my Movin'On website! (http://www.angelfire.com/mi/TimsManufacturedHome/movinon.html)

Kenworth K100. Built right out of the box, dressed like the AMT box art. I added a rooftop air shield. This was one of my first "from a sealed kit" builds when I returned to modeling in '99.

Kenworth W925. I bought this as an eBay built-up. The yellow was painted, as was the black. I just added the stripe, and assembled the truck. I also added the bumper, rear bumper, RNK Conversions cab guard, I shortened the fuel tank also.

The KW started as a built-up with a damaged hood, so I swapped in a Griffen Designs narrow nose hood. I shortened the chassis, added an air suspension, added a roof-top air conditioner, door mounted mirrors, single short exhaust, and painted the interior the red/white "Splendor" stripes KW used to offer. I cut down the left fuel tank and went with a single painted breather.

Kenworth K100 flattop. This is a rebuild of the Revell KW kit. I added a Paul Kittle flat top, RNK Conversions tool cabinet, and etched metal Kenworth nameplates from Model Car Garage.

Here's the same K100 after adding stripes and wide float tires for a Michigan Special look

7/6/2005

1962 Kenworth Alaskan Hauler.

Timalaskanhaulercabclose.jpg (48720 bytes)

We've all seen the Alaskan Hauler kit. I decided to make mine the Father of Alaskan Hauler, and backdated the W900 cab to the 50's-60's cab.

Lots of slicing and dicing to narrow the width, shorten the height, and rework the doors and windows. I weathered the paint for an aged look, like the old truck has been sitting around the back lot for many years.

In between working on the websites and building new models, I reworked this old KW T600. I originally built it on December 30, 1999 (or so the date inside the cab showed, and yes, I sign and date all my trucks). I never liked how it looked. So I removed the cab/hood. Shortened the wheelbase, cut down the fuel tanks, swapped in some 2 hole front wheels, painted the rears, raised the cab up 1/8th inch at the front and rear, and put it all back together. It looks much better. The grille is still wrong, but I'll live with that. Ironically, I rebuilt this on December 30, 2004.

1950's KW Bullnose COE. This is a Rick Manz resin cast cab that I reworked all the detail lines and panel seams on. The chassis is the AMT KW Aerodyne COE, the sleeper is from an AMT W925 kit. The big cab guard is resin, and the tool cabinets are resin from RNK. The big Texas bumper is polish aluminum from Mo'Luminum.