Kenworth Wrecker WIP

Engine pix look great .

OK, I'm back with an update. I'm not getting as much time to build on this one as I had hoped for, but I have made some progress.

This update is the chassis. I've decided to keep going with the added details throughout the truck. I've added air lines for the brakes to the chassis.

Here is the bare chassis just after assembly. Not much to look at, but I was surprised by the 3 or 4 different colors of styrene used in this kit.

Here are all the suspension components painted and ready to be attached to the chassis. Everything is painted with Tamiya x-18, semigloss black.

Here is the front suspension on the chassis, with the lines for the air brakes installed. I used some thin black wire I had laying around, super glued into holes in the brake chambers. After these pictures were taken, I cut the 'loop' as seen and glued the loose ends onto the frame in unseen locations.

Last photo for this update is the rear suspension. Again, same technique used to make the air lines. I wish I could have gotten more contrast in the pictures. I used some slight variations of gray and black to show some wear on the frame, airbags and drive line.

That's all I've got for now. I hope to work on it more this week and next, hopefully the next update will be sooner than 2 weeks.

AC,

I jumped over here to autos to get some tips on wet sanding for a car I am building but saw your post and decided to check it out.

Nice job on the CAT and chassis. I'll be watching this one!

Might I make a suggestion? Slow down and spend some extra time removing the molding seam lines from your parts. These only get accentuated once paint is applied. A round rubber hose typically doesn't have a seam...nor does a fluid filter. Scale modeling is a learning experience.

That's a nice bit of detailing on the engine. pity it'll be mostly hidden away.

I love putting all the wires and stuff into the engine. It is unfortunate that some of the detail will be hidden, but I guess that is one reason for the pictures. The other reason is for finding mistakes.

I didn't even see some of the seams until I uploaded the pics. Some were fixed, some will be. The turbo is only placed on the engine, and that is one seam that will be closed up, since it it so noticable. The white filter or bottle, whatever it is, is the awkward one. It was completely open on the rear and I filled it with epoxy putty. I just could not find a tool that could fit well enough to smooth it out.

Thanks for the comments!

Cool details on the engine!

I love this thing so far. I have always wanted to add hoses and lines and wiring, and stuff like that, but I never could figure out where it all went, so I was throwing stuff in to form a "rat's nest" of  an engine compartment.

Mabe I out to go to the junkyard and the local used-car dealership for some photos. (and mabe I could get a good deal at the "Rent a Wreck" down at the repair-shop)

This model is great!

If you want to place cables and other extra stuff into your model, just google for pictures of the car you want to make. You don't need to go so far (visiting a real junkyard).

I always search for pictures in internet and that's -in most cases- enough to make a model.

Hey thanks for the comments everyone!

]So, about that 2 week update... Here we are 6 weeks later, and I have to be honest, I have not even touched the kit since the last update!
I have actually spent zero time at the bench in about a  month. Maybe the weather getting warmer has changed things, but I have not really felt like building anything recently. Early summer slump , perhaps?

I do plan on finishing the wrecker, and I will continue to update this WIP, I'm just not really sure when at this point.

acmodeler01

 

Here is a shot from the rear, with most of the added hoses and lines completed. This is prior to weathering. I mixed the Cat yellow color with Tamiya Lemon Yellow and Clear Orange and used NATO black with a little gloss clear mixed in for the transmission. I'm pretty sure the blue unit behind the block and its associated hoses are not 100% accurate, but it adds some interest and will be mostly hidden anyway.

 

 

Nice project, Jon.

Jon, the blue unit is a Bendix/Westinghouse air compressor.  The line from the top goes back to the chassis as you have done, the other line is the intake and would normally go up to the engine air cleaner.  The first 4 feet of so of the pressure discharge line are required to be a stainless steel braided flexible line (silver or stainless steel ion color) to stand the heat and vibration.  In the old days this line was rigid copper tubing and was the cause of many runaway trucks when it cracked.  That was before spring brakes, the only thing you had to stop you was the little air remaining and the driveshaft mounted brake.