Kenworth COE from the Tyco model

The Tyco Kenworth cabover is the model that got me interested in modeling HO vehicles.  When I first saw it as a kid, it struck me as a much better model than the Hot Wheels and assorted diecast trucks I'd been using for scenery accessories.  For one thing, the cab actually tilted to reveal an engine casting.  To an eight-year-old kid, this model was amazing.  It was only a few years later when I discovered the Athearn Freightliner, a model that stands up to scrutiny even today, that I lost track of my Tyco Kenworth.  I never forgot that model, and with each passing kitbash of an Athearn Freightliner, I began to wish I could apply my modeling skill to one, upgrading it to the hilt.

So it was with great excitement that I opened the package containing this little model after bidding $9.00 for it on ebay.  Yeah, I probably overpaid for it, but it was worth it.  My fond memory of it rang true upon holding it in my hands again for the first time in 20 or more years.  It was just as nice as I had remembered, but its shortcomings really stuck out.  The first items I figured I'd need to address were:

   * the narrow axles and poor wheel detail
   * the crude cast-on horns
   * the poor fit of headlights/truck body
   * the crude chassis/fuel tank casting

The cab casting, while nicely proportioned, also features some less glaring errors such as oversize rivets (some of which are out of alignment with each other), a poorly executed KW logo, and the oversize grille pattern.  These kinds of errors can easily be minimized by drawing attention to other aspects of the finished model.  To do that, I figured I'd need to have a really nice finish on the model.  With that in mind, I went hunting for photos.

I am used to modeling strictly from prototype photos, which is what I do with the majority of my railroad modeling time.  But with my vehicle models, I like to follow prototype practice while indulging my creative side.  I have spent quite a bit of time browsing Hank's Truck Pictures website, particularly the Barney Sipes collection, and came up with this photo as the source of inspiration for this model (link).  Armed with a photo, I set to work.

First, to give an idea of what was involved in building this tractor, here's a list of the parts and paint I used on this model:

Tyco:
    Kenworth COE cab and grille
Athearn:
    10-hole wheels and tires
    chassis/fifth wheel
Plano:
    Apex pattern etched stainless steel
    etched mirrors
Boley:
    International interior
homemade parts:
    exhaust from stretched sprue and Plastruct angle
    mudflaps from 0.005" styrene and 0.010" brass wire
    air cleaner from stretched sprue
    driveshaft from stretched sprue
    interior walls and floor from styrene sheet
    battery box from strip styrene
    fuel tanks from styrene tube, sheet and strip
    bumper from stryene sheet
    airhorns from stretched sprue
    ladders from styrene strip and 0.010" brass wire

Paint:
Testors Model Master:
    Silver Chrome Trim
    Guards Red
    Duck Egg Blue
    Flat Black
    International Orange


So, let's jump right in with a description of the construction process.  I removed the grille/headlight/bumper portion of the Kenworth's chassis casting, trued the cuts and set it aside.  I also removed the diesel engine casting, thinking I could graft the cab tilting mechanism on to the Athearn chassis and expose the motor, but it didn't work out that way.  I found there wasn't enough room in the cab with an interior for the engine casting, so I set the engine aside for a future project.  This left the remains of the Tyco chassis lying on the workbench, ready to be tossed into the trash. 

With the cab in hand, I used a chisel blade to remove the cast-on horns.  Sometimes castings like these are acceptable, but in this case, they are the worst part of the cab, so they had to go.  I sanded the affected part of the roof and set the cab aside to begin mounting the grille on the new chassis.  Athearn's chassis requires a bit of sanding on the front end of the frame if you want to butt-join anything to it, so I squared it up and tacked the Tyco grille/headlight/bumper assembly to the chassis with a tiny bit of MEK.  At this point I used the cab to determine the vertical position of the grille by placing the cab on the chassis resting on the grille.  I maneuvered the grille around until it had the right look and cleared the front tires then flowed a bit more MEK on the joints and squeezed the joint tight. 


A photo of the progress up to May 2006, with fuel tanks from the Boley International tack-glued temporarity.  Click to enlarge.

The gaping holes in the cab where the headlights fit in were blanked out with styrene sheet.  I constructed the interior using a cast-off interior casting from a Boley International and a few pieces of 0.030" sheet.  The interior walls were painted and the built up interior installed.  Next, the headlights were chopped from the bumper and sanded down in thickness and mounted to the styrene sheet blanks.  I sanded down the remainder of the Tyco bumper and laminated a couple 0.005" sheets over it to build it up and form the curve around the ends.

After masking the interior, the exterior of the cab was painted red.  Then I set to work cutting and drilling the steps from 0.010" styrene strip and cutting and bending the wire to fit.  I drilled into the underside of the hand grabs on the cab at an oblique angle in order to make the brass wire look like a continuation of the cast on grabs.  A bit of CA and a quick hand, and the steps were shoved into place. 

Like a number of other items on this model, the airhorns were made from stretched sprue.  When you heat and stretch sprue, there's always a point where the stretched part joins up with the unmelted section of sprue, which has a certain bell-shaped flare to it.  After trying a couple N scale F-unit horns, I tried cutting and drilling the sprue, and while they're far from perfect, the airhorns look okay.  They are just different diameters and lengths of sprue (two thin mounts, one bell, one cap per horn).  The cab was drilled and they were mounted with MEK.

This was followed up with the detail painting of the cab, which consisted of black window gaskets, orange marker lenses and silver for the chrome trim.

With the completed cab resting on the chassis, I got an idea of the size and length of the fuel tanks.  I would love to use A-line or Dennis Aust parts for my projects, but my funding situation keeps me finding other ways.  So, I grabbed a secion of styrene tube and cut it into two lengths that looked about right to my eye.  Then I capped the tube with 0.060" styrene and used my razor saw to cut two slots in each tank cylinder at the point where the bands go around the tanks.  I inserted pieces of 0.010" sheet cut to fit and then cut a long strip from 0.005" sheet for the bands.  The next step was to sand down the end caps to match the cylinder profile and to sand a dome shape into them.  With that complete, the bands were wrapped around the tank and secured with MEK.  Each tank was secured to the Athearn chassis with MEK.

The exhaust stack is made from two different diameters of sprue, drilled to fit the smaller one into the larger one and drilled at the top to give the appearance of being hollow.  This was mounted to a frame of leftover Plastruct angle with a stiffener cut from a length of stretched sprue.  The Plano etchings were secured to the chassis with CA and the pogo stick was mounted to the frame cross-member.  Mudflaps were made by coiling wire once around a small drill bit and inserting into holes drilled into the frame.  0.005" sheet was cut to size for the mudflaps and they were glued edge-on to the wire.


Three views of the nearly complete chassis.  Click to enlarge.

 
I couldn't help myself - the temporarily assembled Kenworth.  Click to enlarge.


Update - July 28, 2007

Okay, this project has dragged along forever, but that's how it goes when you're a busy dad.  So, today I took some photos of the progress so far.  Admittedly, not much has changed from the photos above, but there is one big difference in seeing the model in person.  Bare Metal Foil makes all the difference.

I used BMF Bright Chrome on the bumper and the grille frame and I have to say it really shines just the way I imagine this classic would look rolling down the highway.  It doesn't go on or stay on small parts as well as I'd like, but with some work you can get nice results.  I'm thinking I'll try the fuel tanks next, although I'd use Matte Aluminum on them instead of the Bright Chrome finish.  I think the difference in sheen would give a nice contrast to the metal parts of the model while keeping the overall chrome level a little more tame.  I don't want a chicken hauler with this model, just a classy, well-used but well taken care of tractor.

I also replaced the broken pogo stick and added brake lines.  Some Plano mirrors and quarter fenders have also been added.  These fine details really gives the model a sense of massiveness.  Air tanks have been added under the frame.  I'm not the most knowledgeable person when it comes to the arrangement of appliances such as this on the prototype, so I've just added them where I think they look right to my eye.  These air tanks are nothing more than sprue chucked into a drill and turned to shape, mounted with a short length of 0.030"x0.030" styrene strip.  The casting holes in the fifth wheel, an artifact from the way the Athearn fifth wheel is molded, have been filled in, but this area still needs to be repainted.  I will take care of this during the weathering process, which will occur when I get a shipment of Athearn wheels and tires in.  There's also some work to be done on the chassis, but it's really pretty close to being complete.

Anyway, here are the photos from this afternoon:




Careful - all the flaws jump out when you enlarge these!

I hope to have this model complete soon, since I'm expecting a Transtar II kit to arrive in the mail any day now...