Kenworth 963 Super

[Richard E]

2 hours ago, keefr22 said:

That would make one hell of a camper van....!!

 

I think it would look at home on the next remake of Mad Max - Somewhere Beyond the Other Side of the Thunderdome

[Neddy]

It actually reminds me of the Juggernaut from Death Race 2000. 

[Stickframe]

Well guys, the only thing this truck lacks is subtlety!  🤪 It is a big brute.

 

Over the last couple of weeks I've kept after adding details, like grab bars, roof mounted beacons, exhaust stacks and when materials arrived, finishing the bed.  It's ready for paint, but the weather thinks otherwise!  We have rain, and will for the next few days.  In addition to humidity not being ideal for painting, I will prime this using rattle cans, and well, rain isn't ideal for outdoor painting!  The following images show the beast dryfit:

 

 

And yes, this is really big!  I include the Dude, to illustrate the point.  With the roof rack, fuel tanks, front bumper, storage boxes, and 6x6 it almost looks like a giant safari truck - 

 

 

 

Those vertical tubes in the bed are apparently used to help guide the cargo when loading, but they are removable, maybe for wider loads?  Anyway, they are tethered to the bed with chains, so mine are too!

 

 

If you look carefully, you'll see a clear plastic tube just above the bed.  These are rollers that can be raised and lowered.  They are used to help cushion the load when it is being loaded, then used to slightly raise the load to assist with unloading.  Unloading evidently relies on inertia, as in the object is raised with these rollers.  When the load is raised and winch cable slacked, the truck accelerates, causing the load to slide off the back.   

 

You get a pretty good view of the cab grab rails, which are small dia alu tube, with three eye bolts, and the roof beacons, made with alu sheet, stube and colored rod.

 

 

 

The gaps in the bed will be filled with wood.  Believe it or not, there are still a few bits to be added here and there, which I will do while waiting for the rain to pass.

 

And, to further illustrate the size of this, a few scale comparisons:

 

 

Compared to normal rigs, this looks like a small building.  The red Peterbilt flatbed is, by normal standards, big - it is a 6x6 with big tires, and a long bed, yet it looks pretty tame by comparison.  The service truck looks like a sporty runabout!

and it's a big 4x4.

 

 

The more I worked on this, the more comfortable I became with what it looks like, for example, thinking to myself that the tires don't really look that big - well, they are! In fact, all of it is that big.  Oh, and you can just see in the last pictures, I used some PE letters to add the vertical spelling of Kenworth in the nose.  Albeit a somewhat, apparently simple task, it wasn't.  I wanted the letters to be evenly spaced and level - easy in theory, less easy with tweezers, individual PE letters, and CA 😥😄

 

At this point, it looks like the next post will go into the ready for inspection area.  I don't think that will be too soon, because in addition to the basic painting problems, I hope to paint the engine in a convincing way, will add nameplates, and various parts will be painted to look like chrome or stainless steel.  On second thought, maybe there will be a few more posts here.

 

So, on we go - thanks for having a look - 

 

Cheers

Nick 

 

 

[busnproplinerfan]

Take that through the drive through.

[Pete in Lincs]

Well I hope the Dude is as impressed as I am. A small building on huge wheels. Yep!

Darn that rain. But there's no point in rushing at this stage. More detail, engine paint and maybe then it'll  be dry out.

[PeteH1969]

Very nice.

 

Pete

[dnl42]

Redefines monster truck, doesn't it? Mighty impressive. 

 

You're clearly have a deft hand with a rattle can. I can't imagine using myself using such a crude tool on all that detail.

[JeroenS]

Man, Nick, this is one of my favourite builds on the entire forum. What a fantastic rig. I can't believe how fast you got this together too! Can't have been because of The Dude helping, as he was just lounging about, drinking white russians. Awesome work.

[Chaz Gordon]

This is an absolute beast of a machine. How much are you resisting the temptation to get a hold of the Revell 1/16 Peterbilt and replicate it bigger?

[busnproplinerfan]

2 hours ago, Chaz Gordon said:

This is an absolute beast of a machine. How much are you resisting the temptation to get a hold of the Revell 1/16 Peterbilt and replicate it bigger?

At that point go full RC, you could use it as a daily driver.

[keefr22]

On 17/02/2024 at 06:26, Stickframe said:

And yes, this is really big! 

 

Indeed, I'd need a ladder to reach the cab steps....!!

 

Fantastic model of a fantastic machine!

 

Keith

[Toftdale]

On 17/02/2024 at 06:26, Stickframe said:

On second thought, maybe there will be a few more posts here

Excellent,  looking forward to them already.   Inspiring work as ever, can't imagine what you do next, all I know it will be fascinating to watch - Andy 

[Stickframe]

@Pete in Lincs, you're right - I'm far enough into this to use at least some restraint with paint and (real) weather, not weathering! still deciding on the latter - lol

 

@dnl42, well, yes, the rattle can....please see below!

 

@JeroenS - ha - the Dude - not much help at all!  skulking around and knocking things over - perfect.  

 

@Chaz Gordon and @busnproplinerfan - oh, now there's an idea! LOL - a 1/16 scale Pete - I didn't know that was even out there!  You know, while I have not clue how I'd find another set of these tires at what would be about 40% larger than these - no way.  BUT, a guy could decide to make a Kenworth C500, (the slightly smaller version of this, that runs on bigger "normal" tires), using the same tires as this build - but come on!  do I really need another unusually large, flatbed truck??? 🧐😥🤪  Probably not....not right now anyway 😄

 

@keefr22, well, yes, and unhappily, I need to add one more separate low hanging step on each side....never ending joy.....😄

 

@Toftdale, right - you are indeed right.  I don't know what I was thinking - this will not be painted in one session considering the amount of paint required, the various steps required for detailing, and some sub assemblies.  Painting will take some time - 

 

Speaking of painting:

 

 

I took this screenshots just after I got the chassis primed and painted!  I came in right as the can ran out, and rain started coming down!

 

 

Taking a stroll down armor building and painting lane - primed the full chassis and engine, then taped off the engine and went about painting with Tamiya Sea Grey.  It's a nice color, with a hint of blue that shows in the right light.

 

And btw, it just started raining pretty hard.   I can hear it coming down on the roof.

 

 

 

 

And here we have it - @dnl42, yes, painted with the rattle can.  I think having practiced and painted quite a bit with an air brush, I've found that I am now better with a spray can too.  Not to worry, I have ruined a variety of builds using an airbrush and rattle can along the way, but now feel better with both.  Just like using an airbrush, I now make it a point to dust on the first layers of primer and the base, then progressively add enough of either to do the job. 

 

I used to get streaks, runs, and drops of paint hanging on edges of parts - not good at all.  I concluded this happened because I applied too much paint and/or/ held the can or airbrush too close to the surface.  These observations seemed less obvious at the time 😄  just concluded that more paint was better - it's not.  Those problems sill happen now and then, but I can avoid them for the most part. 

 

Also, for this and other big builds, I've taken on a two part approach for handling while painting.  I start by holding (if possible) a low detail area with my hand (in this case, mid chassis), allowing me to rotate the model freely for painting (airbrush or can), then, when the time comes, I'll hang/hold the model from a wire or two to get the rest.  You can see the wires in the back.  

 

 

I hope this paint stays as nice as it looks now.   I waited about three hours between priming and painting, using Tamiya for both.  I'm pleased that despite many cuts, sanding, filing, drilling and mix of materials, the finish looks pretty good.  I hate it when I add all sorts of sassy bits of PE and they just gets lost once painted, or errant blobs of CA get a beautiful and obvious coat of the base color.  At this point, I can't abide any of those problems, as this required a full can to paint, so now I'm out.

 

And on to next steps:

 

 

 

Back to days of armor, painting sub areas within larger painted areas.  I haven't decided if this will be airbrush and hand painting, or just hand painting yet.  As much as I'd like to get right after this work, I will hold off for a while and let the base color dry.  I've figured out that even with careful handling, paint will easily scrape off of corners if it is not fully dried.  So, I'll wait.

 

Thanks for having a look - 

 

Cheers

 

Nick 

 

[Chaz Gordon]

4 minutes ago, Stickframe said:

@Chaz Gordon and @busnproplinerfan - oh, now there's an idea! LOL - a 1/16 scale Pete - I didn't know that was even out there!  You know, while I have not clue how I'd find another set of these tires at what would be about 40% larger than these - no way.  BUT, a guy could decide to make a Kenworth C500, (the slightly smaller version of this, that runs on bigger "normal" tires), using the same tires as this build - but come on!  do I really need another unusually large, flatbed truck??? 🧐😥🤪  Probably not....not right now anyway 😄

 

You're right, it would be tough to get tyres for a 1/16 version. Probably best to go for 1/12 then you can get Tyres from your local wheelbarrow supplier...

[dnl42]

2 hours ago, Stickframe said:

And here we have it - @dnl42, yes, painted with the rattle can.

I'm completely amazed by that. Any time I've used a rattle can has been a paint throwing disaster. 

[Pete in Lincs]

The rattle can secret is....Shake until you can't shake any longer. And then warm the bottom of the can in 1/2 inch of hand warm water. dry, shake again.

Spray lightly, evenly and from a distance,  depending on the size of the model. Use a quality paint. Works for me.

[JeroenS]

4 hours ago, Pete in Lincs said:

The rattle can secret is....Shake until you can't shake any longer. And then warm the bottom of the can in 1/2 inch of hand warm water. dry, shake again.

Spray lightly, evenly and from a distance,  depending on the size of the model. Use a quality paint. Works for me.

I put the can in my front pocket for half an hour before spraying so it's nice and warm.

 

@Stickframe Nice painting Nick!

[keefr22]

Indeed, nice paint Nick - good colour too.

 

Keith

[Keeff]

Wow! That thing is like a small island!  Superb work, and now you're onto paint, it's really coming together. 

 

Top skills and attention to detail all round! 👌

 

Keith 😁 

[Stickframe]

Continuing with paint, and rainstorms - both have been steady.  As such, I have continued with my unconventional approach to painting - wait for the rain to stop, run outside and prime, wait some more, run back out and add a base coat and repeat.  And while a bit erratic, I have been able to get some basically good results.

 

I painted the engine in-frame, a bit like an armor project - tape/mask off parts I don't want to paint, then hit it with Vallejo Sand (Ivory) with the airbrush to match Cummins tan. Then went back and picked out some hoses, wires and other odds and ends with various shades:

 

 

I'm pleased to report there was very little overspray - in obvious, and less obvious places - which was a nice surprise. 

 

Then, those Tires/Tyres and wheels - well - quite a PITA.  Having made several armor kits, I've worked with several sets of resin wheels etc so this process is not new to me - but, as these are so big, no fun at all.  Primed with Tamiya fine pink, then templates made for each wheel - then red via rattle can, then painted the adjacent sidewall with a brush, then, paint the tread with an airbrush.  The flip over and repeat for each - or until you don't want to paint anymore!  

 

The steps are hand painted using a blend of Vallejo Steel, and Vallejo Metal Chrome, and I am pleased with the results.

 

 

As you can see above (pink primer on the insides) I didn't paint the wheels at once - it was very slow going.  Once wrapped up, on to some of the frame accessories:

 

 

 

 

Happily the paint went on to the frame accessories much more easily and consistently than on the wheels - who knows why?  same primer and paint - but this is a good sign, as the cab and bed are built of the same materials.

 

Next will be the cab interior, body and accessories.

 

Thanks for having a look - 

Cheers

Nick 

 

 

 

[busnproplinerfan]

Painting between the raindrops, cool. Looks great.

[Keeff]

That is looking really good considering you're dodging rain showers!   👌

 

I like the choice of colours .... it has the effect of accentuating parts of the truck.

 

Keith  😁

[JeroenS]

Oh yeah, nice!!

[Pete in Lincs]

Looking even more impressive with colour!

[dnl42]