Kingsway Louisville from AMT's 1/25 scale Ford LN

This model was built in 2014 and inspired by a photo from Canadian truck enthusiast Doug McKenzie's collection on Hank's Truck Pictures, a website which is unfortunately no longer active.
The photo, taken at Canadian carrier Kingsway's Toronto facility, is of a mid 1980's Ford LN series "Louisville" single drive tractor. AMT's Ford Louisville kit was an ideal starting point, with delivery van version of the kit providing single drive axle and suspension.
Although dating from the very early 1970's, this kit is quite well done overall and any shortcomings (such as very shallow relief on some molded in details like hood emblems and door latches) are easily corrected.
Majority of added details were scratch built or taken from parts box. A small number of aftermarket parts were used:
Resin 6 spoke wheels: front wheels supplier unknown, drive wheels from GW Trucks.
Resin battery box latches, air dryer, air glad hands, and trailer plug from Plaskit.
Etched stainless mesh from Plano Model Products.
Kingsway decals from modeltruckin.com.
#scalemodeltrucks
#fordtrucks
#bigrigs

[@bobyoung1698]

I miss Hank's Truck Pictures. There was a lot of inspiration in there.

[@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579]

I miss it too, I first came across Hank's site when I became active again in the model truck hobby (and purchased a digital SLR) in 2010. I believe there were issues with some individuals pirating images from Hank's Truck Pictures which was one of the reasons for him eventually shutting it down.

[@bobyoung1698]

@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579 You're right. My brother-in-law, Tim Gibson, had many pictures of his truck (and other trucks he photographed), and they spread like spring dandelions

[@deanm4138]

That is very cool my dad worked at Kingsway in there Toronto terminal he started there in 1969 and retired in 2002

[@evils1076]

I don't know if that truck could look anymore real! Excellent job!

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

I agree!

[@dennycelestinohybridspecies]

This is awesome I drove a Louisville Ford like this as a yard truck back in 2000 and five except it was an automatic. Your attention to detail is incredible! It makes me wanna start getting back into modeling I got a few unfinished models myself, I built most of the Snowman Bandit two Kenworth and it got destroyed, but I got the trailer and I'm probably going to one day start get that KW tractor again the AMT W-925 you used for the logging truck.

[@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579]

Truck kits were my favourites growing up in the late 1970's/early 1980's, as a young "glue bomber" then I wanted to build many of the kits featured in Phil Jensen's book "Building Model Trucks" but even by the early 1980's a lot of those specific kits weren't on the shelves in any of the local outlets. The Louisville kits were among those unavailable ones, so it was even more fun building this one. AMT's kit is a good start to building a replica of your yard truck since it has an automatic transmission. Interestingly, another automatic transmission equipped AMT kit is the Kenworth Aerodyne cabover. One source of reference photos was a single drive L9000 yard shunter owned by a truck repair garage near where I worked then. It was a later model with round headlights, I believe it did have a 10 speed.

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

Nice!!!!!

[@davebrunette6394]

Wow! Nice job!

[@freedomConvoy64]

Wery nice truck 👍

[@abpsd73]

Awesome detail work. One thing you can try is mixing a bit of white and silver paints for the reverse lights, it helps soften the white and gives a bit more of the look of the stamped reflector that would be inside the housing, you can tweak the white/silver mix to your preference to get the look you want.

[@davidparsleyscustomscaleemerge]

That came out spectacular. Very nice attention to the small details.

[@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579]

Thank you! Those small details can be a lot of fun, sometimes they do prompt a little head scratching to figure out the best way to replicate them. I like how you have done some "thinking outside the box" for unique details on your fire apparatus models.

[@chris-SDI]

Very nice!

[@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579]

Thanks!

[@eibenjohn1299]

Great

[@petesmodelcarcustoms584]

That's a very nicely detailed truck. I'm sure I've bumped into your builds before and I'm surprised hadn't subbed but I'll change that now. Best wishes from jolly old England 👍😎Pete 🤓

[@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579]

Greetings from Canada! This one, and most of these projects for that matter, are fun because the basic foundation is there and quite well done. Just needs the "fiddly bits" added, much like diesel detailing projects in model railroading used to be back in the day when locomotive models were relatively generic (and affordable!)

[@petesmodelcarcustoms584]

@@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579 That exactly how I feel about the car kits. I'm glad I have the experience and skills to improve them🍻👍😎Pete 🤓

[@moparnut6286]

Amazing attention to detail! Very enjoyable video.

[@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579]

Thank you, only had still images to work with but they go together fairly well with transitions and "voice over". Changing aspect ratio of original photos to 16:9 also helped by fitting image to viewing area without any vertical black bars at sides of picture.

[@markbickelhaupt4414]

Rob, I just found your site! Didn't know it existed. I know from in person experience, that Ford LN is as close to the real thing, as possible! Will look for more of your work! See you in Volney!

[@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579]

Good evening Mark, thank you! Site is a fairly recent creation, went "live" in spring 2021 with model truck related videos coming along a little later.

[@FlorentinoRebuildingCo.5644]

Amazing work....

[@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579]

Thanks! Like your Freightliner dump truck project it's a fun exercise working to replicate a specific truck, in this case using one photo and "extrapolating" details not shown in picture.

[@goratgo1970]

Might've missed it, but curious if there was work to the grille as I consider it the worst part of the kit. Seriously hope any AM will address it in either PE or 3D print. Get it to the stamped metal look instead of that 😮. All added details look super.

[@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579]

You didn't miss anything - grille was one kit part I left mostly stock with the exception of removing FORD letters for replacement with separate blue oval emblem on hood. In hindsight you are right, some sanding to reduce thickness would have been an improvement in appearance. Detail Master does have an etched replacement, DM-2593 "Ford Short Hauler Grille w/Side Emblem". www.detailmaster.com/products/dm-2593-ford-short-hauler-grille-w-side-emblem They also have Mack R, GMC (General, could be used on the "Big Grille" Astro as well) and Peterbilt 352 grilles in their selection.

[@goratgo1970]

@@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579 Thanks a bunch for the grille refs, the Ford one doesn't help much since i'm hoping to get the dished or stamped openings look as it isn't flat on real deal. I may try to scratch one eventually - cheers.

[@josephesposito7818]

Amazing!! What are you using for all of the bolt heads? I especially like they way those bolt heads take the mirrors to a whole new level.

[@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579]

Yes, the fastener details do add an additional "texture" that is subtle but effective. Admittedly not an original idea, I remember seeing "NBW" (Nut/Bolt/Washer) castings used in many model railroad rolling stock articles years ago. A model railroad supplier, Tichy Train group, is in fact where I ordered the various fastener details used on this and other projects. www.tichytraingroup.com/ Most of the ones I use are bolt or nut detail parts, they also have rivet heads in different sizes which are very useful as well.

[@josephesposito7818]

@@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579 Are those bolt/nut detail parts “O” scale?

[@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579]

@@josephesposito7818 I believe the frame nut and bolt head details are O scale, mirror ones would be from their HO scale selection. I will check tomorrow if I have any unopened packages of them to reference part #'s.

[@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579]

Tichy Train Group part # for the bolt head details used on mirrors are #8016, they list them as "Sq nut/washer, HO". Other part numbers I use a lot of are: #8083, "Hex bolt head" (HO scale 6" hex head, O scale 4" hex head) #8084, "Hex bolt/washer" (HO scale 6" hex bolt, 7" washer, O scale 4" hex bolt, 5" washer) #8085, "Hex bolt head" (HO scale 4.5"# hex head, O scale 2.5" hex head)

[@josephesposito7818]

@@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579 Thanks!