W900 Kenworth logging truck - looking back at a 1/25 scale model inspired by one photo

Some model truck projects are the result of seeing a photo and thinking "I've got to try building that"...
0:12...which was certainly the case back in 2012 with this one, seen in "Kenworth Trucks 1950-1979" by Ron Adams (Iconografix, 2005) and started with an original issue AMT W925 kit as this project was built long before Round 2' reissue.
0:48 In progress pictures were posted on a forum active at the time called Timber Industry Modelers. A lot of members shared helpful information including the back story of photo itself (1970's, a special shipment of logs going to Sweden for use as sailing ship masts) and likely wheelbase of 240" - 250". I went with around 245" extending frame rails with styrene strip.
1:09 Battery box upper corner on real truck had a larger radius than kit part, so corners were sanded to match photo more closely and .016" sheet aluminum was formed to make the cover. .032" brass wire handles were installed in drilled holes.
1:46 Styrene tube air tanks replaced kit parts (less seams to fill and sand!), brackets were made using .100" styrene angle clamped to a form then heated and cooled. .020" styrene rod simulates wire U-bolts holding tanks in place.
2:06 Canadian parts supplier Plaskit was the source for rubber block Hendrickson suspension and 5 hole steel disk wheels.
2:38 Log truck components are from AMT's Peerless logging trailer kit, and information on Timber Industry Modelers was used to fabricate "stinger" hitch from styrene tube and sheet.
3:03 AMT kit mirrors replaced with ones soldered from .032" brass wire, turn signal lights from parts box (specific source kit unknown) and mirror heads which I believe were taken from mirrors provided in the "snap" KW Aerodyne conventional kit. (Great source of parts BTW!)
3:28 AMT's bumper was sanded to a more realistic thickness, square holes filled and spotlight holes drilled out. Separate bolt head castings were used for fastener detail.
3:57 Red areas were sprayed Testors Dark Red.
4:09 Chain from AMT flatbed trailer kit, although oversize for tie down purposes in 1/25 scale, is ideal for safety chains. Brass wire pintle ring replaced kit part, and mudflaps were made with styrene sheet and angle.
4:26 As much as painting isn't one of my favourite modeling tasks, the transformation from raw plastic and other materials to a more realistic replica of 1:1 truck is somewhat magic!
4:38 Red areas were masked and dark grey sprayed on cab, hood, bumper and battery box.
4:47 I don't know where the thin embossed diamond tread material came from but I had a small piece in the metal "scrap box" and it was ideal for battery box cover and step.
5:00 Lettering was applied individually based on information the Timber Industry Modelers members and the photo which inspired model in the first place.
5:13 White striping along colour separation was a challenge, most could be done using while decal stripes but sharp radius curves ended up getting done by hand with fine paint brush.
5:29 Detroit Diesel 8V-71, from a Titan 90 kit, may not be correct engine but it was an interesting change from kit's Cummins. Exhaust pipes are combination of KW kit items and parts runner heated and bent to shape.
5:47 One stack appeared to have experienced a minor hit from log...
5:57...which I attempted to replicate by bending and flattening aluminum tube...
6:09...and the other one was presumed to have been broken right off. Stack brackets were made with .020" brass wire and styrene strip. Sun visor was formed out of .016" sheet aluminum.
6:22 Chrome was done using mostly Alclad, along with strips cut from chrome Mylar tape for air cleaner bands. Marker lights above headlights, a KW signature feature that AMT did not provide in their kit, were represented using roof marker lights from a Ford Louisville parts kit. Weathering is a series of washes in various earth and rust colours.
6:52 Wipers are a noticeable feature on these trucks, and especially so on this particular one with passenger side wiper parked out of position.
7:05 Molded on kit wipers were removed, replaced with styrene strip ones.
7:21 Logs are wood dowel sanded to a taper with 36 grit belt sander. Bark texture was scraped on using old Sawzall blade, and Minwax stain provided bark colour. This technique comes from a Model Railroader article I remember reading back in the 1970's where HO scale pine trees were made with balsa wood, sandpaper and razor saw for bark texture. Similar approach, just heavier duty tools in 1/25 scale!
8:04 Chains are also a model railroad item, A-Line 27 links per inch, with binders scratch built from styrene strip and formed wire hooks flattened and filed to shape.
8:22 Photo of finished model was taken mid February, 2015. Started it January 2012, although it wasn't continuous work for 3 years as this model - as often happens - got "parked" for periods of time.
#modeltrucks
#scalemodeltrucks
#kenworthtrucks
#scalemodelling
#loggingtruck

[@markbickelhaupt4414]

Rob, One of my favorites, of your builds. For anyone that has never seen this model, in person, it's Big!! The detail on the logs is very realistic. Log trucks are a great kit project. Your eye always picks up all the little things!

[@cliffthompson4004]

Amazing work Robert the level of detail in this KW log truck is off the charts. Have a great week ahead

[@raydunne5562]

Great build.

[@modelbuilder6820]

That looks great. Love to see these kits built up as realistic as this one was. Again, great job!

[@ruanecrummett9261]

Fantastic build

[@davetello3764]

Love those aftermarket steel wheels.

[@unclesweetiesmodelworks]

Top notch work as always. I still can't get my head around the amount of detail you put into these!

[@davidparsleyscustomscaleemerge]

Love it!. I miss the old on-line Forums, I used to get a lot of good information on them.

[@abpsd73]

They were a great source of info and ideas. I think the worst thing that happened was when Photobucket curtailed photo linking, a forum post became pretty muck blank.

[@russellpoland6637]

Beautiful! Thank You for sharing with Us here Looking forward to the next video. Later

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

Great looking build!!

[@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579]

Thank you, this was definitely one of those photos that said "build this!" when I saw it in the book. Timber Industry Modelers forum was very helpful in sourcing information as a West Coast logging rig was well outside of my own experience and modelling comfort zone. Learning some of the related terminology and how things were done was as much fun as building the model itself.

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

@@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579 👍👍

[@kevinjones2667]

This is cool. Got a new subscriber. ❤ from pnw oregon

[@davebrunette6394]

That's awesome!

[@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579]

Thank you - that was one of those photos which said "Build this one"!

[@crushingvanessa3277]

I know that photo well, seen it a few times in trucking books. With that big tree on top I don't think the truck's owner cared if he bent the stacks. I'm sure he made enough to buy more.

[@IamGalvatron]

A Detroit and straight pipes, yup you’ll hear that screaming from miles away.

[@brsnorthernhorsejourney3579]

Especially on some of those west coast downgrades!