Kenworth K104

[dean48ws]

So, onto the next one. I've run hot and cold on this build, never really had a plan in mind and just thought I'd go with the flow as it went together but found I just wasn't feeling it. It's been in and out of the cupboard several times. I recently stumbled across some pictures of trucks from a company based in the Northern Territory in Australia. They are primarily livestock road trains, running bonneted trucks. I thought doing a cabover in their colours, or at least close to, would suit this build. As they don't run cab overs, it gives me plenty of scope to do what I like and add a few personal touches.
Somewhat ironically, I'm using a bonneted truck as the donor kit for this build.


For quite a while in Australia, this was the only bonneted Kenworth kit available, so I bought a few while I could. Cab over kits have been even harder to come by, especially at a reasonable price. The Tyronne Malone transporter would do but I've already bought the bits I need to use this one . 
I will be using a resin cab from Auslowe Model Truck Accessories plus their adaptor package to put the cab over on this chassis. I'll also use other bits from them such as RH dashboard, rear suspension, tank brackets etc.

[kyledehart5]

Sign me up for this one. Sounds like an awesome project!!

[406 Silverado]

I'll be watching for updates on this one Tim!!!

[deafpanzer]

How cool! I really dig those huge bumpers! I guess it was to keep it safe from kangaroos?

[tcoat]

[handiabled]

Bookmarked! I want to see how you tackle the cabover conversion. This should be great!

[Steve Zuleski]

Oh my, ready for more!

[dean48ws]

Nov 30, 2023 8:30:29 GMT -5 deafpanzer said:

How cool! I really dig those huge bumpers! I guess it was to keep it safe from kangaroos?

Primarily yes, but the further out west you go, the more 'things' tend to find their way onto the road - sheep, cattle, horses, emus, buffalo up north (push bike riders  ). Also provides a heavy-duty tow point and somewhere to mount driving lights and big aerials that are too heavy or tall to be mirror mounted. Most of the livestock road trains are 3 trailers long, so in soft or steep conditions they'll quite often put a stiff bar between the last trailer of the front truck and the bullbar of the following truck. This means they can help push/pull each other through suspect areas.

[dean48ws]

I found some old used truck magazines and made up a story board for quick references and a bit of motivation. Auction sites on the net are also helpful as they usually have lots of walk around type pictures of each truck for sale.


As you can see, most of these prime movers are very short in the wheelbase to allow for maximum trailer length. Mine will be longer allowing for extra fuel tanks. I'll also be deleting the airbag suspension that comes with the kit truck. It's poorly done with no back to the airbags. I'll be using a walking beam suspension, more old school but less to go wrong when miles from anywhere. The longer wheelbase will help overcome the stiffer ride from this suspension.

[kyledehart5]

Very cool information on the road trains. And that is a very nice story board to peek at when you need an idea.

[reserve]

Always hated driving cabovers, they were noisy, hot, and would pound you to death. They do, however, give excellent visibility and will turn on a dime and give you five cents change.

An ambitious project to be sure, will be cool to watch

[jeaton01]

Walking beams aren't so bad on steel frames but at one time I had a 64 Diamond T 3 axle conventional cab with an aluminum frame which ha a lot less flex than steel frame. Not a good ride on a rough road even with rubber mounts on the walking beam rear. About 240 inch wheelbase.

[dean48ws]

I've finally gotten this show on the road but progress could be patchy with the FW190 build about to launch.
I've left the chassis at full length. I might decide it's too long and need to cut it down later but I want a long look. I cut the mounts for the airbag suspension supplied in the kit off.  It's really horrible. The kit airbags have no back in them and need to be replaced with tube to look any good. 



The suspension I'm using is very old. About 10 years ago I was asked to pick up some unbuilt kits from a deceased estate and transport it to friends who offered to sell it for old mate's wife. Part of my payment for it was a box full of "great" parts. Turns out the parts would be great in the resins used now days but this stuff is all old and brittle, all the stuff I think they knew wouldn't sell but they didn't want to carry. So, as such, I'm doing my best to use as much of it as I can. Most of it, I'm drilling and adding metal pins cut from paperclips to strengthen the joints.



At the front end, I replaced the kit front axle with a white metal one to help take the weight if the resin cab and accessories.


I've also added the after market battery boxes. I'll modify the kit steering box to right hand drive.
I'll also be using the kit supplied engine in this truck. I don't display them with the cab tilted but it needs an engine there to stop you seeing straight under the cab. The kits supplies a V8 Caterpillar engine, in Australia, the 104 would have come with the 15 litre, 6 cylinder, C15 as the Cat option.


The aircleaner, mounts and pipe to the turbo are all resin and come with the transkit. The paint is genuine Cat paint but probably a slightly more modern formula then the 104 would have originally come with.
I'm not sure how many pictures I should be taking and showing so any suggestions would be appreciated.

[tcoat]

Dec 31, 2023 23:49:15 GMT -5 dean48ws said:

I'm not sure how many pictures I should be taking and showing so any suggestions would be appreciated.

The more the better! Finished product pictures are pretty but build pics are so cool as you get to see the process and learn a thing or two.

[handiabled]

It's nice to see this moving along! Nice looking mods with the suspension, the resin looks great

[dean48ws]

Slowly adding more of the resin to this. There are actually 3 sets of instructions to follow - 1. The original kit ones. 2. The ones that come with the trans kit that assume you are using another cab over as the donor kit. 3. The ones that come with the resin conversion kit that allow you to use the conventional as the donor kit. Both trans kit instructions refer to the instructions in the cabover donor kit so making sense of the instructions when you only have the ones for the conventional is problematic to say the least.
So, I'm just working my way through all the pieces which come in unlabeled bags, sorting out what needs to go where. The trans kit instructions include measurements for the cabover donor kit but not the conventional which has a different chassis layout. So, I got the engine in, dry fitted the air cleaner intake pipe so I could mount its support bracket and then install the exhaust pipe supports and rear cab mounts from that position. To do that, I needed to get the front cab mounts sorted first. These use the original bonnet hinge points.





There is still some work to square it all up but basic positions are established. I'm also using resin rims on this. The kit comes with 10 stud wheels but I'm using spiders for a more rugged outback look. Once they were cleaned up, test fitting showed that the tyres were touching. I added some sheet styrene and then shaped it to match the rim. This now allows for daylight between the tyres.
I'm using the bullbar from the Italeri Australia Truck western Star kit for this. I've stripped the kit chrome off using caustic soda, 1 teaspoon of the C.S to 250mm of water. Took 24hrs to strip but no extra work involved.

[lyle]

That looks great!

[handiabled]

The conversion looks like its going together great! Always fun bouncing between the kit, the conversion and whatever resin add-ons

[jeaton01]

Just like building a real one!

[Steve Zuleski]

Excellent progress!

[kyledehart5]

Brilliant!! Great to see an update on this.