KENWORTH K100 AERODYNE

[CRUSADER2]

Just out of curiosity, which of the two Kenworth k100 1/25th scale kits that are available is the better detailed, the Revell kit or the AMT Papa truck kit, I know there would probably be a little more work involved with the AMT version to build it as standard artic and I was wondering if all the chassis detail is modeled under the transporter bodywork. What I am really after building is the Australian Kenworth K125 so it will really only be as a base for that build, I might even be better off starting with the original AMT K123 kit as a base and buying the resin parts to convert that. Any thoughts on the subject will be much appreciated, thanks in advance, cheers all.  

[Yahshu]

The Revell kit is the more detailed kit but you have to deal with the horrible separate roof. The instrument cluster/dash is wrong in both. 

@CharlieBravo & I are in the process of doing a correct dash at present that will fit both but since you are doing a RHD Aussie KW that is irrelevant for you. 

Jan @ CTM has excellent photo etch pieces that are easily adapted to either kit. 

Edited March 18, 2019 by Yahshu

[Jim B]

Phil, will you & Chris be offering your KW dashes to the general public?  I have (2) of the AMT KW AeroDyne kits.  One I am planning on doing as a 1976 Bicentennial K100.

[KJ790]

The AMT kit can be built into a standard tractor, as the general chassis detail is there (as much as it is on any AMT kit). With a little work, it can turn out to be a great build. The Revell kit is more detailed for sure, but the hinges on the cab doors and the separate roof take away from it a bit.

[Force]

Both are decent, the Revell kit has a Cummins NTC475 and manual transmission, the AMT kit has a Detroit Diesel 8V-92 with an Allison automatic...and as been said, the Revell kit is more detailed.
But none of them has the correct interior if you want to do a Bicentennial Edition as both have diamond tufted interiors, the Bicentennial doesn't have that, the interior in them has a combination of rosewood and blue fabric with some white, red and blue vinyl accents here and there...and as Phil says, none of them has the correct Aerodyne dash wich came with the Aerodyne cab in 1976.
I believe Revell did the roof separate as they use the same basic kit for both the K100 Flat Top and K100 Aerodyne and the roof section is the only thing different.

Edited March 18, 2019 by Force

[Yahshu]

5 hours ago, Jim B said:

Phil, will you & Chris be offering your KW dashes to the general public?  I have (2) of the AMT KW AeroDyne kits.  One I am planning on doing as a 1976 Bicentennial K100.

Thats the plan

[Mike77]

Because of the separate roof piece I would've never attempted this with the Revell version. This one was made using the AMT Papa kit(s)...

 

[Force]

I don't have a problem with the separate roof section the Revell kits has, if you don't want it as a loose piece just glue it down on the cab and it will stay there.
There are other issues with the Revell kit I don't like that much.

[CRUSADER2]

Thanks guy's for your ideas, this site is a great source of information and help. Phil the L/h dash still might come in use full as all my builds are a mixture of American and Australian models supposedly running from Britain onto the continent, in theory they would spend more time driving on the right so a left hand drive would be more practical. Mike that's a great looking rig and proof that the AMT kit is a definite contender.

Haken it seems like the Revell kit might be the better option of the two, the fact that the roof is separate is not a problem as I would have to cut this off any way to reduce the cab down to a standard length sleeper to fit the Australian version of the aerodyne roof, also the fact that it has a Cummins NTC 475 is another bonus as although all my trucks are on the edge of plausible for Europe I am trying to keep them in the realms of possible by assuming the transport company would try to standardise on engines/gearbox etc. Thanks again KJ and everybody for your help.

[CharlieBravo]

Pros and cons for both.

Revell is on the whole more detailed and the better kit in my opinion. It has the shorter chassis whereas the AMT has the long chassis.

AMT kit has more accurate/detailed seats. It also has more accurate headlight surrounding panels like the real thing where the whole panel housing the headlights and cab step is one piece. The Revell kit is incorrect as it has just one piece for the front section. The AMT kit bumper is way to thin and the Revell too wide for the classic gullwing bumper, but DoubleTakeReplicas does a beautiful after market bumper.

The Revell has the two piece roof which I like for the fact I will be able to super detail it a lot easier than the AMT kit. It will need a bit of modifying though. Revell kit has more detail piece to piece and has opening doors and inner door panels. The downside to this is the hinges on the doors are hideous and way oversized so it would need to be removed, filled and replaced with the ModelCarGarage piano hinge sets..

As mentioned the dash is incorrect in both kits for an Aerodyne - the dash in these kits seems to be an older KW dash, quite a lot of differences there.

I'm sure there are more differences and comparisons to be made as I make my way through the build but these are some of what I have noticed so far.

Chris B.

[Force]

The regular K100 had the same dash as in the kits, but as they are Aerodyne Cab Overs they should have the "Aerodyne dash" wich came with the Aerodyne cab in 1976, the regular flat top K100 later got this dash too.

[truckabilly]

Just a question. I was told that the AMT kit headlights are too small and that they should be slightly bigger. True or false? What do you guys think?

[Yahshu]

This is being built with the the AMT kit.

A very good friend of mine milled the grill surround & headlight housings (I still got some work to do on them) & the back of the bumper, he also machined the blind spot mirrors & fuel tank caps . The bumper & mirrors, I done by hand, got to make another bumper but Bear from the 1/32 BJ kit as a trade is worth it, scales out well. I machined the horns, fuel tanks, air cleaner parts & the twin tanks that go on the battery box. 

The grill is a CTM piece, the KW grill emblem was cut from a Double Take grill, not to happy with the foil & paint job I done so it will get redone when I finish sanding & polishing the grill surround. 

The rims are Micro Nitro with Ben Wicker hubs. 

5 years building & counting. 

On 18/03/2019 at 8:24 PM, Mike77 said:

 

This is awesome. 

 

Edited March 19, 2019 by Yahshu

[vincen47]

14 hours ago, truckabilly said:

Just a question. I was told that the AMT kit headlights are too small and that they should be slightly bigger. True or false? What do you guys think?

I think you’re correct. I’ve also heard that the Revell headlights have the opposite problem and are too big. In either case, CTM makes a couple replacement options that are more realistic. 

[KJ790]

If the headlights are too small, it can't be by much. They don't seem to throw off the overall look at least. I built this model using an AMT Tyrone Malone Aerodyne kit. I cut the frame shorter, cut the aerodyne roof off, and cut the cab down to 86 scale inches in length. The AMT bumper is way too skinny, and the Revell one is too fat. I think that correcting the bumper goes a long way with either kit.

 

[Yahshu]

5 hours ago, KJ790 said:

That's sweet 

[Diecast_dude45]

Hey guys! Is there any of you, who knows what's on the AMT Kenworth K100 Aerodyne's steering wheel? Is there a KW logo or not?

[Oldcarfan27]

21 hours ago, Diecast_dude45 said:

Hey guys! Is there any of you, who knows what's on the AMT Kenworth K100 Aerodyne's steering wheel? Is there a KW logo or not?

From Paul Sagehorns original BJ truck

[Force]

No there is no KW logo on there on the AMT kits.

[DrKerry]

Nice information. I decided to use the Revell kit for when I do my BJ rig.. Just because it already had some of the necessary parts in it. 
I too am wanting a few of the dashboards that are being made up!! 

[Yahshu]

For those who are wondering where the dash is at. 

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/162751-kenworth-aerodyne-dash/

[Bills72sj]

Cool project. Following.

[doorsovdoon]

I can't give my opinion on the Revell kit as I haven't built it but I've done the AMT version and it went together like Lego, not a single fit issue. I think the only parts missing from the Papa Truck to make a regular Aerodyne is the fifth wheel and rear mud flaps, the mud guards behind the fuel tanks are in the kit on the chrome tree from pictures I've seen.