1950 Kenworth Needlenose

[Espeefan]

Sorry Reg, nothing new to show on this project right now. I ran into a case of having to remake some new parts that I am not happy with, so until I can figure them out to my liking, there probably won't be much to talk about. Remaking parts three times over starts to kill my motivation, but once the cold weather hits, I'll get back into the swing of things.

[RCP57]

lame!

[Burnt Rubber]

This truck is an amazing build the work your doing is awesome

[Stuart]

Very impressive! your machined parts look amazing, looking forward to the next update.
Stu

[Espeefan]

Hello guys, thanks for the nice comments. As always it's appreciated. I know some time has passed since my last update. The truth is I got a little side tracked and lost some motivation for this project truck, but I'm slowly (as always ) working on getting back some momentum, starting off by finishing up a new cab visor!



Turns out making a great cab visor is not very easy. It was kicking my butt for a few months. I must have made 4 or 5 of these things, at about two hours a piece. The more I made, the better they got, but it was a bit frustrating putting all the time into making visors that never quite fit right, or looked good. Finally I have one that I am happy with!





It's a big show truck looking drop visor, with a little bowtie mixed in, cut and formed by hand out of .032" thick aluminum. I mounted the visor to the cab with four 0-80 screws. It's pretty fun drilling and tapping small screws like this in aluminum (not!). I had to do it by hand, and thankfully all the holes lined up great!





This thing 'ought to match the big fat stacks pretty nicely, when the truck is all finished up! Thanks for looking.

[wolfws6]

Bad ***, that all I can say!!!

[flatdeck]

Looks great....



Wayne

[Claus]

Wow Nathan, looking a little more gangsta than my taste but who could complain?!!! Love your custom work, every time!

[RCP57]

Originally Posted by Claus

Wow Nathan, looking a little more gangsta than my taste but who could complain?!!! Love your custom work, every time!

I have a complaint.... HURRY UP ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Espeefan]

Originally Posted by wolfws6

Bad ***, that all I can say!!!

Thank you wolfws6. That's pretty much the look I'm going for.

Originally Posted by flatdeck

Looks great....


Wayne

Thanks Wayne!

Originally Posted by Claus

Wow Nathan, looking a little more gangsta than my taste but who could complain?!!! Love your custom work, every time!

Gangsta is definitely a good description! My driver is definitely going to have to let all the air out of the seat..... Up next, the super tall shifter!

Originally Posted by RCP57

I have a complaint.... HURRY UP ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reg, what's your address? The only way I'll get this done fast is to send you the whole truck and let you finish it! I'll even let you paint it. I hate painting.

[RCP57]

Sounded great until you mentioned painting....

[Claus]

Originally Posted by RCP57

Sounded great until you mentioned painting....

I have a brand new 3" brush and a roller I could lend out.

[RCP57]

Originally Posted by Claus

I have a brand new 3" brush and a roller I could lend out.

Hahahaha

[Izzy]

Very nice - more progress please.....

[doodlebug]

Hey Nathan, have you considered anodizing the truck instead of paint? Looking good!
cheers, Neil.

[Trucker_Jo]

Wow that's too cool Hey if you don't like painting maybe get it anodized, powder coated, or even hydro dipped like this body:



Have fun!

[toniolillo]

I love the paint job

[Espeefan]

Originally Posted by Izzy

Very nice - more progress please.....

Thank you Izzy. I'm working on it!

Originally Posted by doodlebug

Hey Nathan, have you considered anodizing the truck instead of paint? Looking good!
cheers, Neil.

Thanks Neil. Yes, I have considered anodizing more than once. Especially for the for the chassis and axles. The thing that worries me about anodizing is I think that process builds up a protective, hardened layer on the aluminum and I haven't accounted for that. I am worried things would not fit back together again, as I haven't machined my parts undersized to allow for it. I'm also worried that some parts might get lost in the process, or in transit. For the cab, it's a casting, and not quite perfect, even though it's pretty nice. There are some minor little low spots and things I would like to smooth over with body filler. Anodizing wouldn't really cover those well, unless I went with a matte type finish, and I think I'd rather have a shiny truck. Hmmm, matte black or blue, with polished aluminum parts though....?

Originally Posted by Trucker_Jo

Wow that's too cool Hey if you don't like painting maybe get it anodized, powder coated, or even hydro dipped like this body:



Have fun!

That's a sweet looking shell, Trucker_Jo! I think if I do any painting, I'll be sending the cab out for a custom job. The chassis painting, I can handle. Actually, let's put it this way. I do fine painting single color schemes. It's the masking I am not good at, with multi-color schemes. Hydro-dipping is something I never considered. Might be an option! Thanks.

[Espeefan]

Been working on these little buggers for a while now. I just finished soldering up the LEDs for one of the air cleaner light brackets this morning. I still have the other to do yet. It's a lesson in patience, soldering the LEDs inside the brackets. It took me 2 or 3 hours, but at least one is pretty much done!





Orange (front) side.



Red (rear) side.



Both, from above.

I haven't got to the breathers yet, but the plan is to mount them against the machined saddle, on the face of the brackets. Might have to get a little help making the breathers, as I don't have my own lathe......

[TRUCKMAKER]

Trucks looking good Nathan! Keep at it, it'll be done before you know it! (We Hope!?)