Well, here’s a bit of background. This kit is the original issue of the Watkins truck. I built it once when it was brand new, took it apart later to try to improve it. It remained unfinished through many false starts, but I’m restarting yet again.
This time I decided to remove the sleeper and shorten the wheelbase to create a day cab version. No official measurements, I just removed to exact length of the sleeper from the frame. Original length frame in foreground.
I’ve added some airlines for the brakes and a bit of plumbing on the engine. Hoping to find some wheels that are more utilitarian than what came in the box. I’ll add more pictures when I can.
Got a bit of work done today. Found a set of 5 hole rear drives that should give more of a fleet look to the truck. Sticking with the 10 hole aluminum for the front.
Also added some additional plumbing for the air brakes and engine. Two more air tanks to plumb in, then run it to the cab. Reference for the early Cummins NTA 370 engine seems a bit scarce, so I’m trying to pull some info from later versions and trace the locations and systems to plumb the engine with air and fuel lines.
Surprised there’s no comments on this so far. I really like the surgery that you are carrying out on this one as well as the detailing additions @Frozin . Looking forward to seeing the next steps buddy.
This is really cool. Nice work. Every time I see a semi-trailer model kit it catches my eye. But if I start doing big rigs I’ll run out of display room right quick!
Nice work so far, Frozin. I spent a lot of time with all of the Cummins engines and there is not a lot of external plumbing on them, even the fuel lines are internal. Here are two pages from the NT series overhaul manual. There will be an oil feed line from the oil cooler to the top of the turbocharger and a larger oil drain line from the turbo to the block on the right side. There are water lines going to and from the head of the air compressor on the right front, and a fuel line from the fuel pump to the front of the engine at the cylinder head, a fuel line from the tank to the filter at the left rear of the block, and a return fuel line from the rear head to the fuel tanks. There is a large oil suction line from the lower oil pan to the oil pump at the lower left front of the engine. There are steel water lines to the top front of the intercooler and a water drain line at the lower rear of the intercooler. There are steel water lines to and from the oil cooler and thermostat housing on the right side of the engine.
Those couple pages and the info you provided will allow me to bring a bit more detail to it. Most of what I’m still planning are air lines to the compressor and fuel pump / filters.