Kenworth T880-Aluminum cab

[tc1cat]

Not having CNC machines can be a blessing at times. 8 hrs of pushing a button can make for a very BORING night I still enjoy making things where I control everything. Manual machines are nice if you have a DRO on them. Reading dials gets to be as big pain as CNC after awhile. Grill looks great!!

[Acadieman]

Looks great as usual! You make it look so easy!

[FabOne]

AWESOME!!! Keep posting. I like!!

[glorydays24]

You are your worst critic. I think the fenders are turning out really nice buddy.

Big John

[Kaf343]

Reg, I've been in the sheet metal business for 25 years and have got to say, you are a master of fab work. Looking great.

[TRUCKMAKER]

The fenders are looking real good. I like the cab sitting up higher for dumps and heavy hauls, kinda goes with the heavier suspensions.

[RCP57]

Originally Posted by FabOne

AWESOME!!! Keep posting. I like!!

Thank you!

Originally Posted by glorydays24

You are your worst critic. I think the fenders are turning out really nice buddy.

Big John

I know I am John. There just always seems to be a detail/shape that I know I could have done better on. If I had your painting skills I would feel a lot better about how this will look in the end.

Originally Posted by Kaf343

Reg, I've been in the sheet metal business for 25 years and have got to say, you are a master of fab work. Looking great.

Wow! Thanks Keith, that's a really nice thing to say! I have a lot to learn yet about metal fab but that's part of the enjoyment for me. There are a lot more wasted parts on the floor from trying to build this cab compared to the HD or KW850. I guess there is a reason that the 1:1 uses fiberglass for the fenders and hood and not metal.

Reg

[Exclusive RC]

**** reg this thing is gorgeous, it takes a lot to impress me and dude im impressed. There is really nothing else to say.... all this needs as an "Exclusive" paint job and your set great job buddy, keep it up!

[tc1cat]

Fenders look GREAT!! You are just like most of us on the forum. You are your own worst critic. Not really satisfied with anything until it is perfect in your mind. Can't wait to see it finished and painted.

[RCP57]

Originally Posted by Exclusive RC

**** reg this thing is gorgeous, it takes a lot to impress me and dude im impressed. There is really nothing else to say.... all this needs as an "Exclusive" paint job and your set great job buddy, keep it up!

Well thanks very much! It is not where I want it to be just yet but I will get it eventually. I agree that one of your paint jobs would look really good on it. Painting is definitely not my forte!

Originally Posted by tc1cat

Fenders look GREAT!! You are just like most of us on the forum. You are your own worst critic. Not really satisfied with anything until it is perfect in your mind. Can't wait to see it finished and painted.

That's what drives all of us to do better isn't it? I know that I cannot make this exactly to scale but there are a few tweaks left to improve the realism. I find it hard to see the shapes and curves when it is shiny so I think I will bead blast it soon. A consistent dull finish should make it easier to see imperfections...At least I hope!lol

[RCP57]

Not really much of a noticeable update but I did a little massaging here and there and took a few pics of the cab sitting on bare rails. I have my brain fixated on two different ideas for this truck so I need to make a choice very soon....








Thanks for looking!

[Grainfarmer]

Very good job...you "got talent"

[#Hauler]

WOW!!!

[Ken Orme]

Looking very professiomal. I like it.

Ken O

[flatdeck]

I have no words other than AMAZING...



Wayne

[MoRockN]

Reg , YOU..............ARE................KILLING MEEEEE.............WOW brother you're taking this to the next level. When do they start to ship??

[RCP57]

Thanks a bunch guys. Over the next few months I plan to turn this into a complete "one off" truck from top to bottom. I have my fingers crossed that it turns out well and that someone will like it enough to give it a good home when it's finished.

I got back into the shop today and had my fingers on a lot of different things. I made sure that this got a little attention as well although I didn't get a lot done. Basically, I spent most of the time carefully filing the fenders and hood but I also started to make the visor.

Can anyone spot the body filler?






Thanks for looking!

[Supermario]

If I spot the body filler.......Is it mine!

Wicked Reg . Simply wicked

Mario

[RCP57]

I guess I kinda am using body filler it's just aluminum...

Today was kind of a s*** show when it came to this. I started off by adding the lower muck catchers on the front of each fender. This went fine and with a little extra rod melted on I was able to clean up some body lines in the same area. I then went to my parents to use my Dads bead blaster. That went great too and I was happy to see the body all in one color. I meant to put it down and get on with some chores outside but I just couldn't stop(no lunch, no drinking, no pee breaks). I decided that the next step should be the bumper so I got busy cutting things and bending it to shape. This where the wheels started to fall off... Once the bumper was bent to shape I discovered that the right fender was almost 1/8" ahead of the left. This obviously causes major fitment issues with the bumper especially with the new fender extensions. After a few tweaks with no success I found out that the fender does come off just like on the real truck! The only problem was that I had to use a grinder to get it off and a TIG welder to put it back on! Anyway after a nearly 3 hour battle things were back together and fitting pretty close so I put the bumper in the mill and milled out the slots and so on. Now I need to bead blast the body again and then I can do some more filing.

That was a lot of rambling, sorry... Here's the pictures








Thanks for listening and looking.lol

[RCP57]

I contemplated buying 30" rails but I wanted to see if I could make my own so I gave it a shot. It took me about an hour to make them but I think they turned out well and I saved myself some money.