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Wettenhall's W-Model & Pan'

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11 years 9 months ago #84778 by seattle62kw
This one i built 18 months ago as the 1st of my bucket lists of models to build before i fall off the perch! It's based on an actual truck Wettenhalls ran in the early to mid '70's. The truck is a Diamond T which they rolled and instead had the new Kenworth cab, bonnet and other parts fitted. Ran a naturally aspirated 250 Cummins and 13 speed. Spoke to the bloke who drove it most of the time as well as Scott Wettenhall which was invaluable as there is only 2 photo's of the truck. The model features a Diamond Reo chassis but with custom cab mounts and bonnet hinges. Kenworth fuel tanks and battery box, plus the 6 spoke Malco's. Rear suspension is all scratch built along with guards, mudflaps, lights, tie rod, piman arm and draglink.Bonnet and cab shell are old stock AMT one's. Bonnet converted to single aircleaner plus photo-etch grill and badges. Cab has a totally scratch built (apart from seats) interior including dashboard with photo-etch gauge bezels and scratch built rocker switches and dash fan. Door trims and pleated rear panel are scratch built and all glass is .030" clear sheet and flush fit, no glue at all. Exhaust and susie coils are MMTA. The Fruehauf pan' has been converted to tri-axle (i moulded and cast my own tri spring packs), scratch built rear doors, hinges and locks and scratch built rear bumper, lights and mudflaps. All the signwriting is done by hand over a month and during commercial breaks!








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11 years 9 months ago #84779 by Cunning Stunt
Wow, that's phenomenal! Thanks for posting the pics and also explaining the story of the real one.

Love the Fleetguard oil filters, just awesome

Some play hard to get

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11 years 9 months ago #84780 by dirty wheels
Wow..is the word.

Awesome stuff.

;)

And remember

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11 years 9 months ago #84781 by Slasha
seattle62kw
Absolutly fantastic.

Cheers
Slasha

1974 White Road Boss

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11 years 9 months ago - 11 years 9 months ago #84782 by
Replied by on topic Re: Wettenhall's W-Model & Pan'
g'day seattle62kw .. fantastic model work again and keep it all coming...

i've always understood the story that there were two early W models wettenhalls put on the road, having been born out of the ashes of two other jiggers that met their demise...

they apparently originated from factory RH gliders and were fitted with donor components and mechanicals from firstly the diamond T, then secondly from their peterbilt..which was also wrecked...both 250 cummins, R170 rockwell single drives, and at least a two stick spicer (out of the pete) in the second one...idstbc

john bell in QLD had one of these and was featured in a truckin' life article years ago...and by that stage, a bogie drive had been fitted

...happy to be put straight on any of this if it all looks a bit pear shaped ;D ;D :-/ :-/ :-? :-?...cheers



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11 years 9 months ago #84783 by seattle62kw
Pretty spot on from what Scott told me Detective. The Pete' was a cabover and i think Wettenhall's put the bogie drive on it? not 100%sure.
Thanks for the compliments too, much appreciated :)
Had always wanted to do an old wettenhall's, and that was number 1 on my models bucket list ;D Just released a 12V71N engine kit so i'm using that an excuse to do the MacFie's K-Model, will be doing the first one with the pull down handles too; also just started Iannelli's Night Riser K123 Aerodyne and RP reefer.
Thennnnnnn, i have already started an Eastoe's SAR and John Rehe's Road Boss, and after those there will be Mick Travelos' KT powered K123 and a Clark's Refrigerated Atkinson. Yes, i do have a lot of time on my hands!

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11 years 9 months ago #84784 by Pat Hutchings
The single drive was built from a Kenworth W900 Glider American Chassis No 114688 fitted with NH250, RT910 & R170 @4.11taken from the Diamond T 921. This was done at KW's Preston.The Bogie drive was later & the NH250 & Spicer 4x4 from the Pete were sent to Bayswater & fitted in a W925 as it came down the assembly line

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11 years 9 months ago - 11 years 9 months ago #84785 by
Replied by on topic Re: Wettenhall's W-Model & Pan'
...and apparently the single drive was last noted at recar's with a severely squashed in roof etc, (due to another accident)...but beyond wettenhalls' ownership, and was pretty well finished...quite a few years ago now :'( :'( :'(

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