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Click here for 1:34th Scale Personal Collection Custom Built Diecast YOU ARE HERE!!

FJLC-1211 First Gear 1:34th Scale

This is the first 1:34 scale Bullnose Kenworth I modified.  I bought it used and without a box several years before I worked on it, and it was a mess when I got it, even having several parts broke off, and it was dirty.  But I had enough other used Bullnose KWs in stock just for the purpose of gleaning parts.

It features Fatjack’s famous stretched frame.  This is the first large scale truck that I stretched the frame on and it turned out great, just as strong if not stronger than the original frame.

I also added a second air horn, license plates on a bracket, deck plate, and handmade pogo stick and service lines that plug into the trailer.  The quarter fenders are modified AMT parts.  The auxiliary transmission was set back mid-frame (just like the real trucks of this era) and new driveshafts were made.

The trailer is a heavily modified AMT plastic trailer.  The AMT trailers are a slightly larger scale, but close enough to work for 1:34 scale.  The trailer was cut down to 35’ length.  The Thermo-King reefer unit was painted Thermo-King Light Blue.  First Gear trailer suspension, wheels, and tires were used so they would match the tractor.  At the rear it is lettered for BTS and has the BTS laughing jackass icon.  The lower end plate and mud flaps were all scratchbuilt.

I should mention that BTS stands for Bontrager Truck Service.  My dad owned and operated Bontrager Truck Service in the 1950s-1960s and his logo was similar to this one.  I adopted BTS for my models as a tribute to my dad.  The laughing jackass is my icon.

FJLC-1212 FIRST GEAR 1:34 Scale

This is the second 1:34 scale Bullnose Kenworth that I modified.  I stretched the frame out long enough that it scales out to 60’ long with a 35’ trailer, which meets Western bridge laws of the 1950s-1970s.  The tractor has a box sleeper added behind the cab, which is a modified AMT sleeper.  The tractor is modeled after two real Bullnose KWs.  It’s not a replication of either, but rather a composite of the two.

I scratchbuilt the roof-mount air conditioner.  Also added license plates with bracket.  The deck plate, pogo stick with service lines that plug into the trailer are all scratchbuilt.  The toolbox is a Fatjack’s part that I added steps to.  The quarter fenders are modified AMT parts.  The auxiliary transmission is mounted mid-frame with scratchbuilt driveshafts.  The external air cleaner bonnet is turned aluminum.  The straight stack is aluminum tubing buffed to a high luster finish.

The trailer is a heavily modified AMT trailer.  It was shortened to 35’ length and the kingpin plate lowered.  The reefer unit is painted Thermo-King light blue.  The suspension, wheels, and tires are First Gear parts.  I also added marker lights to the trailer.  The spare tire and rack are First Gear parts.  The rear of the trailer features BTS lettering and the BTS laughing jackass icon.  The rear end plate and mud flaps were scratchbuilt.  I added quite a number of marker and tail lights to this trailer.

FJLC-1221

FRIST GEAR 1:34 Scale

I did not stretch the frame on this one.  I added an aluminum straight stack polished to a high luster finish, a second air horn, license plates and bracket, handmade pogo stick service lines, and quarter fenders made from modified AMT parts.  I also painted the fuel filter.

This trailer is a modified AMT dry van 40’ long.  As with my other 1:34 scale models it features suspension, wheels, and tires from First Gear.  The kingpin plate was also lowered.  The end plate and mud flaps were scratchbuilt, and the rear also has the BTS lettering and laughing jackass icon.

FJLC-1225

FIRST GEAR 1:34 Scale

I put a lot of work into this model.  First, I stretched the frame to a medium long wheelbase and built a new driveline with the auxiliary transmission mounted mid-frame.  I also painted the frame on this truck.  I added a second air horn, license plates on a bracket, and scratchbuilt the driving lights.  The external air cleaner bonnet was also scratchbuilt.  The straight stack is aluminum tubing polished to a high luster finish.  I put a third fuel tank on top of the frame behind the cab, which was common practice during the 50s and 60s era.  I made a full length deck plate with handmade pogo stick and service lines.  The frame step was also scratchbuilt.  The quarter fenders are modified AMT parts.  The rear mud flap bracket was handmade and the chrome tail lights came from an AMT kit.

The AMT trailer was cut down to 35’.  The Thermo-King unit was painted red to match the trim color of the truck.  The suspension, wheels, and tires are First Gear parts.  I also added marker lights on the trailer.  The rear of the trailer has only two upper marker lights, which was common in the 1950s.  The rear end plate and mud flaps were scratchbuilt.

MORE DETAILS FOR FJLC-1225

FIRST GEAR 1:34 Scale

Tractor details.

MORE DETAILS FOR FJLC-1225

FIRST GEAR 1:34 Scale

The kingpin plate was lowered and 2 kingpins installed, one set at 24” and the rear pin set back just far enough to clear the fifthwheel when turning.  This was fairly common in the 1950s and 1960s.

MORE DETAILS FOR FJLC-1225

FIRST GEAR 1:34 Scale

I made these laughing jackass signs.  This laughing jackass is my icon and most of the trucks in my personal collection have it.