Ertl's (now AMT's) Transtar 4300 conventional kit's air cleaner is a good example of how kit parts, combined with some basic scratch building and aftermarket detail items, can be made much more realistic.
0:07 As provided, air cleaner and intake piping from front of truck is molded in 3 pieces - and chrome plated.
0:32 Underhood air cleaners on real trucks are rarely chrome plated...
0:44...so step 1 is chrome removal. Super Clean degreaser in the purple spray bottle works well, household oven cleaner is another option.
0:55 Air cleaner body assembles into a realistic item, intake piping has the issue of being two pieces with seam to clean up, similar to tank gun barrels in armour kits. One piece also represents aluminum and rubber components.
1:23 A good material to represent aluminum pipe is aluminum tube. Measuring kit intake pipe, nearest tub size is 7/32" outside diameter. Real air cleaner is made from sheet metal...
1:41...much thinner than plastic kit part. It isn't practical to drill kit air cleaner for 7/32" tube, however it can be drilled for 1/8" tube and larger sizes added onto the 1/8" "core".
1:57 Styrene tube in 3/16" and 1/4" diameters is added to air intake box to locate 1/8" aluminum tube.
2:24 Air intake pipe is 1/8", 5/32", 3/16" and 7/32" sizes. Brushed aluminum finish on outer piece was done with Scotchbrite pad, fine steel wool can also be used.
2:43 Styrene tube and .060" half round is used to make the rubber pieces attaching pipe to air cleaner.
2:59 Prebending the half round makes it much easier to work with. 3/16" aluminum was used to make round pieces slightly smaller than the styrene tube. Make several wraps around the tube and secure with clothespegs.
3:21 Apply heat so the half round takes a set and holds round shape. I use a heat gun on low setting, hair dryer could also be used.
3:35 Result should be a "coil spring" with flat surface to inside.
3:44 Cut sections from the coil, slide onto appropriate size tube (9/32" here) and make a plunge cut with chisel blade on hobby knife.
4:01 A ring that fits onto the tube should result. One ring per flexible coupling is needed.
4:12 Place marks on tube at .300" for overall length and .150" to locate ring.
4:24 Fine point self closing tweezers are ideal for holding ring in place. Two sets are ideal, when ring is properly located attach with solvent cement...
4:35...then cut finished coupling free and clean up as required.
4:45 Completed parts before painting.
4:57 Hose clamps can be a challenge to replicate, in the past I have used strips .030" wide cut from silver decal paper or Bare Metal Foil. Recently I got some of these Detail Master hose clamps and they are the way to go!
5:22 Even the longest ones don't quite go around 9/32" tube, this is easy to remedy. In real life, two hose clamps can be joined...
5:36...and it can be done in 1/25 as well with longer clamp going on first, a smaller one next to complete the installation. Miniature clothes pin is something I found at a dollar store craft section and they work superbly for little pieces like this.
5:51 Intake piping is in place now from front of truck to air cleaner...
6:10...although not to the engine yet. Kit part will not work since V800 has been replaced with parts box Cummins.
6:23 On the topic of parts, "snap kit" 1/25 Revell kits (Pete 359 pictured and Kenworth Aerodyne conventional) are great sources of a wide variety of parts.
6:36 I had several of these Pete 359 intake pipes and used one 90 degree elbow from each.
6:50 Molded in end rib provides a convenient cutting guide...
6:58...and after cleaning up saw cuts and parting lines a good intake pipe fitting results. Drill each end 1/16" diameter for a brass wire pin.
7:09 Other kits can be sources for intake fittings also, two two black pipes pictured are from Italeri kits and the other one is provided in AMT's Road Boss.
7:32 Flat black paint and Detail Master hose clamps complete the fittings, and intake pipe on the engine side is 3/32" tube (which is a good fit onto the 1/16" brass wire pins), 1/8", 5/32" and 3/16".
7:50 Wire pins in fittings provide positive location and reinforce joints where piping is glued in place. Air cleaner itself was drilled for 3/16" tube and flexible coupling made with 1/4" styrene tube, a slip fit over the 3/16" aluminum tube.
8:09 Set in place temporarily, final installation to be one of the last steps in assembly of model. Aluminum tube provides realistic finish for the pipes, and separate fittings make clean colour separation easy.
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