The folks over at McKenzie Iron and Steel have been busy making new product. In fact, they've been so busy, they haven't finished their website just yet, and have asked us to host some photos of their latest kit.

The new kit is of the Kenworth log truck conversion for the old Revell 1:48 plastic job dating all the way back to 1956. That year saw Revell issue four O Scale plastic truck kits, the Kenworth (with a Bekins van body), a cab-over White gasoline tanker, a Ford F-100 pick-up (which included a Harley-Davidson "pan head" motorcycle !!) and a Chevrolet 2-ton truck with stake-bed body.

Over time, these kits became very hard to find, but in 1994, all four were reissued. The tooling for the Kenworth Bekins van body was destroyed in the interval, so the reissue has a simple flat bed body and some rockets (?!). Revell-Monogram did a short "reissue-reissue" some time later for the Kenworth (albeit with different box art).

We here at The Back Shop had a small hand in the development of some of the patterns, so we have some paternalistic pride in the final product. The kit contains over 33 cast pewter parts, some wood and brass stock, paper mud flaps and five pages of drawings, instructions and prototype photos. An optional resin "brake-cooling tank" is also available.

This is not a kit for the novice, and does involve some work with drilling holes, filing-to-fit parts and careful placement of parts on the Revell "donor" kt which is not provided (see below for availability of such kits). With very careful work, an outstanding "museum quality" Kenworth log truck model can be created.

McKenzie Kit T-210
Log Truck
"Modern" version, 1955 - 1990
Using Revell Kenworth Donor Kit
$55.00 msrp --- plus $4.05 Priority Mail Shipping in USA
(Inquire for overseas shipping rates)


The resin water tank is not included with the kit. It is $4.00 plus shipping.

McKenzie is just starting to ship out kits. Contact Bill Roy further details and information. Tell 'em The Back Shop sent you !!

AVAILAILITY OF THE REVELL KENWORTH DONOR KITS:

The original issue kits (1956) are extremely rare and fetch a very high price if the Bekins van body is present. The second and third reissues are still to be found on eBay, and at model railroad and model car swap meets. Also, kits may be obtained from Coronado Scale Models in Phoenix, AZ and directly from McKenzie Iron and Steel-----order a kit when you order the conversion kit.

UPDATE: The Back Shop is not stocking nor selling these kits, we are merely hosting the photos and information. Contact Bill Roy by email (above).

If you see a kit offered here on our web pages, the kit is available and shipping. We do NOT make grandiose "announcements" about things which are far in the future, or as a teaser, or which never get produced. And, we do not do come-ons saying "over-reserved, but a few extra available." The kits are produced in advance, to anticipated selling quantities, THEN listed for sale 'Nuff said !!