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JennyMo

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  1. cont. On the whole I much prefer plain-painted vehicles, and rather than graphics and stripes, let the body detailing (and in most cases the damage and deterioration) be the points of interest... however, the back story of this project was that the truck was an ex-Dakar Rally race vehicle, that Willy bought in a junk-yard sale to convert into a camper van... As such, it really needed some authentic graphics and logos (which will of course be ultimately distressed to match the rest of the paintwork), and these were custom sized (and the race number altered) by Jeremy at Screenprint Digital... and a huge thank you for his help in realising this concept! Before: After: Yep, I had to stop Jack Willy going crazy with the scalpel and plastering it in stickers! The next stage is to finish off the paint detailing - the side steps really ought to be galvanised silver, and a little more dust/rust and dirt weathering in the body creases etc. and I also need to fit the side windows - the drivers one most likely wound partially down as usual ;o) I am also in the process of painting/weathering the Jerry cans in an effort to make the roof accessories a little more authentic and scale looking too... then it will be down to installing the receiver, a battery and ultimately getting those dozen LEDs all wired up and working! However, the crowning glory is likely to be the driver (I have plans to animate this one ;o) - and who knows, possibly even a co-driver too! Dare I actually drive it? - goodness only knows! More soon! Toot toot! Jx
  2. cont. Other metal detailing included my favourite trick of actually covering the door handles with self-adhesive aluminium foil, squishing it tightly around the handle and trimming the excess, then sanding it lightly with 1200 grit wet and dry to dull the shine a little - suggesting years of use ;o) Another thing I wanted to add was something to infill the space below the radiator and the shorty bumper - and a winch fairlead from the Wild Willy II sprue would be perfect - the body even had a pair of screw holes to mount the backing plate (cut from styrene): It's subtile, but then so it should be on a race truck really? note. I happened to have the perfect size FORD oval sticker for the radiator panel in my collection - result! It was then time to start adding the dry powder weathering, together with painting in the shut lines on the doors and the various body creases... I'm always a little weary of doing this too much (a bit like contouring a driver's face with obviously different shades) - although the resulting contrast can really make the details 'pop' and is therefore ultimately far more realistic in that regard? And of course, a few Wild Willy II stickers were employed - just subtile mind you... ;o) Also, blacking in the window frames with ultra matt 'rubber black' paint from Tamiya (plus more aluminium foil on the quarter-light frame upright) helps to define the windows and add further scale realism - it's starting to get there isn't it?! cont.
  3. cont. You'll notice in the photos above, I started playing around with some mesh - in an effort to form some sort of radiator protection for the front of the truck (the standard Aeromax kit comes with a chrome grille set, but this is both very expensive and hard to find, plus it wasn't really in keeping with a Dakar race-truck anyway I thought?) So first I cut some small sections of aluminium body-repair mesh to produce grilles for the bonnet side vents: And also the rear panel of the box-body, which also had a series of holes pre-drilled in there (Oddly, four of the five were the same size, but one on the end was smaller?! - anyway, being a bit OCD, I drilled that one out to match the others ;o) With the small mesh tacked in with superglue then ultimately secured with Araldite, it was time to start on the front radiator grille covers - I have to say now, I was particularly pleased with how these turned out, and would like to share the technique I used below: step 1: First up, I painted the whole of the 'radiator' itself with matt black paint (acrylic, with a brush) - thinning it with water so it properly filled all the tiny indentation details: ...I then added a little rust using the dry-power Tamiya weathering kit. step 2: Cutting a single piece of aluminium mesh a little larger than the aperture itself, I then pushed the mesh into the recess using my finger nail at first, then going around the edge with the end of my exacto-knife handle, to effectively create a pattern (in reverse of course): Removing the mesh leaves you with this: step 3: Which can be trimmed with either a really sharp knife, or personally I prefer scissors, as it doesn't [potentially] drag the fine mesh in the same way, misshaping it... step 4: Because it is effectively still the reverse of what you want, all you need to do is turn it over, and bend it slightly back on itself (making what was convex now concave if you see what I mean) so that the return lip is now inside, and it fits into the profile of the grill like this: Then just do the same again for the top panel: Super-glued in place, the effect is pretty authentic I thought! cont.
  4. cont. Moving on to the headlights - fortunately the [expensive!] 6-lamp Pro-Line lighting set came with two roof-bars - a 4 lamp set and a 6-lamp set (the 6-lamp bar being too wide for the Aeromax shell anyway of course) - so I was able to cut off each corner of the unused bar to create a pair of headlight mounting frames above the wings instead: Trimmed to fit (the bonnet was not quite high enough for both top and bottom bars to fit neatly in the side panel...): Painted up with the same technique as the body and roof-lights bar: Lamps mounted, and the assembly attached though holes drilled in each wing panel: cont.
  5. Something for the weekend? Oh go on then - how about a few photos of the most recent progress? First up, an illustration of the salt-weathering technique (thank you again Scottoman for all your inspiration!): Salt added randomly (although with a focus on the natural deterioration areas) between coats of red oxide, grey primer and top coat - in this case Ford Diamond White for the cab, and a matt olive drab for the box body - before: After washing and agitating with an old tooth brush: Close up of the texture: With that it was time to bolt on the roof-lights, re-attach the metal steps and roof-rails, and see what it looked like on it's wheels! Chequer-plate roof-deck is plastic, painted in a matt aluminium finish. Note Wild Willy II spare wheel cover (painted satin black), together with the bonnet centre also painted satin black (...this is typically a trick some 1:1 desert vehicles use to cut down glare reflections from the bonnet in the strong sun): Then before I knew it, Jack Willy had gone and loaded the roof with all his junk! - It's not ready yet Willy!!! I have to say though, that roof-rack turned out to be the perfect size for the four Fastrax Jerry cans! note. I have also added taller preload spacers (same size as the fronts) to the rear shocks, otherwise the weight of the body and load would make it sag down a little too much... cont.
  6. Custom lighting loom for the STUMPkamper! And one for Mater too: Standby for a lot of lights in the STUMPkamper build thread soon! - http://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=73857&page=3 Jx
  7. Finally fitted lights to Mater this afternoon! More here: http://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=75039&page=4 Jx
  8. So just a quick update - Mater is now 99% finished, now that my custom LED lights have arrived today! I contacted Model Lighting Solutions through ebay (I've bought from them before, including the lights on the STUMPscorcher) to see if they could make me up a custom loom for the STUMPkamper, and at the same time, create a more simple loom for Mater, as I couldn't find anything suitable off the shelf... All I needed was a pair of 3mm red tail lights, plus a pair of 5mm white lamps - but on long(ish) individual strings, as one would be Mater's headlight, and the other the work-lamp on the roll-bar. Fortunately MLS also offer a 'vintage' white LED light as well as a bright version, further adding to Mater's rusted-busted authenticity, and at the same time, meaning the rear work-lamp wouldn't be too bright when running. The loom is a simple fit, no need for a controller, just a direct plug into a spare channel on the receiver - although I have used a Y cable, as I also need power for the separate rotating flashing beacon: The kit came complete with self-adhesive cable clips, making install a doddle! The end result: One eye: Flashing beacon (caught on camera after about ten attempts! ;o) And again! Work-lamp power cable does need to be painted rust to hide it a little: I'd call that done! Toot toot! Jenny xx
  9. I love these! Toykid, if you're reading - how about a new set of outer covers in this style for the 1.7 Rough Rider wheels too?! Top custom work Mere Grand - these modifications are wonderful! Jx
  10. This is exceptional! I really do like vehicles like this - so much that I've bought a Trailfinder II cab to fit to my own crawler chassis (another ongoing project!)... it's just I'm torn because the articulation is so good that I'm going to have to cut a lot of the hood/wings away... losing a lot of what makes vehicles like this so attractive visually... This is why I like this style of Axial chassis so much too, they are also more 'scale' in their wheel-travel, and any upgrades are similar to the 1:1 vehicles (rather than the extreme buggy long-arm style). I can't wait to see what you come up with next James! Jx
  11. Uh oh - for the Brits on here, this immediately reminded me of Flat Eric... Anyone? ;o) Excellent work there s2-g2 - looking forward to seeing more! Jx
  12. I'd say it's perfectly possible - although what size is the hole in the centre - ie. do they still have a stock hex on the inside? Personally I think the best wheels to use for this idea is something like the Axial IFD design: http://www.axialracing.com/products/ax31118 (although these are only available in 2.2 size it seems), as they have a separate hex adaptor that bolts to the wheel on the rear, and a large hole in the centre already. JxX31118
  13. There is a similar discussion here: http://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=73368&page=2 The main problem is that a hex wheel has a 4mm hole through it, so that the wheel-nut does up against the face of the wheel - holding it and the hex together securely. Even if you put bearings inside the hex (like the Asia Tees adaptor), ultimately the face of the wheel will still be 'bearing' on the inside of the wheel-nut - unless you drill out the centre of the wheel so that the nut now bears on the bearing and/or the step in the axle as Twinset suggests. The problem then of course is that now there his nothing holding the wheel and the hex together, so the wheel falls off (even though the hub/hex is mounted securely to the axle. The only way I have found this to be technically feasible is to either bolt the hex to the wheel in a different position (Toykid suggested using something like the RC4WD scale wheels that have 5 genuine 'wheel nut' holes, and effectively a larger flange on the hex that the wheel can be screwed into) - or if you want a 'universal fit', then actually glue the hexes into whichever wheels you choose, effectively forming a one-piece freewheel wheel-set for the front. This is obviously not reversible of course - but then it isn't anyway since you've drilled out the centre of the wheel already... and as Reillor suggests, it's not really a problem to commit a pair of Tamiya wheels to a project as they are so widely (and relatively cheaply) available? Jx
  14. So just a quick preview of the paint so far... This is one scabby wagon - definitely EX-Dakar! Jx
  15. Yes, you know the 'Murikans - even their '1/10th scale' has to be ever so slightly bigger ;o) Perhaps it's because the manufacturers know the majority of these shells go on a crawler chassis with the wheel-base and wheel size that means it looks more scale if the body is that bit bigger? - I'd say they are effectively 1:9th, or even bigger when you consider the SWB shells? Jx
  16. That is huge! It looks closer in size to the Pro-Line lexan JK body perhaps? Which make those 5" wheels look scale! Can't wait to see you work your magic on that TK! Jx
  17. My order from RC-Bitz arrived! The RC4WD mirrors & wipers, together with the Proline light-set are for the STUMPkamper, while the Trailfinder II cab is for another little project I've got in mind ;o) I have to say, I was surprised how large the TR2 cab is - presumably the Tamiya Hi Lux is the same size? - makes a huge (literally) difference from working in 1:12 and 1:14 scale which I have been recently... Jx
  18. Oooooh - goodies have arrived this afternoon: The spot lights for the roof (and replacement headlights), mirrors, wipers... oh, and a Trailfinder II cab for another project ;o) - it's huge! (guess that will need chopping too then eh?!) Right, in the meantime, let's get that paint finished, and start to assemble the STUMPkamper! More soon! Jx
  19. Hey - That's not a bad idea Mr C! (Well, unless Willy actually got a puncture of course ;o) Jx
  20. Ok, a few more updates - specifically getting a few of the details finished before starting the paintwork... Because there is so much acreage on this truck shell, I thought it would be nice to add a few details to help break up the slabby-ness of it, and at the same time add interest in general - and not least to realise a few new ideas and practice various techniques, especially since I've really been enjoying more of a 'scratch' build with this one... The obvious accessories are going to be lights of course - lots of lights! Being a ex-Dakar truck, a barrage of roof-lights would be de rigur, while at the rear high level fog/dust lights to compliment the regular tail lights would be both technically correct, and add further interest to the rear profile... Those of you who have been following the STUMPkin build thread and updates to my showroom will know I utilised two pairs of round Axial lights set into the rear bumper, which I thought were really neat and compact - and in keeping with the overall style of the vehicle... So to keep things in the family, I thought the big-brother STUMPkamper should also follow suit... but then I had second thoughts and tried an alternative design using a pair of vertical oval lamps (the same size as the Nailer) on each side - only to decide I ultimately preferred the round pairs after all! As you can see, a certain amount of body filler was employed more than once during this indecision ;o) Once the rear light positions were finalised, I turned my attention to the sides - and specifically something I had wanted to employ from the outset... an access ladder for the rear roof deck. I'd been searching in vain for some suitable D ring handles or similar to use as rungs, but nothing was small enough for the scale... so I then considered how I might fabricate something suitable myself, that wouldn't look too home-made - consistency being the issue with bending my own you see. I then realised that the bench vice in the garage had jaws that would not only be the right size, but also offer consistency if I effectively bent them tightly around the jaw in a U shape - and in a moment of Blue-Peter like inspiration, found that a wire coat hanger would be the perfect dimension 'tubing' for what I had in mind! So a batch were quickly (and painstakingly ;o) produced! Holes marked neatly and drilled in the sleeper cab, and the steps inserted: A pretty neat solution I thought! You'll also notice there were a few longer bars folded too... these were so I could create a low-profile roof rack/lashing rails on the rear of the body: I have been tempted to simply paint this up completely as a race truck now - with stripes and sponsor logos etc. - and therefore the roof really ought to remain empty in that regard - hence the desire for low-profile rails, rather than a traditional roof-rack frame... However, I also really like the back-story concept that this was an ex-Dakar truck at the front, but that Willy actually grafted on an ex-military radio box body to the rear, to create his Kamper (and left painted in olive drab - in turn paying homage to the original donor Wild Willy of course).... That way, running it (or at least displaying it) with a few scale accessories on the roof deck would also still be appropriate from time to time? - certainly I would like to include a row of fuel Jerry cans for example (only one of four shown below): So with the paint scheme essentially decided now, it was time to start rusting it up a little: As with Mater, I used a combination of red oxide primer, and a flat(ish) orange to add tone to the base coat of 'rust'. However, rather than leaving this vehicle effectively 95% rusty, the vast majority of it will be covered by grey primer, and subsequently the top coat too, so far less 'rust' will ultimately be showing... (similar to the Fro-Sco, or the Nailer for example). Grey going on with more salt, so that (hopefully) the result will be a combination of red rust and some grey primer showing, under the flaking top coat: And finally (for this evening), the white top coat on the front half of the body: The rear box body will be in a matt olive drab/green, while the chequer-plate roof deck will be aluminium silver. Then it will be time to add some stickers, and bolt on all those lights! More soon! Jx
  21. As you say, the problem with mounting it on top of the trunk lid/bonnet is the limited visibility the occupants would have (with their little plastic eyes ;o) On the Fro-Sco* I recessed the spare into the bonnet in effectively the 1:1 VW Beetle position: ...which works really well on the ORV chassis, but I doubt there is room to do that on an SRB chassis without changing the steering post and servo location (possible, if you connect the steering rods directly to the servo, and mount the servo further back perhaps?) I look forward to seeing what you come up with! Jx * Build thread here: http://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=67278&hl= and more photos/info in my showroom of course...
  22. fwiw. I agree with what XVPilot and Mr C' are saying... (love the quip about Slash ;o) From a technical/scale point of view - a front size spare tyre would make more sense, and visually, the huge fat Scorcher tyre is perhaps a bit too big - although it looks kind of cool! My suggestion would be to do a twist on what I did with the Fro-Sco, that at the same would keep it more genuinely closer to a 'Dakar' spec car of that era... You are almost certainly going to be buying a pair of tyres if you go for the front FAV/Rough Rider tyres - so you could always stack them together on the carrier you've built - as typically you'd need to carry more than one spare wheel on a Dakar car anyway... However, what I would do, is actually cut two slots in the roof either side of the race-number sticker - so that the rear window is now effectively a U shape - and mount the two front tyres vertically out of the rear window on either side (perhaps recessing them slightly into the interior panel you've created so they don't stick up too far) - and leaving the centre of the rear window open if you see what I mean? I'd then reposition your luggage load down the centre of the interior... Go on, get the Dremel out! ;o) Jx ps. In fact I might just do that myself now I think about it (and have three spare wheels on the Fro-Sco!) - I think it would look awesome!
  23. Hi S2' - they were on ebay - if you search 1:6th scale goggles (basically Action Man/G.I.Joe size) there should be some options... these ones weren't expensive at all. Jx
  24. Hee hee - love it! Great concept and some lovely detailing too! I voted for the FAV wheels - you did an excellent job painting them, they look great and much more in keeping I feel... Another option is Toykid's steel-wheel covers on Shapeways - more traditional 'old school' style - but the way you've painted the FAV wheels with the bolts and everything gives it just the right amount of tough vs. bling. Excellent work all round! Jx ps. That GIF feature really is cool! - and the videos... (although I'm glad you included a few static shots too ;o) - it's really raised the bar with build threads!
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