JennyMo 3526 Posted September 12, 2019 More details: Screen glued in place, wipers fitted: photo. note I've purposely chosen to leave the screen 'clean' for now, rather than weather with wiper marks and mist (although that might happen eventually) as I want the interior to be visible as much as possible. Interior assembled, and random accessories [double sided] taped in place: ...and fitted to cab: photo. those M&Ms are going to melt up there! Tow-bar drop hitch: photo. will be painted and rusted of course. Scratch built tailgate draw-bolts/latches: It's coming together at last: photo. ProLine accessory tool chest (originally silver) painted black... not sure this will be part of the final build, but it is one option. More soon... 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JennyMo 3526 Posted September 16, 2019 Detail of the finished washer and coolant bottles: As I mentioned previously - these are the ends of an old X-acto knife blade box, and I cut cut a piece of clear lexan and super-glued it in to make the 'top' of the liquid with an air-gap above, before painting the lower part with clear green and blue Tamiya paints: Rather than back them with silver [self-adhesive aluminium foil] as shown above, I've ultimately mounted them on plain white paper which is slightly less reflective/bright, and used double sided tape to mount them to the inner wings. The ESC, and the lettering for the door decals have arrived in the post today too, so stand-by for another update soon... Jenny x Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JennyMo 3526 Posted October 2, 2019 It's been a busy couple of weeks doing everything other than RC stuff, but I've finally found time to add a few more details to the HiLux... photo. painting and rusting the drop-hitch - the drop plate (styrene) has already been rusted, while the hitch assembly (aluminium) has the iron paint applied, prior to the activator solution. photo. The finished result - very effective! The other thing I wanted to incorporate was some wooden capping for the load-bed sides: photo. Cherry strip-wood (1/4" wide) - the same as I used for the floor of the ebaYJeep. However, rather than have then appear as having been just glued on, I wanted to try something I've had in mind for a while now - and use pin heads to replicate screws/coach-bolt heads... photo. fortunately the sides of the step-side bed are 200mm long, which means I can have seven equally spaced screw heads 30mm (1' in 1:1 scale) apart, with 10mm at each end. photo. I covered the wood with tape so that I could mark the hole centres from the top (without potentially marking/staining the wood) and also drill them without the wood splitting. photo. clean drill holes. photo. I then super-glued a series of pins into the holes, and let them dry... photo. before cutting off the excess with some snips, and grinding down the remaining stubs using a Dremel cut-off wheel, so they were flat with the underside face of the wood. photo. the top sides were lightly sanded to dull the wood grain and pin heads, and to round off the edges - then super-glued to the top of the load-bed, the result is pretty authentic I feel? More soon - I'm currently experimenting with my working dead-bolts for the tailgate: Jx 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JennyMo 3526 Posted October 3, 2019 Turns out Chief Hopper is contemplating swapping his Blazer for a naily HiLux... He's a little small (this 7" figure would be 5'10" in 1:1 size) standing next to the truck, but I reckon he'll fit really well inside... it's almost a shame to chop his legs around though, as the detail of these figures is excellent! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Problemchild 2149 Posted October 3, 2019 Literally WOW!! JJ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blissard 359 Posted October 3, 2019 Amazing work! I would like to try your method of weathering some day on my Hilux. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JennyMo 3526 Posted October 5, 2019 A few more photos of Hopper in the HiLux... I had an inkling he would fit well in the cab, and sure enough, his hands/arms and upper torso turned out to be a perfect fit! However, the vagaries of the interior dimensions (essentially the height of the seat to clear the original Trailfinder II transmission?) means I had to perform some drastic surgery - and currently he has no legs! However, there is still a little room between his head and the roof, so with some creative sculpting, I'm hoping to modify the existing legs into a suitable seated position (good job his beer-belly will help to cover any join) - ideally having him removable so the vehicle can be displayed with or without a drive as desired. It's a shame to cut up such a lovely detailed figure, but it's for the greater good of course! More soon! Jx 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JennyMo 3526 Posted October 6, 2019 A quick update... Hopper is currently recuperating after some pretty extensive surgery: Wild Willy donated his thighs to ensure that Hopper would fit behind the wheel* properly... *You may notice I've also replaced the huge original Toyota steering wheel with a smaller diameter and fatter rim version from a Tamiya Wild Willy driver sprue too. I can confirm surgery went very well - although were he to stand up now, Hopper would probably be a about a foot shorter than before with his new 'Hobbit' legs... but needs must, and when seated, the proportions look correct which is the main thing. He is currently waiting for his jeans to be remodelled and painted - then he can be discharged, and ultimately once he's seated in the final position in the cab, I will also fill & paint the articulated joints in his arms in a effort to improve the scale appearance further. In the meantime, cards and flowers can be sent to him care of Hawkins General Hospital. Jx Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KEV THE REV 2319 Posted October 6, 2019 I mean - come on - do you EVER sleep - this is incredible Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Busdriver 6209 Posted October 6, 2019 Steve Austin, we can rebuild him!!! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Problemchild 2149 Posted October 6, 2019 Might need your advice on how to get my fast attack driver to fit in my wild one heat gun? dremmel? what type of glue? JJ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JennyMo 3526 Posted October 7, 2019 7 hours ago, Problemchild said: Might need your advice on how to get my fast attack driver to fit in my wild one heat gun? dremmel? what type of glue? JJ Hi Problem' - pretty much all of the above I would imagine, although I thought the Wild One and FAV were pretty much the same, so it ought not to be too much work to swap the drivers over? What I tend to do when remodelling drivers, is to cut the main parts - typically using a Dremel and/or a Stanley Knife - to roughly the shape they will need to be to mate back together (tacked with super-glue typically), then use Araldite (2-part epoxy) to beef up the joints - internally especially - and then use Ispon P38 body-filler to fill and smooth any external joins, and which can be sculpted with an X-acto knife to add detail where necessary. Have a look in my showroom at some of the Wild Willy drivers (heads and bodies) I'm modified over the years, together with Jack Willy - the driver of the Defender 90 - who is a hybrid figure (using Wild Willy legs/feet) much the same as Hopper above. Hope that helps! Jenny x Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Problemchild 2149 Posted October 8, 2019 Thank you - it’s close but all the angles are slightly wrong I will look - you are a star JJ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JennyMo 3526 Posted October 15, 2019 A few more of the finishing details: Tailgate photo. mk2 version of the tailgate latches - 0.5mm lexan and aluminium tube, and tiny nail heads as bolts. photo. a coat of silver (aluminium) paint, and they look suitably metal? photo. weathered, bolt heads sanded and bent aluminium rod for draw-bolt. photo. salt technique used to achieve flaking paint effect, red-oxide primer also supplemented with iron paint (and activator solution) for real rust in the corners. photo. template cut... photo. ...to mask tailgate letters for highlighting in white. photo. mini hinges initially superglued in place, then holes enlarged and pins glued in to strengthen joint. cont. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JennyMo 3526 Posted October 15, 2019 More body details: photo. wing mirrors (these are from an Axial Racing set - suitably rusted). photo. rear lights - again, using Axial wing-mirror brackets, with the mirrors replaced with round spotlight housings [clear lenses painted red with Tamiya X-27 Clear Red], with the 5mm LED holes in the rear blocked off, and new holes drilled in the top for 3mm LEDS on the loom. photo. lamp brackets attached. note Hopper's got some personal licence plates too. photo. door decals, using dry transfer lettering... as the paint job is a homage to Cars Movie Mater, but the truck is a 1980's HiLux, I thought this twist appropriate. photo. Hopper himself is back on his feet now (in newly painted jeans) - test fitting in the cabin for final arm positions... note sporty fat-rimmed steering wheel from a Tamiya Wild Willy driver sprue. photo. Hobbit Hopper with his new shorter legs - his articulated arms have been tacked in position with superglue, and the joints filled with body-filler prior to sanding and painting... More soon! Jenny x 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Re-Bugged 10152 Posted October 15, 2019 Bloomin' marvellous stuff. All it needs now is a gold medallion with chest hair for the driver and a motorised eye lid that winks as he drives past. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Problemchild 2149 Posted October 15, 2019 Don't tempt her JJ 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JennyMo 3526 Posted October 16, 2019 Finishing off... There comes a time when you've got to stop sanding and painting, and just screw the thing together already... and that day was today. photo. skin graft (Isopon P38) required to hide the articulated joints... photo. seated behind the new smaller steering wheel. photo. left arm has a pretty realistic pose for holding the window frame I thought? (of course it would be over-egging the pudding to also include a cigarette between his fingers... I may have to get some eggs.) So once the interior was refitted, and the shell bolted to the chassis, I felt it was time for a few more photos of Hopper, and the final detailing: photo. sliding rear window (the slide itself is purposely missing, for the moment at least) photo. Hopper's quality diet - no wonder he's got that belly these days! Tailgate details photo. I ultimately fitted return ends so the draw-bolts wouldn't fall out, and added a pair of security chains for when the tailgate is fully open. photo. scratch-built latches using styrene, pins, aluminium tube and rod. And washers for the receiver surround. photo. a final touch was this checker-plate infill panel, to protect the inside of the tailgate. photo. hinges allow the tailgate to be open or closed while running/displayed. photo. door decals (dry transfer lettering, lightly sanded), and propane tank bracket (bent coat-hanger). Body mounted using scale hex-bolts along the sills. photo. vehicle can be run/displayed with or without bonnet (hood!) in place - it's held on with a small magnet in each corner, hidden under the return lip of the engine bay. photo. engine bay detailing includes V8 engine with K&N filter, radiator (with the original [working] fan from the motor cover inside the cowling), twin batteries (with real grease on the terminals!), coolant and washer bottles (scratch built from an X-acto knife blade box) and a scratch built brake servo (using odd Tamiya parts). Wiper blades are actually metal too! photo. Hopper is my most realistic driver yet... photo. step-side dually, ready to haul scrap! There is a touch more weathering I want to do, plus I'm waiting for a slim ESC ( a Modelsport Viper 20) to arrive from the UK - then I will wire everything up including the RC4WD '85 4Runner loom I bought which has the correct size, colour* and number of LEDs I need to light all the lamps. (*with the two white 3mm LEDs painted red for the tail lights) More soon - once everything is up and running - all being well, this should be ready for the RC4WD West Coast Scale Challenge at the end of this month! In the meantime, I'll also aim to photograph it properly and add it to my showroom of course... Jenny x 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Busdriver 6209 Posted October 16, 2019 To coin a phrase or two OMG, WOW, Amaaaaazing!!!!!!!. I think your best so far. Whats next Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JennyMo 3526 Posted October 17, 2019 Consider the pudding over-egged after all... Jx 1 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin_Mc 411 Posted October 17, 2019 Absolutely amazing - by far and away your best build yet. It’s a really nice addition to Ta’Mater, i love how visually similar it is whilst being totally different. The engine bay is on another level. Well done! You can retire now but please don’t 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JennyMo 3526 Posted October 17, 2019 10 hours ago, Kevin_Mc said: Absolutely amazing - by far and away your best build yet. It’s a really nice addition to Ta’Mater, i love how visually similar it is whilst being totally different. The engine bay is on another level. Well done! You can retire now but please don’t Hee hee - I do need to take a break for a bit I think! I do have a couple of potential projects in boxes (the Mega-Bug Beetle is something I still want to progress at some point; and I also bought another Jeep Wrangler body recently as I've had another idea along that line too), and as you may have seen, I got distracted with a more technical project for fun - the Lil'Scamp crawler, which I now intend to 'scale' up a bit with some paint and detailing too. But yes, I really do consider this one my showcase now - I've put pretty much everything I can think of into this build (other than actually animating an element of the driver for example - which I've already done on other builds), and the trick now will be to incorporate all the running electronics and lighting loom without compromising the overall scale appearance at all. I fear there will be a lot of soldering going on in the next few days! More soon... Jenny x Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Problemchild 2149 Posted October 18, 2019 Honestly - superb!!! JJ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JennyMo 3526 Posted October 18, 2019 Everything has currently gone a bit Project Binky! photo. RC4WD '85 4Runner loom modified/extended to hide wires along each side of the engine bay and rear chassis. Make the noise.... arrrrrrgh! Jx 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ThunderDragonCy 7882 Posted October 18, 2019 @JennyMo Yes! A fellow Binky fan. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites