Jump to content
Model Cars Magazine Forum

Der Beetle Bus XL-426 Hemi Build Up Complete-12/23


Recommended Posts

I picked this kit up a couple of weeks ago because it was IMO just too dang cool. This one will be a sideline build when I either get stumped on or waiting for paint to dry for my current aircraft project, in which right now I'm waiting on paint to dry and trying to figure out some fit issues with it so I figured I'd start this thread. I'm not going to get as crazy as I did with my '54 Chevy just because I don't want something that in depth. But I do want to have some fun with this one so here goes.

Der Beetle Bus:

Image

Now when I opened up the box I looked at the body and knew right away that this body was not going to fly at all. The wheel base is ridiculously short for my tastes and it would look more like a cartoon van than an actual vehicle. Here's where we start:

Image

and I just couldn't leave it like that so I bought another kit and went to work:

Image

Cutting the bodies at just the right points yielded a wheel base that I could live with

Image

Top view of the difference it made:

Image

and the side view :

Image

and so it starts. Here's the set up I want to go with. Slicks and skinnies with my favorite kind of wheels. The ol' Weld Draglites:

This..................is more like it.

Image

Image

Image

Body work and smoothing things out will commence shortly. I will have to lengthen the roof and the chassis to follow suit with the body so more on the way.............

 

 

 

Edited by mustang1989
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Started on the chassis this morning. Here's what we had to work with OOB:

Image

A couple of cuts and some trimming later yielded the correction:

Image

Again, clean up will happen soon but I've gotta make sure this all works before any cosmetic work gets done. I did, however, get rid of those bumps for foot pedals. I think I can come up with something better than that.
 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Dan and Jeremy. :D

Ok. That extra long rectangular opening in the floor is gonna mandate an engine that'll fill it. Don't think I haven't "been there" in thought. I'll be turning to Rick Dobbertin's blown, turbo'd and nitrous fed small block 350 for this using the Revell Pro Street J2000 kit. Now I just need to get one:

1986 Rick Dobbertin&#39;s Radical <b>J-2000</b> Pontiac <b>Pro</b> <b>Street</b> (1/25) (fs)

The engine looks somthing like this:

 

 

 

Edited by mustang1989
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice! I'm so glad the door has opened up for these kits... loads of potential.  Initially I was afraid these would get overlooked agian and either get discontinued or be real expensive in the future. But everyone seems to be taking a shine to the kit now. 

I heard that Dobbertin's J 2000 was getting repopped, can anyone confirm that?

Lovin what I'm seeing already And I can't wait to see more.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jeremy: Go for it! :D

James: I noticed that. At first I didn't like 'em at all and then somewhere along the line they grew on me and then I got an idea.Idea The rest is in the WIP. lol

Dave: Thank you sir. I would but there's so many dang windows and then the opening in the top. Believe me..........it's gonna be seen. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted by mustang1989 on Friday, September 30, 2016 4:37 PM

I'm going to try something out here. I was brain storming for a different look than the vehicle being "jacked up" in the back. I want more of a lowered looking stance so I've got this spare '54 Chevy Panel Wagon body and decided to check something out. What if I cut the rear wheel opening out like so,

and then trimmed the bottom up so that it evened out at the body line on both sides of the wheel opening. I think I might be able to flatten this out a bit to get away from the body curvature, thin it out some to where everything is flush on both sides and graph this in because l like the way this is lookin' so far.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...