Dr. Cranky

I also want to borrow some stylistic cues from a mediaval evil Jester . . . .something like this, using a diamond pattern to set off a few of the panels . . . or like this: Jester are really colorful and spooky, and I fear them almost as much as I fear clowns . . . which is, I think, where the idea for making the Joker a little scary comes from . . . it's all good, as I like to say.

Here are some reference pics . . . Slightly darker . . . I have to say I do love that green of the vest for the interior! And I think my black is going to have a hint of dark blue in it . . . We'll see if I can pull it off. It's up to the airbrush!

Thanks, everyone. The hood took be a few hours to cut and contour . . . I used body tape to mark the pattern, and then with a #11 blade, the back of it, I just scored around the tape over and over until I was able to cut away the plastic. I put some sandpaper on a wood dowel and sanded the plastic slowly until it looked right . . . The spider webbing was a gift from a friend who made an etched sheet and send me a couple, this was the last one I had so I had to use it on something just right. I glued it in place under the hood using superglue and Zap kicker . . . I added it in this early so that I can paint it in place and not have to worry about messing up the paint later . . . these etched elements are very delicate . . .

Ha!!!! Yeah, I realize I had meant Heath!!!

It took me all day to get the hood right . . . And then I smooth most of it so that I don't have too many lines . . . There are some imperfections here and there, but I think this is going to add a little more character to this sucker, afterall it is yet another rat Merc!

So I get this magazine at the newstand, Amusin' Kruizing, and I get two pages into it and run across this: And so after I pick up my jaw off the floor, I ran into the garage, dug up yet another 49 Merc and went to work on this sucker. Now, I am NOT replicating this build exactly because I have the words JESTER and JOKER rattling in my head. I want to use the red and the black, but I also want to do a different kind of diamond pattern on the roof of this sucker and then I also (I don't know why) wanted to pay tribute to Heath (thanks, Harry!) Ledger as Joker . . . so we have a combination of things triggering off some neat idea . . . So stay tuned in . . . a new project is underway!!!

Some beautiful builds there in the background, Dave! Keep up the great work!

Love the idea, and the progress. Keep it going. Thanks for sharing.

Wow, beautiful and clean job. I love the color too . . . wonderful build! Congrats.

Thanks for the comments, folks. These two suckers are almost done, so I am starting a couple of new projects . . . again, thanks.

Ooh, I like the stance on that vehicle. Good work in progress.

Thanks, J. Wicked means a lot to me!

Very close now to getting these suckers finished. Just a couple of details left . . . so here they are, the pair of 41 Willyses, their colors remind of something I've seen in the produce section of my supermarket! Sometimes attitude is EVERYTHING!

Here are a few more shots . . .

Here's some more progress on the POPS PSYCHO 41 Willys, which I've decided needed a few smaller pirate-inflienced details, like bad teeth and an eye patch . . . This sucker is nearly done . . .

Thanks, terror, I'd love to have your avatar in a decal sheet . . . that would look so cool as graphics for a model!!! I know it comes from the Top Fuel world, and it's wonderful.

Thanks, Marshall. I'm having a lot of fun working on these silly Willyses. Stay tuned in for more progress.

Okay, here comes some progress on the coupe . . . the chassis and the interior are done for the most part, and now I am mocking up the engine to make sure it looks just right and it gets me the hood swing clearance I need . . .. Once the interior goes into the body, most of the details will not be seen, but I will know they are there! I still smile every time I build one of these Willyses and see that the wheels actually turn . . . nice touch courtesy of Revell!

This one is getting close to being finished.

Okay, I got the interior in with the basic elements . . . also, I cut the windshield . . . so far so good, I think . . .

Hi, C Millar--thanks for the kind comments. I wrote a how-to in the October issue of CMM (October) which describes the technique. It's really not that difficult. You can use water to make the salt stick . . . I've done it with both rattle cans and the airbrush, and by far I like the results I get with the airbrush much better . . . As you can see I tend to overdo the technique on these two builds because I was really thinking rat rod junkers . . . or at least that's my excuse . . . Really, it's a stress-free technique. The idea is to have fun with it and wow yourself.

So what is ratting a vehicle about if it isn't about giving it some attitude and having some fun, right? Well, I just could not help myself, and since this one is called LUCKY 13, I figured I'd rub it in in case it did actually race one day! Of course, the attitude will probably keep this out of most youth-oriented magazines!!! :$ :$ :$ I had to make it look like it was hand painted on, right? Thank heavens I have shaky hands!!!

Here are some mockups of POPS PSYCHO:

Here are some mockups of LUCKY 13: What I love about the Willys kit is that the body just drops beautifully over the chassis!!!

Here's some progress with the convertible's interior and engine . . . everything still looks freshly painted because I still have to weather wih my usual gunk, junk, and slunk . . . (I love making up words to describe my lotions and potions!) With small builds like this one it really pays off to glue all the chassis parts before primering and paiting . . . then you can let the airbrush do it's magic . . . just makes for a smoother build . . . that's feally become my preference these days . . . . Again, all the watch parts really come to the rescue with these kinds of builds . . . . I still have to do some touching up and the exhausts before I am through with the chassis . . .