Dr. Cranky

Hi, buddy, yeah that's a part from another Warhammer kit . . . you can check out all the Warhammer and Warhammer 40K here: http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/home.jsp Thanks for the kind words . . .

Fabulous progress, gents . . .very cool. Keep 'em going. That pick up is going to be a killer!!!

Hi, Ajulia--not that skull graphic comes fror a Warhammer 40K decal sheet. If you are working on a beater, I hope you will show it to us.

A little more progress to show today . . . I added some decals just to make these two a bit more interesting . . . I think the decals came from the ACES WILD Revell Chopper . . . I thought it fit because of the gold pinstriping . . . I had to apply Future clear so that the decals would not silver underneath, which they would do I had left the surface flat. Now all I have to do is seal them with dullcoat . . . ] I found this in one of my heavy truck decals boxes and I thought it said it all! The side decals here came from a Warhammer 40K sheet . . .

These builds you guys are putting together are way cool!!!

Thanks, folks, and now we've arrived at the final colors . . . two colors, I must add I do not have represented in my stable of ratty rats!!!

Thanks, Gary . . .well, I think that's the idea . . . and again, I would say that part of what makes building these kinds of vehicles so much fun is the low stress . . . I continue to make some progress . . . This picture clearly shows the effect of the alcohol wash and hard brushing . . . As the alcohol dries, you begin to see the natural chipping that occurs . . . This next picture really shows the end results . . . This is the kind of technique that takes its toll on your brushes, so the best thing to do is use the cheapest, hard-bristled brushes you have in your arsenal!

Here are some pictures of the roadster body . . . with just a few coats of different browns and greens . . . I have not done the alcohol stage to it yet . . . The body is drying, how could it not, that's the beauty of the alcohol it really dries everything fast . . . The red coupe above is not the final color . . . this sucker is going to be yellow with all the previous colors showing through . . . The coupe is at a stage now where I will seal it with dullcoat before going on to the final color . . .

Hello, folks, I am trying on some new painting (weathering really) techniques I picked up from a How-To a friend, Ryan Silva, has been perfecting. He uses sponges and rubbing alcohol . . . and it's quite a lot of fun do do . . . anyway, here are some of the results . . . I'm just working on the body for now, and later I will move on to the chassis . . . This technique really makes the paint look chipped, which is an effect I am definitely after with these two rat rods . . . or as I like to call them RAT ROTS!

Thanks, Harry, but there are some folks out there who do a mighty fine job too!!! I can think of few right off the top of my head!!!

Cheese, nothing but a good rust foundation!!! We'll see what colors these two demand to be painted in . . . I think one day the rat rod of the future will probably have lots of Ferrari parts . . . those are the kinds of cars which will be around forever . . . though I can imagine a NANO (TATA MOTORS) rusting happily a year after you buy it and it breaks down!

Here are a few more mockups . . . the engines are still far from being finished, though I drilled out the sparkplug wires holes, etc . . .

Harry, I am not worried, most of these parts came from the parts bin . . . so I am imagining someone who needs a radiator and comes up with a dual fan-cooled one! I'm not trying to be a purist either way here . . . But I do have more progress . . . I got all the parts in rust-colored primer . . . and I have my work cutout for me because as you can see from the pictures coming up below I have to paint some of the elements individually, like those finned break drums, etc . . . But you know, it's part of how I like to build these, this way I cut out several sub-assemblies . . . but also create a very sturdy frame . . . most of which I also square up while I am gluing in with cement weld . . . These two sucker really do look like naked rats! This Plastikote rust primer is fabulous, just like its gray cousin it goes on smooth and thin!!!

Oh, man, some super progress and builds going on . . . keep 'em going. Private First Class Runt & Grunt ###### Cranky salutes ya'll!!!

Here we go, finally getting back to these two builds which I had started last year and then put away . . . I've added some watch part details to the chassis and body of these two. Right now everything is soaking in soapy warm water and after it all dries, I am going to primer everything in rust color, and see if I can get these suckers to look ratty and glorious! The pieces you see on the sweep there are headlight bucket reflectors . . . Here are the bodies with some stylistic touches . . . I went back and added better welding to the chopped top . . . Stay tuned in for more progress . . .

Everybody's Kung Fu Fighting, those cats are . . . well, you get the hint. Keep it going, folks, the builds are looking great. They're coming along, singing a death song!!!

WOW!!! This is all pure eye candy. Great progress, you guys. Wonderful to follow along. You got the imagination mojo workin'!!! Keep it going!!!

Great progress. I think these rides are looking mean and heavy. Weaponry-driven, that's what we need. Great. Keep it going.

I think we should leave them both up, except his one should be renamed so that people understand that there's a chat thread about these type of vehicles and then a post-your-progress-pics thread . . . But I don't really care as long as people find it and keep adding their 10 cents worth!

Just a little bit of attitude, but I thought you might enjoy a bit of the fun!!! :350: Talk about coming within inches of your life! They were just talking in the night, drinking some beers, plotting their next mohawk-induced rebel-rousing move, when suddenly, out of the vast desert and night, came this beast . . .

Nice, I like the progress. Keep 'em going, fellas!!!

My, you boys have been busy. It's looking great. Keep 'em going . . . the death-machines caravan is forming up nicely!!! Man the hatches, drink your vitamins, eat your spinach . . . . drink more energy drinks!!! Whatever you do, don't stop now!!!

If it is like what I expect, then I am gonna go see it . . . we should start getting more recruits wanting to join the ranks!!!

Well, the movie opened yesterday. Did anyone see it? Any reviews?

Psychology doesn't work! Not unless you are building Dr. Strange's car! The Psycher Porsche!