oldcarfan

With the heat, I've lost my ambition to build. However, sitting on the couch in the house with the A/C is not doing my ADHD any favors. Plus my wife is binge watching Friends, first to last episode. She has a few left so I escaped to the shop. It's not too bad if you start the A/C early and minimize opening the door. I did some of what my dad would have called piddling around. No real plan, just seeing where my boredom would lead. I really need to clean and organize my work spaces, but that involves moving around in the heat so maybe later. What I did instead was start on the MB Sprinter van that I ordered a while back. It's a 1/24th toy from Tigres in the Ukraine. https://www.amazon.com/Tigres-Mercedes-Benz-Sprinter-Ambulance-Stand/dp/B0CCW1YD48 I got mine through Walmart online and it was cheaper than the Amazon price. For a toy, the body works out close to scale, and is decently detailed except the side sliding doors are not depicted. The interior and chassis are not detailed, but I'm just happy someone makes a modern day van and for the price it's a good option. The body is thick ABS plastic, and the markings are all paper stickers which come off pretty easily. As you can see the body is in two parts and that's because Tigres does cab and chassis versions too. Everything is assembled with screws so I took it apart and this is what body looks like. Notice the body is close to an 1/8th inch thick, built sturdy for play, probably. The front and rear doors are hinged much like a diecast. I cut the back out of the cab to open it up more like a real van, then glued the two body parts together this afternoon and puttied the seam. Tomorrow I'll start some body work and see how it goes. Just a note, the plastic is tough. I can't imagine trying to open the back of the cab up without a Dremel. It took two batteries to get it done. I want to add the side door lines, but that's gonna take some serious scribing work! I'm actually feeling a little excited about this thing. Below are a couple of 1:1 vans I'm using for inspiration. I think I'll go for a rally tow van style thing with a roof rack and bumper guard like the second picture. I'll probably keep the curbside chassis and add some detail inside. I may order a Heller car trailer to go with it. That's all for the moment, I'll try to stay on task and update as I go. Sorry for the picture sizes. Still haven't gotten the hang of that!

With the heat, I've lost my ambition. However, sitting on the couch with the A/C is not doing my ADHD any favors, plus my wife is binge watching Friends, first to last episode. She has a few left. For a break I went out to the shop, it's not too bad if I start the A/C early and minimize opening the door. No real plan, just seeing where my boredom would lead. At least with the temperatures and the low humidity paint dries fast.

Here's our new boy kitten Charlie. We think he's about 8-9 weeks. He likes to sleep with one of our dogs. Bernie is a female Corgie/Jack Russell and Charlie seems to see her as a mother figure. Bernie is amazingly tolerant of it even though the attempts at nursing confuse her. Fia, our main cat isn't being mean to the new arrival but she's not happy either. She's ignoring him and hoping he'll go away.

Since I asked about the Twisted Metal Van, I thought I'd also ask about this sadly never-produced-as-a-kit model. I'd like to do one in 1/24th scale. Maybe base it on an AMT Chevy Duallie chassis? The body would be all flat sheet plastic so that shouldn't be too hard with a few plastic for sale signs and some Evergreen. Has anyone ever built one, or is there a set of blueprints or measuerments? Here's a link to the Twisted Metal post.

Anyone watch Twisted Metal? The show is based on a video game set in a Mad Max/Death Race type of post-apocalyptic world. It stars Anthony Mackie and Stephanie Beatriz. I came across an announcement yesterday about a tie-in kit and wondered if anyone has insider info? Hope it makes it to the shelves. The subject seems an unusual choice for a kit, but maybe the show is popular with collectors or something. I'd buy one just to see if it can be converted to a stock van! This is from the CultTVMan page: "The Sweet Tooth Ice Cream Van is a new kit in the works, based on the TV series and video game. This is a reworking of an existing kit with new parts. This is planned for Q2 of 2026. Twisted Metal Ice Cream Van Part Number: AMT-26C" Edit-If it's a reworking of an existing kit, what kit could that be? If AMT has acquired a license for the vehicles in the show, it'll be interesting to see how they proceed. The show features a lot of cars, among them a 1988 IROC Camaro and a bug-eye WRX. The Camaro has been previously put out by AMT in promo and kit versions, so they might be able to do an additional parts tree to convert it. The Subaru might be harder as I think Tamiya is the only one to do a kit.

Nice build!

I don't remember there being a page. Here's some from me. I built this NSX when the kit first came out, then the Monogram NASCAR kits went on clearance at Toys R Us so I bought a bunch of them. A local hobby shop had lots of JNJ decals so I had fun. Finally this is the Monogram 50 Ford done up the way a guy down at the gas station might have done it. It even has the red shop rag gas cap.

This one is on the road, even if it's not driving. A late 80s(?) Bronco II down the street from me. Looks to be faded but rust free.

Love this! A clean build and nicely done. I was mostly a Ford guy back in the day, so I'm only now starting to appreciate these trucks.

I wish they were going into the model kit business!

Thanks, I ordered a set

Love what you did with this!

This is Kermit my work truck.I got the new release Chevy shortbed truck and dually truck at a random Walmart. For something different I ordered a work truck grill from Iceman Collectibles https://icemancollections.com/products/obs-custom-grille-for-silverado-dually-kits-bar-working-truck-phantom-1-25 It works well with just a little fitting. The only thing I need are some headlight decals. Does anyone know who makes those? We have a bunch ex-forest service trucks running around town so how could I build it any other way? Couldn't find the actual paint for a good price so here's the next best thing. One of the guys at Home Depot has a forest service truck so I found a Krylon paint called Pistachio that's a pretty close match to his. The truck is built out of the box except it's lowered and has 3D printed steelies. Oh and I lost the steering wheel somehow. It's what I'd love to have if I had the money.

I came across a reel today and this was the subject. Anyone recognize the subject or the company?

I looked at your builds and wow! Nicely done.

If I may contribute, here's my latest build the Jeep flatbed from Scooby Doo, What A Night For A Knight.

Nice! I'd buy up a bunch of them if AMT reissued those early Pintos.

I was thinking of the Nicholas Cage version, but I'd take either!

I tried my hand at a conversion for a very special reason. The original Scooby Doo is still the best in my opinion so I had to do this one. This is a CVS 1/24th diecast that I stripped and rebuilt from a pickup to a flatbed. The crate is model plywood and the flatbed is basswood with styrene strips in between. The truck and its mysterious cargo are now ready for a creepy adventure. What a night for a knight! I plan to test fit the stepside bed from this truck with a Revell Honcho for a cool different version.

On a recent visit to CVS they had just replenished the Welly diecast stand. I got two of the 1/24 Jeep pickup with no plan for them other than they were too cool to pass up. Then I remembered this from Scooby Doo, so this is what I made out of it.

I posted earlier that a baby turned up in our backyard and my wife wanted to protect it. We went to the Humane Society and borrowed a live trap. The kitty went in within an hour. We think it's a he and he's a little skittish but friendly. We brought him in and gave him some food and water. Fia our main cat is not interested in new friendships, but maybe she'll warm up. I guess this one will be an emergency backup cat. In the meantime our Corgi has taken to grooming and sleeping with the new guy. My wife wants to call him Charlie.

Good job! Around Austin you usually see them either spotless or totally clapped out!

A drop in cat, does that count? Our dogs have been barking like crazy the last couple nights and just found out what it was. We have an old storm cellar in the back yard and this little goober is in there. It won't let us get close so we'll try to trap it and bring it in. We've been giving it food and water. There's a cat colony across the street so maybe it got kicked out? If we can catch it we already have two people who'll take it.

Someone at Walmart said when life hands you a license suspension, you make do.

We had some unsettled weather this last month, but this was the first active participant I saw. For those budget minded tornado chasers, here we see the tough Dodge Dart! This was actually cool, it has antennas and anemometers, and the roof rack has hail mesh that hangs over the front and rear windows. Apparently the people inside are Paramedics too!