Iditarod Rat Rod Bus - 2-22-18 Update - All But Done!

[FrozenPlastik49]

Time for a new build! Trying to get this one done in time for the Anchorage IPMS Winterfest/Fur Rondy model contest in late February. Using the Jimmy Flintstone 1950 Ford School Bus (and donor Revell Ford F-1 pickup), I plan to turn it into a dog musher's bus styled after the 'famed' McCandless bus. The side windows will be converted to dog kennels. Already scratchbuilt the dog sled and roof rack (the one pictured was re-done for a lower profile) and ordered a handful of huskies from Winup Scale Models at Shapeways.  It will mostly be a curbside, though the undercarriage will be detailed and the bottom half of the motor will be used.  Wheels are EightyOne's Brixton R25s (21"). Been testing several alternatives for weathering, including the salt technique and Lifecolors Rust Wizard and may settle on using both.  Wish me luck!

[Jonathan]

Wow!  Awesome!

[Foxer]

very interesting ...

[Rocking Rodney Rat]

Definitely going into the wild with this build!!! That's a whole lot of resin, love the sled and the pups, looking good so far!!!! -RRR

Edited November 18, 2017 by Rocking Rodney Rat

[Modelbuilder Mark]

 This should be really cool. 

[espo]

I'm very impressed with your Dog Sled. I had not seen that Resin body before, looks like your in for a good time with this.   

[MeatMan]

Nice looking project! I like the wheels on the bus. Excellent choice Fred!

[DumpyDan]

Looking good, will keep following your build

[OldNYJim]

This is cool!  Great start!

[FrozenPlastik49]

Thanks Jonathan, Foxer, RRR, Modelbuilder Mark, Espo, MeatMan, Dumpy Dan, and Cab Driver!

[disabled modeler]

That is going to be very cool..!

[curt raitz]

Nice looking project! I like the wheels on the bus. Excellent choice Fred!

Not to good in the snow and ice, though!

[vintagercr]

Cool!

[MeatMan]

Not to good in the snow and ice, though!

That's why we do styrene. Anything's possible with plastic!! 

[FrozenPlastik49]

On 11/23/2017 at 4:01 AM, disabled modeler said:

That is going to be very cool..!

Thanks Mark...hope so!

[FrozenPlastik49]

On 11/23/2017 at 7:03 AM, curt raitz said:

Not to good in the snow and ice, though!

I agree Curt...might just break out the Molotow chrome pen and add some studs to those tires!

[FrozenPlastik49]

On 11/25/2017 at 2:07 AM, vintagercr said:

Cool!

Thanks vintagercr...much appreciated!

[FrozenPlastik49]

On 11/25/2017 at 5:48 PM, MeatMan said:

That's why we do styrene. Anything's possible with plastic!! 

Exactly MeatMan! 

[Imaeechew]

This is going to be good, can't wait to see more. I like seeing the homage to Christopher McCandless

[FrozenPlastik49]

Thanks Imaeechew!

[FrozenPlastik49]

Quick update to start 2018! After dissecting the plethora of photos of the McCandless Bus, it seemed prudent to scribe panel lines on the Flintstone school bus. To continue my insanity, I also decided to form window frames out of .015" x .020" Evergreen plastic strips (a few are evident in the photos...all are done as of posting). All windows (not shown) are now cut from.010" clear Evergreen sheet and will be sprayed with Tamiya smoke. Also not shown are three scratchbuilt jerry cans that will take residence on the roof rack. My lovely wife bought me a Paasche Talon TG airbrush and compressor (my first!!!) for Christmas (thank you Amanda....and Anchorage House of Hobbies!!!), so I'm moving towards paint as soon as I'm comfortable with the whole airbrush experience. Vallejo Model Air and Model Color will be applied in the coming days and then weathering can begin!

[espo]

I like your build and the Dog is cool also. Are the windows going to be mounted inside the moldings or on the outside ? As I recall the style of that time was to have the windows set back into the body work and very small trim around the glass.

[FrozenPlastik49]

Thanks espo! Yes, windows will be mounted just inside moldings. Time and skill limits will dictate not being able to set them back as they probably should be.

[FrozenPlastik49]

Paint!!! With my new (and first) airbrush, I laid down some Vallejo paints. 71.001 White for the top part and a mix of 70.972 Light Green Blue, 70.970 Deep Green, 71.050 Light Gray, and the 71.001 for the bottom. Pretty happy with the result. Rims were painted in same colors. Next will be the undercarriage and on to the weathering.

[WolfmanJedd]

Man, that's cool! Love that color that you mixed!