Mongoose and transporter

[olsbooks]

Thought I'd share.  Mongoose is a box build MPC kit...my first dragster kit.  Normally I do semi's, ships, miltary or machinery and beat them up.  Truck kit is Dodge L700 Lindberg.  Frame stretch and truck body are scratchbuilt from balsa and plastic.  Decals on the truck were very old and  therefore filled with cracks/patches...once some new ones come my way, they will be redone.  Mongoose signage on truck is from box art applied just for a trial.   More pix in the under glass section of big rigs.   Decals on LHS of Mongoose obviously not complete at time of pic.  Virtually all chrome (less wheels) on Mongoose is redone using a Molotowe chrome pen. 

Peace

 

 

 

Edited December 8, 2018 by olsbooks

[Gramps46]

Very nicely done on both models.  Does the truck use ramps to load the dragster?

[Mr mopar]

Cool!

[olsbooks]

VERY VERY long ramps .  If you notice the rear of the body, there is a "door" so they "could" slide between the frame rails the full length.  That still wouldn't do unless the rear wheels of the truck were put in a hole, the front of the truck jacked up, etc according to basic geometry/approach angles.   I'm just going to say the Mongoose crew lifts the front end above their heads while it is winched on.    

 Seriously,  I considered dovetailing and ramping the whole thing but didn't like the looks. Functionally certainly would work better but the truck looked like hauling a pizza slice.  

Regardless, I'm notorious for rebuilding/repurposing stuff after it sits a few months and all the shortcoming begin to bother me too much.  That's another reason why I seldom hard glue in major components anymore and use water based paints (Valejo, Wicked Colors, etc).  The cab, engine, and body will pop right out sort of like Lego pieces and the frame extension wouldn't take much either.  (the driveshaft is made out of drinking straws inserted one into another. 4 drops of CA debond on cheater tabs inside the frame rails will cause the extension to fall right out so it can be adjusted with no problem).

The idea of building a early 70's camper body on the back, dropping in a diesel engine and pulling the dragster with a  low, flatbed trailer is already bouncing around. Then again....the idea of making it into a old farm truck (my more usual fare) has also come into mind.  Who knows....  If I happen across some good decals, its survival chances (of the truck as built) are much higher.  The Mongoose itself is pretty safe.  Hard to repurpose that thing unless I want to make a make it into a radio tower and put the engine in a race boat.  The way I fought that MPC kit, I'm not eager to take it apart. 

That rear wing  gave me fits.  If you look close in the second photo, you can see a cheater piece of stock I used on the underside of it.  I glued that cheater piece to the uprights and let it dry.  By doing so,  I could then "trial and error fit" the wing and have the ability to easily shim and adjust it.  The obscenities mumbled before coming up with that "brilliant" conclusion need not be repeated.   Purists will cry foul but hey, I'm old, blind, shaky, cranky, and want to enjoy messing with these things and simple challenges...not have them cause me grief.

Edited October 17, 2018 by olsbooks

[Ace-Garageguy]

That is really nice. 

[cobraman]

Looks nice, good job.

[Old Coyote]

Very ingenious and beautifully executed ....... well done.

[Codi]

jc, that is VERY cool.  I was thinking of doing a transporter but it wasn't nearly as ambitious as yours.  The entire rig AND car look great together.  I've gotta re-consider a transporter someday if I could make it that sweet.  hmmmmmm.........a build to be proud of.   cheers, tim

[olsbooks]

Thank you all for the kind comments.    The transporter body was the easiest. 

That MPC Mongoose kit, however, drove me more nuts than I already am.   It is the second "round 2" MPC model kit and found both the same.  (Rupp minibike)  I don't know what they use for the plastic but both have been almost "gooey"...like the plastic used for action figures or the old green army men from the 60's and 70's.  I could bend a sprue 25 degrees or more and it go right back into place.   TERRIBLE to glue and paint.

Thank you again for the kind words.

Peace.

[GoatGuy]

Great job JC.

[fordy8]

Maybe the reason the wing fought so hard, was that it didn't want to go on backward. Other than that they do look pretty awesome.

Edited October 27, 2018 by fordy8

[DumpyDan]

Good looking combo, I like it.

[Truck parts]

Great looking builds ,