Puddingwrestler's Tofudabeest

[puddingwrestler]

Being in a car building mood, I thought I'd build a quick build while I waited for the Crazy Taxi to dry or when I was bored with sanding it endlessly. So I pulled a 1955 Toyopet Crown from my stash, and decided to hit it with late 50s American style custom touches. Then a little later I invented a custom car club to go with it; the Sinister Orientals CC. A club for Japanese cars made in the American style. I plan on adding a Mazda Carol hot rod next...

As to the name; well, this is how I descrfibed it on the What-If Modeler's forum:

"Imagine taking a 55 Toyopet Crown and making it into an American style custom. It's small, slow and not very powerful. But then the whole point of early customs was to make them look like something they were not - a more expensive and luxurious car. Power was optional.

The Tofudabeest is like that... with out the power at all.

So many hot cars involve the word 'beast'. Uncounted hoons refer to thier hoonmobile as 'The Beast' and plenty of drag cars have born the name in some way.

But this car is not a hairy cheasted beast.

Remember the farside cartoon where the Leopards accidentally killed a 'health antelope' - it looked like a real antelope, but it was tofu. A Tofudabeest.

Which is why I have named the car the Tofudabeest - it looks like a real custom, but under the skin it's not really. It's just pretending. Plus it is a Japanese machine, and Japanese food involved Tofu. And learning mad drift skills in oyur car involves Tofu - just watch Initial D if you don't believe me."

Anyway, on to the pics!

Roughly what the chopped roof will look like when installed (still sanding at present)

Custom grill opening:

Custom grille (this will be BMF'ed before installation)

Custom side trim and fender skirts installed. I've cleaned up the ends of the trim a little, but this is basically where I am now up to.

I've also lowered the car, but no pics to show that yet. I'm thinking a blue exterior with two shades of blue for the interior. I might paint the area under the side trim silver, not sure just yet.

[george 53]

O, WHY does it look like an old fifty's Buick?

[puddingwrestler]

I'm working on the interior paint and flocking at the moment and blending the roof back into the body.

I'm smoothing off various of the gutters etc. on the roof in the process as it makes it easier to get the joins smooth. I might put them back later after I've seen how it looks.

[puddingwrestler]

I've got the Tofudabeest interior done. It's very simple afterall.

Paint is Tamiya light blue and flat aluminium. I used some BMF on the kick panesl and purplish blue flocking from a craft store sample set I got (used for scrap booking I think - got twelve little jars for about $10 as I recall, each jar has enough for about five or six car interiors easy). The dash glues to the inside of the body, not the interior. I've used a little PVA glue on the guages for the glass look.

One great thing about this model is that it fits together really easily and quikly, making it a snap to check the overall look of things. This is how we stand at present. The roof still needs a little work.

[puddingwrestler]

The world has been conspiring against me - it's report writing week (I'm a teacher) so I've been putting in long hours, it gets dark around 6, being mid winter down here, and my rented house's shed has no lights. As a result, I have had the Tofudabeest ready to paint since Tuesday, but never managed to get it painted...

Fortunately tommorow is Saturday, and after I have staged a mighty and epic hobby shop crawl (which will net me the raw materials for my next insane project) and visited my wargames club I'll get the first coats of paint on. It'll be two tone silver and light metallic blue, all auto touch up rattle cans.

[Romell R]

Wow Owen Im actually looking forward to this lil beast (pun) coming to life. keep up the good work.

Edited June 18, 2010 by Aftashox

[stevegt738]

Wow, great minds think alike, although you're going a lot further than I am.

I like what you have planned.

[Wagoneer81]

Nice concept! As soon as I read the title before I even opened the thread, my first thought was of that Far Side cartoon! I like the Buick style trim, it sets off the rest of the body styling nicely. It'll be interesting to watch this one emerge from its cocoon. What manner of beast is this exactly? As in; who makes the kit, what scale is it and what is the part number? Sorry about all the questions but this is the first time I've seen one of these in scale and wouldn't mind adding one or two to my collection if possible.

[stevegt738]

Arii 1/32 scale. Kit no:41006-600. That is the details on my box, Owens might be a different release.

[Wagoneer81]

Thank you!

[puddingwrestler]

Thank you!

Mine's actually the taxi versionof the kit, but the onyl difference seems to be that it comes with a taxi sign fro teh roof. Well, the instructions show one, I can't seem to spot the piece in the kit anywhere...

Steve - I'm not lowering mine anywhere near as far as yours. I've dropped it about 2-3 scale inches, basically as far as the wheel wells in the kit allow, so it's still realistically driveable wihtout having to use pneumatic suspension for adjustabel ride hieght.

[stevegt738]

Yeah it is a bit low, mine will be sitting on the wheel wells as well. Like this

I think there must be a police version as well, the parts tree in mine has what looks like a bonnet mounted siren in it.

[puddingwrestler]

There is indeed a police version. Arii seems to make police and taxi versions of most of thier 1/32 releases. There's a police Beetle and a police version of teh Subaru 360(!)

I've shot the first coupla coats of blue, shot the silver yesterday. Also got the hub caps on the go. They're made from 7mm googly eyes, painted silver on the inside. COuld use BMF, but I'm not confident about getting the round shape to work. COuld use Alclad, but I don;t have that, or teh requisite airbrush.

[puddingwrestler]

Well chaps, it's done. And you can have a squizz here.