Wednesday 30 April 2014

Pimp My Ride (WIP)

I've been watching the work of whiskey priest and cheetor with much interest over the last few weeks. Not only are they putting together some bands of space pirates for some RT gaming at the Oldhammer Day in August, but they are also producing some lovely shuttlecraft.

For a little while now I've wanted to make some sort of vehicle for my Brat gang. Every self-respecting Brat wants some sort of ride, and I figured the most suitable form of transport was some sort of pimped up streetcar.

Like this.

 

So, I did a bit of research into suitable vehicle scales (1/48 is apparently a fairly decent match), and I tracked down a rather nice 1938 Y17 Hispano Suiza from the Matchbox 'Models of Yesteryear' range for the princely sum of £4.00 on ebay.



After removing the drop top, I spent a long time thinking about how I was going to make the car work in a 40k setting - clearly it would need some adaptation. I happily stumbled across Zinge Industries V8 engine parts.
 
www.zinge.co.uk

After a tiny bit of fettling, I added them to the Hispano Suiza for some suitably extravagent engine customisation:




I still need to work out what to do with the rear of the car - I'm not sure whether to add a chasis-mounted weapon of some kind, or go for some more bling - all suggestions welcome!

The driver himself is still very much WIP - he's been hacked apart and repinned, but I've not started the repair work to conceal all the cut marks. He's based on one of Jes Goodwin's lovely Brat gangers with some serious attention from my model saw. Both legs were removed and repositioned, and the head was also cut off and re-angled. Both arms are actually from Dark Eldar Hellions, by sheer happy coincidence I had them sitting in a box of bits and they were perfect for what I needed. The steering wheel is glued to the driver so he's fully removable as a unit without trying to wrestle him in!



I plan to sculpt a pair of shades on the driver when I break out the greenstuff
 
Finally, here's the scale shot. GW's figures tend to be short in the arms and legs, barrel-chested and big-headed. Although two people in the car would be a bit of a squeeze I'm happy that it looks close enough to the mark not to worry anyone!
 
"You want those Venator scum iced in a drive by? You got it boss!"
 

17 comments:

  1. Looking good, I'll be interested to see how you paint it!

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    1. Painting is a nightmare still to come - do I go for a really snazzy paintjob with lots of custom paint details, or something slicker with a high gloss finish?!

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  2. Wow, you definitely didn't choose the easy way, I would have gone teh lazy one wit a dark future model but I have to say it looks fab' ! Teh dark eldar arms really suit the original drawings and the repositionned head is simple but effective.
    I think the car doesn't need gun mounts or things of the sort, maybe some gadgets like guns in the fornt lights but that would be a tad overdoing it imho.

    how do you plan on painting it? I can't help but imagine flame pattren on the fornt (how cliché I know)

    Oh and I definitely read that last sentence Jon, you wanna play it dirty? we're playing it dirty then ;)

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    1. Aren't dark future models tiny? I'm pretty sure they're 15mm or something.

      Flames are a possibility...depends how brave I'm feeling.

      JB - I'm all innocence...I don't know what you mean ;) ;)

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    2. Oooh, its on now! ;)

      Dark Future stuff is too small, its Matchbox/Hot Wheels scale. That was part of the appeal in fact.

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    3. OK, my bad, forget about the dark future thing,

      If flames are too time -consuming, may I suggest a solid gold paint with an aded glaze to give a metallic coloured PJ? I've seen it done in my hobby shop lately and it's dead time/energy-efficient

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  3. Thats brilliant, full of promise. Will we see these guys doing donuts at BOYL? I hope so.

    I use 1:48 vehicles for my 28mm gaming (although there is variance in that too. No substitute for taking a miniature to the toy shop really). As you say, GW 28mm proportions are peculiar. If you used a car in proprtion with the models heads or fists it would be approximately the size of a small loaf of bread ;)

    I think that in a world where an Imperial Rhino can transport ten armoured space marines and a driver, those wheels could easily transport four or five hive nobles.

    Like Evo, Im very interested to see where this ends up :)

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    1. I do indeed intend to bring these guys to BOYL (probably one or other of the days as it's my daughter's birthday that weekend).

      Donuts are highly probably!

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  4. That's just the business. The VERY business.

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  5. Have you considered moving the exhaust pipes to under the doors? Or even straight out from on top of the bonnet.....blocking the divers view? IMHO the true test of a great rogue trader vehicle is too see how outlandish and/or impractical it can be!

    Great job on the driver too, he looks right at home in his ride.

    Oh, and that grille is just crying out for some big arse cannons sticking out from it too!

    Hope this constructive criticism is helpful.

    Cheers

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    1. Perhaps I'll keep some of the extreme stuff aside in case I do a second - thanks for the suggestions :)

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  6. That is awesome, I have images of running gun fights between brats in their souped up street cars and Genestealer cults in their limo's!
    The only thing that springs to mind for the rear end is some kind of power plant based on the delorien from back to the future! some kind of food based fusion device!

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    1. Now that sounds like a fun scenario! Easy enough to adapt Gorkamorka :-)

      Great idea on the rear engines. Any suggestions for parts?

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  7. Really, really awesome. Well done.

    As to what you should do with the back, I think your best move would be to check out this blog: http://carmensminiaturepainting.blogspot.com/2013/05/machinas-last-of-cars-for-bit.html

    He does a lot of post-apoc car conversions that, while in a smaller scale, should be plenty inspiring.

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  8. Quite lovely, and your work on the driver is ace.

    It might improve the look a bit though if you moved the bit on the hood/bonnet back until it nearly touches the wind shield/screen. If you have any knocking about, the old spotlights from the imperial tank accessory sprue would be interesting as replacements for the kit headlights.

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  9. Inspired stuff. I suggest some sort of power unit/turbo booster on the rear to give the thing a real customised feel.

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    1. I'm actively searching for just such a component!

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