Beyond The Sprues

Current and Finished Projects => Physical Models => Land => Topic started by: Timcat on March 04, 2015, 08:16:53 AM

Title: Circus Car
Post by: Timcat on March 04, 2015, 08:16:53 AM
I have almost completed my circus car model.  I imagine this car as purchased 'used' by a circus.  It was modified a little and used for parades and advertising. 
I started building on Dec.15, 2015 with an old 1/16 Entex 1910 Thomas Flyer kit.  My brother gave it to me since he was not going to build it.   I still need to add fenders, add lights, install wheels and add a few other items.  I may add working lights.
Entex kits are rather difficult due to poor fit and very few locator pins.  The header pipe and tailpipe are split with no locator pins.  I assembled both using a little liquid cement.  Then I squeezed some more liquid cement in the ends of the each pipe.  A week later I tried to install them in the muffler.  When I did the pipes lost their hardness and drooped rather comically.  Oops!  Guess I used a little too much glue!  So I scratchbuilt exhaust pipes out of 3/16in plastic rod and a soda straw.  The new tailpipe is a little longer than the original.
The kit also has 12 tiny valve springs made from extremely thin wire.  At first some appeared to be missing.  But when I examined them closely I found some of the springs had twisted themselves together.  They appeared to be 1 spring but were really 2 or 3 springs melded together.  Question: How did they do that?   When I tried to separate them some distorted so much they were unusable.  So I scratchbuilt springs out of slightly thicker wire.
My additions:
1. Framework made from wood strips.
2. Windshield made green translucent plastic sheet.
3. Windshield frame made from Plastruct strips.
4. Computer generated paper signs
5. More to come
   
 
Title: Circus Car-more pics
Post by: Timcat on March 04, 2015, 08:21:21 AM
Here are 4 more pics.  Its rather colorful!  Especially the seats.  I used spray cans, paintbrushes and an airbrush.
Title: Re: Circus Car
Post by: GTX_Admin on March 05, 2015, 02:32:27 AM
Nice work.
Title: Re: Circus Car
Post by: Brian da Basher on March 15, 2015, 12:42:18 AM
That's definitely one of the most colorful, cheerful models I've seen in a while!

Nice work, Timcat!

Brian da Basher
Title: Circus Car-Finished!
Post by: Timcat on March 15, 2015, 09:37:32 PM
Brian & GTX, Thanks for the compliments.
I have finished the Circus car.  The CC now has working electric lights.  The lights are modified $ store reading lights.  The lights are small, cheap and self-contained.  Unfortunately one of them is already getting weak.  The other light parts are leftovers from the Mercer Raceabout kit.
An interesting thing about this build is that when I started I had no idea it would end up looking like this.  I just knew I wanted to make it as colorful as possible.  The lynx is a Toob figure.
Title: More Circus Car pictures
Post by: Timcat on March 15, 2015, 09:39:54 PM
More Circus Car pictures.
Enjoy!