Beyond The Sprues

Current and Finished Projects => Physical Models => Land => Topic started by: Kerick on July 17, 2026, 01:40:11 PM

Title: The Addams Family goes to the beach
Post by: Kerick on July 17, 2026, 01:40:11 PM
At my last club meeting I received a kit of the new Tamiya Schimmwagon. We are using this kit as a basis for a GB. In the box it appears to be a very good kit with nearly no flash and plenty of nice detail. It’s not excessive like some manufacturers these days. It also includes three figures, one of which is not meant to be used.
As I just can’t leave a kit alone I’ve decided to whiff it into an Addams Family beach buggy. As the kit comes with the wide tires it was designed to use all I needed to do was dress it up a little. I bought a no name chrome paint pen and chromed the wheels, window frame and several other parts. I’ll paint the body black with red velvet looking seats. The trick will be making a figure of Lurch all crammed in trying to drive it. I might need another for Uncle Fester and the kids.
The other option would be to jack up the suspension and add fat tires from the parts box and make a redneck pickup truck version. Maybe in the future using a Kubelwagon kit. Pics will follow.
Title: Re: The Addams Family goes to the beach
Post by: apophenia on July 18, 2026, 07:19:39 AM
I like it!  Are you thinking of modifying existing 'soldier' figures? (Maybe 1/32nd would give Lurch the stature he needs?)

I've seen mention of 1/24th figures of the Addams Family members ... but not 1/35th. There are some scalable 3D print figures out there of the Family but they're kinda pricey.

Is it just me or does anyone else see Thing surfing the ride on top of the spare wheel?  ;D
Title: Re: The Addams Family goes to the beach
Post by: raafif on July 18, 2026, 08:33:38 AM
You guys are SICK ! ... Love the idea :smiley: :smiley:
Title: Re: The Addams Family goes to the beach
Post by: Old Wombat on July 18, 2026, 03:21:36 PM
For some reason I thought that there was a hot-rodded Addams family car.

Then I remembered that it was the Munsters coach that was the hotrod!

The Addams family were chauffeured in Packards!
Title: Re: The Addams Family goes to the beach
Post by: raafif on July 19, 2026, 08:03:39 AM
wood wheels for snow & sand on Schwimmwagen !
Title: Re: The Addams Family goes to the beach
Post by: Kerick on July 19, 2026, 10:30:12 AM
Having Thing on board is a great idea. Maybe Cousin It too.
Title: Re: The Addams Family goes to the beach
Post by: Kerick on July 20, 2026, 09:23:43 AM
I'll do my best Joe!

I'm thinking of Thing hanging on for dear life to the windshield frame! Maybe Cousin It too. Here's a couple of pics. The chrome paint pen is awesome! Shiney as can be.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55405684909_1c962e6f0d_b.jpg) (http://"https://flic.kr/p/2sq1BPt")

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55404549692_e4ec0dd6ed_b.jpg) (http://"https://flic.kr/p/2spUNmL")

The chrome wheels have turned out great. The way Tamiya has these parts set up it's easy to paint the white walls, the chrome wheel and the black tread. I'm filling in the usual spare tire holder and will try to place the spare in the touring car position behind the front wheel. I don't know how that's going to work yet. Plan B is on the rear hood.
I can't say enough about this kit. It's not too complex but has plenty of detail. The fit of the upper body to the bottom could be a little firmer. You are given a piece of mesh to glue over the engine air intake that is not very flexible. I had to fight with it to get it glued onto the intake opening. Those are the only two things I could comment on in a negative way. You have to look closely at the instructions for the assembly of the wheels and fitting them to the axles but you'll see the reasoning if you do. I haven't had to scrape flash from a part yet. The fit of everything so far has been great other than mentioned above. Once you see how the wheels go together it's a pleasure to assemble them.

My figure skills are not that great but this group of characters might be a good way to practice my skills. I could put Gomez on a bike and Lurch driving Morticia, Wednesday and Pugsly in the buggy. Uncle Fester and the rest of the gang could be in another vehicle. This project is growing by the day. I had a crazy thought that I might be able to put this in the one week GB at the last minute but I knew that wasn't really going to happen. Now this may turn into three vehicles and maybe seven figures. I need an extra tall Lurch and two smaller ones for the kids.
Title: Re: The Addams Family goes to the beach
Post by: Kerick on July 23, 2026, 09:31:09 AM
I made Lurch from the standing figure that comes with the kit. I changed his left arm and his hat. Now he looks like a guy a head taller than the rest. I made Gomez from a shorter tank figure and Uncle Fester needs that long cloak/coat he always wore. I’ll go search my 1/48th collection for the kids. Morticia is still a puzzle. Maybe cousin It if I can make hair work.
Title: Re: The Addams Family goes to the beach
Post by: Kerick on July 28, 2026, 12:53:34 AM
Here's a pic of the boys in the band. Uncle Fester's robe/cloak thing is turning out better than I expected.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55422533227_1a47a538e4_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2sruYeH)
Title: Re: The Addams Family goes to the beach
Post by: Buzzbomb on July 28, 2026, 07:15:12 AM
Nice mods on the figures.

It is of interest to me to see how the evolution of Tamiya figures has gone, the latest one, being the yellow plastic, the face and hands are very nicely done and expressive. Compared to the vague lumpy features on earlier figures.
Title: Re: The Addams Family goes to the beach
Post by: Frank3k on July 28, 2026, 09:46:50 AM
These figures look good - Uncle Fester may have just come out of his beginning human taxidermy class.

Many of the modern Tamiya figures are based on 3D scans of real people in period uniforms.

Title: Re: The Addams Family goes to the beach
Post by: Kerick on July 28, 2026, 10:17:46 AM
I just think it looks a lot like Lurch doing his groan. He is also a head taller than the others so who’s off the most? I’m not worried. I bought some fake fur at Hobby Lobby to try to do Cousin It. If he’s going to the beach he’ll need a wide brim hat!
Title: Re: The Addams Family goes to the beach
Post by: Kerick on July 29, 2026, 06:24:00 AM
The beach buggy is needing only a couple of parts to be finished. I’m working on Lurch, Gomez and Uncle Fester so far. They are the easy ones. I’m thinking about a second vehicle. I may have a Jeep in the stash that’s waiting to be whiffed. If I actually build all these characters there won’t be enough seats for everyone!
I’m going to try and build a better place to take pictures other than the cluttered desktop. Photos may be delayed.
Title: Re: The Addams Family goes to the beach
Post by: apophenia on July 30, 2026, 05:24:38 AM
Nice mods on the figures...

Agreed. And it was good of Tamiya to give you a giant out-of-the-box to create Lurch from  ;D
Title: Re: The Addams Family goes to the beach
Post by: Kerick on July 30, 2026, 09:51:08 AM
Nice mods on the figures...

Agreed. And it was good of Tamiya to give you a giant out-of-the-box to create Lurch from  ;D

All I had to do was replace the left arm and he was perfect!  ;)
Title: Re: The Addams Family goes to the beach
Post by: Kerick on August 03, 2026, 05:24:08 AM
Here we go! I'm calling this one done. I'm still working on the figures. A fellow from my model club is going to try and 3D print a figure of Morticia. No way am I able to modify a figure for that.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55438656480_941912fdb7_b.jpg) (http://"https://flic.kr/p/2ssVB7Q")

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55437298922_769af3c069_b.jpg) (http://"https://flic.kr/p/2ssNDyE")

This is the paint pen I used to make the chrome trim.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55437298912_8f864f15c0_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ssNDyu)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55437298917_cff4398ea4_b.jpg) (http://"https://flic.kr/p/2ssNDyz")

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55438656515_4b4eee4c8d_b.jpg) (http://"https://flic.kr/p/2ssVB8r")

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55438382308_6bb17c414f_b.jpg) (http://"https://flic.kr/p/2ssUcBJ")

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55438269921_fe9c7836d8_b.jpg) (http://"https://flic.kr/p/2ssTCd2")
Title: Re: The Addams Family goes to the beach
Post by: Claymore on August 03, 2026, 06:30:07 AM
Very nice and very, very shiny.  Bravo!!  :-*
Title: Re: The Addams Family goes to the beach
Post by: apophenia on August 03, 2026, 07:37:49 AM
Wow! That came out incredibly well - love the 1960s beach buggy-style bucket seats (kubelsitz?), exhaust stacks, and jumbo intake shroud  :-*

And the results from your chrome pen are seriously impressive  :smiley: :smiley:
Title: Re: The Addams Family goes to the beach
Post by: Jeffry Fontaine on August 03, 2026, 09:11:28 AM
Great Scott!  That came out looking really good! 
Title: Re: The Addams Family goes to the beach
Post by: Old Wombat on August 03, 2026, 10:24:03 AM
Brilliant! Really looks the part! All black, red & chrome, & shiny! With white-wall tyres, no less!  :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: 8) ;D
Title: Re: The Addams Family goes to the beach
Post by: GTX_Admin on August 04, 2026, 12:44:02 AM
 :smiley:
Title: Re: The Addams Family goes to the beach
Post by: Frank3k on August 04, 2026, 02:06:29 AM
I love it! The shiny black goes great with the red seats and the intake at the rear looks good!
Title: Re: The Addams Family goes to the beach
Post by: Kerick on August 04, 2026, 03:54:19 AM
Thank you mi amigos!
Title: Re: The Addams Family goes to the beach
Post by: Kerick on August 14, 2026, 05:11:54 AM
I was just fooling around with ChatGTP on my phone and came up with this.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55462162679_f1b72306d2_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2sv15G8)

I uploaded the pic of the buggy and told it to put it front of the Addams Family house. I can't argue too much with it, it did what I told it to. A different angle on the buggy would have made it more realistic.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55462162684_ff6ac1280a_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2sv15Gd)

This was the first one and I told it to use an old creepy house. Not bad. I also made it look like it was drawn in a cartoon. Just something I was goofing around with.
Title: Re: The Addams Family goes to the beach
Post by: Jeffry Fontaine on August 14, 2026, 05:27:28 AM
Nicely done! 
Title: Re: The Addams Family goes to the beach
Post by: Buzzbomb on August 14, 2026, 06:18:27 AM
So good  :smiley:
Title: Re: The Addams Family goes to the beach
Post by: Kerick on August 14, 2026, 11:46:47 AM
Thank you!
Title: Re: The Addams Family goes to the beach
Post by: Old Wombat on August 14, 2026, 04:29:35 PM
 :smiley: 8)