50's Inspired Hover Car

[PFJN]

Cool, I'll look into those 

[PFJN]

Hi,
I've started closing off the bottom of the car. 



Next I'll have to give some thought to adding some "landing skids/pads" somewhere.  I have a couple different ideas on how to proceed but I'm not fully sure yet which way to go.

One thought is to do "open" landing skids like on a Huey Helicopter.  This could either be a single skid along each side, or a smaller pair forward and a smaller pair aft (kind of replacing the wheels from the original kit).



Another thought would be something similar but fully enclosed, like they have on the bottom on some air cushion vehicles, like shown in this image of the bottom of a plastic model (from Trunmpeter) of the US Navy's LCAC hovercraft.  (The small ridges along the bottom are structural stifferners while the four big shapes fore and aft near the outer edges are large closed aluminum shapes that support the craft when it is "off cushion"). 



Pat

[Kerick]

The landing skids sound cool!
Some sprues come with a circle in the middle. If you cut the circle and file and sand it to an airfoil shape it works well as the legs.

[PFJN]

Hi,
That's an interesting idea 

[perttime]

Helicopter skids would look too normal 

Some side pipes might work as landing stands 

[Kerick]

Then there is this guy…….

https://www.reddit.com/r/MemeTemplatesOfficial/comments/jfk74d/helicopter_taking_off_without_landing_skids/

[PFJN]

Yikes 

Here is where I currently am at.  The first two images show the build from the side and bottom with some parts of the "side pipe" like attachment taped into place.  The second two images show a cartoon like sketch that I did over those images showing what I have in mind for the "side pipes" when completed.  And the last image shows some options I'm thinking of for the bottom of those parts.

In general I'm thinking that these items will be maybe part of the lift system for the hover car, and as such in the 1st option for the bottom of the piece I was thinking of breaking the shape up into smaller panels that might look like they are meant to "glow/radiate".  For the second option instead I just have some "ridges"

Pat

[Kerick]

Interesting! Carry on!

[Buzzbomb]

Yes moving along nicely 

[Jeffry Fontaine]

From my YouTube video recommendations this morning: YouTube > Found and Explained > What happened to flying cars? Air Car 2500

[PFJN]

Hi,
That was interesting 

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Hi,
That was interesting 

It was worth the time taken to watch for certain.  I still like the AirGeep over the hover car. 

[PFJN]

Hi,
I agree.  In the meantime I've started adding the "side pipe"/lift devices to my build, as well as started on adding the "spear" trim to the side, as shown below.  I really have no ideas on how the "side pipe" things are supposed to work but I just liked the idea of adding something that look like side pipes and also thought that maybe making thm part of the lift system might be an interesting idea

Regards

Pat




PS.  I eventually intedn to trim the back end of the pipes so that they don't extend so far behind the car.  I just made them extra long for now because I was sure exactly where to fit everything, and wanted to have a little extra length to play with.

[Kerick]

Good thinking! It’s a lot easier to make something shorter than to try and make it longer again! Kind of an add on to the “measure twice, cut once” law.

[PFJN]

Hi,
I've been making slow but steady progress.  I'm almost done with the basic building but still need to add the "Spear Tips", some grille details, and then do alot more sanding and filling, as shown below.

Over the last week or two I've been going back and forth on a couple things and have;

• mostly finished up the "side pipe" like appendages
• finalized the landing gear to be skid like appendages at the corners that are intended to be partially retracted when the craft is hovering
• revised the fastback roof to make it a little shorter and I also changed it back to all white in color
• dechromed most of the chrome parts so that I can repaint them the same color as the side "spear"

For the Grille I'm thinking of adding a couple pieces (that look a bit like teeth) that will be in chrome.  Right now I am considering three different options,

• one that looks like the car has a little bit of an "over bite" with the "teeth" extending down from the top of the grille
• one that looks like the car has a little bit of an "under bite" with the "teeth" extending up from the bottom of the grille
• one the has large "teeth" outboard extending down, with smaller "teeth" inboard extending up

Regards

Pat

[raafif]

• one that looks like the car has a little bit of an "over bite" with the "teeth" extending down from the top of the grille

Like the top left one = Dracula fangs

[Frank3k]

I like the vampire teeth, too.

[PFJN]

Hi,
I think I may go with that then 

[Old Wombat]

Tow Mater teeth?

[PFJN]

That could be a possibility 

[Kerick]

Tow Mater teeth?

That was one of the funniest Disney characters in a long time!

[perttime]

I find the first two tooth options (up only and down only) somehow comical. The third one (up and down) looks more serious. Maybe it is just me.

[robunos]

Try this . . .

https://www.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/68677cc2343ab_r16muanmvs4f1-jpeg__700.jpg

cheers,
Robin.

[Buzzbomb]

"Cars that ate Paris" 

This is really coming along and getting its own identity now.. nice work

[PFJN]

Try this . . .

https://www.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/68677cc2343ab_r16muanmvs4f1-jpeg__700.jpg

cheers,
Robin.

Yikes -  -