Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Machinas: Jack Slade's Driving Fortress


Oh man, did I enjoy putting this one together. It took a lot longer than the other cars, but then again, it's a lot longer than my other cars.

I used some brass tubing this time around for the guns - all seven of them (twin turret guns, twin tailguns, two waist guns and the forward gun.)

The tailgun assembly was fun to do it's just a whole lot of green stuff slapped on and shaped into a nice large mount over the back trunk, from the back window to the gun barrels. I carved a panel line around the back of the tailgun "tube" so that I could paint a ribbon of silver around it to help combine it with the Cadillac's back end.

The turret was easy this time around (I did a smaller version for one of my other cars earlier.) The turret is made up of green stuff that I let cure before drilling out a couple holes for the gun tubes. Then I glued a length of brass wire to the bottom to serve as a swivel, so that the gun can traverse. (I'll learn to make elevating gun mounts later.)

The waist guns are the least attractive, but took the most work (which is ok; they were needed to complete the full effect of a driving fortress.) I had to take apart the car, build a couple mounts on the separate internal chassis floor plate, drill out the bottom of the assembled guns, set them onto the pivot points, and then reassemble the car while guiding the guns through the windows and without the guns falling off their mounts (The top of the windows now hold the guns down onto their mounts.) It was a lot of work, but it actually wasn't too difficult. Even the reassembly went fairly well, taking only a couple tries.

This die cast car being from M2 Machines, was put together with screws (instead of flathead rivets used by Hot Wheels), so taking it apart and reassembling it are a cinch. And since I took out all the internal bits I didn't need, I ended up with a few extra spare parts, including an air filter, driver seat and a complete engine.

Thanks to Lasgunpacker for the idea on the mutant nose art! That really accents and completes this whole piece. I think it was going to feel just like another car without it. It wasn't the easiest to paint up (freehand), and it's not the best looking, but it's the best I can do, and I think it's still efffective. (I offset it to make it easier to paint without that gun getting in the way.)





10 comments:

  1. That looks great! The pin-up, the tail turret, all glorious.

    I must admit, you have made me look long and hard at my son's cars... often I have held them, and though "he wouldn't miss this one..." so far I have resisted.

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  2. Another beautiful Machinas!
    I like it even I don't want one like that: my garage is too small!

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  3. They've all been great but this one is awesome sauce! The pin up puts it over the top and looks good. I would be too scared to try and free hand that. On solution for the future might be to try making your own transfer. Something I've thought about form time to time. I think Testors makes some that you can run through an inkjet.

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  4. No need to use your son's cars; Just a quick trip with a couple dollars down to the local Walmart to buy a couple "Daddy" cars.

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  5. Fantastic! This definitely is a driving fortress. The Total Recall muttie pin up is a real treat.

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  6. Woohoo! A bad Limo-bomber-thing!! Super job!

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  7. That is nuts. Possibly your best car yet! Another vote for the pin-up here, it turned out great and probably looks much better than anything printed off on a transfer ever would.

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  8. Awesome! I really love the ball turrets and the bomber-art.

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  9. Carmen, if that "bomber" ever gets a for sale sign on it, please to let me know!
    These are the cat's pajamas!
    Cheers
    Thomas

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  10. Carmen- if that bomber ever gets a "for sale" sign on it, please to let me know.
    I don't comment enough on your blog, but I always find something inspiring. Your cars in particular are the cat's pajamas.
    Cheers
    Thomas

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