The Nefarious Schemes of One Fram Framson (update 6/2 - Awooga)

[FramFramson]

Thanks chaps!

I have some police figures of my own to paint, but I have some other things which need to be taken care of first. Working on some illustrations which need to go out soon, followed by a job of some fantasy figures. After that back to my pulp stuff... the nazis were looking like the next task, but maybe I can slip some coppers in the queue.

[FramFramson]

Been a little while, eh?

So, Vodkafan and I have been experimenting with making perfectly scaled cars using Lledo bodies, but medium/small Matchbox wheels. The combination works a treat. Here's my take on two such conversions.

The first is merely a repaint. This a generic delivery van, old and nearly clapped out. In fact I may have overdone the wear given it's still running and in service... has the owner no pride?



The second is something I always wanted, an iconic Model T. This one is also worn and aged but in better shape. As the only Lledo Model T's were trucks and vans, this was a bit of a poser and required a full rebuild and conversion.





Some in progress shots showing the work:







And this is how the wheels are done, if you're interested. Small nails (brads, with two loose ones here for an example) hammered (gently) into styrene tube - snug fit, no glue required! The styrene tube is then glued in place.



You could also glue the wheels if you liked, I guess. I had to for the van because they wouldn't fit any other way.

[Vagabond]

Excellent model T.

The wheels are as you say a bit of a let down on the Ledo vehicles. Did you buy up a load of matchbox vehicles to take the wheels from or have you found a source of wheels only?

I keep buying Ledo cars and vans at our local flea market for £1 to 2 but the matchbox ones are usually much more and usually I am not too happy about scale.

[Mason]

Cracking work on those motors, especially the extra effort on the T.
 

You are much more of a perfectionist than I am, as I just weather my Matchbox efforts and chuck them on the table.
 

[FramFramson]

Thanks chaps 

Excellent model T.

The wheels are as you say a bit of a let down on the Ledo vehicles. Did you buy up a load of matchbox vehicles to take the wheels from or have you found a source of wheels only?

I keep buying Ledo cars and vans at our local flea market for £1 to 2 but the matchbox ones are usually much more and usually I am not too happy about scale.

I got lucky and found a cheap lot of Matchboxes in a really poor state, older ones with the smaller 16mm wheels. I got four in the deal, so I could convert two more Lledos later.

I have a mix of various manufacturers. I should take a picture of my current fleet.

[Vagabond]

I have a mix of various manufacturers. I should take a picture of my current fleet.

That would be good

[von Lucky]

Nice conversion work on these, the Model T will be useful for many games.

[FramFramson]

Fleet pics.

These are all the vehicles which have been repainted/weathered/varnished/etc. and are ready for gaming. Now you can see the birdshit I put on the delivery van's roof 



These ones are in various states (the whippet tank doesn't need any work, but I couldn't fit it with the previous row). Some just need a little weathering (the big saloon and the red torpedo are on the large side, so I'm hedging about keeping them... the tractor is a keeper but needs a good mudding), some need a repaint (the RAF Ambulance Crossley and the Rolls Royce armoured car will be made more generic so as to be usable for many games), and one is destined for a full conversion (the second Crossley is on its way to becoming a fuel bowser... I'll probably get around to it when I eventually obtain a pumpjack or build an airfield).

[Mason]

An impressive motor pool.
 

And I see that the bowser is still in the works.
 

[warrenpeace]

Excellent collection of vehicles!

[Vagabond]

Fram thanks for posting these, there are a few nice ones that I don't recognise on the 1st picture. Going right to left, the citron, a generic black car and then a nice small maroon car, are any of these ledo?

I kept coming across citron models in France but they were either too expensive or I was not sure about scale, don't remember the manufactures.

You have done a nice job on these, did you use an eggshell varnish, because they have lost that toy high gloss and look much better.
For speed on some of mine I sprayed a Matt varnish and it didn't look quite right.
Cheers

[FramFramson]

The Traction Avant is from a James Bond model series of all things. The generic black car is a repainted fire-chief's Peugeot 201 from Eligor (it's rare and usually expensive, and the town-car brown version is even more so, but it's the most perfectly scaled, generic, and versatile 30's car I own). The Maroon sports car and the green one behind it are both Fiats from Starline.

I mixed some gloss and matte together for my vanish to get a false eggshell. I also have some crappy matte varnish which is not really matte so sometimes I use that. I left a couple of the nicer cars mostly glossy though.

[FramFramson]

Mason commented on my perfectionism... I'm already thinking I left the Model T windshield too high and that it needs glass... am I fool enough to crack open that can of worms again?


Ohhhhh but it would look even better.... and it would be very easy to fix (famous last words).... ohhhhh

[FramFramson]

Also, I would really like a horse carriage, but the die-cast ones all so terrible that you might as well build your own (once you have to replace the horses, the rest is easy other than sourcing cartwheels and a driver in 30's wear).

Does anyone make a 30's delivery van kit? I know Warlord has German military wagons, but they won't really do. I mean something like the Lledo one, but not awful and with one horse.

[Vagabond]

Thanks - I don't do expensive so I can cross these of my list with a clear but envious conscious.