A project I've been slowly pushing forward, is the creation of a conversion kit for the Matcbox diecast Snow Trac, to scale it upwards to approximately 1/56 (my diecast target range is 1/54 to 1/58).
The Snow Trac is no longer in production, as it was powered by a VW air-cooled engine that is no longer produced. Shame really, as it's a great little beastie - the size of a compact car - that saw civilian and military use up until, I think, the 1980s (and there are still privately owned vehicles still in use).
More info and images:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_TracDon't overlook that despite how small these things were, the civilian version could carry 7 people, with a forward facing driver and six passengers on sideways facing benches (so tight, their knees must have interlocked).
Small size comes with a low weight. It had a kerb weight of 3196 pounds (1,440 kgs), so for my wargaming purposes it can be transported underslung from a medium or heavy lift helicopter (my 1/55 scale EC145T2 has a sling load limit of 1,500 kg).
I'll be using mine in my Scavenge Skirmish Survive PA game but as they might also be of interest to pulp, moderns and future gamers, the workbench board seems as good a place as any for the project's progress along my... er.... workbench.
First up is an image of a good condition toy, complete with rubber tracks, with info from the vehicle page of my SSS project website ( (
here)
Model Overall Length 55mm ~ Actual Length 3600mm ~ Approx. Scale 1/65
Model Overall Width 34mm ~ Actual Width 1900mm ~ Approx. Scale 1/56
Model Overall Height 31mm ~ Actual Height 1940mm ~ Approx. Scale 1/63
Model Cabin Length 27mm ~ Actual Length 2000mm ~ Approx. Scale 1/74
Model Cabin Width 22mm ~ Actual Width 1300mm ~ Approx. Scale 1/59
From the approximate dimensions above, you'll see that the toy's scale is all over the place. However, the overall width is right for 1/56. The cabin width is a bit small at 1/59 but as I'll be using these vehicles as transport for only 3 or 4 of my ICE Troopers, I can live with that.
With an ICE Trooper (which, height-wise, is misleading as I forgot to raise the vehicle on a base and he has a big helmet
):
The Matchbox toy was their reference 35 and came in 3 variants. The last two variants are pretty much the same but the first differs in having cast-on letters reading 'Snow Trac' on both sides of the cabin (the latter two have the same info using decals).
The toy dates from 1963-1965 (yep, its an old'un) and so models with the rubber tracks are relatively rare. Most examples are in play-worn condition and missing tracks for which on Ebay I have typically paid £4-£5 including UK delivery. Replacement rubber tracks can be purchased but as I am re-jigging the overall size of the model, I have made my own units.
First thing to do was to remove the axles and wheels, drill out the connecting rivet and give the metal parts (not the plastic!) a soak in Dettol to strip the paint.
Before supergluing the parts back together, I removed the fuel tank cap (which was a bit proud) and the tow hook. Ignore the greenstuff stains (merely a contact residue from parts making) but notice the three axle holes on either side: the front and rear pairs will be used later.
I then made some plasticard and greenstuff parts (sorry no images of that section of the wip), comprising of (clockwise from top left):
- rear extension with integrated external fuel tanks, larger door and reinstated tow hook
- left side track unit
- LMG with ammo can, shell bag and vehicle mount, based on a German MG3;
more info here - sledge tow bar .... nothing to get excited about just a bit of metal paperclip
- sledge
- roof extension with escape hatch and base for the gun mount
- right side track unit (note the two lugs on the inner side, which will be fixed into the axle holes on the diecast)
And all the parts fitted together... There are some larger gaps as it's held together with blue-tac but even when glued, the nature of the fit means there will be some small gaps that will need a smear of filler. This is of course an approximation of a Snow Trac as in the real thing the three windows went all the way to the end of the cabin and the rear door and rear window arrangement was very different. Why have I skipped making a perfect replica? Because it would have been a lot more effort and an exact reproduction isn't actually necessary for my project.
The rear/roof extensions, repositioned tow hook and new track units have the following effect (NB: these lengths include the tow hook):
Model Overall Length 64mm ~ Actual Length 3640mm ~ Approx. Scale 1/57 (was 1/65)
Model Overall Width 34mm ~ Actual Width 1900mm ~ Approx. Scale 1/56 (unchanged)
Model Overall Height 34mm ~ Actual Height 1940mm ~ Approx. Scale 1/57 (was 1/63)
And versus an ICE Trooper (please try and ignore uneven levels caused by blu-tac):
And with top-mounted LMG in place:
The next stage is to tidy the new bits, then drop cast them in metal from RTV silicone rubber moulds, so that I can have metal masters to then vulcanise for spin casting. That might sound like a lot of mumbo jumbo but basically it's the steps I'll take to be able to spin cast the copies in metal.
The rear part of the escape hatch opens upward and backwards, so I might make a version of the roof with it open, and maybe the top half of a gunner (without the rucksack, etc) to man the LMG.
More idc.
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September 13, 2024, 09:59:14 AM
September 29, 2008, 02:29:05 PM
