More kit bashing fun for Back of Beyond and Pulp...

[koz10]

I'd order a few $5 Model-T's.  However, I don't like your spoked wheels.  May I suggest that you offer the solid ones that are pictured in your second picture as an alternative?

Read the list Brent provided - right above the spoked wheels is a mention of solid wheels.

[koz10]

Can I start posting my pictures here? I've got some to show how I've done my conversion from start to where I am now (almost finished).

[Stu]

Pictures are always welcome.

[Mancha]

Read the list Brent provided - right above the spoked wheels is a mention of solid wheels.

Yeah, I saw them there.  However, I'd like to get the $5 kit with the solid wheels instead of having to order them at extra cost from among a seperate list of extra bits.  (Although, mind you, I'll buy some $5 kits with or without the solid wheels.)

[koz10]

Here goes - I'll try to get photos posted tomorrow.

When I heard about this contest, I scanned the internet looking for photos of cool armored cars, initially based on the Ford Model T. I found only a few and found far more interesting ACs that I hadn't seen before. I picked one that was the most obscure and was not being produced by any other company. With my Ukrainian and Polish heritage this vehicle had added alure as it was used by the Polish and Russian/Bolshevik armies. In this way, the car would have the most appeal to the most gamers.

I started with the base Ford Model T, the one that has the armored diver's cab. I figured I could use the cab to support the main armored car cabin for my conversion. Here's a photo of the car and the types of plastic (0.3mm Plastruct) I initially intended to use to make the vehicle (I altered some plans and will show where I made those changes later on.)

http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=753

[PeteMurray]

Come on, Brent, talk about this some more:

[koz10]

I removed the thin sides of the cars I got (mine were factory seconds and could not be used or sold) and attached the rear shock absorbers and axle so I could figure out how wide to make the vehicle. 3cm was the width of the cab and it looked like it would be exactly what I needed.

http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=754

[koz10]

I used the flatbed of the truck as the edge of my side plates. I figured it was the most dependable flat and level edge. In order to get the odd shaped sides correct, I used a piece of 3x5 card as a template in order to save plastic and get it right the first time. Because I am not a professional, my vehicle was not perfectly proportioned and each side was just a little different – templates used on one side could help guide the other but could not be used exactly. Measuring the regular flat side was straight forward. From learning experience in doing this vehicle, I should have reinforced each edge where plates joined to add more strength.

http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=755

[koz10]

The photos are dark here but I wanted to post these to better show how the cab of the Model T angled towards the front of the car. I needed to use some balsa to support the sides to the width I wanted. Balsa ended up being an excellent choice as extra width could very easily be shaved off (and it's much cheaper than basswood). When I glued the new cab sides on, I realized I had taken off too much but the fix was simple – I cut the block of balsa straight up the middle (it was a breeze!) and inserted a sliver of scrap balsa until I got the width I wanted. I knew I had held onto those scraps of balsa for a reason!

Even though I was using a 90 degree tool from Micro Mark, I could never depend on my measurements and cuts to be precision perfect. In construction the main cabin, I knew that, if I was off by only a little bit on either side, the entire vehicle would not be even. The way I constructed the main cabin was to measure out the roof and the sides (using paper templates, of course), cut the pieces out in plastic and glue them together as a single piece. I placed reinforcing strips of my trusty scrap balsa near the edges for added support. When I glued the sides/top piece onto the supporting back it fit exactly the way I wanted it to and everything was level.

In the photo of the underside of the vehicle, the red arrow at the top points to one balsa block and the circle another. The blue line points to the place where the extra balsa sliver was placed.

http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=756
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=757
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=759

[koz10]

The front needed to get extended and, again, I used balsa for that. The pink 3x5 card template for the hood/bonnet is visible in one photo as is the plastic for the front of the car. The construction was progressing quite smoothly to this point.

http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=758
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=758

[koz10]

Here is a really good shot of how I used paper 3x5 card stock to get the templates for the sides of the front of the armored car. I specifically used different colored paper so I would not confuse the sides which were just a little different. This was the end of the “easy” part of the construction as all the rest would involve curves (something I had not tried yet) or oddly shaped pieces.

http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=758
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=762

[koz10]

Here is the base conversion completed but without wheel rims and the angled front fenders. I hope this is helpful. There is more to come – the tricky stuff, adding the armored plates, making the windows and protective shutters, modifying the lamp and, finally, adding the rivets – lots o’ rivets…

http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=763

[Mancha]

I'm looking forward to actually seeing all these photos, once the picture elf you're evidently corresponding with does his job.   

[koz10]

I'm looking forward to actually seeing all these photos, once the picture elf you're evidently corresponding with does his job.   

That would be the good professor - he's agreed to help me out! I hope everyone likes the vehicleas much I did putting it together.

[koz10]

The pictures can be found here in the Gallery under "Koznarsky's Armored Car conversion project". Scroll to the bottom of the page and work backwards to see the car's progression or click on the links in each post! I really like the neat way the photos can be enlarged, too.

http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?action=gallery;cat=45