The Impalela

And now for something completely different.

 What happens when you have a big box of junk or incomplete model kits and some time? Well here's one thing: A Mad Max style war machine.

 The basis of this model was a 59' Chevy Impala I made probably close to 20 years ago, and a partially assembled, and incomplete (the wheels were missing) Bigfoot model I got at a garage sale ages ago. I assembled the monster truck frame almost according to plans (the motor should be facing backwards in the center but I moved it forward), then modified the Impala body to fit on top of it. Then I added items like the front spears, platform, running boards (made from the floor of a broken livestock trailer model), and thundersticks (made from balsa and plastic tube). The extra supports, platform, exhaust pipes, and spears are made from sprues and plastic tubing. The deck of the rear platform is a piece of heavy screen wire. The wheels are from model kits I had sometime in the 80's and were still laying around (I know the small ones came from a Bronco model. Had to put them on Nascar style rims as the originals were gone).

 I left the monster truck frame blue, but painted the other parts dark brown to make it look like it was pieced together. To weather it I painted some streaks of a lighter brown (rust red), then dusted it with a homemade powder (a mixture of dirt and actual rust). A layer of Dullcote sealed it, but it darkened the rust a little too much so I dusted more on top.

 This only took 4 nights to make. And the only planning I did was in my head. The best part? It didn't cost me anything to make it.

 And this won't be the last. I've got parts for 2 more war machines. And in the future I may purchase model kits to make more. Stay tuned.