Nigel Chapman Автор
Started the preliminary mock up for my next project, the Matchbox inspired VW Golf TRAR - TRuck chassis with cAR body.
The Toyota chassis requires just a short section to be removed so should just fit nicely within the body.
The engine is already moulded to the chassis so I will use this and disguise the engine bay to cover the gap.
Not sure about enlarging the wheel arches or keep them stock.

Bozzer
I've definitely got to change my drink. I can't envisage things like you do, let alone build them?
I'm hanging around for this, in the hope that something triggers my remaining grey cell??
Carry on, Mr Nigel 🙂

Nigel Chapman Автор
3/4 inch taken out of the chassis then glued together and hey presto a VW Trar.
The overall look is right on the money.
It is posed with the Toyota kit wheels and tyres but not sure a smaller diameter wheel/tyre Combe would be better and allow the body to sit lower on the chassis.

Andrew dyson
Interesting idea, a Golf GThi
Good start too, looking forward to seeing it progress

Nigel Chapman Автор
Thanks Andrew. The Golf just happened to be available in the parts stash

Yngve N
I definitely want to follow this! I can hardly make a detail set fit, so how to make two kits into one will be very interesting.

Bozzer
Yingy, in years to come, Nigel's name will be immortalised and up there, with Albert Einstein, Alan Turing and Buzz Aldrin. This man, see's things, that only a hippy on acid, can see! 🙂

Yngve N
Bozzer 😂

Nigel Chapman Автор
Thanks guys for the thumbs up!
@Bozzer you forgot Barris, Starbird and Andy Saunders😁
@Yingy my build quality is not that brilliant compared to some of the master craft people on SM😊
I work shifts so nights are great for trawling the web just looking for inspiration for my builds. Back in the day it would have been magazines.
SEMA is always great for odd ball machinery - Ferrari powered Delorean or mid mounted in a Range Rover Evoque off roader (mind boggling engineering).
One of the latest VW magazines features a VW Caddy mounted on a Beetle floor pan - brilliant.
Then there are/were the TV shows - Martin Bros, Kindig Design, Ektensive, Galpin & Bad Chad.
I am a visual person so I just put bits n pieces together and see how it goes. I do put a lot of ideas on SM so please have a look.
All you can do is have a what if moment and just go for it!

Lebloge
@Nigel-This is THE brilliant idea 🤩
@Bozzer-😂😂😂

Nigel Chapman Автор
@Lebloge thanks

Bozzer
Just out of curiosity, have any of you boys got a link to a 1/24 Lincoln continental MKIII resin body? Preferably late 60's, early 70's, with the flip eyelids?

Nigel Chapman Автор
Sorry no

Lebloge
Me neither 😵‍💫

Nigel Chapman Автор
Still considering the wheel & tyre combo. I'm going for a more European look so would need to fabricate some wheel arches.
I think enlarging the wheel arches slightly would give a less cartoon look.

Bas
Have you checked cults3d ? O know there are .stl files for lift kits available

Nigel Chapman Автор
@Bas, I will have a look

Bas
No worries 👍 my mate prints for a fair fee if needed. My advice would be to make albums in you're favourites, there is a lot of cool stuff. Do not look at scale, since every item can be printed in any scale

Nigel Chapman Автор
Chassis components cleaned and ready for paint.
The Aoshima Toyota kit comes with parts for the long and short beds as well as lifted and lowered suspension so plenty of extra bits for future projects.
I found a set of Iceman Collection 3d printed off road wheels and tyres in the parts stash that I can use.

Nigel Chapman Автор
It's been a month of work, weather and illness so very little done apart from painting.
Chassis and suspension parts have been undercoated and painted light gloss grey and Halfords purple covercoat paint.
UK only - Halfords have revamped their spray paint range with codes used instead of specific vehicle shades.
They seem to have gone for a more generic one shade fits all, so I have no idea what the vehicle the light grey was intended for.
Next up is detail painting

Nigel Chapman Автор
Chassis build has been straight forward. I do like Aoshima kits, everything fits as it should. Colour scheme works well but have found the paint can chip easily so I have some areas to touch up. Next up is shortening the exhaust pipe and some more painting of the wheels and brakes.

Robert Podkoński
Your build reminds me this, Nigel:
Youtube Video
Great job so far. Keep it up!

Nigel Chapman Автор
Thanks Robert. Great video, I've never heard of an FSO Warszawa before

Bill Newcomer
I shall be following as well. It definitely looks like the wheel and tire package needs downsized. On your drive(prop)shaft. I would simplify it and lose the center carrier bearing. It would not be practical on such a short reach. I also looks like you have your work cut out for you to get the chassis and interior tub to play nice. Good luck!

Robert Podkoński
I am not surprised, Nigel 🙂 FSO Warszawa was a licence build Soviet GAZ M-20 "Pobeda". On the video the "modernized" version was used.

Nigel Chapman Автор
@Bill thanks for the tips. I just used the kit prop shaft and cut it to size hence the odd shape. I can easily remove it. The interior tub actually fits fairly well as it is flat however I will need to cut some of the rear seat area out to match the chassis shape.
@Robert I thought it looked like a Gaz. There's some brilliant machinery out there.

Nigel Chapman Автор
Back into this build after working various shifts and having an old back injury flare up.
I am using Iceman collection 3D printed off road wheels with Toyo open country tyres which are smaller and look more suited with the chassis and body.
I fabricated the wheel mounts with small sections of 223,225,227 & 229 Evergreen tube glued together which connect to the drilled out kit brakes discs and drums.
1 mm brass rod will be inserted into the 223 tube section for some additional strength.

Bozzer
Glad to have you back in the saddle, old chap. Take it slow and steady. I'm hoping to get back in the cave myself, when I shake off this flippin' lurgy! 🙁

Nigel Chapman Автор
Hey Bozzer, thanks. Hope you are on the mend, yep we all had the lurgy in our office.
Look forward to the next episode from the Cave.

Nigel Chapman Автор
Chassis and wheels completed, looking smart in the grey and purple. The axle/wheel fittings have worked brilliantly.
Body needs to be lowered to get a proper 'fit' so it does not look like early monster truck.
I hope by cutting out sections of the interior tub floor and the lower wheel arch flares will make this work,
the theory being to keep a relatively stock body.
The rear overhang was inevitable but can be adapted with the overall look.
I was thinking of going full heavy metal with constructing an external roll cage and bull bars but not sure.

Nigel Chapman Автор
First problem - fuel tank too high and impeding the body fitment.
Second problem - no support for the interior tub and body on the chassis

So fuel tank was carefully cut off the chassis and will be refitted in the same location just at a lower position.
I have started fabricating a subframe support that matches the contours of the chassis using Evergreen 0.60 mm square section glued to a 0.20 mm Evergreen panel attached to the interior tub floor giving the body a level, solid frame to sit on. The lift is enough to be hidden by the body and looks right proportionally.
It will be a tight fit for the tunnel and front seats which may some artistic license to install.
Next up will be to build the rear half of the subframe then fabricate some basic front and rear inner wheels arches.

Nigel Chapman Автор
Interior nearly there. Tunnel was awkward with different angles needed to get the seats to fit.
I divided the tunnel into two sections then cut pieces of styrene sheet to fill the space. Dashboard had to be adjusted slightly to fit.
The wheel arches have reshaped and some material removed with the Dremel to give the look of a wider opening.