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The art of turning what you have into what you actually need
They're everywhere. Those inexpensive die-cast panel trucks..... Model Ts, Chevies, Dodges, even Studabakers! Bright, cheerful, cheap, plentiful - all you could ever ask for...BUT... How many of them do you actually NEED? I needed several pre-1925 vehicles, but not panel trucks!
With a little ingenuity, a Dremel, some wood and styrene, glue and paint, suddenly you have a horse of a different color (and shape)!
Our first victim, the Ford Model T by Gearbox
Ohhh, it's purty! But kind of useless. A quick repaint, and adding a crank yields a much more realistic and useful US Mail truck
But what else can it do? How about we take it apart for some meatball sugery? 4 screws hold it together.
OK, now how about a stubby little c-cab farm truck?
Or lengthen it for a TT box truck?
Need more ideas? How about tank truck?...
Or a huckster's van?...
A classic Depot Hack?
A town car? Well, why not?
Or even a firetruck?
Moving on -The 1923 Chevrolet by Ertl
This one is a bit tougher nut to crack. It's riveted together, and the sides are much thicker. But in an evening I had a nice little tank truck
Don't need a tanker? How about a school bus?
Or a stake truck? The cab would be a little bit more work
More butchery - the 1916 Studebaker by Liberty Classics
This is by far the easiest one to work with. Held together by screws, it also comes apart at the beltline! For some reason this one just fairly shouted sedan instead of sedan delivery...
It was so much fun that I made a black one too.
How about a UPS truck?
An odd little orphan -The 1905 Ford Delivery Car by Ertl
Considering maybe 5 were ever made, how many would you be likely to ever see?... But I had fun with it, and a wagon bed... And believe it or not, ended up with an adorable little 1911 Buick!
My latest acquisition - 1920 IHC by Ertl
It's... unique looking anyway.
This one will probably become a tractor trailer... just because
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