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Cars: Custom
For customized car kits and projects.
VW Samba "Sleepah"
The_Snowman
_VISITCOMMUNITY
England - South East, United Kingdom
Joined: August 26, 2015
KitMaker: 92 posts
Auto Modeler: 57 posts
Posted: Sunday, April 07, 2019 - 06:54 AM UTC
The base is now ready...

I've just gotta finish the body and put it all together:tongue-out3:

Base is ready by Gavin Snowdon, on Flickr

Thanks for watching
AussieReg
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
AUTOMODELER
#007
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Victoria, Australia
Joined: June 09, 2009
KitMaker: 8,156 posts
Auto Modeler: 2,953 posts
Posted: Sunday, April 07, 2019 - 10:13 AM UTC
Looking very evil and Mad Max as it sits there Gavin, great work. The base is a really nice touch as well. Can't wait to see this with the body in place.

Cheers, D
Stickframe
#362
_VISITCOMMUNITY
California, United States
Joined: December 01, 2013
KitMaker: 1,661 posts
Auto Modeler: 431 posts
Posted: Monday, April 08, 2019 - 05:54 PM UTC
Hi Gavin,

That is a remarkably clean conversion - fits together like it was supposed to all along! Looking forward to seeing it with the body!

Cheers
Nick
Joel_W
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
AUTOMODELER
_VISITCOMMUNITY
New York, United States
Joined: December 04, 2010
KitMaker: 11,666 posts
Auto Modeler: 2,974 posts
Posted: Tuesday, April 09, 2019 - 12:13 AM UTC
Gavin,
The chassis really looks fantastic. Looking forward to seeing the shell on it.

Joel
The_Snowman
_VISITCOMMUNITY
England - South East, United Kingdom
Joined: August 26, 2015
KitMaker: 92 posts
Auto Modeler: 57 posts
Posted: Tuesday, April 09, 2019 - 09:05 AM UTC
Well, back to the body.....

Did the chrome strip around the body with Alclad Chrome......happy with the look.

Trial fitting the bumper. Had to remove the moulded bumper strips as they were too fussy and did a bit of chipping......again, very happy with the look.

Next, more rust!

bumper dry fit by Gavin Snowdon, on Flickr

Thanks for looking
Hwa-Rang
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Kobenhavn, Denmark
Joined: June 29, 2004
KitMaker: 6,760 posts
Auto Modeler: 2,182 posts
Posted: Tuesday, April 09, 2019 - 05:15 PM UTC
Chassis looks super cool. Rust work looks amazing.
AussieReg
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
AUTOMODELER
#007
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Victoria, Australia
Joined: June 09, 2009
KitMaker: 8,156 posts
Auto Modeler: 2,953 posts
Posted: Tuesday, April 09, 2019 - 10:26 PM UTC
Definitely nailed it with the chipping and rust Gavin, lovely work.

Cheers, D
Joel_W
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
AUTOMODELER
_VISITCOMMUNITY
New York, United States
Joined: December 04, 2010
KitMaker: 11,666 posts
Auto Modeler: 2,974 posts
Posted: Wednesday, April 10, 2019 - 01:04 AM UTC
Gavin,
The rust work is super realistic. Brings back some found memories of rides with college friends.

Joel
Merlin
Staff MemberSenior Editor
AEROSCALE
#017
_VISITCOMMUNITY
United Kingdom
Joined: June 11, 2003
KitMaker: 17,582 posts
Auto Modeler: 388 posts
Posted: Wednesday, April 10, 2019 - 07:06 AM UTC
Hi Gavin

Fantastic work on the rust! That's a challenge I've set for myself one day, but I've a way to go before I try it.

All the best

Rowan
The_Snowman
_VISITCOMMUNITY
England - South East, United Kingdom
Joined: August 26, 2015
KitMaker: 92 posts
Auto Modeler: 57 posts
Posted: Saturday, April 13, 2019 - 11:20 PM UTC
Thank you for the kind words!

Most appreciated!

The_Snowman
_VISITCOMMUNITY
England - South East, United Kingdom
Joined: August 26, 2015
KitMaker: 92 posts
Auto Modeler: 57 posts
Posted: Tuesday, April 23, 2019 - 10:26 AM UTC
I decided that she needed some seat belts, probably a racing seat with a five point safety harness would be a whole lot safer, but definitely not in keeping with the old style bench seat. So, it's gotta be old school lap belts.

Seat belts fitted by Gavin Snowdon, on Flickr

Thanks for looking
Joel_W
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
AUTOMODELER
_VISITCOMMUNITY
New York, United States
Joined: December 04, 2010
KitMaker: 11,666 posts
Auto Modeler: 2,974 posts
Posted: Wednesday, April 24, 2019 - 02:03 AM UTC
Gavin,
Back in those days, we usually just snapped the belts closed, and tucked them into the seat. Wearing belts just wasn't a cool thing to do.

Joel
The_Snowman
_VISITCOMMUNITY
England - South East, United Kingdom
Joined: August 26, 2015
KitMaker: 92 posts
Auto Modeler: 57 posts
Posted: Sunday, April 28, 2019 - 09:45 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Gavin,
Back in those days, we usually just snapped the belts closed, and tucked them into the seat. Wearing belts just wasn't a cool thing to do.

Joel



Hells bells Joel, deceleration trauma ain't cool!

Anyway, the end is nigh...

nearly finished 1 by Gavin Snowdon, on Flickr

nearly finished 2 by Gavin Snowdon, on Flickr

It's been a long road, it has it's faults, but overall I am happy with my first attempt at this level of mod on a car.

Thanks for looking!

AussieReg
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
AUTOMODELER
#007
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Victoria, Australia
Joined: June 09, 2009
KitMaker: 8,156 posts
Auto Modeler: 2,953 posts
Posted: Sunday, April 28, 2019 - 10:19 AM UTC
This is coming together beautifully Gavin, neat work considering the level of surgery required to make it happen.

"Deceleration trauma" is a great description, I will use that. The other one I use frequently to describe body damage to vehicles is "IFSM - In Field Styling Modifications."

Cheers, D
Joel_W
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
AUTOMODELER
_VISITCOMMUNITY
New York, United States
Joined: December 04, 2010
KitMaker: 11,666 posts
Auto Modeler: 2,974 posts
Posted: Monday, April 29, 2019 - 06:07 AM UTC
Gavin,
The overall heads down shot is fantastic. Just gotta love your version of a big V8 stuffed under Glass.

Joel
The_Snowman
_VISITCOMMUNITY
England - South East, United Kingdom
Joined: August 26, 2015
KitMaker: 92 posts
Auto Modeler: 57 posts
Posted: Monday, April 29, 2019 - 09:13 AM UTC
Damian,

Feel free to use it!

The fall did not kill him, it was the sudden stop at the bottom. They call it "deceleration trauma".

The_Snowman
_VISITCOMMUNITY
England - South East, United Kingdom
Joined: August 26, 2015
KitMaker: 92 posts
Auto Modeler: 57 posts
Posted: Monday, April 29, 2019 - 09:17 AM UTC
Thanks Joel,

I remember on one of those car modding TV programs, they refer to it as putting the Jewels on display. In this case, its an Audi V8 motor.

Thank you for the kind comments.

The_Snowman
_VISITCOMMUNITY
England - South East, United Kingdom
Joined: August 26, 2015
KitMaker: 92 posts
Auto Modeler: 57 posts
Posted: Saturday, May 04, 2019 - 07:14 AM UTC
It's ALIVE!!

Finally this monster build, combining the 1/24 Revell Audi R8 with the 1/24 Revell VW Samba Bus to create a sleeper..... ala, R8 Samba "Sleepah", is over!

I have tried new things, rust, seriously modding a car kit & scratch building seat belts.

It has its faults, but I am more than happy with the final results!

side 2 by Gavin Snowdon, on Flickr

side by Gavin Snowdon, on Flickr

top by Gavin Snowdon, on Flickr

Rear quart by Gavin Snowdon, on Flickr

front quart by Gavin Snowdon, on Flickr

Thanks for looking!
Joel_W
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
AUTOMODELER
_VISITCOMMUNITY
New York, United States
Joined: December 04, 2010
KitMaker: 11,666 posts
Auto Modeler: 2,974 posts
Posted: Sunday, May 05, 2019 - 01:12 AM UTC
Gavin,
A truly amazing build. You went to places that 99% of us would never venture for a car build. You built what was a truly iconic Hippy Wagon of the 60-70s. The look & the feel is just perfect.

Your decision of "stuffing" a Audi V8 in and under glass, really kicked up your build more then a few notches above what I've ever remember seeing in a VW bus back in the days. Mostly buses that were in the most urgent need of a complete engine rebuild and a new muffler system, but they ran forever.

Your build of a VW Bus has done what for me what it needed to do, and that's awaken memories of past times when even I rode in one of these contraptions with a group of my college buddies to all sorts of places for all sorts of reasons. I truly thank you for that.

Joel
AussieReg
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
AUTOMODELER
#007
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Victoria, Australia
Joined: June 09, 2009
KitMaker: 8,156 posts
Auto Modeler: 2,953 posts
Posted: Sunday, May 05, 2019 - 01:40 AM UTC
Excellent build Gavin, and a great confidence builder given the new ground you have broken. I can't wait to see what your next "Frankencruiser" is going to be.

I love the base as well, I'm sure folks will scratch their heads at the "R8 Samba" until they take a closer look inside.

Cheers, D
The_Snowman
_VISITCOMMUNITY
England - South East, United Kingdom
Joined: August 26, 2015
KitMaker: 92 posts
Auto Modeler: 57 posts
Posted: Sunday, May 05, 2019 - 06:49 AM UTC
Thank you very much for the kind words!

In turn I have to thank you for your work and genius that you post, that has provided me with insight and motivation to do this build!

I tip my hat to you.

Thank you!
Hwa-Rang
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Kobenhavn, Denmark
Joined: June 29, 2004
KitMaker: 6,760 posts
Auto Modeler: 2,182 posts
Posted: Sunday, May 05, 2019 - 10:26 PM UTC
Amazing build Gavin. Great idea and great execution.

So the next project, will be putting the VW engine, in the Audi
Joel_W
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
AUTOMODELER
_VISITCOMMUNITY
New York, United States
Joined: December 04, 2010
KitMaker: 11,666 posts
Auto Modeler: 2,974 posts
Posted: Monday, May 06, 2019 - 12:42 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Amazing build Gavin. Great idea and great execution.

So the next project, will be putting the VW engine, in the Audi



Jesper,
Now there's a unique idea. I wonder just what one would call it.

Joel
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