DalaGStanator's Customs, Mods and Experiments

This dark red roadster holds the distinction of being my only such car that's not made of cardboard, but rather pieces of plastic - specifically from an ice cream box lid. It has fairly similar properties but seems a bit harder to cut yet still easy to bend without heat (for mudguards and such), and my preferred glue somewhat struggles to bond it. Might even make it last longer than its cardboard companions. It's also the first one I built without reference photos, one of its inspirations being Noddy (I do plan to build his car with a near identical design to this, albeit yellow and red). The headlights were made from paper rolls, unlike the plastic tube bits on the others. Should I use this material again, I'll likely switch to using hot melt glue for it.



This black one was made to try making a roof using small rectangular pieces, leaving gaps for the windows and windscreen. It had an (unintentional) resemblance to a cheap die cast car I once painted white, which has windows that are completely hollow. Rather than inserting the clear plastic "glass" before the actual roof, I ended up gluing it on the outside and adding black stripes where the supports are. It's also got the misfortune of being too low for the wheels I wanted to use with it, which prevents it from rolling backwards (or even at all). I eventually fixed it by using the small ones with black rims I used for the olive green van, also making them easier to remove. I can already feel the improvement with each one of these.



With four of my first vehicles being modelled after Thomas & Friends props, this is the first one I chose to recreate from the show - the Sodor Mail van (or, as its nameboard called it: "Post Van"). It was made for a completely different (and more common) wheel design with loose axles and hollow rims. To be able to use them the same way as the less common wheels, I cut the end bits off the original axles, sealed the rims and made new axles from paper clip rods. It can also accept the other type and roll just fine with them. For the time being, I chose to leave the rims black (like on the ERTL and Nakayoshi versions) instead of painting them red. To get the exact width of the body, I made two additional layers for each side and then made the front and back. I like how it added extra depth over the side doors. Too bad it's taller than (Take 'n Play) Bertie instead of the other way around. About the only thing I don't like (besides the gap near the back) is the space between the mudguards, which should've been level with the walls. And no, it's not for a "Mind That Bike" remake; I still think Thomas remakes are one of the most tired concepts in the fandom, but it will be featured in still photos.