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Old 2005.08.17, 02:18 AM   #1
DogbreathRacing
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How Much Demand for a '70's VW Body?

I am already in the middle of a project to convert the Maisto Diecast 1/24th scale 73 VW Beetle into a body fitted to the MR02 class car, this means reworking the diecast body, forming a mold, cutting that mold and widening it, then reforming for the final body mold, and here is my question...

...the body is exactly 98mm wheelbase which is perfect for the Mid-Mount car, should I make the body 73mm wide (Standard 0-offset wide rear wheels, the stock body is 65mm wide so I have to widen it 8mm)

Or should I opt for the wider 85mm body (this would allow the use of 3+ offset enzo wide rear wheels but would make the body 20mm wider than stock and I am afraid this would make the car look funny...then again it may just make it look "Chopped") I do allow to tuck the wheels inside the body by 1mm on each side.

It is much easier to widen the body through the cab than to widen the fenders.


If this turn out I may offer a few for sale.
Any feedback?
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Old 2005.08.17, 02:29 AM   #2
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Can you do some as is for the MR015 chassis? Why I pose this question is that would be a good fit for that chassis, you can do the wider versions too. Is this body also about the same size/ shape as the Polar Lights Herbie kit, I think it is also a 1/24 kit? I did note that the Polar Lights kit is somewhat slim in shape. The Maisto diecast one may be wider/ beefier. You will hear more from me on this one for sure.
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Old 2005.08.17, 03:25 AM   #3
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I have seen several VW model bodies, and have used a few for OL Crawler bodies but hadn't found anything I reaaly liked for the 01-02 cars.

Then I got to looking at that Maisto, it had been sitting there on the shelf for a couple of years.....hhhhmmmmm....

I had never gave it any real consideration because the wheelbase is 98mm and I usually run 94mm RM bodies, that and it was too narrow. But I recently converted on of my 02's over to MM, now the 98mm wheelbase is perfect. Widening the body isn't really a problem, just have to deciede on how wide to go.

The body should fit any car you can set to 98mm wheelbase, the nose plate and side mounts would be the same for either car, can you run a MM on your .15?

I am thinking about only going to the 73-75mm width, you can still use wide rears but won't be so wide that it looks funny.
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Old 2005.08.17, 05:46 AM   #4
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i will buy one. got to have a herbie
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Old 2005.08.17, 07:45 AM   #5
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I'll take 1 !! And if you can supply a few by the end of September I'll take a few more. We set up a track and demo every year at the annual Volkstoberfest show here. This year will be all Mini Z's instead of 10th scale. The VW folks would go crazy for a working model bug. I might suggest going for the earlier mid 60's design though. Those early front fenders make the car look so much better.
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Old 2005.08.17, 09:59 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by arch2b
i will buy one. got to have a herbie
count me in for 2. ill do my 2 real cars in duplicate from years ba ck
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Old 2005.08.17, 11:45 AM   #7
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I'd do it- my fater in law is a beetle junkie and is just getting into mini z....it'd make a great xmas present.
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Old 2005.08.17, 12:04 PM   #8
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i would consider a couple, as long as they were MM length and Enzo wide
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Old 2005.08.17, 04:04 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DogbreathRacing
The body should fit any car you can set to 98mm wheelbase, the nose plate and side mounts would be the same for either car, can you run a MM on your .15?
The MR015 can run all the same setups as the MR02. It is just the narrowness of the VW Beetle body that has me looking into the MR015. In the past I have run a 1/25 Revell Beetle on an MR01 chassis, and from that I had to shave the battery holders down in the front for the cowling on the body. It was a perfect 94mm wheelbase, but the wheels did stick out a bit (non offset at that). Didn't you also do a Revell beetle convertable on your OL? I guess that a 1/24 would be roomier than a 1/25, but from one kit manufacture to another things can be way off.

I can see this as being popular enough that you can do variations on this, like a street racer Herbie with the side scoops and rear wing (from Fully Loaded, I am sure someone would do a kit on this sooner or later). Me personaly I'd like to see a Cal-custom version (could also be a drag version) with one piece side glass and basicly smoothed off. But then again it is up to how much interest there is in that type.
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Old 2005.08.22, 02:39 AM   #10
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Ok the basic mold is done and we did go with the 98mm MM wheelbase with 77mm wide in front and 80mm wide in the rear, by my calculations this should be wide enough to use the Enzo offset wheels both front and back.

Ater forming a body from the original diecast body I refilled the new body shell with plaster. When dry I drilled two pilot holes though the body width-wise in the wheel wells. The next step was to cut the new plater mold in half length-wise, inserted the pilot rods in the holes (this keeps the side straight with each other) moved the halves to the proper width and refilled the void with new plaster. Then we had to file and sand all the excess plater from the overfill and smooth all the edges, we lost alot of detail doing this but that doesn't really bother me, these are not autoscale bodies designed to look at up close. These are race bodies and they only need to look like the base car at speed, and I think these will do just that. I still have some finish sanding to do to the mold (all my little flaws still show through, don't bother me but I wouldn't sell one to anyone like this. This is just a prototype)

Mega-Bug body

The pic shows the body sitting loose on a 98mm MM chassis equipped with standard 0 degree offset wide rears and narrow fronts, you can see we have plenty of room for the wider Enzo wheels.
The front and rear fenders have been smoothed (will have to use decals for headlights and tail lights), turn signals removed, and the bumpers removed. I think this gives it a better RACE look.

Been thinking of a second version, perhaps with a rounder front airdam (racer style and will help keep from snagging on the walls) and maybe a small whale tail type wing on the back below the rear window.....?

Any Comments or suggestions welcome........
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Old 2005.08.22, 02:50 AM   #11
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I know that is a prototype and all, you are going to do a lexan version if it all works out? When you are zipping past Enzo's left and right you don't care about details, I think it look's like a fibreglass drag body you see in the hot rod mag's.
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Old 2005.08.22, 02:58 AM   #12
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I will probably NOT be doing a lexan version for several reasons....

#1 the proper lexan is hard for me to get, and too hard to form without bubbles
#2 lexan is hard to attach body mounts too without messing up the paint on the inside of the body unless you use posts
#3 styrene has proven to me to be as tough as lexan at this scale and thickness and is easier to paint and decal than lexan
#4 styrene sheet is much cheaper and easier to work with than lexan

...and yeah I guess it does look alot like a fiberglass drag body
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Old 2005.08.22, 03:16 AM   #13
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Styrene is also easier to mod, with lexan you are stuck with the shape that was pulled.

This is the end users perspective. I may have to reserve some cash in my paypal just for this.
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Old 2005.08.22, 03:26 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HammerZ
Styrene is also easier to mod, with lexan you are stuck with the shape that was pulled.

This is the end users perspective. I may have to reserve some cash in my paypal just for this.
it will probably be a couple of weeks now before I get it all smoothed out, mounted, painted, and tested.......but will keep you informed and post some more pics along the way

Hammer wants to be first....lol....Beta-Hammer-Tester.. ...is "Thrasher" a discriptive term?...or a brag?
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Old 2005.08.22, 03:43 AM   #15
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It is just a generic racing term.

Thrasher; what you do after the first heat to get ready for the next.
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