Baja California Herbie Bug

[Twokidsnosleep]

The Baja California Desert is a desert ecoregion of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula. This ecoregion occupies the western portion of the Baja California peninsula, and occupies most of the Mexican states of Baja California Sur and Baja California. It covers 77,700 square kilometers. Wikipedia





We are going on a slightly different tack than most. We are going dirt biking and dune buggying in the desert!
Yaaaay!!!

[Twokidsnosleep]

Kit one is a cartoonish Revell kit
A bit campy with a funny driver and simplistic design, but it should be fun

Six sprues of plastic in total:
Two sprues of hard tires, one clear glass, one bad chrome that will need stripping and two blue body sprues








The instructions have a weird vibe to them with comments from the driver and Dave Deal cartoon telling you what to do


This should be different

[Twokidsnosleep]

Kit two is a kit from my childhood.
Likely the first motorcycle I ever modelled...poorly if I remember.


It is a buy from eBay, not yet received and looks a bit of a mess. These photos are from the listing.
I paid a small fortune to get it which is ridiculous as it is no Tamiya in quality and looks in rough shape



Somebody famous owned one of these bikes...any guesses ??

[ElCapitan]

Somebody famous owned one of these bikes...any guesses ??

He only used it for jumping barbed wire fences though

Cool looking kits, that buggy should be fun!

[Twokidsnosleep]

Somebody famous owned one of these bikes...any guesses ??

He only used it for jumping barbed wire fences though

Cool looking kits, that buggy should be fun!

Bingo you are on the mark
I had no idea he rode this same one

[SteelScooter]

Somebody famous owned one of these bikes...any guesses ??

I highly recommend On Any Sunday, a classic 1971 documentary about grass roots motorcycle sport in the US. It features McQueen on dirt bikes.

[BigWall]

Sweet! The Baja Humbug looks like a fun build!

[Twokidsnosleep]

Somebody famous owned one of these bikes...any guesses ??

I highly recommend On Any Sunday, a classic 1971 documentary about grass roots motorcycle sport in the US. It features McQueen on dirt bikes.

Yes this is exactly the movie
A bit hard to watch as it is so dated, I got about a third of the way through

[Tomcat64]

For a moment there I thought you were planning on sculpting a relief map of California!

The buggy looks like it's going to be a lot of fun with loads of scope for additions & deviations

[DBMiller]

For a moment there I thought you were planning on sculpting a relief map of California!

The buggy looks like it's going to be a lot of fun with loads of scope for additions & deviations

Don't give him any ideas! With Twokidsnosleep's reputation for complex builds I wouldn't put it past him!

[Twokidsnosleep]

For a moment there I thought you were planning on sculpting a relief map of California!

The buggy looks like it's going to be a lot of fun with loads of scope for additions & deviations

Don't give him any ideas! With Twokidsnosleep's reputation for complex builds I wouldn't put it past him!

Ha!
Very true

I have a solid plan for how this Dune Buggy is going to come together...and I am going to try and keep it secret, maybe

[Stokesy44]

And the winner of Quirkiest Build goes to.....

Cracking subject mate

[Quax]

OH - a car AND a bike, I should have guessed

Your builds are always great so looking forward to seeing it along with the relief map of California....

Paul

[digger303]

OH - a car AND a bike, I should have guessed

Your builds are always great so looking forward to seeing it along with the relief map of California....

Paul

Hmmm suggesting Scottie's in a rut.......maybe that's why he's going to be building a ship. The group stages a intervention

[BOABModels]

That's a cool theme. My son has one of those Baja bugs from Hot Wheels.

[Twokidsnosleep]

That's a cool theme. My son has one of those Baja bugs from Hot Wheels.

That’s cool!

[BOABModels]

That's a cool theme. My son has one of those Baja bugs from Hot Wheels.

That’s cool!

He loves it but calls it a tractor!

[Twokidsnosleep]

Ok so the Spitfire is pretty much done and today is a stat holiday in Canada: Family Day
It is raining like hell and gross out, so a good day to model and get this Baja bug up and running
Goal is to finish her by end of February.
I started out stripping the chrome off...took less than a couple minutes







The body got primed white and the interior primed grey
The engine louvres were opened up with an exacto knife and look much better now IMHO



Found some cool inspiration photos researching as well

[ForbesHutton]

"Baja California Bug" isn't that Montezuma's Revenge?

[Twokidsnosleep]

"Baja California Bug" isn't that Montezuma's Revenge?

Ha ha ha
That is hilarious...yes I suppose it would be

[Twokidsnosleep]

Did some work on this little beast after work
Wrapping the air filter tubes in copper wire to simulate a rubber tubing
I stripped of the moulded lines and thinned it down to an even styrene tube, then started wrapping the wire


Some dummy forgot to take a photo after I painted it all flat black...will add tonight

Adding the painted photo

[BigWall]

I really can't wait to see this one come together!

[Twokidsnosleep]

The driver is primed up as well now and the interior too

[Stokesy44]

Now that's a serious 'tash!

[BigWall]

Nuestro amigo del gran bigote necesita algo de textura.

Also, it looks like he was in Baja for all the wrong (right?) reasons.

[Twokidsnosleep]

Now that's a serious 'tash!

I was going to make him a cartoon bubble that says

"Kill me now"

[Twokidsnosleep]

Nuestro amigo del gran bigote necesita algo de textura.

Also, it looks like he was in Baja for all the wrong (right?) reasons.

This is what Google gave me:
our friend with the big mustache needs some texture
Perhaps it was a dirty Sanchez

[BigWall]

Nuestro amigo del gran bigote necesita algo de textura.

Also, it looks like he was in Baja for all the wrong (right?) reasons.

This is what Google gave me:
our friend with the big mustache needs some texture
Perhaps it was a dirty Sanchez

That's certainly one way! I was thinking of using a razor knife to make some mustache texture like if you were cutting flame cut marks in an armor model. Although, smooth would definitely look more cartoonish which goes along with the model.

Maybe some custom decals for the car name saying "Dirty Sanchez?"

[Twokidsnosleep]

Nuestro amigo del gran bigote necesita algo de textura.

Also, it looks like he was in Baja for all the wrong (right?) reasons.

This is what Google gave me:
our friend with the big mustache needs some texture
Perhaps it was a dirty Sanchez

That's certainly one way! I was thinking of using a razor knife to make some mustache texture like if you were cutting flame cut marks in an armor model. Although, smooth would definitely look more cartoonish which goes along with the model.

Maybe some custom decals for the car name saying "Dirty Sanchez?"

Oh yeah indeed,, that's what I meant too

[Tomcat64]

That's some cracking work on the "corrugated" pipework - really nicely done

As for the 'tache - it's very Nigel Mansell...

[Twokidsnosleep]

For those with ‘stash concerns, rest assure that texture has been added



Also detailing up his dashboard



Shaping up some more details

[Twokidsnosleep]

Some more work on interior and driver





Got the exterior painted decanted TS-26 White
In a few days, will do a clear coat on both the body and the guy’s helmet



I have ordered a 3D printed VW engine...see if it looks better than the kit one

[Stokesy44]

Very cool. Bonkers, but cool

[Casper]

love it

[Twokidsnosleep]

Very cool. Bonkers, but cool

Sometimes people describe me to a T

[Twokidsnosleep]

love it

I am having fun
Got some surprises soon too

[Quax]

completely wild but you're doing a great job! Don't you think he'd look right in the cockpit of your Spitfire ?

Paul

[Twokidsnosleep]

completely wild but you're doing a great job! Don't you think he'd look right in the cockpit of your Spitfire ?

Paul

I have a Red Baron kit (of the same genre) like that for my Snoopy build...someday

[Kingdan]

As much as I want to like it it's too much like a toon/egg thing don't get me Wrong it'll look good as what it is but egg/toon things make my eye twitch for all the wrong reasons lol now the bike that looks like a great subject looking forward to watching that one come together

[Twokidsnosleep]

As much as I want to like it it's too much like a toon/egg thing don't get me Wrong it'll look good as what it is but egg/toon things make my eye twitch for all the wrong reasons lol now the bike that looks like a great subject looking forward to watching that one come together

Yes, it is very cartoony and silly...but having some fun building something different

[Kingdan]

As much as I want to like it it's too much like a toon/egg thing don't get me Wrong it'll look good as what it is but egg/toon things make my eye twitch for all the wrong reasons lol now the bike that looks like a great subject looking forward to watching that one come together

Yes, it is very cartoony and silly...but having some fun building something different

And sometimes we all have to build something different to keep,the mojo flowing I'm sure you'll work your magic on it mate

[BigWall]

Looks like a fun, goofy build! Nice work!

[Casper]

love it

I am having fun
Got some surprises soon too

I love suprises
cool looking baron kit I have a couple of wacky kits in my stash, great fun builds

[Twokidsnosleep]

Looks like a fun, goofy build! Nice work!

Indeed

[Twokidsnosleep]

I melted a pattern into the rear wheels so they had a tread pattern



Then I painted the wheel internals to look like rims instead of the ridiculous moulded stupidity Revell made





I got his helmet and the body Splash 2K cleared...just drying so no pics just yet

[BigWall]

Sweet! I'm loving this build!

[Casper]

Love the tyre tracks scott, great idea. with that much traction he should fly off the bench great fun
casp

[Twokidsnosleep]

Love the tyre tracks scott, great idea. with that much traction he should fly off the bench great fun
casp

Ha, indeed
It looks a little like a tractor at this point

[DBMiller]

Nice brush that driver has! Makes mine look amateur at best!

[Twokidsnosleep]

Clear coat is dry and solid

Ok let’s see where this build is taking us....look familiar???





This was the inspiration