Tortwagen Gulf GTI

[puddingwrestler]

What with tommorow being the official start of the 1 week GB, I thought I'd post my back story here now to save valuble builkding time tommorow - so here it is!

During WW2 numerous amphbious vehicles were built such as the American DUKW and German Schwimmwagen - naturally, the inhabitants of river-infested island nation, the Rpeublica San Torta got very interested in these as any trip in San Torta involves at least three river crossings and a detour through the ocean. After the war, San Tortan banker Pedro San Churro founded Tortwagen to produce liscence built civilianized Schwimmwagens in San Torta - the nation's first car maker. Tortwagen was quick to realise that the car needed a snappier name, so it became known as the Gulf. Minor modifications, such as fitting more comfortable seats and painting it nice shiny colours instead of camoflague were made to turn it into a civilian vehicle. The Tortwagen Gulf became very popular with San Tortans, and was contginually developed and updated until the last one roilled off the production lines in 1990. (It was directly replaced by the Tortwagen Bayou, although by this time Tortwagen was also producing the Luxury Tortwagen Titanic and the medium sized Tortwagen Tidepool) When the hot hatch craze started in Europe in the 1980s Tortwagen was quick to produce thier own 'hot' version, the Gulf GTI, fitted with uprated engine, sports seats, alloy wheels and spoiler, and available in a range of wild colours. The Tortwagen Gulf GTI is internationaly recognised as the world's premier amphibious Hot Hatch, even if there isn't really any competition...

I plan to build a 1990 model Tortwagen Gulf GTI - the very last one produced. It will involve a Tamiya 1/35 scale Schwimmwagen, and a 1/36 scale Skyline GT-R toy. And possibly bits of a Hummer toy. And metaic paint. And a custom interior. And spoilers. And it will drive the JMN NUTS!

[puddingwrestler]

[nev]

Nice to see something without wings

[cthulhu77]

Sweet !  Yep, a vehicle sounds great !   

[Weaver]

Snigger - that sounds brilliant!  Pity you can't go back to the '60s and sell a heap of them painted up in flowers to the hippies........

[puddingwrestler]

It's only a matter of time bvefore I figure out time travel...

Started work this morning to discover I'd left the instructions at home (Visiting the Parents for the next four days...) fortunately, I have another Schwimmwagen which was built when I got it, and happens to live with my parents cause I never got round to taking it away - I think it's Italeri, looks different, but reference to it is helping me figure things out.

So far I have removed the wheels from the SKyline, discovered the skyling rear sat has built in luggage to hide the damn pull bakc action motor (the eBay descritption nmever menmtioned that curse it!) and started sanding off various excressences which are perfefctly acceptable in a military vehicle, but in a civilian sports model are totally out of the question. PIcs this evening after I have gone to Games Club and deployed the unholy amount of terrain I've built in the last three weeks...

[jcf]

So was the Tortwagen Titanic based on the Trippel SG6? 



The Trippel was the "other" WWII German amphibious car.

Jon

[puddingwrestler]

Okay, due to spending six hours at Games Club not a huge amount done today (well, nothing really tangible anyway)
I've cut up the Skyline interior to remove the seats and dash and am in the porces of fitting them to the Schwimmwagen interior - which needs to be expanded a bit. I've also decided to use the rear seat from the NUmber Two schwimmwagen as it's a full width bench and the Skyline rear seat hasa giant hole in it (Curse you Pull Back Action Gear!). I've shaved off a whole lot of fittings and doohickeys, and I'm puttying things up. The biggest job is puttying the spare wheel recess in the nose... I've also been working on the axels and running gear. Tommorow I should have something visible to show, at the moment nothing really looks like anything. BUt it will. And then I shall rule the world! (nothing like ambition eh?)

[puddingwrestler]

Here's a photo showing what is going on at the Tortwagen Factory...


http://www.members.iinet.net.au/~owentop/images/tortwagen1.jpg

Although the engine is at the back I've given the bonnet a power bulge - partially for sportiness, partially to cover all the puttying up... It will also be fitted with pop-up headlights when I scribe the outlines. I figured the Schwimmwagen's lights were to old fashioned. I've shaved more military looking excressences off and worked out how to fit the Skyline's 6 spoke alloy wheels. I have to go on a supply run tommorow which will net me the kit to modify the interior. THe exterior is basically done (needs mirrors I guess, and exhausts) and I'm building this Curbside (ie: No motor detail) so it's really just the interior and things are done. Still need to clean up some putty work.

[cthulhu77]

Love it bigtime! I know a guy in France that has a reconditioned Schwimmwagen, says it is one of the best off-road and beach vehicles he's ever driven. Certainly is a chick magnet !  I don't think his has the cool factor of this one, though.

[puddingwrestler]

Well... I'm off to the city to buy supplies for the build in a bit so there will be much-much progress-thing (as the Skaven say) today - I hope to get the interior built and I am debating about wether to have the pop-up headlights up or down... I'm sort of favoring up at the mo. Also porbably work out the exhaust system. If all goes well I could be painting this in a disturbingly short space of time...

[puddingwrestler]

Okay, expanded the kit's floor to accept the much larger racing bucket seats I'm fitting:



Fitted the narrowed dash:


Over all shot:


I've also puttied up a few other bits I decided were not needed and I've added fine mesh behind the air vents towards the back as per the kit instructions. I've gotten hold on some Bare Metal foil and some aluminium pipes, so It'll be fitted with chunky chrome exhaust tips (In an unexpected place!) and there will be some chrome bump strips at the bow. Yes. Bow.

[B777LR]

You should work with Audi to design cars! Thats amazing!

[Spey_Phantom]

kinda reminds me of the warthog from the videogame series (and soon movie) HALO
it kinda starts to look like it 

[nev]

That looks awesome!  Can't wait to see it with some paint on