Ruggedized Mazda K360

[frank2056]

I don't know why I like dinky 3 wheeled vehicles (like the ones meter maids ride while giving out parking tickets). When Arii reissued their 1/32 "Owners Series" I bought several of their 3 wheeled vehicles.

The first one I picked out of the pile was the 1958 Mazda K360:



It's some sort of police patrol car and it comes with a nice diorama. The boxtop artwork is interesting, and reminds me of the JHM thread about boxtop artwork oddities - you can see the original boxtop artwork through the rear and side windows!

The kit is OK, but the tires are undersized. This is what it looks like tacked together, out of the box:



I made a few mods. First I switched it from a primitive, barbaric knuckle-dragging right hand drive to the more advanced and debonair left hand drive. I also switched the gear levers and instruments and put a handy glovebox door to cover the old steering wheel hole. I also made a brake, accelerator and clutch out of scrap plastic:



Next, I decided to open the doors - I thought it would be a bear of a job, but using an exacto and a very thin photoetched steel saw from Wave I had both doors cut out without too much damage in no time.

The undersized tires bugged me, so I used the tires from an old Tamiya 1/35 scale Schwimmwagen, which fit perfectly and are closer to size. I also decided to rescale this slightly to 1/35 scale. This is what it looks like now, with the new wheels and doors tacked on:



Jeffry Fontaine mentioned that Italeri is coming out with a three wheeled vehicle as well:

Checking the Italeri page resulted in a surprise on the front page in the form of an announcement for the die cast Piaggio Ape now available in 1/32nd and 1/18th scale in four different versions spanning 1956 through 1994.  Very interesting little three wheel vehicle that might be a better choice for many considering the current cost for fuel.  The Ape Cross Country version looks like it could be an interesting model subject for conversion to a gun truck...  ;^)

Which gave me the idea of turning this into a cheap troop transport for third world conflicts. I have to think of a good weapon (if any) to put on this thing; I don't think this vehicle had enough power to pull three or four troops with all their gear very far or very fast.

Frank

[tanktastic43]

For a third world combat vehicle, it's got to be armed with the DShK-38.

Looking forward to see how this ends up. 

[John Howling Mouse]

Good catch on the background artwork!  Can't believe how well you cut those doors out.  Whenever I see these trikes, I can't help but think of Clousseau blasting one through various fruitstands and winding up in a swimming pool!

[Mossie]

Maybe not with this one as you've put some chunky tyres on it, but for real ruggedness how about a half track, possibly a snow mobile with front ski?  Reminds me of a hair raising Tuk-Tuk trip in Thailand where me & the missus nearly ended up off the side of a mountain.  Seriously!

[frank2056]

Thanks for the comments! I love that halftrack, and I have a built-up kettenkrad that could donate the treads, and a second (and third) 3 wheeler.
I don't know why Arii went with the undersized wheels - everything else matches up perfectly with the real vehicle.

I'm having way too much fun on this model. I made a new windscreen out of thin plastic (the kit windows are clear but they look like the worst of the old third world "clear" canopies) and the little triangular windows on the doors. I also opened up the air vents under the windscreen and made new vent doors out of thin plastic. Barry, those micro saws from Wave are amazing. They will bend easily if you saw too vigorously (and they'll make very bloody cuts in fingers...) but they're hard to beat when it comes to quick, precision plastic cutting.

I'm trying to come up with a good paint scheme. I'm leaning towards a "classic" Tuk-tuk yellow-tan over green, or a tan camo on a dark green. The fit of the parts is such that I can finish and paint the body separate from the interior and chassis, then glue the two together. That'll make final construction a lot easier.

Frank

[tinlail]

Not certain you should of cut those doors out. To me is has a vague amphibious assault craft look about it. Maybe for the harbor master?

[kitnut617]

At the hotel where we stayed in the Dominican, they used little trucks like that for the housekeepers. Think they were called Daihatsus or something like that.  I was intrigued enough to go look at one and the guy showed me that it was powerd by a little 500cc motorcycle engine.  Even more amazing, I saw one on the road a couple of months ago around where I live in Alberta.

[B777LR]

It looks very WWII ish. Very "Africa Corps italian equipment" ish. Perhaps even fit an MG42 on the roof, for a gunner? The gunner can stand on the rear

[Logan Hartke]

I have to think of a good weapon (if any) to put on this thing; I don't think this vehicle had enough power to pull three or four troops with all their gear very far or very fast.

Recoilless Rifle.  Only choice.  Nothing else.

http://www.williammaloney.com/Aviation/MilitaryMuseumOfSouthernNewEngland/MuleRecoillessRifleGunCarrier/index.htm

http://www.m38a1.com/Models/models_106.htm

http://www.armyvehicles.dk/willysm38a1recoil.htm

http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2006/12/mystery-photo-one-seriously-empowered.html



Chop the top off.  Give it a fold-down windshield like a Jeep and drop her in the Mog.

Logan Hartke

[BlackOps]

This last one would look cool with a Ski up front!

[Jschmus]

I'd like to second Logan's recommendation on the recoilless.  They seem to be the cheap weapon of choice for African technicals.

[frank2056]

The recoilless rife idea is interesting - Jason, that picture looks like an ad "Come to Mugumba's Techical Shop - Your one stop for all your weapons needs!"

The only problem I see is that this Mazda is tiny; The guy in the boxtop drawing looks cramped and he would be. Here are some real world examples:



And this one - it's in the center right:



The recoilless rifle is almost as long as the vehicle!

Frank

[philp]

That is why I would stick with the DShK 12.7mm MG.

[Logan Hartke]

The only problem I see is that this Mazda is tiny; The guy in the boxtop drawing looks cramped and he would be. Here are some real world examples:

I guess you didn't look at all the links I provided.

Yours would not be the smallest vehicle to mount such a weapon.  The 57mm, 73mm, and 82mm would be even more practical than the 106mm seen on many of these vehicles.







The strain on the mount and overall weapon weight would be less than the venerable Dushka depending on the weapon used.

Logan Hartke

[Nick]

Is that last one a Davy Crockett? That would be a blast.....

I'm wondering about the box art. I think it might have been a parking meter or traffic wardens vehicle in line with Japans Kei Car concept. These are tiny vehicles that were tax free and exempt from parking restrictions within Japans big cities based on their size and small economical engines.