Hotrod Hilux

Ok, we all know that an IP thread is the kiss of death to progress on a model for me, but I am in a thread makin' mood so I'm going to take that risk.

Years ago I made a model of a Celica made in hotrod style, with no hood or front quarters, a take off of a very, very cool 1:1 Cressida. I couldn't find my AF thread for it, but here's a picture:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/willimo/AFMOTYCelica.jpg

So I started with this Aoshima Hilux because the chassis is already Z'd and the body is channeled to fit over the chassis and will be perfect for looking totally slammed out like I want.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/willimo/DSCN3763_zpsa604c12a.jpg

I made a little jig to hold the chassis while I work on it. This will help make sure I set the suspension up right and get the stance I want, and help make the rear fenders the right height and set the bed up properly - to get the look I want I have to be very careful with every single component and it's relation to the ground. This little jig was the best idea I came up with for this project.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/willimo/DSCN3764_zps5644be8d.jpg

This is how the chassis fits on the jig. The chassis is pretty well modified at this point. The front was modified to be straight - the kit had the front Z'd too, weirdly. I cut some of the crossing frame work, too, and added some. The wide one right where the chassis narrow toward the front will hold the transmission in place, and I have new engine mounts in the front too. The rear has a lot more done to it, with all the Evergreen I-beam used to hold the bed. I made the rear cycle fenders by cutting a circle out of plastic for the backs. Then I boiled a strip of thin plastic as wide as the tires, and after cutting them to size I glued them in place around the circumference of the circle I made earlier. You can see here why I must have a special jig to get the height right, since the fenders are built into the frame (let's assume the suspension is really firm...).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/willimo/DSCN3765_zps6e0d0c34.jpg

Unlike the Celica, where I scratch built the dash and redid the interior with quilted upholstery, I am pretty much leaving this interior alone. I will add armrests on the door panels and I changed the bench seat out for buckets from my parts bin. It will be pretty stock but will have some fun details, stay tuned.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/willimo/DSCN3766_zpsfd0499f7.jpg

I cut the front of the body off just ahead of the windscreen and built a new firewall. It is pretty rough still but will look a lot like my Celica when done. Anyone who's build an Aoshima Hilux knows that that the rear of the cab has reliefs cut in it so you can slip the interior in, and I had to fill those too. This makes putting the interior in and out kind of a challenge.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/willimo/DSCN3767_zps68f7abea.jpg

I am using a 2JZ from an old defunct Supra kit. I will put a huge turbo on it and make exhaust and intake manifolds for it, and after the turbo there will be a huge down/dump pipe that ends just before the rear wheel. The wheels are Aoshima AWC Stell Daytonas, and the offsets will be staggered. I am not sure if I am going to leave them black, or black with a polished lip (which usually I hate) or some other option. I guess it will depend on what color I paint the truck.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/willimo/DSCN3768_zpsf61267ed.jpg

The bed is wood. I am going to make it removable so I can have an empty one, have one with a motor on it, maybe one with a motorcycle, whatever. The bed is easy enough to make and it wouldn't be hard to make a few interchangeable ones. One of the things that has been clearest in my head since I conceived this project was using a beer keg as a gas tank. I made a half barrel and it was WAY to big, so I made another, old style, quarter keg and it was just right. I have to decide what beer brand I want to immortalize on my truck, ha ha, big decisions!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/willimo/DSCN3769_zpsc4583aee.jpg

So that's how it sits tonight, and I am moving along on it pretty well so maybe I can finish it in 2013. Here are some detail shots:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/willimo/DSCN3772_zpsa737bb5b.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/willimo/DSCN3776_zpsd2e6469e.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/willimo/DSCN3771_zps8f32d676.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/willimo/DSCN3777_zps7c34a869.jpg

The front will be pretty custom. I originally wanted to narrow the stock front, sort of like I did on my Celica, but decided to go another way. I will use the grill from the Tamiya Toyota Celsior, and headlights from an Aoshima Chiki-chiki wheel set, set at a crazy drift angle. The intercooler and radiator will be V-mounted behind the grill, and the trick will be getting it all to fit. Packaging the big turbo and all the ancillary parts between the narrow frame rails and around that long I6 in the short front end is kind of the biggest problems I foresee. Figuring out how to do the rear lights and stuff is hard too since I can't find any convincing trailer light parts, though I can scratch something that simple, but I am not sure what I want to do about it. I am torn between utilitarian Auto-Zone parts on the back, or something custom and refined. Who knows? This is an exciting build for me, and I probably won't put it down except for my Rocket Bunny 86 but I kind of feel like these two will be very complimentary projects, like Toyota drift buddies. At the least I can put some new and some worn-out tires on the back of the truck and some repair parts, haha.

Thanks for looking, ideas and criticisms super welcome!

Wow, this is a very cool project. Best of luck with it all. Can't wait to see more!

Very cool truck, really looking forward to an update. Seeing this kind of work and creativity makes me want to get back to some of my projects.

Wow...that Celica looks utterly astonishing (& I never even liked them much, back in the day!).

Why on earth have I never seen this done 1:1? :)

Hell yea!! Looking good man!

Why on earth have I never seen this done 1:1? :)

You know what is so weird, is I actually had a dream the other night about doing this to my 1:1 mustang. I have really considered it, as I have never seen it done on a modern vehicle. It's an '05. The keg gas tank is just pure genius. I'll be following this one for sure

Nice concept.
I want to see more of this one!
Andy

reminds me of the engineeredtoslide drift ute hilux, subscribed for sure

http://images.engineeredtoslide.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/IMG_4088.jpg

Woah! That is a rad truck! Thanks for the comments guys. They will keep me motivated!