1/12 Garage Diorama

[desmoquattro]

I call it "Hope".

I had a half-finished Tamiya Ducati 900SS kit sitting on my bench that I didn't feel like completing. The kit dates to 1983 and it is ok, but needs a lot of work to look decent. So I was looking at the parts I had... Complete engine, body, wheels... Then I thought "why not make my half assed build a half assed SCALE build?"

So it became a basket case project in a scale garage.

This ended up being a quick and dirty build but a very fun one. It's 95% done. I'm still adding some little details to clutter it up a bit more.

I detailed the engine using T2M scale hex and allen bolts. I fabbed up some spark plug holes and an intake manifold with scrap stuff I had on the bench.

The miscellaneous junk is bits left from old detail kits and a bunch of mechanical watch parts (gears and screws).

The wall of the garage is a recreation of my parent's in balsa stained with oils and dusted with pigments. The floor is a slab of plaster painted with oils and dusted with pigments and some india ink stains.

The bench and some of the bits (creeper, mug, jars, fan belt) are dollhouse miniatures, which happen to be 1/12 scale. I weathered the bench with oils, ink and sandpaper.

The box is just card stock weathered with pigments and filled with various bits from the kit. Used T2M brake line fittings for some extra detail.

My expertise is in military stuff, so weathering is what I enjoy and what I'm good at. I've always struggled with clean, pristine looking builds... So this was a fun way to apply my weathering skills to a different subject.

[ianc911]

What I'm seeing here is absolutely fabulous, 1st class, museum-quality work. Unbelievable craftsmanship.

However, compositionally, the empty floor in front of the bench is crying out to me for something. Maybe the motorcycle frame sitting on the floor? It just seems to need something to balance the clutter toward the rear of the diorama.

Again, top-notch work, and hope we get to see more of your stuff,

ianc

[desmoquattro]

Thank you,

Yep, my original plan was to have the bare frame on the floor, partially covered by a tarp. I wanted to make a bare wiring harness with plugs hanging everwhere. However the frame needs a lot of work to look half decent so I didn't get around to it yet. If I feel ambitious I'll do it at a later date. In the meantime I'm going to add some more clutter around the workbench to make it look more lived in - tools, stuff on the wall, cords, tubing, etc.

[cinqster]

Absolutely fantastic diorama, though knowing some of the anally retentive folk who collect these (now rare) bikes, I would expect their workshop to be a little more hi-tech & corporate!

I do also agree with Ianc911 about the floor area!

How about dating the piece 2000AD, adding another bench & a nasty yellow nicotined Dell desktop logged on to buy the Ducati MH900e online?

IRC, they were marketed as a MH direct descendant and only available online as 2000 units! Unfortunately, never seen a good 1/12th model of one!

[roydion78]

Cool car and a very nice build!

[Helico]

AMAZING! Simply amazing.

[desmoquattro]

Most of the Duc guys I know work in exactly these types of conditions. The top Duc tuner in Canada works in a two car garage that looks like the remnants of a tornado at the Duc factory. There is a big difference between a Duc "collector" and a Duc "enthusiast". The enthusiast will be elbow deep in their bike in a dirty garage. The collector will have the bike in his office so he can impress his colleagues, and will likely never ride it because that would impact the value.

In that vein - The MH is, in my opinion, a seriously ugly and speculated-to-death "collectible". Values plummeted on them after 08. A bunch of zero-miles living room queens hit the market with silly price tags. 2000 pieces is a lot for a supposedly "rare" bike and Duc limited editions made since the 1990s generally don't hold their value.

Sorry for going off on tangent. I've been riding bikes for a long time and have formulated many opinions over the years...

Originally Posted by cinqster

Absolutely fantastic diorama, though knowing some of the anally retentive folk who collect these (now rare) bikes, I would expect their workshop to be a little more hi-tech & corporate!

I do also agree with Ianc911 about the floor area!

How about dating the piece 2000AD, adding another bench & a nasty yellow nicotined Dell desktop logged on to buy the Ducati MH900e online?

IRC, they were marketed as a MH direct descendant and only available online as 2000 units! Unfortunately, never seen a good 1/12th model of one!

[Greg23]

A well done diorama is always a joy to behold.

[mico_cole]

Wow it looks astonishing, you did a great job.

[willimo]

Really excellent! I've spent a lot of time in garage spaces just like this. Beautiful! It makes me feel at home. Love it!

[nugundam93]

well-done diorama! nice thinking on converting an unfinished build

[cinqster]

Originally Posted by desmoquattro

Most of the Duc guys I know work in exactly these types of conditions. The top Duc tuner in Canada works in a two car garage that looks like the remnants of a tornado at the Duc factory. There is a big difference between a Duc "collector" and a Duc "enthusiast". The enthusiast will be elbow deep in their bike in a dirty garage. The collector will have the bike in his office so he can impress his colleagues, and will likely never ride it because that would impact the value.

In that vein - The MH is, in my opinion, a seriously ugly and speculated-to-death "collectible". Values plummeted on them after 08. A bunch of zero-miles living room queens hit the market with silly price tags. 2000 pieces is a lot for a supposedly "rare" bike and Duc limited editions made since the 1990s generally don't hold their value.

Sorry for going off on tangent. I've been riding bikes for a long time and have formulated many opinions over the years...

Whoa fella...I agree with you about the workshop - I work in one that is far more basic than the one in your diorama! I just thought I would be a nice ironic twist for a diorama and agree the MH is indeed, a rich posers toy, though I don't agree about the looks! I think (as most Duc designs) it's vastly improving over time, like a very good wine.

How long have you been around Italian bikes? BTW, this is me in '75!

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/b...photo/1974.jpg

[sportracer02]

Great execution, you have the look for details

[Kjenjak]

This is so gorgeous! Excellent work on all the details and the weathering!
The only piece I don't like is the white cup. It looks so "basic" and clean compared to all the rest... (imo)
Maybe it shouldn't be upside down, have a logo on the outside and coffee stains on the inside.

[HamburgerHead]

undeniably.......bitchin!