Anyone interested in joining me on a “Civilian Zombie Outbreak Response Vehicle” group build? Taking inspiration from World War Z, The Zombie Survival Guide, The Walking Dead, anything that inspires you!
The basic premise would be as follows: (I don’t like calling them rules)
What Can Be Used?
Build in any scale you please, but I’ll be building in 1/25.
Any vehicle which a normal civilian would own or could readily obtain in the event of a zombie outbreak can be used.
(I’m leaving this open because I know people could come up with some crazy stuff! I’d love to see a variety of vehicles ranging from cars & trucks to buses, bikes, semi-rigs, boats, even planes, etc.)
REALISM (As much as possible given the subject matter)
All vehicles should be modified in a fashion which an actual civilian could modify their own vehicle. (So no zombie killing death ray devices)
Kit-bashing artillery pieces onto your base vehicle isn’t something your neighbor could do so don’t add it to your model.
You CAN kit-bash weapons all you want, but make sure it’s within the scope of conceivable realism.
Time frame
The build runs for 6 Months starting October 1st 2012 until April 1st 2013.
Try to post a picture updating us at least once every week or two if you can.
Other Details
Figures are NOT required but some walkers sure couldn’t hurt.
To give you an idea I’ll share what I’m planning ('m going to try and finish two kits):
A very “soccer-mom” Ford Focus hatchback (with the hatch opened). Scratch built “weapons” and supplies populating the back of the car. Zombie kill bars protecting the front of the car. “Steel fencing” over the windows, Etc.
A Ford F-150 (or maybe a Cadillac Escalade XLT) towing a trailor loaded with supplies including a dirt bike and fuel drums. Anti-zombie cage over the bed of the truck, and a heavily modified plow on the front with spikes on it.
Who’s in!?
(Update: 10/8) I’ve updated the Group Build to make it a 6 month project. Truthfully I could care less, I just hope people build what makes them happy in a time frame which works for them. Please don’t be discouraged by the build dates, if you want to get involved please jump in whenever!
The “Zombie Threat” is a timeless subject matter so for me this group build is more about the culture and less about sticking to a timeline. Have fun guys!
Stephen: I like the idea and might be in if you willing to stretch things a little bit.
I’ve been reading a lot of Larry’s Corriea’s Monster Hunter Nation novels and picked up a Cadillac Escalde to build as an US Bureau of Monster Control vehicle- aka a black government SUV with a mini-gun mounted on top.
Not sure when I’d be able to jump in- got a pile of stuff on the plate right now and really shouldn’t even volunteer here but this just sounds like a really cool idea.
I think it’s a neat idea! I enjoy all things Zombie…
I don’t have a lot of scratchbuilding/customizing experience, but I would be very interested to see how this goes, and maybe if I got inspired I would join in?? Keep us posted!
That’s fine! I’ve updated the post to match the thread I started on the Scale Auto Mag forum too. I don’t expect a ton of responses, but this will be a fun project. I have no scratch building experience but that’s the point in a group build, to push your skill levels and learn new techniques.
I’m starting small, by scratch building an M16 for the back of the car, next I’ll build a shotgun, then a pistol, and so on. The whole time I’m just fine tuning my skills.
Sure, it’s a little outside of the scope of the original concept but for the sake of getting things moving I’m cool with it.
I updated the post with the new info (so it matches the GB post I put on the Scale Auto forums too). The build started yesterday and is running through February 2013. After this one I think it’d be fun to do a “Military Zombie Outbreak Response Vehicle” GB. Then your mini-gun would fit right in!
WOW, I assume the kit can be built as a non-DuH version??? I don’t remember Roscoe packing an assault rifle or SMG in any episode much less a grenade launcher [:|]
When I start on the government monster control vehicle I’ll have to see if anyone has one of these kits I can rob for parts.
Stephen: Great looking work there on the M-16, if you’re going to try casting several of them may I ask you to mail a few to me when you’re done if it’s not too much trouble?
Haha! I know right?! I can’t for the life of me figure out why the grenade launcher is so plain and why they included it in the chrome tree?
I hadn’t intended to cast the one I built, it’s actually a little bit too big when I lay it next to the one from the Sheriff Roscoe kit. BUT I’m all about helping out! So assuming I do decide to undertake my first casting experiment what would I need? (If nothing else I’ll cast a few sets of the weapons I just purchased)
You’ll need the rubber type stuff to make the mold and then the stuff to pour into the mold to make the part. I’ve used stuff I bought from the local craft store but it doesn’t seem to made for fine detail casting and tends to make a bit of a mess, I need to do more research into this. Just figured you might make one M16 and then cast a couple more instead of going though the work of making several of them.
In fact I’d thought maybe it would make sense if we could get the whole casting thing right several people could each do a different weapon and trade them around so we get an assortment without having to scratch-build each one separably. I might just try scratching a Barrett M82 just for the halibut. If I mess it up I’ve lost what? A few bucks worth of plastic card stock and metal tubing?
Sure I know what you mean, up to my neck in ‘projects’ right now too and without the time or money to jump into anything else.
I suppose I’ve got till your Military Zombie Outbreak Response Vehicle Group Build (MZORVGB?) in Feb to work something out? I’ll see about scratching maybe the Barrett and perhaps a B.A.R. and then doing a little on-line research into casting mediums in the meanwhile.
BTW : You might try placing a post over in the SF/Fantasy forum about this GB, there are people who hang out there that probably don’t check over here very often.
Anybody know a decent soure for 1/25 (1/24) accessories? I’m looking for MRE (or C-rations) boxes, tools, camping equipment, coolers (any style), as well as gas and water cans.
Greg, G scale in railroading is pretty close. And got a few old NASCAR kits with tools and tool boxes. Tamiya did a few figure sets to go with their autos with different camping stuff to go with the figures, not sure any are still in production though. I’m going to try to remember to ask any of the car guys at our model club if they’ve got any extra stuff they might not be using to see what else is available.
There’s a few good sets out there from a number of after market companies. But I’m going to defer to Cliff on this one. Or scratch build what you need…?
Scratch-building is good! I’m finding a pile of stuff under a web-search of ‘G scale figures’ though. Some super expensive but others not too bad. Found a couple of cops but no government ‘spooks’ with full tactical gear though [whstl]
