Discussion time: Post your tips for kit bashing!

[Brandon]

To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk. - Thomas A. Edison [/b][/i]

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There was a question on one of my progress threads that got me thinking.....

It's one that I get asked quite a bit, and I know many of you do also... but where do you get your ideas for your kitbashes, or how do you go about making a wild kit bash?

Many modelers build what's in the box, as did I when I was younger. I literally built 100s of kits.... my parents were very supportive and it kept me out of trouble. But the 3n1 kits gave me options and I liked that. Then I didn't do such a good job on a kit or two and they were harvested for their cool parts when a new kit arrived.

These days unless it's a total nostalgic memory kit for me, like say the Hemi Hunter Dart, I do not build anything out of the box.

A lot of us here are seasoned kit bashers, many of you are way more advanced at scratch building than I will ever be... but we all started at the same point: Box Stockers.

Many guys returning to modeling after a long time do not have the experience to jump in to a build on the scale of Tim Nolan or Hobby Bobby.... Some guys whose creative juices are not as flowing need a little help....

The process is not magical or complex for me, and I will re-post what I put in the other threads.... but now I'm wondering how do YOU go about kitbashing? I know some of you sketch, conceptualize, or even design a new ride.

Help the group out and share your tips for kitbashing and things that help you or are important to you.


Here's mine:



*

For me the real "trick" to doing this stuff is:

A. Having enough stuff to pick from. I have boxes and boxes of "parts" and I tend to keep a supply of show-roddish fodder in stock. (Creepy T's, Mummy Machines, Paddy Wagons, old glue bombs...etc..) I also keep the leftovers from prior kitbashes and usually find inspiration in them.... one door closes as another opens. Like I always say: "You are only as good as your parts."

B. Holding things up and eyeballin' them. Plain and simple. I spend a LOT of time with tape and tire-props. Hold it up, see if it fits, if not, rummage around until I stumble across something else that will work. None of these ever start out as a sketch or a vision. I "sketch" with the parts. Engines, bodies and tires.

C. Wheels and Tires. Period. No other thing you can do to any car will effect the outcome as the wheels and tires. Pass or fail all comes down to the right rolling stock.

D. Pick a time frame and stick with it. I prefer the late '60s and '70s when these showrods ruled... not to say you can't make a "modern" show rod, but you don't stick wide white walls with a EFI V10 or Donk wheels with a vintage-accessorized flat head. Be consistent through the build.

E. Have Fun. Look and study the flow and stance, and most importantly... have fun.

[johnverkerk]

Well most of my idea's come from the INTERNET,,looking up concept vehicles,,or seeing a few different idea's and combing them into one,i to get kits for certain parts and if not ,,i have a vacuum former a milling machine and lathe at my disposal,,I'm getting into making my own rims and tires ( like hobby bobby ) does, and then casting them in black flexible resin,,this gives me an arsenal of wheel combinations.
As for starting a build,,sometimes the idea starts right here at the CC,,and i paint a mental picture in my head what it would look like and go from there,,granted sometimes it does not come together as planned ( i guess that's why i have alot of stalled projects,,lol!!! )but i always try to come up with something unique that has not been done before,,and no thanks to Dan Barten,,i look at everything i throw away twice now,,lol!!!for potential idea's.

[barten]

Observation of details . . . in everything.

Every concept behind my ideas are out of my personal life or someone who made an impression on me. . . at the time.

I look at something NEW. . and collect it. . . and see if I can put wheels or treads on it. . . does it have features that are "car like" and go from there. . . I design as I go. . . with whatever is in front of me at the time. . .and if it doesn't work. . . I keep looking in another pile.

I take a second look at everything. . . that is hard plastic. . . and question will it work. I have a sister who just gave me a big box of household things to use . . A BIG BOX! I have parts boxes and some glue bombs I find at sales. . .or are sent to me. (Thank you to those who have shared thier unwanted parts)

Some of my builds come from a place of. . . .someone saying, "It can't be done!"

Or just a test for myself. . . "Can it be done?" (Like cutting out a half circle out of my modems mother board for an engine base in Poindexter's bubble car)

Or Just to make a traditional modeler say, "I don't get it?" That is the most fun. ;D (Like my cobweb classic build)

This is all a form of escape from the harshness that life throws at me. . . .and a place where I can shut out the world and let my mind rest. .. and go wild . . . no boundaries. . .and anything goes. . . just for a moment. . . .back to a place of no responsibility. A Place where I talk to God as I build!

The ideas just come. . .and sometimes go.

Interesting question. . . thanks for asking!

I look forward to the responses

GB
barten

[skulldude]

Me?..I look HERE!!!You guys are PROS and some really GREAT stuff is on here...just LOOK around!!
And often an idea just "floats in my mind" for the kit. More often than not, I have an idea where Im going when I get the kit.

[robriley]

i pretty much do it the way beandon does it. the phrase "you're only as good as your parts" is very true. if you don't have the "right" parts, you're build will not come out as good.
what i mean by that is, you wouldn't put new style monocoque drag star rims on a funny car that's supposed to be from the 60's. pick a period in time, and build the thing around that time period. a 1960's showrod that is supposed to have been built in the 1960's would not have radial tires. BUT, a 90's showrod, built to look 60's style might have radials....so you have options when it comes to building for a specific period of time.
i usually find a subject (model) and either i can envision the build finished before i even start on it (to know what look to aim for) or i see nothing at all. when i don't see anything, i just build it at random...i make changes and cut stuff up as i go. i do alot of building at random, cutting and making changes as i go. i like to do mock ups as i go as well, because you have to pick the "right" parts before you decide to go with them. normally, i come up with an idea for a build, and then try to find the kit that would work the best to pull it off.
sometimes, i just grab a kit off the shelf, and start bashing.

[dbash2006]

its not always what looks kool at first... the thing usualy starts one way and sorta evolves to something as you putty it up and start to shape it, I try to use fender flairs, or raised hoods or diferent bumpers or rear panels from ole cut in half bodies or shorten the thing, widen it, chop it!!!... as Rob said its good to try to stay within the sceam of things with tires that match the theme... but on the other hand thats why its a kit bash ( Diferent ) any thing goes so to speak .............I usualy start with a body and go from there...motors definatly make a difference too!! some ideas call for a blown hemi where others might need a hoped up six banger..( not that I'v used a six cyilinder ) but I'v seen some kool looking I deas like the Trantula pipes on one side!!.......so choose a moter acordingly....thats good enough ....I personaly like the challange of fiting chassis that don't exist or making interiors from scratch...have fun and make -m- way out!!!!

[A.J.]

Well, my inspiration comes from all directions. For instance, some of my friends who I talk to from time to time inspire me in conversations just talking about a kit. Joe D and I had a conversation last weekend and in that conversation no less than 2 or 3 new concepts popped into my head revolving around a single kit. I believe that I inspire him the same way as he had some really cool ideas. I see things in 1:1 that inspire me. Every day items and shapes might inspire me. Why just before I left work to come home (after reading this) I seen something on eBay and it just gave me a whole new concept for a TD kit. So you get the idea there. The ideas come from everywhere. The second part would be transferring them to something so I don't forget. My first line is usually pencil and paper. Since I did attend college in the way of Graphic Design for awhile I'm able to put some ideas down on paper. Those same graphic design courses also gave me some thought in the way of thinking outside the box and just letting things flow rather than just what is in front of you. Some of this can be seen in my Uncertain T in process with my original concept sketch. The other way is just like Brandon and I may just build as I go. That can be seen in my ICE T in progress build. There was no concept to that. Most of that was cardboard templates and just cutting and gluing as I went. My latest creation is a Big T done in the style of the Hot Wheels Boneshaker. I've completely built up the upper body panels and started smoothing it all out so it looks like it came that way.

I guess the real thing to keep in mind is to just take inspiration from wherever you can find it. Imagine things and get a good solid picture in your mind. Put it on paper even if you can't draw all that well. Maybe you don't want to work on it right now. Then you'd have some notes or sketches on it so you can pick it up. Sometimes I'll just jot notes down on parts I want to use with my sketches. If not that sort of thing, take the image in your head and start working it out in plastic. Something else I keep in mind is that I treat kit bashing like problem solving. As you are trying to scratch build something, you have to solve the problem and figure out how to work it out. I keep plenty of old junk plastic from kits in a box. Sometimes I find the exact shape I need from those boxes. For instance, back to the Big T upper panels. The sides, back and front were very simple in that they are all flat with the window areas cut out of them. The cab corner were the tough part. I checked the hobby shop but they didn't have styrene tube large enough to work. So in digging around I remembered having an old Exterminator kit that was way far from complete. I dug it out and low and behold, the battery box for powering it up had the exact curves I needed to make those corners, they are perfect. Use your head, be patient, work things out, and have fun. That's what this is really all about. I don't really see kit bashing or scratch building being any harder than building a kit from the box.

Ok, sorry for the long read. I hope this gave some insight to the methods of my madness. May I soon complete something...LOL!

[Starry Eyes]

I guess I'll step up to the plate and take a turn .. I'm one of those "hit & miss" builders .. I generally do a sanitary build regardless of the subject .. but not always a creative build which can be very frustrating when you see all the wild ideas that pop here on a regular basis.
I am very analytical in many areas but entering plastic in to the mix isn't one.. that's not to say that I COULDN'T be a basher, but my inventory of parts and kits just aren't from the TD category or kits from that era .. At the young age of 54 , I'm still trying to figure out how in the hell I missed all these cool kits ..!!(?) I will say that my building inspiration comes mostly from the klowns here on the Corner which was mostly responsible for me tracking down all the necessary parts to complete the 8th scale Green Hornet .. Also kudos once again to Ratrod and Timbo for their fine efforts .. For those who are highly capable of building a killer bash , may think it's easy and "anyone can do it" well, speaking for myself - I'm just one of those guys that doesn't posses the talent or a vision to venture in to the bashing world .. !! But the one's you guys build are damn cool to look at !!

enough rambling -
Starry Eyes

[Brandon]

Oct 2, 2008 17:32:34 GMT -6 Starry Eyes said:

... well, speaking for myslef - I'm just one of those guys that doesn't posses the talent or a vision to venture in to the bashing world .. !! But the one's you guys build are damn cool to look at !!

enough rambling -
Starry Eyes

You make some very valid points and from talking with others you are far from alone... I would say to you guys: Start small.

Don't be afraid to venture into the waters.... begin with a simple wheel and tire swap or a motor swap. Maybe a bucket seat conversion or a kustom body option on a 3n1 kit. It's only plastic and your next one will only get better. Just take your time and do the best job you can on what you are working on. This board is also a great place to bounce ideas and get helpful feedback that wasn't available 20 years ago...


Looking back, my first Gallery entries were all box stock... I was just returning to model building and just practiced the basics... paint, neatness, etc. Eventually I wanted to change a "theme" or name of something and it just progressed from there. Each one I learned something and carried that forward....

I wasn't nearly the builder I am now when I was younger... with old age come the patience I wish I had then.... That and paying $50 and up for a rare base kit will make you think twice about slamming it together without paint in 30 minutes.

[barten]

And I just want to sit under Brandon's table to catch all the extra parts he scraps while BASHING ALL THOSE GRAILS! ;D

GB
barten

[Dr. Kerry]

My ideas come from a lot of places. I see stuff either on the net, in peoples yards (on the street), car shows, or someting will spark just talking amongst friends. Kind of a "What If" thing, next thing ya know an idea starts. Sometimes I get looking at a couple kits and the gears get turning about differnet variations of what could be done.
A friend of mine always looks at what I do and wonders how I can envision the final product. I guess some people can or cannot do this, a lot of it comes with years of kitbashing and kustom building that you just develop the imagination. Some have the gift from the beginning too I guess.
Good question and I'm sure you'll get a lot of different answers to this one.

[flounder]

Developing a concept is great fun for me. It usually start with a kit in mind and then try to come up with some concepts. Occasionally, I will just let the pencil flush some stuff out of my head. Seems my subject matter always has a model car equivalent. Unless it is a box stock build, I always try to be original.

Once I start building, I try to study the shape from all angles. Like Brandon said, they eye is a powerful tool. Also, not settling on a unpleasing shape just to move ahead on a project is a good habit. Make it look right. I've said it before. Just because to parts are next to each other in the box, does not mean they should be glued together. I pull design ques from the pros. My favorite - repeat shapes and themes.

Then I start building.

During construction of a project I will even sketch out subassemblies such as induction systems or most recently, a pedal assembly. This helps solve design problems. I also do a lot of assembly and fabrication in my head while driving. Again, problem solving.

Let me ask this....Am I the only one who will take a current project to the bedroom and put it on the night stand next to my bed so I can look at it while I fall asleep? I take a some flack for this, but oh well.

Flounder

[bobpaeth]

I'm guilty of kit bashing.......................go to your parts box and look,........................you never know what you Will find if you don't look. Talk with other modelers. I have helped others without even knowing it.

bob

[hizootdklown]

How about a little flack Flounder,

I'd think you'd have better things to look at in the bedroom..! Still, I'll sit at my desk, sometimes for hours & just stair at my model because I don't want to miss anything... I HATE IT when I see a model 2 months later & see how I could have made it better or cooler or whatever..! Yes I learn that way but I want it right the 1st time..!

Hizoot

[Tim Nolan]

Lot's of great input on this thread so far!

Because I am an artist as well as a model builder, I am always looking at unrelated objects everywhere and thinking how it would be better as something else! (Like a showrod!)

A lot of times, I'll just dig thru kits and look at bodies and study them, turning them around, (even upside down...), to see if they can evolve into something different. I'll often take art paper, sketch a different front or back end, roof angle, and hold it up to the body to see what it might look like. I'll use 3M blue tape to mock stuff together.

I'm with Brandon on the tire/wheel thing. I have a couple of sets of my favorite tires/rims put together in my parts bins, and I'll sit them inside a body shell or chassis to get a better feel for a project in the making. (I'm big on tire/wheel combo's....I tend to be more old school. I'm sorry, those Donk rims just don't get it for me guys. I like em' in the weed's not the tree's!) I don't like use of tires/rims taken from "toys". They usually just don't fit to scale or look cheepo. The only person I've ever really seen pull this off and make it work is Steve Hammann a few years back on some of his contest entries. It can be done with some massaging.

As soon as I get the basis for a design laid out, a feel for the stance with the wheel's/tires, I start figuring out the motor. I also have several old built up motors I can slide into a chassis easily for mock-up.

Paint usually just comes to me. I can easily visualize a color on a project, and it always just seems to flow from that point. Color, and the way it is applied, can make or break your build. A great paint job can make a great build. I personally like LOT'S of color. Vibrant, sparkly, eye kandy.

I love using some tiny milled or photoetched parts, not a ton, just a few to make you look closely.

I'm not big on use of lot's of decals. I use minimal amounts of them, and there's a few favorite designs I tend to gravitate to.

I like to see flocked floors. It's so simple, but it looks so nice if done properly.

I like to see photoreduced guage sets instead of shakily painted blobs on the dash. Again, so simple, yet so many people are afraid to take the plunge with these things!

I hate to see rims with X-acto gouges in them, glue smears, frosted glass from the wrong glue, blowers and intake stacks sitting lopsided, and crooked tire stance. Unsanded mud just erks the crap out of me.

Everything you try won't work. Have enough sense to realize, that after a week or two of trying to make a design work and it isn't, to hang it up and move on. I have a sketch I did on paper several times for a showrod that I just can't make work. Yet. I just can't seem to find just the right components to create it. It's a silly design, but it's kool, and at some point I'll find what I need to make it all work. In the meantime, just keep moving forward...

[torinobradley]

When I get a new kit, I open it and look over each and every part. Then, I let the ideas come. The parts tend to lead to the sum. I am lucky to be ADD and as such, my mind always wanders and sees the unique and different in everything.

Like I will look at the Revell Model A pickup and my mind starts humming. Then I think of the supercharged 409 from the old Revell tri-fives, rip the bed off, slap a track nose on along with a beer keg gas tank mounted behind the cockpit, full hood and side skirts with a set of nifty headers poking through them. Then put it to the ground with skinny pie crust tires and slicks with halibrand kidney bean wheels. Many times, I will draw a thumbnail or sketches to see how it all fits and to get some idea of how it will look (I have a cork board full of little sketches in my hobbyroom). Now, I just have to build the darn thing.

My ideas come from everywhere, magazines, tv shows, real cars and trucks and many times, just looking through the various kits and parts I have. It's hard to say where inspiration comes from. My Bully (Mack RC Cola wagon project) came about because I got a .25 garage sale model that was missing a bunch of parts and I thought, what can I do with this??? Of course, OCD takes over and all of a sudden, its not a simple build any more, now it has poseable steering, plumbing and all the other goodies...

Eyes open and let the mind wander.

[Tim Nolan]

I'm not letting this thread die yet. I'd like to see a bit more input from you guys......BACK TO PAGE 1!

[A.J.]

I agree Tim. I almost would like to see this one with a sticky to keep it at the top for awhile. It's very informative to both the seasoned vet and the new guy's with lots of questions.

[stevehammann]

Well, I guess I'll throw down here. I was bashing back when I was 12 years old although most of my early schtuff was sch....crap. But with persistence I became incredibly average until I stopped building at 16.

I started back in at about age 38 and immediately became bored with straight out of the box and haven't NOT bashed everything since. As for my style of building? I don't have one except there has always been a heavy on Drag Cars influence.

As for bashing, I never start with a plan or drawering. Only a vague picture in my head. I start hacking away everything that doesn't look like the picture in my head and about 6 major changes later I am usually mildly amused at the end product.

I draw quite a bit of inspiration from the Gang here at the Rally. Not so much trying to copy anyones style, just looking at others builds gives me a fresh outlook on styling.

Sure, I've had the occasional schtinker but I NEVER throw anything away. You'd be surprised what you can resurrect after thinking it was a total write off.

It's not the frantic rivet counting but the journey that lights my wick.

[Zombie Shay]

Any advice on BMF ...IT DRIVES ME CRAZY ?

For me I use everything
Ideas Internet, car shows, bookstore,
Check out other kinds or transportation magazines, custom bikes, planes, concept cars.
I will search on line (eBay and other places) for ideas vintage toys not just models, Halloween items, Old die cast, Matchbox Hot Wheels, Corgi, Tonka’s old tin toys.
I will also keep a pad handy to write down ideas and names for a build.
A theme can hold a key to a build
Car movies big time even the old crappy ones
The Wrath, Corvette summer, Eat my dust, the hearse, the car, {more than I can list}
There is a site but I’m not sure what it is without searching it again.
They have all car movies even list the cars that are in the movies.
Vintage magazines model and other
I also walk junkyard and study the cars for ideas… not many left out there with old cars due to the crushing price. I even take photos of the cars for later reference. For weathering rust and such.
I will also study a model for days before I build sitting it here on the desk in front of me.
Allot of my ideas I have come to me when I lay down at night.
Parts can come from anything don’t throw anything away till you look it over good.
A old vcr or dvd player take it apart for wires gears pulleys and throw them into a bin.
Do not be scared to try and build your own part you may end up with something better in the end. We have seen with Bobby’s builds what can be done.
I’m finding it hard right now to build my ideas because I sold off all my parts.
Now I have to buy a whole model just for a grill or something I need.

[neil]

Hmm... fess up time I guess. Um, I've never 'bashed' before. In fact, I've never built a plastic model. And, I just entered the Swap 'N' Build contest - LOL!!!

But...

I can design/build. And in my family I'm a fifth generation designer/builder. I just haven't got around to the automobile ...until now! And on that note I just finished the rough concept sketches for my first build - regardless of what I receive - it will get built as is.

Anyways...

I can't stress how important sketching out your ideas really is. Even if you can't 'draw'. When you pull a line you begin to get the feel of the contours, the volumes, and the relationship between the various elements within your design. And within design there are fundamental koolio techniques too, such as the Contrapuntal technique (kinda like bashin a VW beetle with a M1 tank). Design techniques establish a continuity which come out as a harmonious effort when the thing is done.
Another design aspect to keep in mind when sketching out an idea is the 'feel' of the piece, such as a streamlined flow of various parts of the build, or perhaps the parts will have a funky style to them, or a stridden feel. Anyways, everything you use in your build should work within the overall concept.

From what I've seen - guys like Daniels and Roth, Coddington and Foose, are really solid designers first.

And the rest of bashin is just details ...ain't they

[customcruiserroy]

I think my mind is either too linear or too boring as I don't really kit bash in the form that you guys do. Sure, I grab tires and wheel from one kit, body and chassis from another. Then the interior, I create from what's in my mind like that tuck & roll I did on 3 kits to date. I did chop a '53 Chevy, put on a 58 Impala roof vent on it, extended the rear fenders, carved 59 Impala-esque wheel wells and used 59 Impala skirts, 59 vette dashboard, 54 vette grill, and box part side pipes. Other than that, I have not built anything like the ones I have seen here wehere people get the front half of a kit's body and attached to another kit's half body. Or making thins from tape dispensers (really cool bus by the way) or that one made from a printer although I do use plastic from whatever source I can find like a Shout spray bottle.

As for the smaller gauges. Itried that printing and throwing in from behind dash, but they never looked good. Where do you get your gauges from?

Take care,

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