PlaymoFriends
Creative => Customs Gallery => Ships & Vehicles => Topic started by: playmofire on March 14, 2007, 19:46:43
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This morning my DS order arrived which allowed me to put together this prototype jeep support unit. I've been thinking some time of a support unit for the new fire engines nearing completion (well, one is completed) for Copt Hewick Volunteer Fire Brigade. At first, I toyed with a flat truck carrying palettes and a forklift on a converted 3880, but abandoned it as too much work at the moment. (Tim, if you still have the pics, maybe you'd post a couple.) Finally, I bought an old red jeep and trailer off eBay and liked it so much others followed and became the basis of a number of small incident support units. So here are photos of the first of them. The livery is still undecided - I like the orangey red and the creamy grey livery, but wonder about the front mudguards and side sills being white or yellow (although this could be a bit of a fiddly paint job and I certainly don't have time for it now). Experiments are being carried out on carrying one of the palette trucks from set 4474 on the trailer for unloading purposes, and there are also plans for a light pump based on a jeep.
There would be a jeep and a minimum of one trailer unit at each station, specific to that station but available to any incident. The trailers would be ready loaded, e.g. one with foam, one with digging tools and so on. There will be a spare jeep at HQ.
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The grey top is from the new release jeep for 2007 and with a bit of trimming to the side tabs which hold it in place fits pretty well perfectly (the gap between it and the jeep body is not as big as it appears in the photos). The blue light is from the re-issued old fire engine and the light holder comes from the snowplough (and is still available from DS). The light holder has had to be slightly modified and I may try other ways of fitting it (currently, it is fitted in to the fuel filler!).
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Nice little jeep and trailer, playmofire! :yup:
Very well done.
Jimbo
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Gordon, COOL!!! 8-) I like this set-up. Very smart looking.
Glad to see you could make the soft top work too. Can't wait to get these parts locally myself. I also like how you've dealt with the flashing light issue. I'll have to keep that in mind for future projects. Can you post the part numbers?
As to paint jobs, you may be able to avoid paint by using the yellowish 3018 or 4206 chassis with your red body parts. Likewise for white you could use the old 3143 or 3478 chasis.
One additional note - the windshield frame from 3018 looks as if it could also be the same grey colour as per the soft top. If you want a closer match, that would be the one.
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Gordon, COOL!!! 8-) I like this set-up. Very smart looking.
Glad to see you could make the soft top work too. Can't wait to get these parts locally myself. I also like how you've dealt with the flashing light issue. I'll have to keep that in mind for future projects. Can you post the part numbers?
As to paint jobs, you may be able to avoid paint by using the yellowish 3018 or 4206 chassis with your red body parts. Likewise for white you could use the old 3143 or 3478 chasis.
One additional note - the windshield frame from 3018 looks as if it could also be the same grey colour as per the soft top. If you want a closer match, that would be the one.
Thanks, Dunc.
Part numbers are: soft top 30 27 5940; blue light 30 02 1230; light support 30 05 9700.
The chassis are the old 3478 and I suspect that the creamy grey was one time brilliant white.
I tried the grey windshield but preferred the black version and the black bumpers (fenders) as it is a good strong contrast with the body colour.
One thing I forgot to mention is that the original design of windscreen is too low for use with the soft top so the current slightly taller version has to be used but with the old, taller wheels this look fines. (I feel that with the current lower, wider wheels the taller screen makes the whole vehicle look top heavy.)
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Thanks Gordon.
Do you guys have the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser over there on the Island? If so grab one. I have found that they are great for cleaning up playmo plastic and will not hurt any printed graphics if used cautiously in those areas.
I used one to help clean up an old yellow'd boat I had here while using the standard soapy detergent and toothbrush method, and amazingly enough, it got it to look damn near new again. I don't know what these things are or what's in them, but they work wonders.
It's worth the couple bucks to try and if you don't ike the results, give it to the wife for the kitchen. She will love it.
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I'll have a look for it Dunc. For these, I used the soap and water method with an electric toothbrush and then a clean up with first T-Cut cutting liquid compound followed by car polish.
Yup, found some on the internet.
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Further testing of the prototype has led to a change in the siting of the blue light, a change in how it is attached, and the introduction of a whip aerial. This has been achieved by cutting down the light holder and using a three-way fort connector to attach the items to the windscreen. This system has the additional advantage that by using a two-way fort connector on the other side of the windscreen the jeeps can operate with two blue warning lights.
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Yeah that looks different. Good idea using the connectors. All sorts of possibilities open up. I think I prefer the light on the back corner, but that's just a quirk of mine.
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Looks great, Gordon.
Having special response trailers really is starting to fly in the US now. I plan to make some more soon, but first, I'm starting on a new heavy rescue. >:D
Ben
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I think I prefer the light on the back corner, but that's just a quirk of mine.
I think I do too but it's a question of realism.
I have been thinking about a clip on the rear quarter of the soft top, but then again, how realistic is that?
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Well to be honest with you Gordon, the previous location was quite in line w/ realism. It is actually more prototypical than you may realise at first. Military police Jeeps typically had a long pole that was mounted on the rear left corner or backside to display the single red light above the Jeep (they also used the position you have chosen as your second choice). I realise that you are thinking of this rear corner location as the fuel filler, but real Jeeps don't have fillers in that location, so I wouldn't worry about that aspect too much. That is a Playmobil quirk that I would overlook.
I'll see if I can drum up some links to pics for you. gimme a few minutes/hour or so.
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Ok, not having much luck finding any pics of this, but I have seen them many times.
Below is Humvee and shows prototypical rear corner (though on the wrong side) use/placement.
(http://www.coloradoguard.army.mil/images/military_police/mp_hummer.jpg)
Here's a Cdn Iltis with the front mount pole...
(http://www.fastforward.ca/gallery/sm1003iltis.jpg)
I'll keep looking for some Jeeps. I know Canada and the US used to folow this practice. Pics just don't seem to be forthcoming right now.
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:wow: Another customizing triumph !! Your work never fails to amaze me Gordon. Sadly i dont have the pictures in question, i have got quite a lot of pictures of your projects but not the ones your looking for i am afraid :(. The rescue equipment for your frie service is coming along quite well, hopefully it will be finished this weekend :)9
Kindest Regards Tim
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Thanks for your comments and photos, Dunc. I'll think more on this question - maybe some will have the light support in one place and others in another.
Thanks for your comments, Tim, and don't worry about the photos (actually, I only recently deleted them myself as I thought I wouldn't need them any more). Look forward to the fire gear in your time Tim; customs are at a standstill again, although the TLF16 is built.
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No problem Gordon. I have been looking off and on all night for better pics (even in my own files) and they seem to be eluding me at the moment. If only I could take the memory images from my head and show them to you. :-\
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A cool addition to your rescue vehicle fleed. I wonder if you could provide a line up of all the vehicles one day.
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A cool addition to your rescue vehicle fleed. I wonder if you could provide a line up of all the vehicles one day.
I certainly will, Jochen. At the moment there are a lot of changes under way. There are two LF8s being produced (well, one is complete and the other, slightly different, needs its livery), a TLF16 is almost ready (livery again), an RW is ready to be put together and have livery added, and (lastly) a TLF24 is planned. (Oh, and I forgot the new staff car waiting its blue light unit and livery, and the plans for an ELW).
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So how big is your fire force now Gordon? Men, equip't, and vehciles?
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Yesterday after work I had to make a stop and there in the parking lot was an SUV with one of those light poles attached to the front driver side. My natural thought was "Hey, that looks like Gordons" :D It's amazing how much the world seems to copy our work..
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So how big is your fire force now Gordon? Men, equip't, and vehciles?
I'll have to count up!
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Yesterday after work I had to make a stop and there in the parking lot was an SUV with one of those light poles attached to the front driver side. My natural thought was "Hey, that looks like Gordons" :D It's amazing how much the world seems to copy our work..
Get his registration number - I'm sueing for breach of copyright! ;D