AirDave's Kool Wheelz Collection

[airdave]

NEXT up for October release!....

The Hemi Semi by Tom Daniels

Back when the Dinosaurs roamed the earth...around 1969
...I was a kid into Hot Rods, Show Cars, Hot Wheels and plastic models.
I also loved art, cartoons and caricatured Hot Rods.
As a result, I especially loved Tom Daniels' designs for Monogram and Revell plastic models.

One of my favorite series were the Snap-Tite cartoon Cars and Trucks
...later rereleased as Revell Snappers and TD Snappers, and then Monogram Snap-Draggins.

The original line inspired some of my own early hot rod cartooning.
I loved the elongated Wheels and stretched Slicks...
I loved the leaping bodies and wheelstanding poses.

One of my favorites, that I owned and built at that time, was Tom Daniels cartooned Mustang...the Boss Mustang.
It was also the inspiration for my KoolWheelz Boss Stang, and Mach One Mustang models.

And I decided I wanted to do more Tom Daniels Snap-Fit designs, in KoolWheelz style...
and so I have continued with this one... the Hemi Semi.



Not every design lends itself to my KoolWheelz style.
Some are easier to conceptualize than others.
I always liked this wild Big Rig cartoon and it seemed like a good candidate.

But it turned out to be more complicated than I had anticipated...I had to get creative with an original chassis/internal former design.
I simplified the overall shape of things to make it easier to build,
but I had to make it a bit smaller than originally intended so I could get all the parts on one page.

Its not exactly the same as the Monogram kit...but its very close to Daniels' design.

The model is not hard to build, but does require some patience.
I've created an assembly sheet for this one too.

You can find Hemi Semi in the Tom Daniels Tributes collection (ShowRodz)
and in the Cartoonz section.

[gotham]

Lovin' this new model 😍😍😍

[airdave]

My admin Dave said he couldn't understand how I "worked out" the design.
I take this as a compliment...
but to be honest, this one was a bit of a challenge at first.

The big challenge with KoolWheelz is always the same thing:
how do I simplify the overall design to be as few parts as possible
and fit all the parts on one sheet (with all the other crap I usually include)?

The first design for Hemi Semi seemed simple enough, but turned out to be a build challenge.
I assembled the Cab and Container with wrinkles, gaps, and poorly fitted panels.
Too many surface curves and curved panels, to many glue tabs, too many enclosed sides.

After fixing the Cab and Container, I had to rethink and redesign the Chassis
and figure out how I was going to support the Body parts.

And then all the parts would not fit on the page!...so I had to start shrinking the scale.
This made the chassis more difficult to cut out, but it was unavoidable.

In the end, the assembly was unlike any other KoolWheelz model, but it worked for me.
Hopefully it works for you.

As I said, I made up an Assembly Sheet for this one.
(Find it in the KoolWheelz section at www.papermodelforum.com)

Only tips I can offer are:
Laminate the two Chassis sides to some heavier card.
The thicker the better, but remember you still have to cut out a small complicated shape.

Then assemble the Chassis by carefully cutting and shaping the various "spreaders".
Only the very front and very rear Spreaders are visible, so they have to be precisely positioned.
The others just have to be in there somewhere.

Then give the Chassis time to cure.
Let the glue dry thoroughly before mounting the cab and Container.

The Cab and Container assemblies will mount easily on to the chassis without glue.
Its totally up to you if you wish to lock them in place.

oh...and one more thing...
MAKE SURE YOU ADD SOME WEIGHT TO THE BACK END OF THE MODEL!

I glued a Penny (One Cent) to the inside of the rear doors (of the Container).
Its needed to balance the model on its large central wheels.
Otherwise it will be too nose heavy.

[airdave]

I'm not sure I have ever put out a model specially themed for Halloween before.
I can't honestly remember.
Christmas yes...but Halloween?

Anyway... this year, you get one!

Its not much...basically just another KoolWheelz model that I have had in my mind for sometime.
But, just like many other designers have done, I present it as a little thank you for your support and appreciation.
Happy Halloween!

I love Elvira...what little boy doesn't?
...and I love her Haunted Hills



...movie...movie!...its her movie!
Haunted Hills is one of her movies! yes, I own the DVD... be quiet.

For the movie "Elvira's Haunted Hills" a custom car was created by the movie studio.
Apparently Elvira herself suggested a vintage Thunderbird for the Macabre Mobile, as it was later named.
And so, a ghoulishly modified 1959 Thunderbird, with removal hardtop is featured prominently in the film as Elvira's personal ride.

Story goes... Elvira wanted to keep the car at the end of filming, but the Studio wouldn't let her have it.
So later she was able to acquire the car through a private purchase.
But then, she had problems with storage and was forced to resell the car.
Regretting this, she bought the car back a few years later, but it was in much disrepair.
She paid George Barris Customs to restore the car to its former frightning state!

The interior cloth/colour has changed more than once...but I chose to copy the original movie look.

I haven't bothered with a three dimensional interior, because the model is already quite challenging to build.
I did however add a stand-up figure to pose with the car.
Elvira in all her glory!

The Macabre Mobile is permanently added to the Star Carz section of my KoolWheelz collection.

I'll also be adding an Assembly Sheet to the the Assembly Diagrams section (at www.papermodelforum.com).

[Texman]

Seriously? All of us of this generation loved her "hills".

A very sincere thanks to you Dave!

[Miles Linnabery]

Dear AirDave:
I'm going to set my self up for this . Never saw the movie Did not know she made a movie. Wonder if the public library has a copy
Go ahead roast me,
Miles
Thanks for another Koolwheels Paper Model

[airdave]

Cassandra Peterson is an ex penthouse model and has done some adult rated films.
Although she has been in dozens of films, there are in fact 2 Elvira movies.

Elvira Mistress of the dark
and
Elvira's Haunted Hills.

They are both what I would call "family friendly Adult softcore" lol
...obviously full of sexual innuendos mainly focusing on her boobs.
I think Haunted Hills is the more adult of the two although I don't remember anything Xrated in either.
The most you get is Elvira's ample cleavage which we are all used to.

[Scott K]

Just saw these at Wally World earlier tonight. One is already a Koolwheelz, maybe Snoopy could be too? Or even The Penguin's Duck, barely visible on the left? (Actually bottom left, now that I see the picture turned sideways on me.)

[airdave]

I'm a lifelong Snoopy/Charlie Brown fan...
When I first started the Koolwheelz models, I was planning on doing a Snoopy Dog House Fighter.
(I did a Snoopy themed BiPlane entry for the Fiddlers Green contest many years ago)

But I found a model of Snoopy's Dog House already online, so I never bothered with it.

I can't seem to find that model now...so maybe I should rethink that one.

It would be a pretty simple model.
I'll add it to the list.

I don't know what the others are...I don't care.
I didn't do The Jetsons Car because of Hot Wheels.
I watched Jetsons as a kid.
I have no interest in a Duck...even if it is from Batman. lol
And you have to keep in mind what I can create in miniature, from one or two paper parts.

[JohnM]

Bin there, done that ...

OK, so the bit of clear plastic joining them together shows too much in this pic ... it doesn't notice so much for real like.