I think I might have a problem...

Every time I buy a hotwheels / Matchbox / 1:32 scale die cast car for my boy, I buy one for me.

He opens his, I chuck mine in a box.

I looked in the box today...

There were many!

too many to fit on the table.

Now, I'm no collector - well, by that I mean it isn't something I seek out but I have to admit to noticing patterns and themes, not to mention having personal favourites...

Like Ramone from Cars. I have 10 of these, all different.

or a full set of Toy Story Hotwheels...

or matchbox VW concept cars...

(thats a W12, Combi Concept and New Beetle - bought before the new beetle was even new!)

Then there are the Hotwheels VW's...

Deloreans...

(Doc Brown's time machine and a standard one)

...4 variations on the Batmobile

...or the Oscar Meyer wienermobile?

2 Pheatons...

3 types of Deora...

...Strangely lots of pairs of Treasure Hunt HWs too.

(sweet rubber tyres on the T-hunts, yo)...

and a LOT of redlines too...

These too have natty little red lines on the tyres - obviously they must be faster on the track.

I dunno why I have repeats of these either!

I think the best way to deal with my 'problem' is to put them back in a box and back on to the wardrobe. Then for the next 7 years I'll keep on casually buying 2 at a time (one for me and one for the boy) and put them in another box.

In 7 years time I'll compare the amount in both boxes, if box one has more in its a sign that my condition is getting better and I should keep doing the same until 7 years pass where I buy no toy cars.

Then I'll be cured!

O M F G !

Ever want a thing sooooo bad?

click the link...

Rebel 8 & Shadow Conspiracy

Dedicated to Auntie Em.

My Son's Auntie Em bought him a pottery pirate skull to paint as one of his christmas gifts

(amongst TONS of other stuff!).

He was so excited his hair stood on end and his front teef fell out!

Today he asked me if he could paint it with rattle cans and airbrush.

I think he just needed an excuse to wear my mask and pretend he is Bane.

Tamiya rattle can - light green undercoat...

...with judicial blasts of deep green over the top.

After some masking by yours truly, rattle can met red...

...for a shiny red bandanna.

Just like his dad. A fizz break while we wait for the paint to dry,

and some Sharpie/Castell detailing, before...

...the final product.

Not bad for 7 and a half.

Braintank

Jason Freeny rocks.

Zeitgeist?

After calming down about Rinsch's 'The Gift' and how great a short that is there was some disturbance in my brain tank, The white butler 'bot with his Dutch style decoration and the white bike he stole must have rattled a cage in there cos something knocked over some old crates and they toppled into some more until eventually one cracked open and the contents jogged over to my memory bank to remind me of this...

I saw this on the Chopperdome NL website in 2009, they built three bikes on their Basman 346 frame for 'De Toppers', the Dutch representatives at the 54th European Song Contest held in Moscow...

kinda makes you wonder doesn't it?

I mean... Moscow, white bikes, Dutch Livery, I wonder if Carl Erik Rinsch is a Eurovision fan?

WANT MOAR!

Thanks to GB for turning me on to this.

Guided by busses

Ok, so I might be joining the party late but this week I have been
loving the Trumpington to Cambridge guided bus route.
The driver lets go of the wheel and the bus finds its own way,
its like a giant hotwheels track - park and ride baby!

Vandal uses his powers for good

The wheels on my Caddy were scuffed - I'm making no aspersions about the previous (female) owner but blimey they had been kerbed regularly.

Almost beyond repair - but far from beyond a touch up.

I called in the skillz of a graphotist.

A steady hand, Belton satin black and quick as a flash.

Why is it even when writers are doing legit work they have to be hooded?

Must be part of the mystique.

Nice and black (and red filler inner)

Its where the devil is

Desipte needing welding, brakes, suspension, stereo etc etc etc sorting out I decided to paint the inside of the filler on my Caddy in signal red gloss. Here is the process.

Off the vee-hickle with 3xscrews and 3x tiny 7mm self tappers.
Ready for prep.

Flap off and I discover the previous owner or whoever painted it
NATO green forgot to unmask the details on the inside..

MADE IN USA

Keyed in with wet n dry ready for primer...

two coats of Tamiya Fine (wet n dry in between) then...

...two coats of signal red (wet n dry in between)

Clear seal gloss on top and assemble, then...

Back on the vee-hickle.

unexpected but I like the way you get a little glimpse
of red with the flap shut.

The devil is in the details.