Ok - I was going to put this in General Customizing, but realized I had a finished product or two to show off. And I realize that in my last thread, I said I'd have to take a break from customizing for a while - but that was before I found some new stuff today while searching for Wave 7 (or whatever number it is.)

Firstly, I wanted to discuss the TDK "Shift Change Attack Coupe". I decided not to get it, since I HATE that they keep making the toy "Batmobiles" one-seaters. Then I was working on a 25A Batman and realized that the heads I tried on him just didn't work right. But the 1:18 "4 pts of articulation" Bats that came with the coupe had the perfect head for my purposes, so I dropped the $25+ for a Batman head, basically. I knew the Bruce Wayne fig would be useless because his head was so small and the figure was crap, but after slapping a VvV GungHo head on him, he makes a decent enough Alfred.

So I got to playing with the car and realized how much fun it is. If it weren't for the single-seater feature, it would probably be one of my favorite toys of all time - but sadly, that kills it for my Bat-verse.

I considered ripping it open and trying to mess with the mechanism to make it where it could transform but leave the passenger compartment alone, but that would be too much work. And I don't really dig the "sunroof" feature either - I highly doubt Bats would be riding into battle with the top down (despite what Adam West did...)

Then it hit me: We've got a Matt Trakker figure coming out, right? Well what about a kick-ass update to the ThunderHawk?!? I mean, it doesn't have to fly or anything, and hell, I could just not even paint it and call it the "SilverHawk"..... And in that case, being a one-seater won't bug me that much, since I can re-write my MASK'verse (since I don't even have one yet) to explain that away.

So Sputnik, if you're reading - here's an idea for a ride for your favorite character:





And besides - I already have a "sport coupe" for Bats




Oh - and I mentioned Bat'verse customs. Here ya go!

Finally got one that fits perfectly with my Joes (Micro Bats was too skinny, and MLS custom Bats was too big.) I should probably cast that head so I can make multiple Bats, but I'm too busy playing with him for that...



Head, belt - Mattel
Arms - IG Destro
Feet - 25A Destro
Cape - Vader
Rest - 25A Torpedo


My new Wayne Manor (Playmobil Victorian Mansion) - got a 95% complete one of the 'Bay -- I'll be re-painting it a stone gray and adding some interior goodies at some point (don't want to drop $150 for a prop, after all.)



The Batcave - many of you have seen it already. Made from a bunch of different Batcave playsets along with some rock molds. I still have to papier mache' the rock walls, but that'll have to wait until I have a weekend where I'm not booked.













Thanks for dropping by!

_________________

Holy snot, Dan!

I don't ever think I've seen your whole bat set up. Very impressive.

Dude, that idea for an updated MASK vehicle is AWE-SOME. Best use of an otherwise useless toy.

_________________

Dude I want to come live with you!

_________________

Nice set up. I wish I had room for something like that.

_________________

Ooo, that's all pretty damned nice, Chief'ns. Which 'Mobile is that? It looks way too small to be the Mattel one from the last flick. And pics of the interior of the dollhouse, plz. I've been eyeballing Lundby dollhouses; but they're all ass-expensive and pretty much only in Europe.

_________________

Awesome! I think I've died and gone to Bat-Heaven. Impressive set up. I'd love to get one of those houses for my Spencer Mansion from Resident Evil.

_________________

Bats looks great Chief. Consider the recipe stolen.

And great idea using the batcar for an updated MASK vehicle.

You sir are brilliant!

Thanks dudes!

When I was playing with my IG Destro and noticed how perfect his "gauntlets" were, I knew I had a custom-in-the making. I had tried making a Torpedo-Bats before, but the arms were too scrawny. The Destro arms fit really well and gave him some bulk without looking too jacked up. And since the "Attack Coupe" Batman was all rubbery, slicing off the "scallops" from his gauntlets and gluing them to Destro's was child's play and really looks sweet.


Here are some interior shots of the Mansion taken by the previous owner. -- She had it configured a little different than I do (I put it together more closely to the "box" shots that I found online.) -- No furnishings yet, but you get the idea of what you can do with it.

http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b184/ ... Dollhouse/

And AV -- the Batmobile is the R/C re-issue that just came out. I got tired of my huge-ass v1 Batmobile, even though I put dual seats in front, it was still too much like a tank. And I was a big enough sucker to buy that Hot Wheels "1:18" version, which is a total lie - the thing is closer to 1:24 - it's very tiny compared to any 1:18 car that I own.

I don't know if I'll gut it and put in seats or not -- I'm still holding out hope that they'll make a true Joe-scale Tumbler sometime soon.

Once I get off my ass and clean out the basement (been saying that for almost two years now....) I'll post pics of the whole "Chief-Cave". I think it'll be second only to ZombieGuide's "Joe Room-Garage" in terms of epic size

Thanks again!

_________________

Go for it. I didn't find it all that difficult when it first came around, altho the roofdoor was time consuming. And thanks for the extra pics, that looks most satisfactory.

_________________

Ooh, very nice. Me likey. Where's the pic of Alfred and his shotgun? Man I'd be furniture shopping so bad right now. You need the Grandfather clock and the shakespeare bust and the untuned piano so you can have all of the entrances to the bat cave.

_________________

Sweet work my man,you done good, and the batcave ,awesome.

Oh geez. Damn you man.

You know I was coveting that mansion just from you saying you got one, but now.... DAMN I really want that thing!

And thank you for proving my point... Matt Trakker in 25th style would be great for some kind of MASK reunion line, but stuff like this just doesn't work for my Joe-verse, though that car is pretty awesome.

Batman is delicious too by the way. Nice work, Mona Lisa.

_________________

Nice modds, nice figure, nice to see another adult male with a doll house.

Jeezum, crow, Chief!

That Batcave setup is about the coolest thing I've seen in a good long while. I'm extremely envious.

The M.A.S.K. Silverhawk is plain genius, too.

Great work all around.

"Action Figure house -- not doll h.... -- ok, yeah, it's a dollhouse I think it'll look less like a dollhouse once I paint it though. The only problem is that Lil' Chief expects to use it for her Polly Pockets.....



Thanks guys! -- Remember, if they ever have a 'Con in Denver - you're all welcome to come over and play in the 'Man Cave'

_________________