The Immortan’s workshop rings with activity!
After the work on my two classic muscle interceptor cars, I have begun working on another batch of vehicles. These vehicles are intended to be a bit dirtier and darker than the original two, with more deadly weapons and a more battered appearance. These are works in progress on the bench:
THE WAR RIG
There’s nothing better than an oil tanker to set the stage for an epic battle rolling in the wastes (the main battle of TWO of the films). I was able to procure a 1:43 die cast tanker for cheap off of Amazon. I sawed the top of the cab off with a jeweler saw, and had to lengthen the chassis underneath with some plastic 40k bits.
The war rig from Fury Road is iconic for its incorporation of classic car parts on both the cab and tanker (the comic exploring the War Rig’s history in Mad Max is a cool homage to the intense work they put in making it). To honor that ingenuity, I cut up a ’57 Chevy hot rod from eBay and mounted it as the new cab for my rig. 
Note the orky 40k bits. There is a gunner platform on the back and a claw arm on the front. I may add car parts to the top in the near future. I will DEFINITELY be adding a ton more spikes before this is primed and painted.
-I sacrificed a large amount of an ork Battlewagon kit from eBay to scratch-build a chassis and an armored compartment under the ’57 Chevy. I liked the idea of having an armored compartment like a sleeper cab for a hardcore war rig. The exhaust stacks running out of the truck cab are intended to suggest that the engine of this beast spills all the way into what used to be the cab. It’s still got comfortable seating for 4 up top, plus an armored crew compartment below. Not to mention plenty of catwalk space on the rig! 
-The armored prow of the Battle Wagon is a must for a war rig like this. The grille that is covered is replaced by that beautiful Chevy one anyhow.
-I chopped up the Chevy and tipped the back up for two purposes. Once, I think it is more reminiscent of the swept up truck cabs that you often see on the 18-wheelers. Also, it reduces the length of the cab, which was important to keep the length a reasonable amount in the front. I already had to extend the chassis longer than I was initially comfortable with. 
-10-4 good buddy.
THE SUPPORT:
HERBIE & GREY GHOST
-I’m sorry, but you can’t do a VW Beetle and NOT go Herbie the Love Bug. That classic (NOT THE LINDSEY LOHAN REMAKE) was a big part of my childhood. I like to think that the sentient do-gooder of a car gave up on mankind during the fall. Herbie’s only love now is the thrill of the chase, along an arid desert waste watered only with the blood of his enemies.
-Another cheap ebay find, this hot rod is minimalist in its Mad Max transformation. There are not a lot of bits added to it for a few reasons. It’s thick metal, and the modification was going to be a nightmare. This one began before Herbie and the War Rig, so I decided that if an Immortan Joe armada was to be made, you need the occasional simple car to let the others stand out. Grey Ghost still has a turret up top with a forward facing wasteland ramshackle machine gun (a resin orky gun from MaxMini) along with an armored and clawed ladder on the back, some spare tires, and a nasty sickle ram on the front.
Both cars need some more paint, some more grime, and some finishing touches. But they are coming along nicely.
-Big Mountain
Big Mountain Miniatures 