Political Vans - A couple of unusual Japanese road vehicles

[cteno4]

Loudspeakers easily carved as they are so tiny (like 3-4mm long) not much detail needed. Styrene strip and file it to shape and cut off.

 

jeff

[JR 500系]

Wow based on his car alone I can almost cast my vote! I love it! 

 

Strange that Japan allows vehicles to be painted as much as you like ~ Here, we have strict guidelines about paint and stickers on vehicles and anything that flashy would probably be impounded pretty fast... hence our vehicles are... well... pretty boring.. 

[ben_issacs]

Jeff,

In re modelling the flat loudspeakers, the method that you described is the same as one I suggested earlier on, , just cutting the shape out of suitably thick plastic sheet or strip, and painting the rectangular end black.

Just going a bit off topic, Godzilla.

This name is not a Japanese one, it was invented in  the States when the movie was to be shown there. 

The actual Japanese name in Roman for this creature is 'Gojira, which can be written in Katakana/Hiragana.

But, I reckon, most of us will stick with Godzilla, as that's the name best known in the Western world.

Regards, 

Bill, 

Melbourne.

 

[cteno4]

Bill,

 

they wouldn’t take much work if you are good at small bits. I like doing tiny things. Since they are usually all one color the recess would not be seen from further that like 50’ or 4” scale, all you would see is the shape.

 

yes many books here on goji along with an assortment of n scale gojis.

 

jeff

[ben_issacs]

Jeff'

One of the modules in our small group's collection does have an N scale 'Godzilla' crunching up an EMU car.

This gets a bit of attention at exhibitions.

Regards, 

Bill, 

Melbourne.

 

[cteno4]

Goji is almost always makes an appearance somewhere on our club layout at shows, usually crushing cars, about to crumble tall buildings, news helicopter in hand (you need a fan on a hot Tokyo evening of pulling down building and belching radioactive flames), and chomping on a gasoline truck for a spritzer. We hide a little Bluetooth speaker behind him and when folks get close blast a goji roar from the cell phone and make folksmjump. You can mess with them as they think it’s a motion sensor so if two people are there you only fire it when one person moves and not the other. We got two little old ladies once that when one would start to talk goji would roar but not the other. Had them both talking to goji for a good while!

 

I have all the fixings for a 60s battle scene with appropriate tanks, jets, trucks, artillery and troops. Some day along with a high tension tower half mangled and a toppled building. Some strobes going off now and then for effects. Most is easy to do it’s actually doing a decent toppled and crunched building that is harder modeling. The 17” goji may work on a full depth double module but the 20”+ Tokyo marui rc gojis (I have the 54 and 89 versions but only one functioning mech) are going to need a special set of back to back Ttrak modules or fit on. But they should be fun as you can make them move as well and really make folks jump!

 

goji is our club mascot and slogan on the back of our club tee shirts.

 

http://www.japanrailmodelers.org/images/goji150.jpg

 

I also have a couple of 5’ and 6’ blow up gojis that are quite a hit at shows, we should be charging $1 per selfie with him as we would be rich.

 

http://www.japanrailmodelers.org/photos/_goji/index2.html

 

would love the rc mothra larvae, but that’s just a sick price these days. Do have an inflatable mothra that’s acout 40” wing span but it’s a bit hard to try to hang at most events...

 

jeff

[Cat]

On 4/22/2019 at 10:13 PM, ben_issacs said:

For the other unusual vehicle, and this might be a bit macabre, a Japanese style hearse could be interesting.

These that I've seen, and I don't know if their are Shinto or Buddhist, are black vans,  covered with gilded mythical creatures, very eye catching.

Don't know what sort of N scale vehicle could be used for this, and the mythical creatures might have to be hand painted, but something like this could be an interesting feature on a layout.

I've just been looking up information on the hearses as we've found a really cool funeral parlour to kitbash. 
https://www.google.com/maps/place/セレモニア富士水戸駅南館/@36.3700497,140.4807207,106a,35y,202.62h,47.2t/data=!3m1!1e3!4m12!1m6!3m5!1s0x60222500c0bf6ce1:0xbf1c6445ffbd8bd1!2sMito+Station!8m2!3d36.3707551!4d140.476308!3m4!1s0x602225067f4d14e7:0xef2807c405a64767!8m2!3d36.3689497!4d140.4802459

Some point down the road, I'll have to take a crack at modelling one of those hearses to help complete our Ibaraki transportation systems!

[cteno4]

Wow pretty non descript! I like the narrow building next to it with the outside staircase!

 

jeff

[Cat]

Non-descript, but add a buddhist-templey hearse pulling out of the driveway, and it suddenly becomes very interesting.  Street-viewing your way around that block, there are several buildings with outside staircases.

The Tomix condominium with the great staircase on the back is due for restocking this month at Hobby Search.  We're planning on getting one of those, but to remove that staircase to use going up to a sidewalk on a roadway overpass.  It's the closest we could find to anything like this one down the other side of the station:  

https://www.google.com/maps/@36.3699234,140.4686862,3a,75y,65.9h,97.63t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sw8fGrmXZ73Kr3SK2xPrdhA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e4

Edited April 10, 2020 by Cat

[ben_issacs]

Cat,

 

If you're going to model a Japanese hearse, the first thing that you must do is to get a good ,well lit DSO view of such a vehicle, which will give you an idea of the mythical creatures that appear on such vehicles. YouTube is the answer here.

 

Then, what make of vehicle for a hearse? Usually something reasonably up-market. I have no clues on the Japanese luxury car market, but an ordinary Toyota, Nissen or such wouldn't do. Perhaps  a European car, a Mercedes or an AUDI would do, maybe a Cadillac.

 

Whatever you decide on, the body will have to be modified somewhat, that will show up on your reference shots.

 

For the scene of the cortege leaving the undertaker's parlour, you should have a cop out on the road stopping the traffic so that the cortege can have a slow and dignified entry, if such is available, a motorcycle cop would be even better, his task, in real life, would be ride ahead and ensure a dignified procession of the cortege.

 

Whatever you do, please give us some shots of your creation.

 

Bill,

Melbourne.

Edited April 13, 2020 by disturbman

[disturbman]

Bill, I find your post pedantic and, quite frankly, the way you are telling Cat how they should do their research, while having done none yourself, is bordering the insulting. Maybe you could follow your own advice? You know some of your questions, most of your questions (?), can easily be answered online.

[Cat]

We have been doing some research, it's pretty quick and easy actually.  Google Image search of "Japanese Hearse" immediately shows a wide variety.  These are, not surprisingly, custom builds on quite a wide variety of car types.  The primary concern is that the chasses are large enough to build a small temple on the back.  Large body pick-up trucks and land cruisers are perfect for the job.  Toyota Crowns are common.

For the roofing, we struck kit-bashing gold.  Fujimi/Douyusha have several inexpensive small scale castle kits in the 1/700–1/800 range.  The roofs from the outer towers of those should provide plenty of options to choose from.

—Cat

Edited April 13, 2020 by Cat

[chadbag]

Reading this made me go Google "Japanese hearse".  Lots of Toyota Crowns, a bunch of Caddies, a Lincoln or two, a Mercedes, and a Toyota "truck" based one all came up.  Quite interesting to see the various styles.   Those temple ones are cool looking.

 

(Also a bunch of normal "US" looking ones came up -- including Lincoln and Cadillac -- you have to look at the license / number plate to make sure they really are in Japan 🙂  )

Edited April 14, 2020 by chadbag

[Cat]

Current license plates don't tell the whole story.  Japan has been exporting them, especially as domestic use is declining:
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20190825/p2a/00m/0bu/010000c

[Kiha66]

On the subject of Japanese hearses, the 2008 film "Departures" is said to have caused interest in the subject, and even kickstarted domestic production again.  I haven't seen it myself but from the amount of awards it received it may be worth a watch.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Departures_(2008_film)

[disturbman]

It’s a nice movie. And it’s interesting to see that side of Japanese society.

[cteno4]

Yes it is a well done movie and good cultural view. 

 

jeff

[railsquid]

On 4/23/2019 at 3:32 PM, cteno4 said:

I’m surprised Tomytec has not made any political vans.

 

jeff

 

It's taken a couple of years but see bottom right of the left-hand poster:

 

 

 

[Cat]

4 hours ago, railsquid said:

 

It's taken a couple of years but see bottom right of the left-hand poster:

Ooh, these will be fun!

[cteno4]

I tell you they listen in on us! 
 

jeff

[disturbman]

Interesting that they are only releasing parts to customize the vans yourself and not the full van already.

[cteno4]

Wonder if they will have a spectrum of political ads for the signs or do only a few parties use the vans?

 

guess it’s easier to just do the parts, tomytec doesn’t have to make vans and attach parts and it drives sales of vans maybe produced and not selling?

 

jeff

[Cat]

22 minutes ago, disturbman said:

Interesting that they are only releasing parts to customize the vans yourself and not the full van already.

That's ideal for me  — I can pop the signs on the vans that fit the time period of our layout.