Hi,
I need some advice. I have an Italery Jeep which has been completed a few years ago, and I wan't that happy with it back then. Since then it got all four wheel detached, the engine cover got lost, and fallen into an overall state of disarray.
Anyway, after a taking a long look at it, I though I might just crap the interior, build up a new one (you know, rusted frames, no soft material), rust it, damage it, and put it onto a stand as a diorama.
I need some suggestions about that,.. Starting with the building of a new interior. How do soft skinned vehicles detoriate? I tried to find photos online, but didn't find good ones. What type of damage should I simulate? Should I simulate any damage at all?

Your help is appreciated.

I just posted a feature on weathering affects on metal - rusting. That has a couple of nice shots of what rusting vehicles will do.

My SWAG on the interior would be that if left outside the leather would over time harden then become brittle, crumble and tare the corners then extend down along weak points. If anyone gets in it to 'play' then they would rip it quite easily. This would expose the springs in side.
Rusting would take place at wear spots first then spread from there - see the new feature I added yesterday.

I know some guys here have links to hulks

After you check out the feature if there’s anything else you need let me know and I can try t get you some pictures.
I don’t have any jeeps or anything like that in the junk pile but I do have a small tractor and a snowmobile that are rotting away. Also have a few vehicle parts laying around back there.

Depending on where its sitting remember to add plant life growing around it and perhaps a mouse or bird nest in there someplace.

Thanks for the answer. Actually, I just found your feature; it really is a great idea -should be expaneded for reference for everyone. (I've been photographing muddy Catepillar buldosers to see how the track looks like )

Anyway, if you have a few photos of the interiror of anything that's rotting away, I'd geatly appreciate it. I'll put it into a swamp: the underside can be sunken, some of the less glorious details hidden by vegetation, and I don't have to worry about battle damage. (One of the axles broke, and it was deserted.)

I guess I'll have to deflate the tires, or even remove them from the wheels... that's something I've never tried before. For deflating would pressing it against a hot surface work?

For the tires if you have them half in the mud you really wouldn’t need to worry about anything to make them look flat.

I’ll look and see if I can find a find anything that would help you.

This is a link to a model by Franck Edet over on ML that might be of some help
http://www.network54.com/Forum/110741/thread/1145040546/%26quot%3BRust+In+Peace%26quot%3B%2C+the+finished+wreck

You might also get away with making it covered with snow.

This is amazing! I thought something like this, but man, I'm not in this leauge.

A while back i saw an article about damage someone did on a jeep. I cant find the article but if i find ill post later. What is basically said was to remove a fender(or two) and replace it with the curved foil on a wine bottle. Just use white glue to hold it in place, then feel free to bend scrape and shape it to your desired look.
Cheers
John

You could always hold it over a gas flame and shape the plastic with tweezers, making it look like a grenade, shell or bomb blast! Watch out thouth that you do not make the plastic too fluid, or else it will look more like a lazer attack