Holy metal fatigue…well, a tad less than plastic fatigue maybe. Fascinating toot & much food for thought, thanks for the eye-opener. Yeah not bad result with the monocoque, so now you’re totally ready to scratch-build that 1:20 scale Hindenburg…hangar first natch 
Very cool framework Nick !!
Nick in his element!
Again!
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Hello model builders,
It’s been a while since my last reply on this project. I figured better to not push my luck, with WIP for, well, something without armor! I figured, no reason to clog up the airwaves!
The concept is a formula 1 race car restoration shop, built at 1/20 scale - the shop works on a specific type of car/era, and, that this shop could be working today.
I finished the project, and if you’re interested, please take a look! Lots of pics, not lots of words! 
All of the above - you can see, a pretty ratty looking building, yet within a pretty good shop - on we go:
And there you have it! three F1 cars, several engines/suspension parts, a 90’s GMC truck (weird that this is avail in 1/20??) and lots of scratch building. The goal was to mostly use remnant materials and so on from other projects - which worked pretty well. None of the dio parts are all that exotic and aside from paint and glue, I didn’t need to buy much else.
I’ve started another project - back to 1/35, but maybe a bit weird, so maybe another light posting if you guys are ok with this approach? The vehicles in this are closer - I’ve already started converting an M1070 to the Global HET A1, which is a 6x6 version of the M1070, and, am converting it to a half track (using Orochi Bradley parts). Part of the rules here - no new kits - only use what’s in the stash!
OK guys, thanks for having a look and happy model building
Cheers
Nick
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I still remember follwing the bladerunner build. Was it really that long ago?
Well Nick @Stickframe I will go straight in with another WOW !!
The wait for the update was very well worth it… That scene is amazing… There are a great many shots you have to double take if not triple take to remember it’s not real … Amazing !!!
Ron, I’m with you there, it seems like ages ago since that Dio, and that was another pretty amazing one.
At the start of this topic there are some pictures with unpainted figures in it… so I know they are of a dio and not of reality… but somewhere along the line… I am sure you swapped the dio pictures for reality pictures… 
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Beautiful work as always Nick !!!
holy cow I thought this was an actual garage. the thing that gave it away at the end was the 4x4, it’s just a little to clean, especially the tyres.
other that that, this diorama is mind blowing!
The usual utterly brilliant stuff we have come to expect! Incredible attention to detail all over this. And you gotta love the Deco building!
J
Hi model builders,
Thanks for taking a look and leaving your thoughts- I appreciate it! Funny thing about this project is it came about because I messed up a finish on a model car that was 95% complete, and rather than repaint it, I decided make the repair shop dio - and stumbled through, what became a really fun project.
@RonW hey Ron, yep, the Blade-runner project was a while ago - lol - and still not done! I crossed the point of interest, or should I say, lack of interest! Maybe some day - but for now, its just the Dust-runner 
@Johnnych01 , hi John - thanks, I’m glad to hear it was worth the wait! It’s too bad that it not an armor project - it would have been fun to post the wip and hear from you folks along the way - that usually results in good ideas and a better build! Maybe I’ll discretely sneak the next project onto the forum - it is starting with an army truck!
@bwilt Ha! yes, the figures…ugh - not my favorite part of a build, at 1/20, 1/35 or any other scale! I did learn something while painting these though - sort of a good lesson. That is, I have used Vallejo Primer (IDF Sand color) for figures, and always struggled with getting a glossy finish (which I don’t want), specifically on clothing, which I did here too.
Next time, I’m using Tamiya rattle can grey primer on figures - I now understand, there’s a relationship between the surface finish of the primer and the surface finish of the topcoat - and as the Vallejo primer is more of a thick base coat than primer per-se (which btw I use all the time and will keep doing so on other things) the relative gloss of the primer shines through the relatively translucent finish of the Vallejo model air I paint with (notice the plastic looking “hair helmet” on the blonde woman!! and shiny pants here and there - not good). Not the case if you paint (air or brush) Vallejo model air over the Tamiya base. BTW - the skin is painted with Scale 75, which as a great acrylic paint, and I’ll keep using. It doesn’t have the same problems with the Vallejo primer… 
And thanks, glad you like those pictures. I scouted out a particular place to take them - there’s a public plaza located in an industrial area nearby, and worked well for this. I prefer to shoot outdoor images for the finished project, so have to be aware of out of scale: dogs, cars, bikes, people, trees, buildings, birds, fences and on and on! drives me crazy.
@Dioramartin hi Tim - hahah! perfect! thanks! If pulling these together was just as easy as that too - as you’ve enjoyed the luxury of working, re-working, and reworking the big Operation “A” - nothing’s as easy as it may seem…lol - thanks!
@Cheyenne hey Glenn, thanks, I appreciate the words - I know you have built a wood frame (and any other material you can think of too!!) building or ten and all that goes with them yourself!
@Klaus-Adler well - sadly, you’re right, and you have a good eye! And what you’ve identified is nobody’s fault but mine on those tires and for that matter body too. Believe it or not, that truck received lots of attention - I reworked the suspension, added a flat bed, and so on - even added some scrapes to the paint - but, was too lazy to add the last touches of weathering - my trusty wash of Life Color Dust 1. It knocks back the shine and tones things back - what a dummy! it only takes a few minutes - oh well, next time…
@JRutman Hi Jerry, thanks a lot for dropping by and your comments - I appreciate them. As I said above, maybe I’ll “sneak” the next dio in despite it being, well, a little different. That said, it is starting with an M1070 truck, which qualifies for a softskin!
Cheers
Nick
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@Stickframe don’t sell yourself short mate you have done an amazing job on that diorama and it would be easy to miss one item with so much going on.
seriously don’t beat yourself up over it.
I love it! Wow! Great work, great details, great idea, great photos and a great diorama builder! Thanks for cheering this master piece! /Erik
@Stickframe - Nick, blown away mate, outstanding work there! My dad was a mechanic in a busy workshop and this takes me right back to the noises and the clutter and the smell that was just so familiar back then.
Looking forward to the next project.
Cheers, D
@Klaus-Adler, ha! no worries - on this particular subject, I knew about it, but just didn’t get around to doing anything about it - lol - thanks for the note!
@DIOWORK , Hi Erik, I appreciate your note! This was a fun project - the subject and scale were new to me, and for the first project in a while, there is no landscape to speak of, so an interesting challenge there too - instead of forest or desert, sidewalks, curbs, and driveways.
@AussieReg Hello D, thanks for leaving a note! I’m glad it brought you back to your dad’s shop. Despite the relatively giant scale, or maybe because of it, finding subtlety/elements of realism was an ongoing challenge!
Wow. That is incredible work . I will be keeping a eye on your posts.
It is obvious I really need to talk with you.
Your doing masterpiece work and some of us ( meaning Me ) are building with playdoh by comparison.
@Chris_Bryan , thanks very much - appreciate the note! That said, one of the great things about this site is the number of talented and friendly model builders that post and comment. When I began posting here, well, let’s say my work wasn’t exactly standing out for good reasons - haha - I was pretty good at a few things, but picked up many ideas and techniques by getting comments from others and frequently visiting. It turns out I like building all sorts of models and dios - creating my dilemma which is to post or not post builds that aren’t related to armor?? Maybe this is only a self imposed concern? I don’t know. Anyway, I think we’re all here for fun - so no reason I can see for comparing anybody’s work - I figure it’s all better than not building - that’s no fun!
Cheers
Nick
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I have learned things in my short time here already.
I would love to see more of your work and the process behind it.
There are more forums, I think there is something for every taste in model building.
Some of us focus on a single forum/category while others hang out all over the place.