Tuesday, August 14, 2012

From Mild To Wild Roundup

In case you didn’t see it, this won’t spoil the whole plot or anything, so don’t worry...but before seeing The Dark Knight Rises, I didn’t know what Bane sounded like. With his ripped muscles, his cold, malevolent glare, and his whole scary head I just assumed he’d have a certain deep growl full of venom and seething rage...but no. Back me up on this, people, but didn’t he sound just like Sean Connery trapped in a toilet while eating a sub sandwich? And guess what, Bane...that wasn’t a sub sandwich! C’mon, Tom Hardy, ever since seeing you in Bronson, I have been a huge fan of yours and I still am. Really, I am. And I know they’ve done some post-production tweaking to make you more easily understood through that Hannibal Lecter/ Darth Vader respirator thingy, but even you have to agree that voice didn’t quite match the sinister persona...it was better suited for a kind old man who wants to sit in a rocking chair and tell me war stories. Don’t worry, big guy, I’ve poked fun at some big and powerful people around here...just ask your co-star Christian Bale. Anyway, Tom, and the rest of you, hope you like grown-ass men playing with Legos, because here is the From Mild To Wild Roundup where we take last month’s mild entries and customize them into some truly wild creations. Lets see how we did.

Jonathan Derksen sets the mood for the challenge and shows us all how its done. You’d never guess that this bubble top space age Ed Roth looking surf-mobile thingy was once a plain old ’69 El Camino. Balsy as is, but super wild in the hands of Jonathan, this creation would even have Bane saying “WHERE DOESH HE GET THOSH WONDEWFUL TOYS!”

Custom 1969 El Camino

Last month Technicfenix13 entered a technic bicycle thingy. This month he entered two more technic bicycle thingies, customized from the original.The black version with the water bottle is for touring while the red and white is for racing.

touring bike with trainer stand 1

Then later in the challenge he comes back with a color swapped technic version of his own bike, with the real thing posted for reference. he also tells us that he ordered a plain white studio background so future entries will be top notch sparkling clean! I hope he didn’t spend a bundle on this...cuz mine are just three pieces of foamcore.

100_0239

No stranger to spending a bundle on his entries is Bricksonwheels with a trucking beast he simply calls The Dragon. With its copious chrome and Magic card graphics, this Scania R730 was already one of his most tricked out trucks ever. So how does he make it even more so? With an additional 2000 bricks in an equally pimped out trailer and a fresh new spoiler, that’s how!

Scania ''The Dragon'' Combo

On the 4th of July, what better way to wish us Americans a happy Independence Day than Lego911 (an Aussie) building a 1956 Oldsmobile 88 Holiday Hardtop Coupe all-American 4th of July-mobile. Its just as American as the Statue of Liberty (built by the French) and french fries! (apparently the French not involved with that one) Thanks, Peter!

'Forth of July' Cruiser

These LUGNuts roundups would be nothing without a whole slew of entries from Lego911. In case our American 4th of July celebrations get out of hand, what with the fireworks and whatnot, the world’s most prolific LEGO builder saves our crispy bacon with a Ford Ranger P375 Offroad Fire Response Vehicle. In was inspired by Matchbox, who decided to make a real brush truck. neat!

Ford Ranger P375 Offroad Fire Response Vehicle

This next Lego911 model Alfa Romeo 105 Coupe Giulia Sprint GTA replica has been outfitted for racing with a high output engine and a round white target on the side...which makes it go faster. The engine, not the white target. The target just makes it look faster...plus it provides a place to put your racing number. Or a smiley face drawn with a sharpie. Yeah, that’s it.

Alfa Romeo 105 Coupe Giulia Sprint GTA replica

Fear not, Alfa Romeo fans! If one wasn’t enough Peter pipes in again with this MAGNUS Racing Alfa Romeo 105 Giulia Sprint GTA Coupe. I know, I could totally tell you all were going to cry yourselves to sleep, then wake up in a puddle of your own puke. Am I right? Well, crisis averted. Nicely done.

MAGNUS Racing Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA

Lastly Peter shows us many ways to customize a 1957 Chevy in all of its various forms. First the stock version, then exposed headers and custom zig-zag paint job in the hard top, convertible topless model, and finally my fave, the wagon. Somewhere down the line some perv is gonna keyword “topless model” looking for boobies and find this roundup instead. Hah! Jokes on you, pervs!

Chevrolet 1957 Stock & Custom

No stranger to perving the net is Rolic. Probably. I don’t know. Anyway, when he entered his Mercedes Popemobile last month as his Plain Jane entry, even the most devout of us had hoped he would commit the ultimate sacrilege with this month’s entry. Our prayers were answered with this Popemobile Dragster...or Pogster. And now His Holy Grace can bless our heathen souls at a breakneck 280MPH. Praise the Lord, bitches!

MB popemobile dragster - "Pogster"

Wait, what? That was rude, even for me. Speaking of me, Lino Martins pays tribute to the late, great Boyd Coddington with this custom surf wagon called Lizard King. It used to be an ugly rusted 1960 Mercury Colony Park but now its all shiny, new and green, both in color and good for the environment. Boyd built his original version for Sobe, mine was built for me and my shelf. And to possibly take the top prize at BrickCon 2012. In your face, Inman!

before and after

And speaking of Tim Inman, he just might swipe that top trophy with this chrome-laden pimped out donk GMC Sierra 3500 HD simply called Malevolent. This entry went from big and badass last month to OMFG! this month, with its Monster logo, strip of sponsors and its huge donk rims. I never thought I’d say this, but Tim, your hefty badonkadonk has got me straight up trippin’, boo!

"Malevolent" GMC Sierra 3500 HD

Tell that to a girl in a bar and she’ll either slap you or sleep with you. One or the other. Maybe both, I don’t know. But presumably too young for girls and going to bars is Raphy with his A-Team van. I totally called this entry when he posted his plain white van last month. I pity the fool who don’t like this van!

A-Team van

Next, Raphy chimes in with yet another retro van from before his time, but this one honors Cannonball Run. You ask Raphy why and he’ll tell you...cuz Burt Reynolds, that’s why! Incidentally, I can assure you that is the only reason you’ll ever need for most things in life. Its the same reason I used recently for why my dog puked on the carpet, why I didn’t pay my cable bill, and why I ate an entire 2 1/2 lb. can of Chef Boyardee ravioli. True story.

Cannonball Run van

They said all that junk food would go to my thighs. Well, it didn’t. (see also reason for why my dog puked on the rug) But all that junk food did go to Dylan Denton’s 1997 Toyota MR-2 Turbo Widebody. With its alloy rims, body kit, and lowered stance, this sports some nice customizations from his original entry. Plus the Japanese Coca-cola graphics really makes ties it all together. In Japan, Coca-cola translates to bite the wax tadpole or something. True story.

1997 Toyota MR-2 Turbo Widebody

Jmaokoen probably knows very little about biting the wax tadpole but surely knows all about the Austin Healey Endurance. In 1953 Donald Healey set out to create a land speed record car. The result: Averaging 132.29 mph. of Austin Healey badassery! I’ve got only one thing to say about that: Praise the Lord, bitches!

Austin Healey Endurance

Well, with that we end the From Mild To Wild Roundup. It was only one entry less than the month before so I think we did pretty ok. I’m hoping next month will be one of the best challenges ever. We call it Order By Numbers, and with a menu of 10 vastly different automotive ideas to choose from I’m hoping to see some truly stunning entries. As of this writing, we have only one entry, but the month is still young so we’ll see how it goes. I hope more will enter, and when they do, I hope they bring their A-Game. You know why? Burt Reynolds, that’s why. But also...the all LUGNuts issue of BrickJournal will come out in September. Yep, a lot of new eyes will be on us, so lets show them we’re worth the hype. Got it? Good! Oh and Tom Hardy, if you’re reading this, even with the silly voice you were still one of the most badass villains in cinematic history. I mean that. Those glittery twinks over at Twilight had nothing on you, big guy. So no hard feelings, OK? Are we friends now? Wait, let me say that in a way you’ll understand. AHHH WE FWENDS NOW!