Mattel Disney Pixar Diecast CARS: Custom “Franken” Monster Truck!
Most of us thought – nice ring playset but too bad we’re not going to get “The Monster” as some ginormous wrestling vehicle …
David D. decided to take matters into his own hands … clearly hands much more skilled than most … believe it or not …
It rolls! It LIVES!
Too hilariously perfect!
From David D. …
“I’ve gotten interested in “Cars” through the “Monster Truck Mater” cartoon, which I think is one of the funniest, best-paced shorts I’ve ever seen. Oddly enough, it started when I saw the I-Screamer kicking vehicle at Target, and my interest has grown from there…I think the character designs are really first-rate.
Anyway, I was disappointed that the “Monster” was only produced as part of the (pricey) playset, so I thought I’d try a custom. I’m not much of a modeler, but I thought it would be fun. I did appreciate that even the parts on the playset looked “canon” enough to make the custom look reasonable without modification, and I had just two conditions:
1. Spend no more than $10
2. Do not cut, add holes, or otherwise damage the playset pieces in case it turned out badly and I wanted to put it back together. (That meant using only existing screw holes.)
So last night (after I went to TRU!) I found a $10 dump truck at CVS, and fortunately the cheapness worked to my benefit…the plastic cut like butter with a utility knife, so I took it apart, cut out the middle and screwed it back together, and cut off the bumper to use as the wrecking-ball pole.
The result is attached, and it’s no Screamin’ Banshee, but it’s fun, looks OK with my diecast from the cartoon, and rolls around just fine. (When I took it outside, the head acted like a sail and it started rolling toward me…it’s alive!!) The fact that it’s an obvious Frankenstein-job only adds to the look!”
My review – um, SCARY and HILARIOUS GREAT!
Yea, you’re right – that it looks franken-stitched together makes it even look so much more authentic.
Of course, now that you set this bar THIS HIGH with your first custom, what should he tackle next? 🙂
And in his spare time, he made a REAL Fred with Fallen bumper …
Too cool – great work, David D.!
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27 November 2010
12 Comments
PVHauler,
Thanks for the kind words as I was very passionate about getting details right on this line going forward.
Funny, because what I was originally going to do for this past years SDCC was changed after I left the line and I understand the replacement item took a quite while to sell out. My first 2 SDDC offerings sold out within 5 days. 😉
BTW, I didn’t get whacked, just got transferred off the line. Company politics, no worries. Still gainfully employed designing/developing product for Mattel Inc. after 29 years of doing so 🙂
Life is good, using my new free time getting back into my Fine Art.
Old habits die hard after 3 years so I come and check out the Cars world every once and a while. Not much has changed.
Hey! I didn’t know the playset’s designer would be here! (I’m new here myself.) I really like the fact that you took the time to make little details on the monster screen-accurate, so even a casual “custom” has a chance to look like the real thing. I was glad the claw arm and wrecking ball unscrewed easily from the head, too.
As a longtime Universal-Monsters fan, I loved the resemblance to Karloff’s original makeup, which made me wonder if it was considered a “tribute” or if a licensing deal had to be made, especially with product released in its image.
Thanks for the compliments, everyone! Even though the “Cars” playsets have to have a “play” aspect, I’ve seen Handy Manny build-it-yourself playsets, and I could see something like this as a “Dr. Frankenwagon’s Make-it-yourself Monster Truck Kit” playset, with pretty tight packaging as the wheels could fit inside the body and everything else is pretty flat. Maybe scaled down a little if necessary. (A hinged mouth would be nice!) Or better yet, a DIY R/C Monster Truck!
Ladies & Gentlecars,
The Wrassln Ring play set was the probably one of the last play sets I designed for the Line but I always thought it was a fun play pattern. I think I did the Garage before that one or at the same time?
We really had to lowball the monster because of cost………..
I originally one paddle on each side to eject the Cars but it was changed to just one on one side 🙁
Hopefully this segment does well leading us into Cars 2. Again, in my opinion our product looks better than Disney’s 🙂
Nice job with the Custom Dave.
I’ll see you kuckleheads around 🙂
Martin, that was some nice work. I hope you come back to Cars. Some of this new stuff by other people is awful. I wish they didn’t fire you. Glad you still read & post here BTW.
Avast and shiver me timbers, that be a mighty fine piece ‘o work. Plenty in the rum barrel for the matey who engineered the wretched beast, Yaaarrrrrrrr! Full speed ahead to yer next scabulous work of art ye scalawag!!!
These are totally great! Thanks for sharing the pics.
ARRRR Matey….nicely done…NO plank walking for ye!
I am surprised they don’t make this guy in an all plastic version like the Screaming Banshee in the minis line. Although an 8 lb. diecast version would be cool.
Nice work by the way.
Lovin’ it!!! Fred looks great!!!
Mattel needs to hire David D.! Impressive work!
Awesome.
First! Anyway, AWESOME Cars! You must have a lot of spare time on your hands!