Creating a Custom Assault Pick-Up
 

Whenever you look at the news or a video game, if its Iraq or Afghan, there is always footage of civilian pickup trucks being outfitted with weapons and used by attackers.

I thought, well there has got to be times when an area under the Cobra regime, either does not have the budget or the supply lines to keep a steady flow of Cobra issue vehicles coming threw. So at some point they would do the same thing. Take control of a pickup truck and retro fit it to serve them. Thus this project.

Since how-to's are all the rage and everyone is building awesome sets, I thought I would do a step-by-step on how I make a vehicle.

The Before Pic - I picked this Lanyard truck up on ebay for 2.25, a perfect canidate.

Paint it
 

First thing is first, take the thing apart. There was an unbeliavble amount of screws in this thing. But it was hella easy to get apart, and there were so many pieces it made it easy paint what you want without have to tape off other parts.

Here is the base coat

assemble
 

So now, I put the thing back together to see what I was working with....

hmm
 

not to shabby, before we go ahead with the heavy fabrication, I thought I might go ahead and paint the stuff I know at this point I want painted. basically, head lights, taillights, wheels and shades in the grill.

firepower
 

One thing all these trucks have is a big ass gun in the bed, so thats where I started. I settled on using a 50. cal from the night ops hummer as the fire power. I used the bracket from an old joe morter defense system playset, worked out good. By drilling a couple light circles in the side of the gun, it allows it to move up and down easily, and be configered to aim any direction. Not totally smooth in rotation but perfect for setting up pics. I threw on some super glue and then cut some old plastic from a model to make the top bracket for support. Bc my big ass is likely to hit the thing and rip it off.

lights
 

bc of the spotlights on the cab, I had to mount the gun holder higher than a joe can stand in the bed and aim. So I built a step. I used an old box with U.S. sticker on it for a base. I left the stickers on bc I figure if your using a pickup, you would use whatever you could from enemy forces. Then I mount an old joe stand on it. One, it smoothes it out, and Two it will make it hella easy to pose in picks :D

ammo
 

Here is when I incorporate my most favorite piece of customizing equipment. A ladder from maruders. You can cut the thing up and use it for all kinds of things. Here I made a bracket to hold the ammo box for the big gun. In a pickup at high speeds it could fly around everywhere. So I cut the peg off the backpack of a 25th roadblock to use as the ammo case and then cut the ladder to fit, a little superglue and bam! instant bracket.

brackets
 

since I was in a ladder cutting sort of mood, I cut, glued and made a bracket to hold a gas/water canister for the back

well
 

Well, here is where I am at so far, I sprayed it last night and did all the work this afternoon, but I need to go out and find some "piping" to create a rollcage for the back. Pretty nice so far, still needs some work and alot of painting, but, I think it will be pretty damn sweet.

Any ideas for what to use for the roll-bar material?

Bamb!
 

Thanks for posting this how-to Cory... my son and I want to try our hand at customizing a vehicle. This is mucho helpful.

I like how you're using just odd parts from other sets, a ladder from Marauder etc... works wonders and fits. The gas can and holder on the tailgate is schweet.

Will you be showing us how to dry-brush on mud and surface rust, body wear etc? I'm looking forward to that.

Cheers! ~ Paul.