Props THE BIG ONE! M808B Scorpion Tank

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Benton188

RCO
Member DIN
S188
Hey everyone,
Didn't want to jump the gun on posting this yet, but I cannot contain it anymore. I will be embarking on converting a 90's Ford Econoline into a driveable Scorpion Tank. I'm still in the planning stages right now, and it's still not 100% certain when I'll actually be getting the vehicle. Once I do receive it, I will begin breaking it down until nothing but the essentials are left. Upon the remains I will build a tank body around it, add detachable false tank treads, and then attach a 360 degree spinning main cannon. I might even go as far as making it a potato cannon, cause why not lol.

YES, I am taking every precaution when it comes to the dismantling and building. I'm bringing on further engineers and mechanics to make sure everything will run smoothly.
NO, I'm not going to extend the wheels out further, or have working treads. Both are too expensive and very unsafe.
YES, I will be naming her Sheila
NO, it will not be driveable on the road. When I'm done with it, it will only be for display and conventions.

Primarily the frame will be built with 1x3 boards from Home Depot. Super cheap and easy to work with. The rest of the body is still being debated. While using steel or even aluminum would be awesome, it will in the long run be too costly. I am a flooring installer, and I live paycheck to paycheck more or less, so the cheaper the better for me. The toss up right now for the body is either going to be a thin subfloor or OSB, the latter of which would make the thing really heavy. I am open to suggestions on this, but please keep it cheap.

Here is a picture of the van:
Carpet Van.jpg
 
Re: THE BIG ONE! M808B Scorpion Tank (Starting hopefully soon)

I'll be keeping am eye on this. Just one eye. I need the other one for gaming!
 
Re: THE BIG ONE! M808B Scorpion Tank (Starting hopefully soon)

CAN I DRIVE??!!! this will be awesome. Im keeping an eye on this! looking forward to seeing updates!
 
Re: THE BIG ONE! M808B Scorpion Tank (Starting hopefully soon)

If you're not driving this around, how are you getting it to Cons? Flatbed? As far as the build itself, if your looking to make something really light, 1,000 years ago when I was in collage, we thespians would build the sets we acted in as well. We would take canvas and stretch it over a frame, staple it down to pull it as much as we could to get out any wrinkles. Then we would paint the whole thing in a solution of watered down Elmer's glue. It would harden and pull even tighter. Hard enough to paint on it. You could even throw on a layer of fiberglass at this point if you could swing that. I wish I were closer to you as I'm a part time handyman,kind of know what I'm doing, and would love to assist.
 
Re: THE BIG ONE! M808B Scorpion Tank (Starting hopefully soon)

If you're not driving this around, how are you getting it to Cons? Flatbed? As far as the build itself, if your looking to make something really light, 1,000 years ago when I was in collage, we thespians would build the sets we acted in as well. We would take canvas and stretch it over a frame, staple it down to pull it as much as we could to get out any wrinkles. Then we would paint the whole thing in a solution of watered down Elmer's glue. It would harden and pull even tighter. Hard enough to paint on it. You could even throw on a layer of fiberglass at this point if you could swing that. I wish I were closer to you as I'm a part time handyman,kind of know what I'm doing, and would love to assist.

My brother in law has a vehicle trailer I can borrow. It will be able to be driven, but it will definitely not be street legal lol. Also, I have heard about the canvas and have considered it to be an option when it gets to that point. I've heard a few others as well, but time (and money) will tell which one I end up going with, but the canvas does seems one of the easiest ways.

You think you can pick up chicks in it? :lol

It's got a passenger spot, so I don't see why not lol. (Funny, cause I'm actually wearing my Tucker shirt tonight when I read this)


Here's some more pictures on the progress. Spent a total of 7 hours this weekend tearing into the van:

13770375_1384802384866921_6088687055161224021_n.jpg 13697283_1384802348200258_8918319723041092860_n.jpg 13659114_1384802318200261_8809842858417839646_n.jpg
 
Re: THE BIG ONE! M808B Scorpion Tank (Starting hopefully soon)

You going to base the build off the CE Scorpion tank? Got a lot of Scorpion tank versions all with there own differences, either 1or2 or maybe it was just the Halo2 version that others could ride on the legs, you can pick up even more chicks that way!
 
Re: THE BIG ONE! M808B Scorpion Tank (Starting hopefully soon)

You going to base the build off the CE Scorpion tank? Got a lot of Scorpion tank versions all with there own differences, either 1or2 or maybe it was just the Halo2 version that others could ride on the legs, you can pick up even more chicks that way!

I think I'll end up going with a mix of CE and H3. I like the look and simplicity of CE, but I want that 2nd gunner position of H3
 
Re: THE BIG ONE! M808B Scorpion Tank (Starting hopefully soon)

Thats a hell of an undertaking. Good Luck! Please paint Sheila on it somewhere ;)
 
Re: THE BIG ONE! M808B Scorpion Tank (Starting hopefully soon)

just going to say this with all the hog builds and dft's ghost and the banshee which is mia plus someone did try and build one at one point and only got the front left track section put together and then it die but i'll be watching this and one day I might be calling you up for some long term use of it.
 
Re: THE BIG ONE! M808B Scorpion Tank (Starting hopefully soon)

just going to say this with all the hog builds and dft's ghost and the banshee which is mia plus someone did try and build one at one point and only got the front left track section put together and then it die but i'll be watching this and one day I might be calling you up for some long term use of it.

I always wondered if someone tried it before, and also where that Banshee flew off to lol. As far as I know, this project will be completed eventually. I'm not one to give up so easily on projects and really enjoy seeing them finished and not laying in a heap forever.
 
Re: THE BIG ONE! M808B Scorpion Tank (Starting hopefully soon)

You've got lots of support over here! Speaking of which, Is this something that you want to start working on Thursday nights?
 
Re: THE BIG ONE! M808B Scorpion Tank (Starting hopefully soon)

You've got lots of support over here! Speaking of which, Is this something that you want to start working on Thursday nights?

We can, though I've been working on it almost every night lol
 
Re: THE BIG ONE! M808B Scorpion Tank (Starting hopefully soon)

We can, though I've been working on it almost every night lol
Speaking of, yell when you'd like me over to help. XD

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk
 
Just a few thoughts from a fellow fabricator and vehicle guy!

Tanks are big. The scorpion is really big. The main body of the tank (tracks not included) will be about the width of your truck, and a little bit longer. Fully assembled, you won't be able to fit it onto a flat deck trailer. For this reason, I would make it so that the four track sections are easily removable (4 or so bolts each) , which could then be stacked on the rest of the tank during transport.

For the main body of the tank, I would make a really basic rectangular frame from angle iron to bolt all of your body panels to. I know you want to stay away from steel for the most part, but this will allow your tank to have a relatively strong base structure, without costing too much or adding too much weight.

To add to what dirtdives said fleece can also be stretched out over a wooden frame and then hardened with fiberglass resin for curvier/contoured parts. For flat body panels, cardboard can also be your friend! Hit it with some fiberglass resin and a layer of fiberglass cloth for a light, relatively sturdy panel.

Good luck with your build! I'm looking forward to see it come together!
 
Just a few thoughts from a fellow fabricator and vehicle guy!

Tanks are big. The scorpion is really big. The main body of the tank (tracks not included) will be about the width of your truck, and a little bit longer. Fully assembled, you won't be able to fit it onto a flat deck trailer. For this reason, I would make it so that the four track sections are easily removable (4 or so bolts each) , which could then be stacked on the rest of the tank during transport.

For the main body of the tank, I would make a really basic rectangular frame from angle iron to bolt all of your body panels to. I know you want to stay away from steel for the most part, but this will allow your tank to have a relatively strong base structure, without costing too much or adding too much weight.

To add to what dirtdives said fleece can also be stretched out over a wooden frame and then hardened with fiberglass resin for curvier/contoured parts. For flat body panels, cardboard can also be your friend! Hit it with some fiberglass resin and a layer of fiberglass cloth for a light, relatively sturdy panel.

Good luck with your build! I'm looking forward to see it come together!

Thanks Phil. I did mention that I was going to have removable tracks, for the same purpose you said. I'll have to look into the angle iron and see how much it runs and if there are any local places I can find that carry it. I am near Pittsburgh though so there's bound to be steel and iron somewhere lol.
 
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