custom Zoid: Postosuchus

(Ground Assault / Shock Trooper)

This is the story of my fifth Zoids custom. (completed July 2004)

After the success of my fourth custom Zoid (the motorized Killer Dome ) in June of 2004 I was confident I could replicate that Blox motor success in other projects. I returned to a project I had set aside some months back, a Postosuchus, one of the stars in the BBC special "Walking with Dinosaurs". The project was inspired by and patterned after Jeroen Zuiderwijk's Prestosuchus (see pic at right) which is made up mostly of Bear Fighter and Ultrasaurus. Although I like windups, I like motorized Zoids even more, so I was determined my custom would move via an electric motor. My first attempt to add in a Blox motor ended in failure, but with the advent of the KayBee clearances I gathered my courage to try again.

Better the Second Time

My first attempt at motorization ended in failure because I didn't realize the light gray crank hubs on the Blox motor also act as the axle bearings. So when I tried to narrow the hubs to get them to fit within the Bear Fighter body, I inadvertently cut off the axle bearings as well.

For my second attempt, I first filled the inner circular voids of the hubs with epoxy cement, then cut off the plastic cranks, drilled new crank holes, and replaced the cranks with straightened jumbo paper clips. I reamed out the crank holes in the Bear Fighter body so that the Blox hubs would fit. Fortunately the overall width of the hubs fit between the Bear Fighter leg connecting rods, so no further width modification of the hubs was required. I cut down the Blox motor casing and rewired the motor to get the cranks to turn in the desired direction.

Getting Proper Motivation

I glued the modified Blox motor to the left Bear Fighter body shell, leaving the screw exposed in case any future maintenance on the motor or gearbox is needed. The standard Blox power switch was cut down to allow a fingernail to turn the motor on or off. Next I worked on battery placement. At first I put the battery forward of the motor and entirely within the body, however I soon realized too much disassembly would be required when the battery eventually required replacement. Instead I decided to have the battery accessible under the removable rump cover. (Width constraints within the body forced the battery to be mounted somewhat towards the rear of the body anyway, and as a bonus the location gave better balance for walking). The battery compartment was fabricated out of the black plastic of a CD case liner. After that, I modified and attached an Ultrasaurus head to the body, then worked in a cockpit from a Missile Tortoise. The hole for the windup motor handle was filled with a 1/48th scale car engine air cleaner cover.

More CD case liner filled in the rectangular hole for the Bear Fighter head tilt lever. A mount for the Elephander gun was added to the spine using more CD case liner and a Blox peg.

Parts Parts Parts

This picture shows the other modified parts of this custom. Some are simple, such as filling in the leg armor holes with epoxy, or shortening the connecting leg levers by 1/8 inch to deepen the stance. The belly gun is a Liger Zero tail gun mated to the cut down Bear Fighter belly rocket pod. Some are more involved, such as the tail, which is made up of a Brachio Zilla tail and more CD case liner attached to the Bear Fighter rump cover. (The new tail nicely conceals the battery compartment yet is easily removed for battery replacement.) The forward parts of all four feet are from Liger Zero, mated to modified rear parts of all four feet of Bear Fighter. I removed the jam blocks on the tops of the hind Bear Fighter feet to allow more ankle swing while walking. While checking for proper movement, my Blox motor suddenly stops working. Maybe the load is too much? Work stops until I go to KayBee and buy another Brachio Zilla and replace the motor.

Masking and Painting

After a few more trial fits to ensure proper assembly and walking behavior, I purchase some Testors flat green spray paint #1913. I mask off all pivot points, alignment points, and rub points with drinking straws or tape, then spend the evening spraying and waiting for the paint to dry.

The paint is barely dry late that same evening when I begin to put my custom back together, checking fit and walking behavior as I go. With assembly almost completed, I run the Blox motor once again. It runs for two seconds, and then it suddenly stops. I check the battery, the contacts, the switch. Glumly, I disassemble and check the motor. It's dead, probably due to another overload. I glance at the clock and let out a big sigh. My second Blox motor is dead, my custom is in pieces, and it's 1:30 in the morning. Depressed, I go to sleep.

Dead? or Alive?

The next morning, I glance at my custom, then at my desk. A small motor catches my eye. Hmm, maybe I can use a different motor to replace the dead Blox motor? Will the motor fit inside the body shell? Yes, it will fit! I just need to get the Blox worm pinion gear onto the new motor.

New Motivation

The Blox worm pinion is tiny and made out of some kind of soft material, perhaps nylon. Surprisingly, I am able to enlarge the existing hole by literally hand drilling, holding the pinion gear in one hand and slowly twisting a 5/64ths inch drill bit with the other hand. In just a few minutes, the pinion is drilled and placed on the new motor! I cut down the Blox gear casing still further, then glue the new motor into place. For added insurance, I carefully examine all pivot points and remove all traces of paint from them.

Final Assembly

Final assembly is thankfully, uneventful. I add Gojulas Giga caps on the neck and small guns from Gojulas on the shoulders.

Walking is accompanied by a satisfying and rhythmic "clomp, clomp, clomp...!" Time for a little break, and then, onto the next project!

walk video on YouTube

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