# MDC Hustler Mining Loco Bash



## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

My latest little creation, I got a MDC Hustler kit from an LSC member, I've always liked this engine as they were great for bashing but they can have weak gearing so are not very good pullers for more than 3 mini cars, also for whatever reason they made the cab 1/32 scale so it doesnt work scalewise with almost everything. So I thought if I left the cab off, it could then be built to any scale based on the driver placed in it, 1/22.5 in this case, I also left the sideframes off as most critters and dinkys have solid sideframes, so this is the pre-paint results:
































Lousy pics as usual...


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Looks good, made me think of a mine loco....which let me think of removing the stack and adding a pole, feel like hanging wire? 

I think the seat looks big, say cut the back down to elbo height... so he can lean out and sight beside his cars. 

I hope you don't mind my kibitzing, feel free to ignore as you will.... 

Thanks for posting. 

John


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Actually its the figure, its supposed to be 1/22 but I think its really 1/24 and way too small, I'll try a 1/20 figure in there after its painted


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Say...can a guy still find these little hustlers around? 

Dirk


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Ebay, but the asking prices are getting crazy, $75-125 on up because they are now "Rare and Collectible" but I have never actually seen one sell for that much. One guy even posted one asking BIN of $300, then after a long while dropped it to $150, then $125, then $100 finally, then it was never relisted. I guess you can pay as much as you want but once you get into Loony-land prices it becomes more like the plastic model kit collectors. If you payed $200 for that rare unbuilt Lost in Space model kit from now long gone Aurora Models you are very very very inclined to never build it (and totally ruin its "value") and keep it pristine in the box. But whats the point of that? Kits are meant to be built. 

I got this from a LSC member who was clearing out stuff. They DO come up built-up used and as unbuilt kits from time to time in the "auction" category and for reasonable prices, $50 or thereabouts is as high as I would ever go. The gears are weak on these if you overtax them, 3 or 4 mini-cars at best and no grades and it should be good to go.


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Looks great Vic. I love the Hustler I bought from you.










I repainted it Yellow, added silver strips and windows.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Randy, I've sold off alot of stuff I regretted down the line. Didn't forsee just how bad the economy would hurt the hobby. Alot of my bash sources have simply gone away or gotten so ridiculous price wise I just gave up thinking about new bashes, so this is a fun little 'blast from the past' bash.


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## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

Nice job, I am casually looking for one of those, who knows if one will pass me in the night. 
I saw a mining loco in Creed CO this fall, very similiar. Now to make it a steamer..... 

Jerry


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## TheRoundHouseRnR (Jul 15, 2012)

Hey Vic, 
I'm glad you are having fun with your new bash. I can't beleive how quick you are moving on it. I just shipped it to yah ...lol. This is exactly why I want to move stuff. Stuff just sitting on my shelves, breaths a new life in someone else hands, which makes me happy. Don't get me wrong. Im still here to stay for the long hall in this hobby but I have alot of impulse buys laying around that belong to people that can use them . 

I can't wait to see it finished. 

Kyle The Roundhouse RnR


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Kyle, yeah I started messing with it the day it arrived. I really only modified it in one way, moving the white metal pilot beams to the top of each end instead of the bottom, the stock coupler pocket mounts were just way too low for most couplers even the link/pins I use. Beyond that its more a question of what got left off it, left off the side-frames which were to make it look more wider to match large scale cars and the extremely small cab (I plan to keep the cab for a Gn15 critter bash). Leave those off and it gets narrower and lower like a mining engine so thats what it became. Waiting for a bit of a warm up to paint it, temps in the mid-50's are not so good for rattle-canning. 

Found a crippled seated Bmann engineer that had his feet cut off by the dreaded Razersaw Shark, fitted him with bionic feet made from the highest-tech balsa wood, and I lowered the handrails about a 1/2 inch, looks much better now. 

Thanks again


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

OK since MLS is busted today, I decided to try uploading pics to my LSC freight shed, lets see:










Eureka!










Finally got the MDC Mining Loco painted and weathered, sadly these are the best pics I can muster right now, one of my New Years Projects is to build a real photo booth!

Chief Mechanic Homer expresses his approval of the project...or he's found a pizza.


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