by “Mars is a lie!” shout the Earth rebels. Even if that’s true, in the arena it’s the audience that holds the truth ! What truth, you ask ? The one and only : THE POWER OF VOTING ! And to be chosen, your vehicle must stand out—whether through its actions or the advantages granted by its sponsor. But to truly elevate your driving style —especially if it’s aggressive—it’s the modifications that will make all the difference.
20% Effort, 80% Effect
There’s no need to spend a thousand jerrycans to build your own collection of vehicles proudly carrying your sponsor’s banner. You just need to see every object that passes through your hands—or within your reach—as a potential bodywork component. A bit of scavenging to port, a bit of gathering to starboard, plus a few well-placed touches of color, and you’ll have more than enough for the next Death Race (Derby of Los Muertos1, held in the radioactive ruins of Mexico City).
In Vulcan’s Forge
If practice makes perfect, then customizing makes… well… anyway, you’ll need a few tools to turn your bland little car into an extraordinary combat vehicle. The idea here is to reduce your Hot Wheels/Majorette/other car to its simplest form : wheels, body, interior, windows, and chassis. A cheap drill (around €30) applied to the rivets will seal our test subject’s fate. The goal for this build is to use as much recycled material as possible. You’ll need a good pair of cutting pliers, scissors, a hobby knife, something to sand with, and above all, super glue.
The Augean Stables
I chose a plastic Hot Wheels Dune Crusher for this build.
On the scavenging side:
- an old sprue from something I can’t even remember
- a hose clamp lying around (I ended up using a bigger one than in the photo)
- some kind of fiber mesh
- a lollipop stick
- an electrical connector block (actually three of them)
- Warhammer 40K decals I’ve had for at least a decade
- a piece of my expired credit card—better for my karma than using the one in my wallet
- solder wire
- a relic from another time : a Majorette trailer from my childhood that will donate its wheels
- And maybe one or two extra bits…
This little pile of materials narrowly escaped the trash and will now live again in a new form in our next race.
And what about painting ? A black spray for the base coat, Leadbelcher (Citadel), earth brown, green, and grey sprays (Tamiya), black for touch-ups, plus a couple more for details. Of course, you’ll need some Nuln Oil (or equivalent) and a bit of blister foam for weathering effects. Even for a build focused on recycling, painting remains a serious step for me.
I’ll start by taking the Crusher apart using a drill/screwdriver, then base-coat all the parts in black after enhancing each side with solder wire.
Hephaestus’ Workshop
After repainting the body with spray paint and weathering it with a file, I’ll age it and add rust effects. The fiber mesh is glued inside to “protect” the driver’s compartment. A bit of color inside draws the eye to my driver—ultimate luxury—which adds that touch of realism. I then cut three armor plates from my (pink) credit card to protect the doors and rear. I’ll enhance them with flattened bits of solder to create texture. A piece of sprue serves as a bumper. The FLAK3 is made from a lollipop stick, a hose clamp, and an electrical connector. Tutorial here. The wheel axles are converted into antennas to complete the look. Decals come before the Nuln Oil. Finally, the wheels are painted and mounted on the chassis.
Find Gaslands players
Join your country’s Gaslands Discord community and find players near you.
Join International The Special Case of Wheels
Whether you remove the wheels or not, four approaches exist. Keep the original wheels : simple, no hassle. Glue on new Gaslands-style wheels : also simple and hassle-free. Mount your custom on a base, allowing precise placement—wheels won’t move at all. Finally, the option I find the most elegant, though it requires more material : keeping the wheels free. Here, I use a 1 mm metal wire (piano wire) to replace the original axles. Some might argue the car could move if the table shifts, but I ignore that—I like my cars to still roll with a light flick. NorCal, on the other hand, prefers to glue them.
“To glue the wheels or not to glue the wheels, that is the question” – William Wheeler
Let’s put NorCal through Father McKenna’s 15 questions
For several years now, NorCal has been creating 6 to 8 vehicles per week while regularly feeding his YouTube channel. He shares tons of tips and tricks for customizing your mechanical steed. He kindly took the time to answer my questions despite my broken English.
Hello Christopher, could you introduce yourself ?
NorCal is not just one person, it’s a group. Even though I’m the main representative, there are nearly 12 people in the NorCal group. We function more like a league.
What does NorCal stand for ?
NorCal stands for North California. When I had to choose a name, I saw Gaslands UK, Gaslands Canada, etc. Gaslands US felt too broad, so I went with NorCal, which better defined our group at the time.
How long have you known/played Gaslands ? How did you discover it ? In other words : why Gaslands ?
About 5 or 6 years ago, I was running a D&D campaign and looking for a post-apocalyptic setting for my story. While browsing online, I came across the Gaslands wastelands and immediately fell in love with the game. I started by customizing Hot Wheels before even really playing Gaslands. Then one day, instead of playing D&D, I told my players : “Let’s try Gaslands!” Everyone loved it, and that’s how it all began.
When and why did you start your YouTube channel, and how many videos have you made ?
About 4 years ago, I was mostly building terrain, but many other content creators were already doing that. At the same time, I kept receiving questions about my creations, so instead of terrain, I started making tutorials about car customization. Today, with around 200 videos, I have about 2,200 subscribers! I’m really happy about it—it’s a niche hobby, so 2.2k subscribers is a lot 🙂
Could you define NorCal in 3 words maximum ?
a/ Creativity
b/ Accessibility : Gaslands is easy to play, easy to teach, and very fun. Even if some rules are ambiguous (whether Mike Hutchinson intended it or not), the ultimate rule remains: “let it be carnage”—in other words, choose the rule that causes the most damage.
c/ Carnage
Do you sell STL files ? Parts ? Do you design them yourself ?
No. Instead, I have a network of small creators, from the United States to Australia, who provide me with parts, decals, and sometimes paint. I enjoy working with small businesses and helping showcase them. They also often sponsor our league with gifts and materials. Among them are: Scale Modeler Supply, Creepy Hero, Rust Belt Customs, Dice Mechanic Games, Fallout Hobbies, and Wastelands Motorsport Diecast Racing. I do have a Patreon, an Etsy shop where I sell some of my creations, an Instagram, and of course Facebook.
Your favorite sponsor ?
Rutherford! As a former military medic (now retired), I feel close to Rutherford, and my playstyle clearly matches theirs. When I play, I’m known for bringing total carnage to the races.
Do you play often ?
We play every two weeks. The other days are reserved for role-playing games and other games 😉
3 tips for starting a Gaslands build
a/ Don’t aim for perfection: the less perfect it is, the more it feels like Gaslands.
b/ Try new things, don’t hesitate.
c/ Have fun !
5 tools you would recommend ?
- A Dremel for grinding, drilling, and cutting.
- An airbrush for priming and painting—it’s faster than using a brush.
- A ventilation/extraction system to avoid breathing in paint fumes.
- Gel super glue: easy to apply and prevents it from running everywhere—including onto your fingers.
- A glue accelerator to make it dry faster—I’m very impatient when I build models.
What is your favorite moment when customizing a car ?
That’s a tough question because every build is different. I’d say the moment you install the wheels, because everything comes together and you get a clearer vision of the vehicle. Also when I add the decals, since they really bring a lot of detail. Taking photos at the end of the process is also a great moment.
What evolution would you like to see for Gaslands ?
I’ve played both V1 and V2. Now I’d like to see a V3 with more vehicle options, because there’s a real difference between a basic car and a large car, or between a small truck and a full-sized truck. New scenarios would also be welcome. Mike Hutchinson and Osprey are open to community creations, so the game is very much alive—you can find unofficial Gaslands-style expansions out there.
Do you play other games ?
I play several role-playing games, including Cthulhu, D&D, Top Secret, as well as Bolt Action, Konflikt 47, and Battletech. I’ve been playing since 1978, so I’ve tried a lot of games.
Any other hobbies ?
Editor’s note : Unfortunately, I can no longer read my notes at this point—sorry—but there were 3 cats, a lovely tribute to his wife, and some Italian wine.
If you were a car—any car—which one would you choose ? Why ?
I grew up in Oregon where my father was a truck driver, mainly hauling logs. I also learned to drive those trucks, so I’d choose something big and fully loaded like the Ford Raptor.
Conclusion
And here is the result
1A race that will be featured in a future article
2STL is an acronym that stands for “stereolithography”
3Abbreviation of the German word Flugabwehrkanone (or Fliegerabwehrkanone), meaning “anti-aircraft gun”
Written by :
McKenna, Gaslands editor
A role-player, wargamer, and storyteller at heart, I play, therefore I am! Besides Gaslands, which I cover here, I'm also a huge Star Wars fan, so I play Legion and X-Wing. I happily dive into a good board game like Formula Dé or Zombies!!! whenever I get the chance. I'd be delighted to share my passion for science fiction and dystopian universes with you.
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