Wonky Toronto TARDIS (aka Metebelis-3)

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Here's how the TARDIS sat, uncompleted, in my back yard throughout the winter.

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As you can see, not having the TARDIS finished (and smothered in snow) didn't dissuade my daughter from playing in it!

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So, uh... this doesn't have anything to do with the TARDIS, but my wife saw me posting images here and insisted that I show the Snow Stegosaurus that she made for our daughter, also in the back yard. Invasion of the Dinosaurs, anyone?

The photo does not do justice to just how *massive* this thing was.

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It's a Snowgastaur!

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Once the snow melted, I was happy to discover that the TARDIS was still in good shape, save for the interior floor. The hole left at the top (for the lamp) let in a lot of snow and rain and whatever, so the damage to the wood was pretty extensive. It buckled and bulged and cracked and receded... which meant that the front doors no longer opened and closed properly. In fact, they opened and closed with great difficulty!

It didn't stop us from using the TARDIS as an Easter Egg hiding place.

Also, in the image below, you'll notice that the garden behind the TARDIS was totally starting to reclaim its territory...

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With the warm weather now here, it was time to go outside and, uh... grind my caulk into every crack on the TARDIS.

My wife jokes that the TARDIS is actually comprised of more spackle and foam than it is wood. She's probably not far off the mark.

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Next up, I had to build the mounting for the lamp (easy), the post caps (easy), fix a few bits and pieces (also easy) and repair the floor of the TARDIS. Not easy.

On the hottest day of the summer (40 degrees Celcius, with smog-induced humidity), I drove over to Home Depot, bought a big ol' piece of wood, and tried to fit it into my car. Of course, it was too big, which meant I had to WALK IT HOME. I probably lost about twenty gallons of sweat and the feeling in my fingers, but I survived the walk. The fact that the sheet of wood was so thin yet sturdy helped it act as a sail, which got me home even faster (which came in handy when crossing St. Clair Ave).

A friend at work pointed out that had I turned right around, I could have bought some rope or twine at Home Depot and attached the wood to the roof of my car. I plead stupidity due to heat exhaustion.

Below, you'll see the primed TARDIS. Please note the ancient (100+ years old!) and totally unsafe ladder.

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I have to say... maybe it was because I was so used to seeing a massive wooden monolith in the back yard, but once the TARDIS was primed, it was amazing. Seeing that gleaming white police box glowing in the sun was pretty major. Suddenly all of that work became pretty real... and really pretty.

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Before I could even finish priming the TARDIS, my wife and daughter broke out the blue paint and started applying that first coat.

The realization that a massive bright blue 'thing' was going to be prominently standing in the yard had dawned on one and all. My daughter couldn't have been happier!

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I haven't mentioned this yet, but there's no getting around it - over the course of the winter and spring, several large and fearsome species of insects made their home in the TARDIS... and found themselves suddenly getting primed over or painted over.

If anyone is ever looking to study or investigate spiders, look no further than my TARDIS. Below is a photograph of one of the casual inhabitants of the inside of the sign boxes...

... which is why I've been calling my TARDIS Metebelis-3.

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Here's the TARDIS with the first coat of blotchy blue paint applied. What a thing of beauty! I know it's not perfect (and is even kinda sloppy in some places), but it's not every day that I buy a saw and build a massive life-sized prop from a European television show for my daughter.

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Below is one of my favourite photographs from the entire process... one of my daughter's little friends investigating the TARDIS after its first coat of paint.

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I really look forward to seeing this finished, the build photos are some of my favourite on here and this is a mighty fine looking 80s style TYJ Tardis! As for it being wonky, well, this just makes it look even more like the 80s Tardis out on location, for Replicas of the classic TV props Wonky is just perfect!!
(Could have done without the eight legs picture though... eeeep!!)

Lots more pictures please

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The paintwork has a lovely old-school feel to it