Handed to Howard Sofield seven weeks ago, was a monster of a project - an odyssey: a quest. Clear Channel Entertainment - Motor Sports needed to build a the 'Raphael' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Monster Truck before the Built Ford Tough Monster Jam Summer Heat Monster Truck series - a complex body with sophisticated shaping and high-profile persona - the Sixtine Chapel of Monster Trucks.
Bill Easterly, Sr. Director Of Monster Truck Operations chose Howard to tackle the 'Turtle'. Howard, an Event Manager for CCE-MS, has years of art school behind him and general construction experience that suited him perfectly to the actual construction of a monster truck. And lets say Howard has the right, ah, personality, to build monster truck. He's not known for taking 'no' for an answer. He's tenacious.
Concept body trucks, like the Michelangelo Ninja Turtle, are made from fiberglass, which requires that full scale BODY of putty, clay, bondo, and in this case, parts of other monster trucks construct the shape of the truck body.
After the PLUG is completed and shaped with grinders, orbital sanders, and hand sander for the most precise details, a MOLD is made from the PLUG. The PLUG is exactly what is sounds like: it is the center of, or PLUGGED, or CAST of the original scale body. This is exact reverse of the finished MOLD.
The mold is then built over the PLUG and meticulously peeled apart into pieces that will eventually hold hand-layed fiberglass.
The Ninja Turtle is the most detailed truck ever constructed by the Clear Channel Entertainment Motor Sport Monster Truck Fleet team. The mold for the Turtle is nine different pieces. Most monster truck molds are only three or four pieces. Due to the turtles’ fine detail and precision contouring; specific mold pieces were required.
Among the Turtles most engaging features: a toothy grin and partially contoured bandana.
Once the mold is complete 1/4” thick fiberglass in hand-layed with brushes from sheets over a resin that allows the fiberglass to be removed from the mold once it dries.
As each piece is completed they are fitted together, finished, and the body is ready for paint.
Michelangelo: The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle is due out for Monster Jam’s this summer. It’s certain to be a truck worth coming to see! Quick Facts: 5 Gallons of Primer 40 Sheets of Styrofoam weighing approximately 250 lbs. 55 Gallons of Fiberglass Resin 60 Gallons of Bondo/Body Filler 1000 Square Feet of Fiberglass Mat OVER 1000 Man Hours of Labor
Special Thanks to: Eric Minger, Bill Easterly Jr., Andy Salerno, Brian Richardson, Scott Ford, and Surfer's Hot Rod Garage.
Handed to Howard Sofield seven weeks ago, was a monster of a project - an odyssey: a quest. Clear Channel Entertainment - Motor Sports needed to build a the 'Raphael' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Monster Truck before the Built Ford Tough Monster Jam Summer Heat Monster Truck series - a complex body with sophisticated shaping and high-profile persona - the Sixtine Chapel of Monster Trucks. 
Concept body trucks, like the Michelangelo Ninja Turtle, are made from fiberglass, which requires that full scale BODY of putty, clay, bondo, and in this case, parts of other monster trucks construct the shape of the truck body.
Quick Facts:
