gasser59

have Ed's great cab too and one day I need to finish it. You're off to a great start.

Don't do that Tom. That would be a waste. Do you have a thread on this camper Tom?

Spent a good portion of yesterday at the bench after doing some serious yardwork. Glad to have the fridge done. The door is made from unpainted evergreen as is the inside box. I made the freezer door out of printing plate with a few embossed lines pressed in from the back. I happened to have a piece of P/E that I could use as the metal rack. A few items are 'chillin'. The hinges were made from printing plate and attached with rivets from Scale Hardware. I still have to finish up the handle, then it will be done. I put a fridge vent under the door and used more P/E for the grill. The sink still needs another coat of white paint. It is a resin piece from the cabover camper kit that had to be shortened about 1/8th inch. Its really tough to sand in there. LOL Here's a couple pictures. Next up is a funky looking instant water heater which goes on the right side wall above the counter. Thanks for your interest and comments welcome.

Thanks for the praise Danno. Very much appreciated. Getting it done by DSC will be a challenge but I think its doable.

Hi Tom ~ I knew you lived in Jackson Center from following along on some of your incredible builds. It is such a small community, I figured almost everyone in town was either employed by the factory or supported the workers with businesses like restaurants, grocery stores, hardware stores, etc. The best of the photos I have of this vehicle have been posted in this thread and I only have digital versions. The originals belong to PeeWee as the curator of the Helen Byam Schwamborn collection. Helen was a cousin of Wally and ran the early days of the Wally Byam Caravan Club as you probably know. According to PeeWee, these two camper shells were built in the Ohio plant probably in the summer of 1959 after coming directly from the Chevrolet plant in Michigan. Sure would be cool if one of these survived and through Dave we could all hear about it.

That is some real eye candy jewelry Chris. I'll call you later today.

That sounds cool Dave. Sure would be awesome if it ended up being one of the two special order trucks that Wally Byam ordered from the Chevy factory. Originally I thought there where three ordered but in speaking with PeeWee earlier this week, he told there were only two of them; one for the advance scouts and the other for the mechanic who traveled with the caravan. Is there any way to still contact the family?

Thanks for your comments Dave. This vehicle that belongs to a friend of your father's couldn't possibly be one of the two custom built scout trucks, could it? Neither one has ever surfaced.

Thanks Chris, Danno and Jamie. I hope to get a good amount of bench time in tomorrow so stay tuned. Danno - you'll get to see this in the flesh, so to speak, tomorrow night.

Thanks so much Art. I hope to have it done by then, that's the plan anyway. If not, it will be on the projects table but I'm shooting for completion by then.

A bit of work done last night and a bit more this morning before work. Cabinetry has started along with the printing of the couch cushions. The cushions were cut from basswood and then sprayed with Elmer's Spray adhesive. The fabric was applied and folded over the back side. I wasn't sure of the colors but in speaking with PeeWee, he told me they were brown and a black and white picture I have showing the bunk in the done position showed the striped pattern. The back couch cushion flipped up by hinging in the back and became the top bunk which was a catch-all. The interior aluminum printing plate 'skin' will need to be applied before attaching any cabinetry but its so much easier to build and test fit by being able to see through and work through the ribs. The countertop will get a small sink and a two burner cooktop. Here's a couple of progress pictures. Thanks for following along and comments welcome.

I can't tell how good it is to see some painted items. They sure look great. Thanks for passing along the "Teresi" method of alclad application. Waiting for the next Vega update installment.

Thanks Jose. I've started on the interior components beginning with the couch and will work my way out the back of the shell. This morning, I made the pattern for the cushions and hope to get it printed this evening on fabric paper that can be run through the printer. Stay tuned.

Still planing on making a water cooler for the office? That would really set the office area apart.

Four thousand replies and two hundred and one pages...I just had to do it. Have a productive day at the bench today lil' brother.

More of the ribs have been made and the camper is starting to look like a wild animal cage. LOL Still a few more to do along the top, one on each side then the outer skin can be fabricated. I made a template out of card stock and haven't done one for either end just yet. Those will go on after the interior is put in. Thanks for following along and comments always welcome.

So glad you're back at this one Scott. Keep it going.

Great update Chris. Bummer about the tank but you'll make it right. The other painted parts look great and it just shows why you keep redoing stuff until its right. You, my brother, are a true craftsman.

Started working on the interior walls last night and have a paper template made. In putting this truck camper together in sequence in my head, I realize it would be best to do the outside skins first. I don't have the printing plate for the exterior yet, hopefully it will be there when I get home tonight. Still working out what or how much of the roof will lift off. I've sent an email to PeeWee, the original truck occupant through the African continent, with a bunch of questions about the interior and I hope he has a phenominal memory.

Some amazing scratchbuilding going on here. I don't think you're just dabbling..you sir are a master. Drooling all over my keyboard.

Hah...I had to track you down too lil' brother. You can't hide for long. This is incredible and right up your alley. Pacing the floor waiting for another update.

No...not epoxy, its Zap-A-Gap. Each square tubing has a round piece of tubing in it and then piano wire pins inside the round tubing. The piano wire runs through the horizontal ribs and run the full length from front to back keeping everything straight. Thanks for your interest but please don't wear a bare strip on the floor.

Whew...that's awesome progress Scott. I really like the direction this is going and look forward to more updates in the foreseeable future. Hint, hint.

That's just sick...sick I tell you. Man you are really killing it Tim.

A bit of time on the other night and got the ribs on for the other side. I also drew out on the floor the lines where the cabinetry will go. Man its going to be tight fitting everything in from the end before the last rib goes on. I'm still waiting to pick up my printing plate for the exterior. Its on the other side of town and I have to get there during working hours and that's when I'm working. I think my DW will get it tomorrow. Comments welcome.