Sixties Sam Posted October 2, 2009 Posted October 2, 2009 I built this 1/12 scale 57 Chevy a couple years ago, and decided to make a teardrop trailer to go with it. The teardrop is nearly all wood construction. The sides, floor, & galley bulkhead are 1/8" birch plywood. The frame is 3/16 x 1/8" basswood. Spars are basswood too. Top sheeting will be 1/32" balsa covered with aluminum flashing. Wheels are the stock 57's with backs made from hacked up R/C car rims. Fenders are steel - from an old Tonka toy trailer. They were a b**** to get off that toy - had to drill out spot welds! The fenders will be candy red. The door and galley hatch will both be hinged to open, and there will be a foam mattress & pillows inside. I have to make a hitch for the Chevy. I'm using a ball link from my R/C stuff. This is something different, huh? Sam
walt francis Posted October 2, 2009 Posted October 2, 2009 I have wanted to build one of these for years so I will be watching real close.........Great Job !!!!!!!
Sixties Sam Posted October 2, 2009 Author Posted October 2, 2009 I have wanted to build one of these for years so I will be watching real close.........Great Job !!!!!!! Walt, I built a real one and a 1/25 scale model of it in 2006. Here's a link to my Flickr album where I have many build pics. http://flickr.com/photos/12482094@N07/ Sam
walt francis Posted October 3, 2009 Posted October 3, 2009 Wow ! Sam, I had a look see and that is really sweet and I really like some of your builds Just super clean builds
Custom Hearse Posted October 3, 2009 Posted October 3, 2009 That'll be awesome when you're finished! Post an update when you get a chance!
asco Posted October 3, 2009 Posted October 3, 2009 Walt, I built a real one and a 1/25 scale model of it in 2006. Here's a link to my Flickr album where I have many build pics. http://flickr.com/photos/12482094@N07/ Sam Hey there! I did look all of those pictures about dozen times... Whoah, looks very nice indeed. I know I am asking perhaps too much, but is there any hope to get those drawings and measurements? I'd like to create one of these next to my 1:25 cars... That's one excellent teardrop trailer, huh. Would like to build one on 1:! too, but that' impossible to get on license paltes here in Finland, argh... But hoping to get one on 1:25 at least...
Sixties Sam Posted October 4, 2009 Author Posted October 4, 2009 Hey there! I did look all of those pictures about dozen times... Whoah, looks very nice indeed. I know I am asking perhaps too much, but is there any hope to get those drawings and measurements? I'd like to create one of these next to my 1:25 cars... That's one excellent teardrop trailer, huh. Would like to build one on 1:! too, but that' impossible to get on license paltes here in Finland, argh... But hoping to get one on 1:25 at least... Asco, Try this link to an excellent forum for teardrop and tiny trailers. http://www.mikenchell.com/forums/index.php...733cb660c6bcb83 There is a member there from Finland who is building a 1:1 teardrop. He uses the name Classic Finn. I have drawings for my 1:1 and models in AutoCAD drafting software. I can send them if you have CAD software that can read them. I have also seen some 1/25 scale resin teardrop models for sale on ebay. Sam
Sixties Sam Posted October 4, 2009 Author Posted October 4, 2009 Wow ! Sam, I had a look see and that is really sweet and I really like some of your builds Just super clean builds Walt, thanks for the compliments. I like to keep my models fairly clean and simple. To me, fussing over every detail takes the fun out of modeling. No offense to the guys here that do super detailing work. I stand in awe of the detailing skill I've seen here! It's just more work than I want to do. Maybe that comes from 37 years of building R/C planes. I've seen super detailed scale model planes that took months or years to build bite the dust after one or two flights. I learned to keep my models simple. Sam
asco Posted October 4, 2009 Posted October 4, 2009 Asco, Try this link to an excellent forum for teardrop and tiny trailers. http://www.mikenchell.com/forums/index.php...733cb660c6bcb83 There is a member there from Finland who is building a 1:1 teardrop. He uses the name Classic Finn. I have drawings for my 1:1 and models in AutoCAD drafting software. I can send them if you have CAD software that can read them. I have also seen some 1/25 scale resin teardrop models for sale on ebay. Sam Thanks in advance for the tip. I'll check it out asap. I don't have any cad right now, but it's possible to convert those from cad formats to format that a normal photo shop or something will understand... Oh, and with cad You can render it to a jpg or something, right..? I'll check out that link anyway, I'll get back to this, thanks.
Sixties Sam Posted October 7, 2009 Author Posted October 7, 2009 (edited) Minor update: Framed up the hatch from plywood and basswood. The galley counter is plywood with paper glued on with spray craft adhesive. The pattern is a 1950's "boomerang" pattern from a picture I found online and printed out. The sink is the cap from a propane bottle. Those blue wire nuts will be used to make interior reading lights. We'll soon be camping! Another small update: I made reading lights from small electrical connectors instead of wire nuts. Bulbs are pieces of clear plastic tree. Photo shows real light in my 1:1 tear and 1/12 scale light. This is fun! Edited October 10, 2009 by Sixties Sam
Sixties Sam Posted October 11, 2009 Author Posted October 11, 2009 I'm making some progress. My wife sewed a blanket, sheet, and pillowcases for the mattress and pillows, which are made of 1/2" thick soft foam. Got the spars and reading lights glued in, and made window frames from styrene angle and channel stock. It looks cozy in there! More to come later.
jevries Posted October 12, 2009 Posted October 12, 2009 I'm making some progress. My wife sewed a blanket, sheet, and pillowcases for the mattress and pillows, which are made of 1/2" thick soft foam. Got the spars and reading lights glued in, and made window frames from styrene angle and channel stock. It looks cozy in there! More to come later. Nice!! Really well made!
Alyn Posted October 12, 2009 Posted October 12, 2009 This is great stuff! I've always wanted to build a 1:1 teardrop out of a small utility trailer I have. Your 1:12 looks as good as a full size. Excellent modelling. Kudos to your wife's work on the bedding. It's tough making small things in cloth look good, but hers is excellent.
Sixties Sam Posted October 16, 2009 Author Posted October 16, 2009 Thanks for the compliments, guys. I really appreciate them. I hope I'm not boring anyone with a model that's not a car or truck. I like to do different things once in a while. Here's another update: I got the fenders painted and the teardrop skinned. Paint is Testors Candy Transparent Red to match the 57 Chev. The teardrop skin is aluminum flashing left over from a house project years ago. Real teardrops are often skinned with aluminum, so I figured I would skin my model the same way. The alum. goes over 1/32" balsa with maple stain and urethane varnish on the inside surface. I formed the skin by gently bending it over a piece of PVC pipe. I wanted it to match the curve of the tear's body so it doesn't try to unbend itself and pull loose. I used Elmer's spray craft glue to attach it. That stuff is STICKY! The sides will not get aluminum skin. I like the woody look. There will be molding made from styrene angle stock on the edges of the body. My wife did a super job on the bedding. Now I need her to make some curtains for the windows. It's coming along - slowly! Sam
Alyn Posted October 16, 2009 Posted October 16, 2009 This thing is looking so good you're going to need to point one of those "honey I shunk the kids" zapper guns at yourself to fully enjoy it. Using the real materials like you have makes it especially nice. Really dig that counter top. Perfect choice of patters for the retro look.
Sixties Sam Posted October 18, 2009 Author Posted October 18, 2009 (edited) Well, guys, I'm getting close to being done with this project (and these postings). I got the taillights and the side molding on. The molding is styrene angle stock that I heat formed around the teardrop side when I first made it. I taped the angle to the flat section on top, then used a heat gun and a gloved hand to slowly form it around the curves. I painted it silver, but thought the candy red might look better. I'm pleased with it. I plan to mount the spare wheel on the front like this. I unfolded a Rice Krispies box, then photographed it and printed it out to scale, cut it out and glued it to a chunk of balsa. Soup can is dowel rod. Windows and bedding are in. I'm ready for a nap! BTW, Thanks so much for all the great compliments I've received. They keep me going! Sam Edited October 18, 2009 by Sixties Sam
CB Posted October 18, 2009 Posted October 18, 2009 Great model, great modelworkin', great pics, great post-- and all on one page! Great job Sam! Now we's just gotta see it with yer '57
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