gasser59 Posted February 12, 2015 Author Share Posted February 12, 2015 (edited) 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. Edited February 12, 2015 by gasser59 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gasser59 Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hjracing Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Amaizing job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gasser59 Posted February 18, 2015 Author Share Posted February 18, 2015 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gasser59 Posted February 19, 2015 Author Share Posted February 19, 2015 (edited) 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. Edited February 25, 2015 by gasser59 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Teresi Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Brad........my Big "Brother".........I remember checking out this WIP build awhile back........I`m sooooooo sorry I forgot about it.......I have been so busy with projects........I have been in limbo lately........this build is just over the top my Brother.......AWESOME work!!!!!!!.........I will be looking for the next up-date Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Laski Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Brad, I don' know what rock I've been under for the last year and a half, but this is the first time I'm seeing this! It's been my loss, because this WIP is awesome. Incredible scratch-building, as always. These types of subjects are definitely in your wheelhouse! Will we get to see the WIP at the DSC? -Art Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gasser59 Posted February 19, 2015 Author Share Posted February 19, 2015 (edited) 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. Edited February 19, 2015 by gasser59 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mooneyzs Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Brad.... You continue to amaze me with your skills brother. The work you have been doing on this is just killer. you have that nitch for those little details. The work on the structure is very clean and looked like it could of caused some headaches in the process...lol I can't wait till you get all of the interior goodness stuffed inside this bad boy. Keep up the Killer work my friend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danno Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 Fantastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FullPowerGarage Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 nicee! can't go wrong with a Apache truck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gasser59 Posted February 20, 2015 Author Share Posted February 20, 2015 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirty Dave Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 Holy heck! This thing reminds me of a similarly built Africa safari rig owned by a friend of my fathers. I don't know why he brought it back to the States after using for several trips to the dark continent, but I guess when you have that kind of money... Anyway, now that I've found this build, I'll be following with interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gasser59 Posted February 20, 2015 Author Share Posted February 20, 2015 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirty Dave Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 Not sure. It's been more than 20 years since I last laid eyes on it, and I'm guessing that he's passed in the years since. When I saw it in the barn where it was stored, it was outfitted with two suspended aircraft seats mounted on the front bumper. He had used it to hunt in the '60s, and then changed over to photographic safaris. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gasser59 Posted February 20, 2015 Author Share Posted February 20, 2015 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? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy D Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 Hi Brad, This is really shaping up!!! Love the framework and the interior looks great so far. Randy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misterNNL Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 I have several reasons to be glad you have chosen to share this build with us.First as a model builder I am enjoying following along with all of the posting of the WIP process.Great work.Secondly I live in Jackson Center,Ohio where the Airstream factory has been located since 1952.Every time I drive the one block to the end of our street I see Wally and Estell's gold trailer sitting in the factory storage lot along with others dating back to the 1930's. Thirdly I am vice president of our local historical society and am wondering if you have any photos of the original vehicle that you might be willing to share with our society for our collection. Thanks again for sharing photos of what certainly is a historical vehicle. Do you know if these trucks were built at the Cerritos,Ca plant or here in Ohio? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gasser59 Posted February 21, 2015 Author Share Posted February 21, 2015 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misterNNL Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 I was a junior in high school in 1959 and wish I had known all of that was happening at the time.What an incredible adventure that must have been.You are right about nearly everyone in town being involved in some way.I worked there for several years.Airstream is adding a huge addition onto their factory right now.That will certainly have a positive effect on the local economy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danno Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Had the privilege of checking out this project last night at our monthly club meeting. Brad's work ~ as always ~ defies adequate description. Fantastic and amazing are only two of the words that come to mind. It probably won't surprise anyone that Brad's work in progress won the "Projects" competition last night. Very eager to see the final product at its debut at Desert Scale Classic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gasser59 Posted February 22, 2015 Author Share Posted February 22, 2015 Thanks for the praise Danno. Very much appreciated. Getting it done by DSC will be a challenge but I think its doable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gasser59 Posted February 23, 2015 Author Share Posted February 23, 2015 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danno Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 Unbelievable. 999,999 modelers out of a million would have been satisfied with scratch-building the exterior of a camp refrigerator. Not Brad. No. He's got to scratchbuild the interior, too! THEN stock it. My only question: Where are the Silver Bullets, Brad?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 Unbelievable. 999,999 modelers out of a million would have been satisfied with scratch-building the exterior of a camp refrigerator. Not Brad. No. He's got to scratchbuild the interior, too! THEN stock it. Yup Dan, I think I'll just throw away the camper I was working on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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