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I started this project a few months back. Caravaning in the 1950's with a 1956 Dodge Custom Royal & a Shasta Caravan. Heres the inspiration for this one -

Firstly the Shasta -


Heres the Dodge -


Both the Dodge & Shasta is a resin kit from Modelhaus. These are just beautiful, awesome castings. No cleanup required. Heres where Im up to so far -







The photos are just quick snaps & dont show the color really well. They are a light aqua, more green than blue. The chassis is all brass that I scratch built. I used Razor jon's awesome chassis jig for it & its a great. If you dont have one of Jons setup jigs do yourself a favour & get one. It made life very easy during the chassis build. For this chassis I wanted it very simple, made from brass, a sidewinder & something that resembles one of the plastic chassis that came on the early Promo models of the 50s & 60s. So here it is, its a bit dusty as I built it a few months back but here tis -







It seems strange to have the motor behind the rear axle but I thought I would give it a go as I wanted to keep the cars full interior. The chassis is very back heavy, but it should be good, Im not really wanting a super quick car out of this build.

Next up bare metal foil & lots of it!

Oh my. They're going to be stunning when finished.

really good looking love the colour scheme & is that your Dodge

Richard

Well isn't this a fine way to start the day.

Great work sir.

Very cool!

Maybe you should fit a second motor (and guide flag?) into the trailer!

Greg is definitely one of the stars around here.

I have a teardrop trailer but I haven't decided what to use to pull it. I had a homemade one (from Popular Mechanics Magazine), when we were newlyweds, but we pulled it with a car I would never find a model of, so I'm still thinking about it. I'm thinking about some kind of wide swing guide for the trailer so it doesn't have to be heavily weighted or swing out like the crazies in Chicago with their house trailers. Talk about bringing a pop gun to a gunfight!

Thanks for the replies guys. HMMM I really think I need to rethink this project. I honestly did not think about actually running the Caravan on the track. The car yes, but the caravan no. I was just building the Caravan for some scenery for the track really.

Great point, Im thinking of now adding a guide to the underside of the caravan to help stop it from swinging out. Only problem is the Caravan chassis is thin resin. I had planned to used the kits chassis. This will last about a second on track. Around the towball the resin is very weak, Ive actually already repaired it as it arrived broken. HMMM decisions, decisions? Do I really need to race with the caravan :)

Very cool! Nice work.

Would a pin guide do the job on the caravan, Greg? I mean, you need to still have the full feel of towing a caravan. A pin guide just after the hitch point would seem logical or at least at the base of the A frame. Enough for it to follow well, but still give it proper reactions.

being a rookie with resins and this vendor is this 1/24 or 1/32???

Whatever scale very cool build you have here!!!

Dundee Denny

Hi Denny, the scale is 1/25.

Lynne yeah a pin guide will work. Im debating about using the caravan on the track. The Caravan is pretty heavy, the resin is think & alot of weight up top. Im wondering if it will just roll over & take the car with it on the slightest bend even with any type of guide.

Im thinking I might make a brass chassis for it. If it doesnt work well Ive still got the resin chassis it came with

I just think it would look beautiful driving slowly through the new diorama/track when that happens.

I've been thinking that a downsprung swing arm mounted so that the pivot is forward of the guide would work to only limit the swingout, but the lateral force on the guide might just plop it right out of the slot.

Ok so Im going to make this happen. The caravan will hit the track with the dodge. Question time. Any ideas how to attach the caravan to the dodge with it looking realistic? Im guessing a towball type hitch will be to difficult & make work. I need ideas!

Sorry Richard just saw your question. No thats not my aqua Dodge 1:1. I love it though & would own it in a heartbeat! Ive posted pics of my mopar before on here. Ill have to dig it up.

I saw a clever coupling on a steam train model. The tounge drawbar was completely detailed when seen from above, but the underside was a simple hook through a loop, and plenty strong. It could be cast in pot metal or Dremeled out of an aluminum block. A wire hook could be epoxied in place out of sight.