# 1931 Cadillac Roadster Research



## STAR (Jan 1, 2008)

This is going to be my next and most ambitious woodworking program I have taken on.

I am going to have to do a lot of research on ideas and techniques to get me over the line so I will need lots of help, ideas and how to's to get there. Fortunately, I have time on my side as it will be a present for my daughter's new baby girl.

My daughter drives an MG Sports convertible so she picked the vehicle from the Toys & Joys Catalogue. But this one will be different in that I intend to make it much larger and to fit on to a Rocker base firstly then as she is a bit older to be removed as her own sports convertibe.

Apparently Jean Harlow had one, so " Lily Belle " will look alright in one too. But, here is the rub and I have to thank Devlin and his timely Wooden Car thread. I thought his Racing Car was faboulus so I am looking into to taking my Cadillac concept a few steps further.

Originally, I wanted to put a steering mechanism on it so it could be pushed and steered. Now, I have uped the ante and spoken to a very good mate with some engineering background and we are now looking into making the Cadillac self powered.

He says he has made heaps and even Racing Go carts where one went up to 80 kms per hour. That should be fast enough for our little Lily I think. Perhaps with a resticter to bring it back to about 3kms so her dad can keep up with her on foot.

I have another friend that is big on Remote Control planes and he has built some big ones with a massive wing span so He will be asked for his imput also.

Now, cost is an issue unfortunately, so please fire away and let your imagination go so I can research all ideas.

Here are some photos of a 1931 Cadillac.


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## STAR (Jan 1, 2008)

Here is a photo of the Toys & Joys 1931 Cadillac which will form the inspiration for this build. 

I may have to make this model first so I can use it as a prototype and enlarge it to the size our to be desired motor can handle. 


Pete

.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*my fear is....*

It's a child's toy, not a scale model of a beautiful classic car, which means all the time consuming and delicate details will get broken off by the child or her friends and your time will have been wasted. It may prove very frustrating. And of course you can not say a word about that. 
Would it not make more sense to create a "bullet proof" child's toy with the basic shape for her to play with or on and then make the scale model for yourself or for her, in later years, when she will better appreciate it and respect the craftsmanship? But that's your call, and just my opinion on it.
 bill


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## johnnie52 (Feb 16, 2009)

Good news: Your daughter's daughter is still a baby. Which gives you a few years to build this.

Bad news: See above. Unless you make it really bullet proof, its going to be destroyed in just a few weeks. Kids never play carefully. They slam and bang everything. That means ... well you know what that means.

I would not give a lot of thought to anything other than a pedal car for a child under 5. Even one of those electric powered cars made of plastic is more than I'd give to a small child.


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## jigs-n-fixtures (Apr 28, 2012)

Ok so I'm confused. Why are you building a Cadillac and how does it relate to a British sports car. 

You could make reasonable job of a TR4, as easily.

Sent from my iPhone using Wood Forum


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## STAR (Jan 1, 2008)

jigs-n-fixtures said:


> Ok so I'm confused. Why are you building a Cadillac and how does it relate to a British sports car.
> 
> You could make reasonable job of a TR4, as easily.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Wood Forum


 
You are thinking too deeply. My daughter likes classy sports convertibles. A Triumph Tr4 hardly makes the grade.

She is also a collector of antiques etc and likes old classy things. ( I qualify, maybe ) 

The point is she picked out the 1931 Cadillac so that iswhat we are going with.

In response to the other replies I agree that I may be getting ahead of myself. I will rethink the project and possibly come back to the original idea to mount it on the rockers instead of the fire engine which Toys and Joys have in their Fire Truck Rocker plan.

This unit will be kept at my place for her to play with when she visits Nan and Pop. We also have a Wooden rocking horse that is in our family living room and this Cadillac will be beside it.

Pete


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## buggyman1 (Nov 16, 2011)

Pete, i think its a great idea. Maybe make the rocker version first (thats the one she'll be able to use first) kinda learn from it, then make the powered caddy when she gets old enough to use it. The problem i see with trying to make the same car work as both a rocker and a self propelled one is the size. They grow like weeds...fast, you're either going to have a huge rocker, or a self propelled car that she may not fit into. Notice how i've kinda slipped-in you need at least two cars now, give me a day or two to think on it and i'll have you building a whole fleet (we need pics of all of them too). However you decide to go about this, it should be a very rewarding and proud experience for Pop. Lily Belle will love it.


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## Develin (Oct 1, 2012)

If I was you I would build it so that it runs then put it on a rocker and just discconect the battery. That way when she is old enough to just take it off the rocker and the job is done. Hook up the motor and away you go.

If it's only going to go at 3kmph I'd recommend using an electric scooter motor. You can put a pedal around the wrist throttle so that it turns when the pedal is pushed down. No restriction needed and the battery life is good and it's already designed to deal with weight.

The car itself shouldn't be too hard.. Very little of the car is seen because it's covered over by panelling... Just keep it cheap and use strong timber. I always build mine out of plywood and 4"x2". If you have any questions feel free to email me  I'm just finishing my motor this weekend and I'll post a video of the car running ^o^


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## STAR (Jan 1, 2008)

Develin said:


> If I was you I would build it so that it runs then put it on a rocker and just discconect the battery. That way when she is old enough to just take it off the rocker and the job is done. Hook up the motor and away you go.
> 
> *If it's only going to go at 3kmph I'd recommend using an electric scooter motor. You can put a pedal around the wrist throttle so that it turns when the pedal is pushed down. No restriction needed and the battery life is good and it's already designed to deal with weight*.
> 
> The car itself shouldn't be too hard.. Very little of the car is seen because it's covered over by panelling... Just keep it cheap and use strong timber. I always build mine out of plywood and 4"x2". If you have any questions feel free to email me  I'm just finishing my motor this weekend and I'll post a video of the car running ^o^


 
Thanks for the encouraging reply Develin.

I think we are on the same wave link. The Electric Scooter Motor comment is interesting because that is the way my friend suggested and what we were looking into.

He said that using a second hand electric windscreen washer motor from a truck will do the job nicely. I queried him in disbelief and he told me that the original scooter motors that the elderly and others use originally had a windscreen washer motor as a power unit. 

They have a more advanced unit now and I may even be able to find an old scooter motor around the place because my wife is a Community Nurse working with the Elderly and incapacitated. The good thing is I have time on my hands so I can get the word out around her work mates to be on the lookout.

Leaving it on the Rocker and taking it off when she is old enough is exactly what the plans are about. The only difference is not putting the Fire Truck on but using the same wheel base dimension proportions and altering the Rocker and car to suit the features we are looking for without making this too big and defeating the purpose.

Then, later, I can build a more knock around vehicle.

I will send you a PM.

Thanks

Pete


ps

The Fire Truck and Rocker from Toys & Joys. The 1931 Cadillac Roadster plus the T Model Ford Fire Truck I made which gave me the inspiration after seeing the Rocker Fire Truck to jazz it up a bit and convert it into the 1931 Cadillac,


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## Develin (Oct 1, 2012)

Any ideas what you're going to do for the steering mechanism?


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

Looking forward to this. :thumbsup:


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## STAR (Jan 1, 2008)

Develin said:


> Any ideas what you're going to do for the steering mechanism?


 
Yes!

That is the first thing I thought of. Fortunately, one of my good friends and one of my mentors has made a few and he said he made one from an airplane mechanism.

Sounds difficult, until you realise his brother owns an Airplane museum and his other brother is an antique dealer. My friend was also an ex farmer and any successful hands on farmers are very inventive, they have to be. if it needs to be tied together with wire, then that's what they do until a more suitable method is devised.

So, yes we do know, or at least he does, so we can get on with the project because all the difficult things ( for me, at least ) are being taken care of.

As soon as I draw up the new plan then I will be able to be more definiate about the mechanism. Suffice to say that I really do not think that the steering is going to be an issue unless my mate leaves town.

I will follow up on that question on Tuesday when I will be seeing him again.

Pete


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## Develin (Oct 1, 2012)

You can just get away with a threaded rod o.o... I'll take pictures because I don't know the names of the components in English =]


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## Develin (Oct 1, 2012)

Oh how I long to see your finished car... still waiting... lurking...


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

woodnthings said:


> It's a child's toy, not a scale model of a beautiful classic car, which means all the time consuming and delicate details will get broken off by the child or her friends and your time will have been wasted. It may prove very frustrating. And of course you can not say a word about that.
> Would it not make more sense to create a "bullet proof" child's toy with the basic shape for her to play with or on and then make the scale model for yourself or for her, in later years, when she will better appreciate it and respect the craftsmanship? But that's your call, and just my opinion on it.
> bill


Completely agree.

Either make an authentic scale model or make a toy. Do not combine t he efforts.

George


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

STAR said:


> You are thinking too deeply. My daughter likes classy sports convertibles. A Triumph Tr4 hardly makes the grade.
> 
> She is also a collector of antiques etc and likes old classy things. ( I qualify, maybe )
> 
> ...


Then why is she driving an MG? Unless it is possibly and MC-TC. The TR-4/4A runs circles around the MG.

George


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## Repliconics (Sep 9, 2013)

Hey Pete,
Really looking forward to seeing your build.

I started making toy's which grow into building large models.
At times it's hard to know which is which!

My Outlaw hot rod won the Australian Open Scratchbuilt Modeling
competition, and two weeks later a Billycart Derby.

In the end it dosen't really matter which it is, so long as you have 
a great time making it.

I'm sure your Grand daughter will love what ever you make.


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