Toylander

Real Life Toys

www.toylanderownersclub.com

The 'REAL LIFE TOY' company have designed a scale model of the series I and series II Land Rover that is bought in kit form, with plans that enable you to buy or make as much of the Land Rover as you require. The basic form of the Land Rover is supplied as paper plans for you to cut out of marine plywood or moisture resistant MDF and aluminium sheet metal. The rest is up to you...

Having resisted temptation to buy a set of plans for a long time now I decided the time was right to indulge in a new project...

Toylander models are designed to accept ether one or two electric motors to power the Land Rover up to a maximum of 10mph. What I intend to do with my model is fit a Honda 5.5 horse power petrol engine and drive train similar to that found on racing karts! I want to gear it down so it will have bottom end pulling power but should also reach speeds of about 10-15mph.

In order to keep things simple & get the project under way I am going to use the running gear from a disability scooter. I should then be able to modify the Toylander to accept the Honda engine at a later date.

The first panels are cut from 1/2" moisture risistant plywood and sanded down ready for assembly of the body!

I have bought a stripped down mobility scooter found on e-bay which will provide me with everything I need to get the TOYLANDER up & running. The scooter will give me the more powerful 24V set up and it includes the speed controller, soft start & reverse facility easily & cheaply! This scooter is also practically good because the drive wheels are the same size as the wheels/tires that I will be fitting to the model ensuring that the gearing will be correct.

A set of 4 400X8 tyres & wheels have been found and bought. Another ebay purchase!

2 sets of hubs and bearings have been sourced for the front axle in the form of these 1" Taper bearing 4" PDC hubs. In order to fix the front hubs & wheels I have found these stub axles supplied by www.autow.co.uk that can be shortened to the desired length & welded/bolted into place. These will be welded to the mobility scooter front axle to convert from the current set up to the required new set up. As the rear axle is to be the drive axle I may have to make my own hubs...

As the body work comes together the rolled alluminuim wing fronts are resessed into the panels ready to then be fillered & sanded to give a genuine look. The side panels have been sanded to also give the rounded shape of the Land Rover wings. You can also see from this picture that I have had to cut away some of the inner wing in order to fit the steering linkages to the front axle.

Locating miniature Land Rover items is difficult but I was happy when I can across a pair of these 'Baby Anti Luce Fasteners' for the tailgate!

Deciding on a number plate for the TOYLANDER. These one's will be great as it is being built for HARRY & GEORGE

sizing up the motor & running gear for the rear subframe section. 24volt motor with electric clutch with should also act as a brake, however I also intend on using the current mobility scooter brake set up.

The toylander body takes shape but there is still a long way to go...!

The dash board panels are cut, put together & primed ready for installation. Once this unit is fitted, work can begin on the steering mechanism

The front 'sub-frame is mounted in place to check the size & alignment ready to connect up the steering linkages.

During this build I needed to get hold of another 24volt mobility scooter for additional running gear & electrics. I went back to ebay and again managed to source what I needed, only after speaking with the seller I came away with much more... The seller had also been building a Toylander a few years ago and now the part built project was stored away in a garage & unused. After an excahnge of cash I came away with both the mobility scooter & a 2nd Toylander!

I now have double the work load I had before but my boy's will get a toylander each when finished!

Painting commences on the TOYLANDER. The insides are painted first including the engine bay.

Land Rover Bronze Green paint applied & now just watching it dry...

The new dash supports a speed controller in the centre of the left hand dials, ignition switch with key, Speedo on right with green LED in centre that illuminates with ignition on. I have also incorporated a red LED where the 'main bean' light should be to show that the toylander is being charged.

The painted model with bonnet and tailgate fitted. Now awaiting body capping, windscreen, lights & other finishing touches!

The body capping has been fitted. Rear antiloose fasterners fixed including mounting plates & rear lights fitted. The Rear Cross Member has been painted on.

The bumper was made from sheet steel folded into a channel. The length was measured and then the ends marked, cut & shaped and then welded to form the required shape & finish.

What else do you do when it snows... Grab a sledge or grab your Land Rover & go for a play!

The finished Model. Front grill & Windscreen fitted.

keep looking to see how the build (& Fun) is going...