On this page, we present you a plan for making an old-timer toy car, a perfect gift for your child.
Making a child's toy can be a lot of fun. The hours spent cutting, sanding, assembling and finishing a toy are richly rewarded by the happiness shown on a child's face when he or she receives that toy.
The toy resembles in shape that of old-timers (vintage cars) that were produced in the second quarter of the 20th century. It is of simple shape, with several characteristic car details: the headlights, rotating wheels, front fenders, running boards and a rear spare tire, which are all connected in one piece that we call the side piece, plus the ‘driver’ who is fastened with a screw. This is a simple wooden toy that will definitely be interesting to your child for a while; afterwards, it can serve as a nice decoration on the shelf in the children’s room, waiting for the new baby in the house to play with.
153mm (6,04'') x 92mm (3.62'') x 74mm (2.9'')
The parts called ‘side’ and ‘body’ are the most difficult to make – you need to cut several equal pieces from a plate of a certain thickness, glue them together and then carefully treat the surface with sandpaper or grinder until you get the desired shape. The wheels and the driver figurine need to be crafted using a lathe, while the remaining small parts (the neadlamp and wheel axle) can either be bought or made from scrap wood. However, if their crafting is too complicated for you, or these wooden parts are not found at the shops, they can be replaced by metal dowel pins that are offered online.
You can paint the toy with some bright colors, just make sure they are non-toxic, or you can apply some transparent non-toxic coating, and the contrast between the parts in this case can be achieved by making the parts from different types of wood.
This toy car construction is just a template that you can use to make a toy car of some other shape, in a similar way.
The toy can be made from any kind of wood, but if you want it to last for generations, choose some well-dried hardwood.