1989 Tioga Arrow RV in Progress

So back in 2002 we bought this 1989 Tioga Arrow RV, and have been spending summer weekends at the lake and taking ever since. A short time after getting the RV one of the guys in Austin Model Cars brought some sheet plastic in from his construction and I joked that there was enough to build an RV!

That was it, the challenge was set. The guys dared me to model my RV. So, I got some shots, scaled the 25 foot-long-brick pictures to 1 foot and started cutting away! I have been working on this monster ever since. But the good news is that it is sitting on my workbench and 90% done right now. So I figure if I start posting pics now, I will be able to motivate myself to finish it and post the finish in progress throughout the summer.

First, the inspiration pics.
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/94007Chris_RV.jpg

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/94007RV_PSide.jpg

I knew this thing was going to be heavy when it was done, so I used thicker sheet plastic for the main floorboard. I got a couple late 70's Ford van models to cut up for the front clip and chassis. By aligning the chassis over the side view pic, I was able to cut and repaste the chassis together after a stretch job. I then added more Evergreen plastic to the back to support the rear cabin.
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/94007Main_panels-med.JPG

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/94007chassis3-med.JPG

I got ahold of the Model King RV trailer and quickly butchered whatever I could from that kit. The dining area seats were too wide, so I had to cut the middle section out. One rule that I couldn't stress enough: test fit, test fit and test fit. Once it's cut, it's done.

More pics tomorrow!

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/94007mainfloorpan2-med.JPG

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/94007Frontend_fit_test-med.JPG

nice project!

Wow dude!! Awsome project! Good luck w this. Will be following.

So at this point, sometime in 2003-2004 I had the main body panels cut out, and the chassis/floorpan assembly cleaned up. I test fitted them more than a few times, trimmed, adjusted and test fitted some more. I still had to find some of the smaller pieces, round sections, difficult shapes to replicate, but more on that later. Here is what the early mockups looked like.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/94007tapedmockup5-med.JPG

After another year or so, I had made a bunch of measurements of the 1:1 scale RV and made some hand drawings to scale of the interior. I was then able to take a whole bunch of sheet plastic and build it up into the interior pieces.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/94007InteriorRough1-med.JPG

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/94007Interior_Rough2-med.JPG

Notice the toilet? I'm particulary proud of that! To me, custom modeling like this is a matter of finding things that look like they are part of something else or look like something else. This toilet is a case in point. I thought long and hard on how I was going to make a toilet for this thing and kept coming up empty handed. Doll house stuff? Too big. Make it from clay? Too heavy (this thing was already going to tip the scales and I KNEW I needed to keep it from getting heavier). One day, while sorting through my parts box I found the engine from the Monogram F-350 Duallie, which I was already going to use the rims from. Hmmm, glue it together, look at that bell housing, and what do you know? Looks Just like the can I need! and the external details look like the connections from the real throne in the RV, bonus! I sanded off all the ribs, primed and sanded until it was all smooth and used more sheet plastic for the seat and cover.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/94007toilet_test_2-med.JPG

u should make the plumbing as well and make the toilet works and able to flush! haha
very cool project u got there!!

Well, the toilet does have the blue water in it, is that good enough? In this day and age of political correctness, I don't know if having the results of someone using it and not flushing afterwards would be well received by all...

tommorrow, the grill.

Well, the toilet does have the blue water in it, is that good enough? In this day and age of political correctness, I don't know if having the results of someone using it and not flushing afterwards would be well received by all...

tommorrow, the grill.

hell yes thats good! use clear resin with veeeeery little blue pigment...
im definitely gonna follow this build...:smile:

Wow, can't believe theres people out there with so much creativity and pacients. Good luck on the build, and keep us posted.

So,as I had mentioned, I used a couple MPC salvage Ford vans to get this project rolling. One problem was that both had totally wrong grills for the '89 model that I needed. I found the MPC sunrunner van on ebay, and kept bidding on them until I finally got one for around $25. Expensive, but correct. The first thing I did was grind down the back until the grill was opened up. Then I found the grill from the F-360 Duallie and cut the Ford oval out and patched that in. This was delicate, stressful work, as the only reason I got that sunrunner kit was this grill, if I f-ed it up, it would be an expensive mistake. I also ground down and smoothed out the headlight buckets so they wouldn't be those ugly chrome bumps. After cleaning and sanding, I shot a coat of testers gloss black and alclad chrome over that. I found headlights, marker lights and added them.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/94007sunrunner_grill_mods-med.JPG

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/94007grill_opened_up-med.JPG

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/94007Alclad_grill-med.JPG

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/94007RV_finished_grill.JPG

Then it was on to other things. My son had this remote control model that had a control unit that looked to me like the AC unit on the roof of the RV. "Son, gonna use that thing?" I tore it apart, cut it to size, filled in the holes, and used the pieces from the F-350 grill that I had already tore apart for the side vents. Adding a radiator from another kit completed the look. I sprayed a coat of that Faux Fabric stuff on it to get some texture as the real one is not really smooth. I will need to run a couple wires in front of the vents to make it look like the whole system is in place. I will then build the in-cabin unit to put underneath it.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/94007AC_Unit_closeup_1-med.JPG

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/94007AC_Housing2-med.JPG

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/94007AChousing1-med.JPG

This is awesome. I love these builds where something unique is going together in a unique way. I can't wait to see all these unorthodox parts come together into something great and very different for us car modelers! Great work!!

Now at this point you can tell that I have been working on this thing for a long time, and the following pics are dated sometime in the spring of 2008. It took me a LONG time to figure out how to do a lot of things. Such is the nature of scratch-building. You don't have a reference point on a kit to go from. I used calipers to measure things out, test fitted, taped things together and just thought long and hard on some things trying to get past building blocks. I did take a few artistic liberties. The cabinets in the real RV have hidden hinges, I guess so there is less obstruction to snag or hit when walking through. I wanted a bit more visual impact so I got brass rod, made a template from sheet plastic with two holes drilled in it and added handles to all the cabinets.

For the beds, I took some corrugated cardboard, cut it to size, and used some fine sheet to make the bedspreads. I used hot glue to hold these down. I like the look, they almost look like you could lie down on them. In fact, they look more comfortable than the real one ARE!

For the kitchen sink I took the sink from the Model Kink RV kit and added sheet plastic for the middle section as my sink is the two sided kind. The actual center of the faucet is solder bent to shape, and the handles? Turn signals from a Ferrari kit that I've had for far too long! You can also see I finished out the benches with Faux Fabric, and I used doll house carpet on the floor. I took paper and made a template, that took a good hour or so. I removed the foam backing from the carpet, and used 3M spray-adhesive when I put it down.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/94007RVInteriorIP1-med.JPG

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/94007RVInteriorIP2-med.JPG

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/94007RVCabinetsIP1-med.JPG

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/94007kitchen_sink_1-med.JPG

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/94007rear_bed_and_cabinets-med.JPG

Wow !! :yikes:

So with the interior painting done, I moved on to the exterior panels. I knew these were going to be tough, because on the 1:1 scale RV, they are perfect. From the front drivers side fender all around to the passenger side fender, 60+ feet of cabin is laser straight. I spent a huge amount of time and tons of tape doing all the stripes. A great side advantage was that with the backside taped, I inadvertently made templates for the window glass to be made later!

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/94007main_panel_paintwork-med.JPG

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/94007main_panel_paintwork3-med.JPG

Then it was time to test fit it. As you can see I had some spots that need touch-up, and it's not perfect, so I did have to do some touch up, and wil do more when I have just about all the assembly done.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/94007testfit_2-med.JPG

Probably the funnest post I have looked at in a long time. Looks awesome!!!

re wow !! :yikes:
it's looks like a perfect die-cast more than a kit as it's so well made... :grinyes:
(incredible paint result)

in the 80's Peugeot used such kind of "car" for drivers to have lunch between stages, probably based on a J7 or something like that, if only a 1/24 base would exist, your inspiring work would convince me to launch the project...

Very nice work and on a rare (surely exclusive ?) model, and a big pleasure to follow the build.

wow man thats coming along great

No one makes the usual which, we see, every day so common, and pass by. Love it. This is gonna be great.

Exceptional scratchbuilding skills :thumbsup:

Thanks all for the good words. With summer upon us I'm busy doing outside things with the kids, but late in the evenings I can sit down and work on this project.

Now it's at the point that I do a whole lot of work and don't see much in the way of results from it. I did get the interior lights wired up and working this weekend. I also got the step/running boards for the cab built and should be mounting them in the next couple days. I also did some final adjustment on the roof and that fits now. For the roof, I'm using clear sheet plastic, and I painted over the parts for the cabinets and stuff that I don't want to show. This way of doing things accomplishes TWO goals, one you can see inside from above, rather than just through the windows, and two it keeps dust from settling inside. But there are so many things left to do:
1) Marker lights on the top front and rear.
2) logos where I can make them fit.
3) gas lines for the propane system.
4) lots and LOTs of engine work.
5) Step for the cabin.
6) mount screen and main cabin door.
and the list goes on.

The good part is that I can actually say this thing should be finished by the end of summer! Wohooo!

P.S. I forgot my USB flash today, I feel so naked.

The good part is that I can actually say this thing should be finished by the end of summer! Wohooo!

Tsss... So what, too late for holydays then ??!! :evillol: :lol: :lol:

the Austin Scale Model Show is Sept 29th. I'm sure I can make it by then.

the Austin Scale Model Show is Sept 29th. I'm sure I can make it by then.

A bit too far for me to see it but in fact... I only wanted to say that your model seems so real that I thought you would/could go on holyday with it !! :rofl: :cwm27:
Ok bad joke, I won't do that again, let's be serious :biggrin:

A bit too far for me to see it but in fact... I only wanted to say that your model seems so real that I thought you would/could go on holyday with it !! :rofl: :cwm27:
Ok bad joke, I won't do that again, let's be serious :biggrin:

A mini, or scale vacation perhaps? hahahaha!

So I did get some work done this week. I found some pieces that had a very similar pattern to the running boards on the 1:1 RV, and used some card stock to build the backing and mudguard.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/94007Other_running_board.JPG

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/94007runningboard.JPG

I also plan to have the screen door in place and the outer door open, So I scratchbuit the inner door. I used angled Evergreen, clear sheet for its thinness, and screen from I-don't-where in it. I need to put another coat of paint in it though and add the handles.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/94007RV_door_frame-med.JPG

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/94007Screen_door.JPG

So, All the main cabin panels are in place, the interior is 99% done, and I have a LOT of small details to address. I got my Detail Master battery terminal set in the other day and can now work on building up the batteries. The one for the engine/cab is a standard oversize truck battery and the backup/cabin battery is a special heavy duty unit; neither have any sort of suitable drop in anywhere in my collection of parts, so I'm going to scratchbuild them and add the applicable details. The whole intake is a huge massive box surrounded by a bunch of hoses of varying sizes. There is so much stuff in the engine bay, you can't even see the engine! I will have to make that engine bay look pretty busy!

Then with all the handling a few things have come loose and some paint has worn off. I'll have to go and fix that before declaring her done. Seven years in the making, but I can see the end of the road, no pun intended! I will be working on her the next few weeks and as soon as I get everything finished, I'll be doing an extended photoshoot to (try to) capture as much detail of this thing as I can. Until I start the thread in the completed section, enjoy this last pic and thanks all for the good words and viewing!

Carl

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/94007RV_front_3_4th_2-med.JPG

Hello there,

your scratchbuilding skills are top notch. I really wish there would be more RV modelers out there. Your build triggers memories of the expedition truck i built two years ago....

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/voyageur_AF/scale_modeling/trucks_complete/MAN_TGA_UNICAT/IMG_003-1.jpg

If you're interested look here (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=692650).

Keep us posted!!!

Greetz from Germany

Outstanding scratchbuilding skill !!!

Robi :)