Horsecar front views

Horsecar plans

As always- click the pic to enlarge!

Here is a page out of my sketchbook. I'm actually drawing these plans as I go along, thats why the page is so messy.

I'm taking measurements from the photos by assuming that the average size of a man at the turn of the 20th century was about 5” 8”. The drivers of the cars in both pictures are standing, so I can guesstimate the measurements of the whole car by using this assumption.

For the most part the car is boxy, which is easy enough to build. But there are a couple of places that will require a little modeling:

The sides curving in at the bottom will be a little tricky. But I think that if I use a thin gage brass here, and shape it to conform with the car ends, it ought to work out okay.

The wheels are unique with those spokes. Nothing is available commercially. But since this will be a static model, there is no need for them to have that “RP-25 contouring” to them. So I will just build them up using brass tube stock.

Roof ends- now here is the real stumbling block! They are a very organic shape- curving down to the front and the sides! I can't figure out how to do this. The only thing I can come up with is to take my Dremel Tool to a block of brass and grind away.

So there you have it. I'll post some pix of the car next time. In the meantime, I will keep grinding away. Yessir! Keep grinding away!