Toylander lower steering column mount details

Left click picture to enlarge it and see more details.

In the picture you can see a saddle over the lower end of the steering column we supply,in this case I have used screws to fasten it,I did this right the way through the first assembly,rather a small hole than a large one for a bolt that may be positioned differently later on? Note how low the saddle is,when its properly positioned and through bolted,it will need to be about 20mm higher so that the lower hole will miss the bottom of the engine bay/battery box enclosure.

Toylander birthday toy

Well it may as well be Lukes for now but he has two cousins,so they will have to share this toy,unless their respective dads want to build each their own Toylander.This past week was a learning curve,as the wheels and steering were installed,a list of what screws,nuts and bolts required to assemble with was made,this will form a part of the Toylanders full kit,those plus hinges and things like the special tail gate latches we have.

For sure these pictures proove that a Toylander is right for children from a very early age,grown ups and pets by the looks of it too!

The kit has gone in phases,we are now at a stage when the CNC work has been updated,some minor additions to make,small items like two half moon shaped stops to fit behind the folding seat,we will soon  be ready to supply customers with the Toylander body kit,plus the axles,wheels and steering,foot and hand brake system,next development will be the electrics and drive motor parts,one extra to be offered will be a front bonnet spare wheel and mounting base.

Toylander loading for Lukes 1st birthday

It just so happens that our second grandson,Luke, is one year old today,as the Toylander is ready to roll,it may as well go home for a trial run with him in it later today.Loading into our truck was easy,there is no motor or battery fitted as yet,when thats done we will need either two pesons to load,that or use the motive power and up a suitable wide plank.

P.L.U.T.O (pipe lines under the ocean)

More technical stuff today,it was Toylander steering geometry yesterday,today its an amazing story sent to me by a good friend Notty in England,its news to me about miles of lead pipes under the English Channel to serve as fuel supply to the WW2 forces.Check this link out for more detailed info on this amazing story.


http://www.combinedops.com/pluto.htm


P.L.U.T.O

Pipeline under the Ocean

To many of those consulted it seemed a preposterous idea... an undersea pipe-line laid across the bed of the English Channel to fuel the advance of the Allied armies from the Normandy beaches. Nothing like it had ever been attempted before. It would have to be done in the utmost secrecy - concealed from the eyes of friend and foe alike. The experts shook their heads. It was surely impossible.

Fortunately, not everyone shared that view. First suggested by Lord Louis Mountbatten, Britain's Chief of Combined Operations, the project called for the highest levels of engineering prowess and ingenuity -and an abundance of endeavour, enthusiasm and energy.It needed a flair for the unorthodox and a determination to succeed against the odds.

That there were people who were both able and willing to fulfil such a formidable mixture of requirements, and turn Mountbatten's 'impossible' plan into astonishing reality, speaks volumes for the indomitable British wartime spirit The plan evolved into Operation PLUTO, the Pipe-Line Under The Ocean. It ran - initially, at least - for 70 miles along the Channel seabed from the Isle of Wight to Cherbourg, and then on the shorter route between Dungeness, in Kent, and Boulogne. The Germans failed to detect it And it worked!

PLUTO was one of the greatest of Britain's wartime secrets and - in the words of Eisenhower - it was "second in daring only to the artificial (Mulberry) harbours."

Published in paperback by Shanklin Chine and incorporating 50 illustrations.

Price £7.99+ £1.51 P&P.

This sounds like one of those must read books to have on your book shelves.

Steering set ups on our works Toylander kit car

The natty black steering wheel is not part of our kit as yet,its one I happened to have off a go kart,I expect they can be sourced,we will supply pre cut plywood steering wheels as found in a drawing at the back of the builders guide.

After fitting the front and rear wheel axles with tempoary chip board screws,I found it best to have the Toylander on its side for drilling of the required 6mm hole to allow the correct bolts to be fitted.

The builders manual tells you how to centralise the front wheels,its not a bad system,hard to left and mark the steering link,then hard to right,mark that,then remove the lower bar you have marked,find the center between each mark and drill a 6mm hole,its as simple as that!

Toylander engineering and fitting of wheels

The day went well,the engineering package works and once a few things are understood,was quite easy to install too,we have wheels on now and the steering is connected and works,we made a temporary wheel from some spare MDF,from now on the kits will have steering wheels precut in 12mm ply,its this kind of work we need to do to understand whats required,the car will launch at Lukes first birthday party on saturday next!