1960's Ford Dealership. Foamboard, Card and Laminates.

[TonyW]

Nothing much done on this one for a while now, major rethinks are underway.

 

The foamboard is proving to be a difficult material to use, at least it is for me. Once a knife blade gets the slightest bit dull, it tears the board while cutting. You don't know it's dull until it tears! The only solution is to change blades at an alarming rate and I'm not happy about the waste generated here.

 

The board is proving less than stable as well. It's main selling points seem to be its lightness and ease of cutting, as long as the blade is good. I've found it a bit prone to bending about depending on temperature and the only glue that works reliably and affordably is UHU clear and that stuff gets messy.

 

Another problem is that adding a laminate to the board usually adds a curve to it. I can get around that by laminating both sides of the board to even stresses up but that adds another process and expense. The laminate also needs removing from anywhere glue is required and things start getting rather involved then.

 

I have doubts on the long term stability of this form of construction. It's by no means a disaster, I've learned a whole lot so far and I'm finding it very rewarding.

 

It's not ended the project, but it does mean starting again with a different material.

 

6mm MDF board would give a stable structure and is easy to cut and to glue and fix. It's more robust, especially at the edges. Cost isn't too bad.

On the downside, it starts to get heavy on a building of the intended size and every surface needs sealing well before laminates of any kind will stick to it. Making the structure modular would solve the weight and storage issues, but I'm no woodworker and I would need to up my game a bit. 

 

I'm not sure when the next instalment of the build will arrive, I have to order in some MDF for a start, then it's a crash course in using the material. Already I'm thinking of the possibilities the new material brings.

 

More once it happens.

 

Tony.

[Mjwomack]

I'm strange comforted by this; my only attempt with foam board was not a happy experience- pretty much all the problems that you describe. I thought it was just me, because as that time foam board was 'the next big thing' in building railway scenery. I'll be along shortly with a card model of the original AMS Schipol terminal building and had been wondering about giving foamboard another chance, but I've heard enough from your experience.

[ColonelKrypton]

There is a foam board that I use from time to time called gator board or gatorboard or gatorfoam board. 

 

Lightweight foam inner but has a much harder outer surface and is almost as light as the very common paper surface foam board. Comes in various thicknesses and surface colours of white, black and brown/tan.

 

Often used for graphic arts displays or business meeting or conference signs.  And if you are thinking the common corrugated plastic board i.e. Coroplast - that isn't it.

 

I don't know what it might be called in the UK or Europe but you would most likely have to get it from a arts supply store or similar. And, it is also more costly.

 

Seek some out when the opportunity presents itself. Maybe not for your current project but you may find it useful for something else.

 

cheers, Graham

 

[TonyW]

Thanks Graham, I'll give it a go at some point.

 

I bought some coloured card recently. It turned up protected by two sheets of Coroplast. My first thoughts on seeing it were " That's handy, perfect Dealership roofing material"

[AdrianMF]

Great project! Looking forward to see how you get on with your chosen materials. It’s surprising how much of modern LA feels like it’s still in the 1960s!

 

Regards,

Adrian

[TonyW]

Back from the dead! 

 

I've spent a productive couple of hours on the long ignored dealership building today.

Thinking that maybe I've been a bit harsh to the foamboard I've been using, and reminding myself that there's a few bobs worth of the stuff sitting here, I've attacked the project again.

 

The beams I made a while back have been glued and pinned into a very basic building frame. A 5mm foamboard back piece has been added and two sheets of greyboard have been laminated together and a couple of skylights measured up and cut out for the roof. I doubt the real thing would have had skylights, especially if there's California sunshine pouring in through them, but it's either that or a dark inner unless I splash out on lighting for the building. I'll see how things play out before I go that route though. 

 

 

The roof is flat. There should be a bit of a fall to it really but I'm trying to keep this one fairly simple as it's my first crack at this sort of thing.

 

A new base has been built, using two sheets of 5mm foamboard laminated together. I did that as the boards have taken on a distinct curve since I last opened the pack. Laminating them together as opposed curves has given me a flat base that weighs next to nothing. A further sheet of thin greyboard has been laminated over that lot to give me a bit of paving outside the front of the building and a base to add flooring to inside.

 

 

The Dodge Challenger is sat there to give me a feel for the size of the building. No Fords to hand, so a Dodge dealership it is for the moment.

I think it will take up to half a dozen cars without looking too crowded. 

I debated adding a parking area out front but the base is a fair old size as it is. It can all be modified if necessary as the build progresses.

 

 

 

I've got some 6mm MDF on order for another job that could get used here if the current Foamboard extravaganza doesn't quite pan out. One way or another, I'm going to have my dealership, the Mustang Group Build is looming on the horizon!

 

More later.

 

Tony.

[Mjwomack]

Very happy to see this is still progressing and that the dealer hasn't gone bust, even if they've changed the franchise to Dodge for a while🤪.

It's going to be big- I still don't trust foamboard not to warp; will you be fitting scale RSJs under the roof?

[TonyW]

1 hour ago, Mjwomack said:

Very happy to see this is still progressing and that the dealer hasn't gone bust, even if they've changed the franchise to Dodge for a while🤪.

It's going to be big- I still don't trust foamboard not to warp; will you be fitting scale RSJs under the roof?

 

There will be a bit of bracing under the roof to try to keep things as they should be. There's also going to be a façade of some kind across the front top edge, plus an entrance that will protrude slightly from the front face. I'm hoping that everything added will provide support to the structure in some way or other.

 

The base got another 5mm laminate added just before close of play today along with a felt base bottom. I did this to take the base depth up to about 17mm or so. That way I can use up the last of the stick on chrome strip that I've used on the base for my Stratocruiser build over in the Unarmed GB. The strip isn't particularly brilliant when used on small bases but it can be stretched and fixed reasonably well on big ones. 

 

It's all in my head at the moment and things may well get changed along the way but something like this one should emerge at some point...

 

 

 

 

 

[vppelt68]

I found this just a few minutes ago, Tony... a lot of will now be consumed, thanks!

[TonyW]

A bit of floorboard construction took place in Photoshop last night, followed by a printing session. This morning see's the results tried out, and things are looking up!

 

The A3 size printed sheets got joined with a glue film laminate underneath and then slotted underneath the structure to see how it all pans out...

 

 

 

The back wall got a couple of experiments thrown its way, with wood panelling and a bit of stone texture tried.

 

 

So far, so good. The floor would probably look better if the planks ran across the building rather than fore and aft and I'll give that a go. A pattern of some sort might work as well. A fore and aft entrance layout with diagonal boards either side of it might work. Sitting the Dodge on a single sheet shows how the side to side run of the floorboards seems to me to flow better.

 

 

 

The car looks a bit lost in all the space of the full showroom floor and I'm leaning towards making a mezzanine floor to fill it a bit. A spiral staircase leading to it has an appeal, but might take up too much room and be beyond my abilities to make it in the first place! I might change my mind on this when there are more cars on display, there's a lot of trial and error to be gone through yet.

.

It's all a balancing act really. The cars on display have to take centre stage with the building a support act. Loads of trying out is in my future, along with a bit of 1.25 scale furniture construction.

[vppelt68]

That Trans/Am is a teaser. If your showroom wouldn't be earmarked for the Mustangs, another idea would be to dress it up for Plymouth Sox&Martin or Dodge Dick Landy "performance clinics" Chrysler set up at some performance oriented dealerships when the racers were nearby for a racing weekend. All that Rapid Transit System and Scat Pack factory built muscle, a few Super and/or Pro Stock cars in between, and maybe a Hemi and a Six Barrel on display for the clinics...

[TonyW]

... and a Buick dealership with  a pair of GSX's, A Yenko dealership, Baldwin, TASCA Ford, Royal Bobcat Pontiacs, the list is endless. I love 'em all.

 

I've got a load of pictures of the Yenko Chevrolet building that is very tempting indeed. And the thought of a 1948 or so Ford building keeps me awake at night. I even have the cars for that one, although as yet unbuilt. And don't get me started on the Pan Pacific Auditorium...

 

I had better get this one done first though, then fill it with Mustangs. That particular GB deadline is going to be on me before I know it.

 

I'm thinking about making the dealer name detachable on this one, so I can switch brands with it. I have a bad habit of overextending myself with GB's though, so I had best keep it simple for now. 

 

Tony.

 

 

[JOCKNEY]

On 01/04/2021 at 19:41, Bengalensis said:

Heat from the sun through a window this time of year can be severe... I hope you can find a good solution.

 

For those of us living in the Scottish Highlands heat through the window would only mean one thing.....

 

The shed was on fire outside 🚒🔥

 

Great stuff Tony

 

[TonyW]

6 minutes ago, JOCKNEY said:

 

For those of us living in the Scottish Highlands heat through the window would only mean one thing.....

 

The shed was on fire outside 🚒🔥

 

Great stuff Tony

 

 

Years ago, I lived with a Scottish girl. When the brit summer hit, she would turn nearly white, rather than her usual pale blue. It's a tough place, up North.

[TonyW]

More progress. Mucho bracing to the roof underside, using 5mm foamboard strips. It's made things very rigid yet still featherweight. UHU glue used throughout.

 

 

The floor layout of the showroom has be decided on and stuck down. Fore and aft pattern at the entrance, side to side either side of that. This layout has kept joins to a minimum and leads the eye into the floor area from the entrance. The grey card out front has been ruled off into slab sized chunks and seems to work fine.

 

 

Here's the whole lot so far propped up for a picture. The roof reinforcement has added a nice bit of depth to the skylight area.

 

 

The floor layout might have added a bit of a divide between the three wood areas. It also might just be me overthinking things. Once a few cars and furniture are dotted about, the floor should fade into the background.

 

More later.

[helios16v]

I really dig that floor layout.  The wall in the back center would be a prime spot for a reception/information desk and some promo posters.

[JeroenS]

That's pretty good Tony!

[TonyW]

In between other more mundane tasks more got done on the dealership today. Which is nice...

 

A mezzanine has been decided on. 5mm foamboard and printed wooden flooring covered it top and bottom.

The lower part of the building back wall got covered with printed sandstone walling. The pattern is very 1960's. The top half wall got wooden boards to follow the floors. It's probably going to be open plan, with a few desks and filing cabinets and other officy stuff. The Manager might get his own office up there, not sure yet.

 

 

The mezzanine is a scale 12ft from the back wall. That should give me room for a row of desks and still have room to walk about up there. It's filled the void inside the building to what looks to me to be about the right extent. There's also a fair bit of it clearly visible through the skylights.

 

 

Here's how things look with a few Mopars to fill it a bit. I think five cars is going to be enough to fill it without looking too crowded.

The foam blocks holding up the mezzanine are temporary, the actual support method is not yet decided. I wanted to get a bit of a feel for the space before moving on.

 

 

And to finish, a Plymouth Road Runner, just because it was available. Beep Beep...

The back wall looks a bit false in this shot, it looks better in real life but if it keeps looking like that in pictures I'll be replacing it with something more photogenic. The whole build is a bit like that really, everything is new to me and needs thinking about and experimenting with. 

 

 I have to say I'm right in the groove with this one now. Walking away from it for a while was a good move.

 

 

 

 

 

[Pete in Lincs]

56 minutes ago, TonyW said:

Walking away from it for a while was a good move.

I'll second that. It's coming along at a good pace now that you're happier with it.

I like the floor and the sandstone wall. The mezanine could have sandstone pillars to hold it up. Very 60's. 

The manager will need his own glass walled cubicle up there to keep an eye on the punters and salesmen.

I also like the idea of interchangeable dealerships. Ford this month, in July we go Mopar etc. It will keep the basic display interesting.

The back wall will need the relevant advertising posters, of course. But they can be found on line and shrunk to size I'm sure. 

A set of plastic letters on a plinth on the roof could be the dealership name and will change with the brands sold.

Chairs, coffee tables, desks etc should be easy to source (period correct of course) and don't forget the ashtrays! 🚬

[TonyW]

Ashtrays! Well done that man. Ashtrays are essential.

I tried sandstone on the pillars but it didn't look right. The pattern wouldn't wrap around the corners in a convincing way. A pebbledash effect might work although I'm a bit concerned that too many textures will overwhelm things. I'll give it all a go and see how things look.

 

I've just cut up a load of of mountboard strips and sliced up some of the printed sandstone with a view to making some planters for the front of the building in the morning.

This picture got me thinking in that direction...

 

 

There will need to be pot plants as well. Maybe even a spider plant or two, if I can figure out how to make 'em.

 

It's all going a bit Blue Peter here at the moment.  Down Shep!

 

 

 

 

 

[Pete in Lincs]

44 minutes ago, TonyW said:

It's all going a bit Blue Peter here at the moment.

No bad thing.That programme kept me happy for years!

[Mike Dean]

1 hour ago, TonyW said:

There will need to be pot plants as well.

 

Nice bit of 'erb for a spliff or two? It is the 60's, man. 🤪

[TonyW]

31 minutes ago, Mike Dean said:

 

Nice bit of 'erb for a spliff or two? It is the 60's, man. 🤪

 

 

And Pizza boxes. One whiff of the old whacky and the munchies take a hold.

However, I need to restrain things to the level of Don Drapers office, not Cheech and Chongs living room. Scale scotch bottles from the Airfix Gangbuster cars in a scale filing cabinet may well fit the bill though.

[Mjwomack]

16 hours ago, TonyW said:

The Manager might get his own office up there, not sure yet.

But it would have to be empty because he's down the country club glad-handing the senator! Oh, maybe a corduroy jacket over the back of his chair.

Suddenly the mojo has stirred in this for sure! Maybe explains why mine has run off to.

Absolutely lovely and so evocative

[TonyW]

Sometimes you just have to smile at what's unfolding in front of you. The planets must be in alignment or something and things slot into place without the usual hassles and setbacks.

 

Take this morning...

 

I've cut up a couple of lengths of ABS plastic I had in my toolbox and slotted them into each other...

 

 

Sprayed them white while there was a bit of sunshine outside...

 

 

Then filled them with modelling clay, followed by a bit of sand and ballast. Then a bit of railway lichen and some garden herbs got planted in the pots...

 

 

 

Stopping only to wipe a soppy smile from my face, I hotfooted it down to the the Showroom and tried them out.

 

 

Adding a low wall to the front of the building starts to bring the showroom into being. I first thought to make the wall a planter bed, but trying out a strip of black card on it makes me think a solid top of some sort is the way to go.

 

 

The floor is starting to fill up a bit faster than I thought. There's a salesmans desk or two, customer seating and a staircase to the mezzanine to add yet, along with an engine on a stand and various posters and what nots. At least, that's what I think it needs.

Maybe four cars will be about right. I reckoned on getting at least a half dozen cars in there, but it looks like that will be too many.

It's all unfolding nicely though, so I'll let it sort itself out as it progresses.

 

More later.