hello from us (Toylander 1)

[Scooby do]

Just found this site and thought I would register. I owned a series 11A SWB rag top Land Rover for 14 years and then saw an article on the toylander. I sent off for the plans and I started my Toylander build. This was about 4 years ago when my daughter was about 18 months old. I got as far as building the body tub and priming it and then bought a miniature traction engine in need of a total rebuild. The Toylander then became a dust collector in the garage for a couple of years as the traction engine took my time and money. After a couple of years and the advent of a son I got round to finishing it off. the pictures are in the gallery. It is the one with the MLE 1 numberplate. I ended up spraying about 12 coats of celluose bronze green on it and my wife trimmed the seats. It was finished in the summer of 2007 and has had trips out and about ever since. First time out it got dented and Liam has sat on the tailgate splitting the frame twice! I have got philisophical about it now and let them get on and enjoy it. Better a much loved and battered toy than something they aren't allowed to use. Now my son is coming up for 2 he is desperate for a go. He gets as much please by sitting in it and pretending to drive it as my daughter does actually driving it!

It is fairly standard being built off-plan with the coils on the front and a single motor. Lights and horn all work. Whenever we go out we spend most of the time being stopped by people who can't believe their eyes. It has brought tons of pleasure to my children and their friends. When the engineering club has open days there are more children trying to get a go on this than there are on the steam engines!

Anyway - enough rabbit. For those building one its a longer job than you think but the results are well worth it and they do give a huge amount of pleasure to their drivers.

[multisync]

Hi Scooby Do
Toylander looks good on the gallery, well done, mines the Toylander 2, in bare mdf with red dash, on gallery. It's blue now, other pics in my post on T2 forum.
Best wishes
walter