1/16 scale 1909 Rainier racer tribute diorama

[Axel Petersen 1909]

 

Hello, all

 

I am building/fabricating a 1/16 scale Rainier racer that was driven by my great grandfather, Axel Petersen, around 1909. Pictured here in Atlanta with Axel driving and mechanician Disbrow, on board, they look to have gotten into this corner a little "hot"......

 

 

The model started out as a "Stutz Racer" made by Lindberg in the very early 70s.

 

 

There were several subtle differences, and some not so subtle. I decided to add enough detail to make it "believable". The hood and grille were the first changes. The Stutz had a more flat sided hood..the Rainier was round...and still a 2 piece unit.

 

 

 

 

would you believe a piece of pvc conduit was nearly a perfect fit?!...The radiator surround was more challenging. I layered pieces of styrene around the edges until I knew I had enough material for the shape I was after.

 

The seats needed a small base and some side bolsters.....

 

 

 

In the photo, the wheels are turned slightly so I made the axles steerable. This took some time and was a delicate procedure. The thin wire to the right of the front wheel is actually a jeweler's saw....

 

 

The tank needed to be lowered a bit, which really changed the look of the whole car. I also needed to change out the trunk box for a smaller one as the spare tire seems to fit over  and around it to settle behind the tank...I used a trunk from a 3/4" = 1' model T. The fit was almost too perfect.

 

I am in the process of making the base and background for the diorama, which should be an interesting challenge to say the least!

 

wish me luck and thanks for looking.

 

JP

[Terry Harper]

Now that is cool! Love the photos and cannot wait to see the finished model.

[RansomEli]

Great descriptions and photos. Please keep us informed of your progress.