State College Man Builds Wooden Model of Chevy Pickup Truck

I met Bob Welshans at the Snow Shoe Fall Festival and Car Show a year ago.

He mentioned that he was in the process of scratch building a 1/12 scale model of a 1950 Chevrolet pickup truck out of wood.

As a car modeler, my interest was piqued, and I asked him to call me when his model was finished.

I got that call about two weeks ago. Welshans said the model was complete, except for a few small details, and he would bring it to the Snow Shoe event this year for me to see. On Sept. 19, he showed me his model, and I was impressed, to say the least.

Twice the size of more typical 1/25 scale models, the 15-inch-long truck is made from pieces of cherry wood cut from a single plank to assure uniform density for all the parts. And there are lots of parts. Chassis details include leaf springs with individual leaves made of thin strips of wood, and attached to the axle with U-bolts and tiny #0-80 nuts. The springs actually work when you press on the axles. Nearly all the truck’s parts are secured with tiny screws, rather than being glued on.

The curved body parts, such as the fenders and hood were cut from solid pieces of cherry, then carved and sanded to their final shape. To hollow them out, Welshans used a drill press equipped with a two-axis sliding table, essentially turning it into a milling machine. No computer controls were used. Welshans often found himself turning two knobs at once, much like the old Etch-a-Sketch toys, to follow the complex curves.

Wheels and tires were turned using his drill press laying horizontally like a lathe. The wheels ride on tiny ball bearings, and the front wheels feature poseable steering with pivoting spindles and a metal tie rod.

A detailed, hand-carved engine sits in Bob Welshans’ model of a 1950 Chevrolet pickup truck.

Under the hood is a hand-carved replica of Chevrolet’s venerable six-cylinder engine, with valve cover and manifolds secured with tiny screws. Thin wires connect the distributor to tiny spark plugs and ignition coil, adding great realism to the model.

In back, the tailgate has the word “Chevrolet” hand-carved across the center, and has tailgate chains made from craft store jewelry chain.

The cab doors open to reveal a detailed interior with custom seats, dashboard instruments, and a walnut steering wheel rim. Windshield and rear windows are made from clear plastic cut from supermarket fruit containers.

To achieve a realistic finish on the model Welshans coated the wooden parts with wood filler, then sanded them smooth before spraying on maroon and cream Testors model paints.

Welshans said he obtained a 1950 vintage Chevrolet service manual containing many dimensioned drawings, which he used to draw his own plans in 1/12 scale for the truck.

The model represents countless hours of work, and one might ask why Welshans would take on such a project. “I always wanted a real 1950 Chevy pickup, but couldn’t afford one,” he said. “This is as close as I can get.”

So what’s next for a craftsman like this? Welshans is now planning to build a customized 1934 Ford coupe in 1/9 scale, which will be even bigger than his Chevy pickup. I hope he calls me when that one is finished.