Simple Handmade Wooden Car Plan

This toy could provide some of the happiest memories for your little ones. A home made wooden toy car that they can put things in and push around and ride on will be a novel change from the plastic toys that they are used to. This toy car is perfect for day care, nursery, preschool, kindergarten, or any play center. This wooden toy car has enough weight to help exorcise and muscle development as the kids push it and ride it.

You may make one of these toys as a Christmas gift. Before hand, ask the child their favorite color, then you can paint the wooden toy car the child's favorite color. On Xmas there are lots of little toys and goodies that they will want to put inside their new home made wooden car. After you put your woodworking skills to use by making this toy for a birthday present, or Christmas gift it will bring an added dimension to the joy of watching them play.







wooden toy car

 





The finished toy car is 18" in length.

Three compartments open for carrying toys.


STEP 1. Have plenty of wood screws and glue on hand, and a few hinges.
When making the toy, you must make sure that all parts are on securely, to prevent any possible choking hazard.

Cut out the pieces. Use plywood for the bottom and floor, dowels for the long round parts, and normal wood for the rest.

Sand all the wood parts of the toy car, so the surfaces are smooth and there are no sharp edges or splinters.





Here are the sizes of wood to cut for the toy car. (cut list)

Quantity

Length

Width

Thickness

Part

(1)

17"

4"

¼"

Bottom

(2)

7"

1½"

1½"

Bumpers

(1)

7"

1¼"

1"

Back end

(4)

1½"

3" diameter


(2)

7"

¾" dowel


(1)

4"

15/8"

¾"


(1)

9¾"

4"

¾"


(1)

4"

21/8"

¾"


(1)

15"

4"

1½"


(2)

6½"

2½"

1½"


(1)

15"

7"

¼"


(2)

7"

1¼"

¾"


(2)

2¼"

1¼"

¾"


(1)

7"

3"

¾"


(2)

8"

4"

¾"


(2)

5½"

4"

¾"


(1)

8"

7"

¾"


(2)

3¼"

1¼"

¾"


(1)

7"

4"

¾"


(4)

4"

¾"

¼"


(4)

4"

1"

1/8"


(2)

1¼"

1½" diameter



STEP 2. Drill through middle of the wooden wheels so the dowels will fit tight. Paint the wooden headlights and wheels.
If you want to, you can paint the blocks that will form the rest of the toy car as well.
























STEP 3. Glue and screw the spacers to the bottom plywood, using the dowels to align the spacers properly. Leave the dowels loose. There should be 1" of the ends of the bottom plywood still showing at each end.

Quantity

Length

Width

Thickness

Part

(2)

7"

¾" dowel

Dowels


(1)

4"

15/8"

¾"

Back dowel spacer


(1)

9¾"

4"

¾"

Mid dowel spacer


(1)

4"

21/8"

¾"

Front dowel spacer


(1)

17"

4"

¼"

Bottom



STEP 4. With the dowels off of the toy car, glue the painted wheels onto the dowels, but not too far on. Put the dowels with wheels in position on the bottom assembly, and drill some holes for screws from the below through the bottom plywood and spacers into the block (avoiding the dowels). Put screws through the assembly and into the block. Make sure that the wheels turn easily.

If necessary, unscrew the block from the bottom, and screw them back together without the dowels & wheels. Then ream the holes with a drill to enlarge the dowel holes for a looser fit. And then unscrew it and reassemble it with the dowels & wheels in place. So now the wheels should turn freely.



Quantity

Length

Width

Thickness

Part

(1)

15"

4"

1½"

Block


STEP 5. Attach the floor plywood centered on the block. Attach the bumpers (they will extend ½" past the ends of the bottom plywood). Attach the Back End on top of the back bumper.

Quantity

Length

Width

Thickness

Part

(1)

15"

7"

¼"

Floor

(2)

7"

1½"

1½"

Bumpers

(1)

7"

1¼"

1"

Back end

STEP 6. Attach the lower sides below the floor plywood on both sides. They should be centered between the front and back wheels on the sides of the toy car.

Quantity

Length

Width

Thickness

Part

(2)

6½"

2½"

1½"

Lower sides


STEP 7. Next make the trunk of the toy car. It will be like a mini toy box.


Quantity

Length

Width

Thickness

Part

(1)

7"

1¼"

¾"

Back of trunk

(2)

2¼"

1¼"

¾"

Sides of trunk


STEP 8. Then make the cab, which will also hold toys.


Quantity

Length

Width

Thickness

Part

(2)

8"

4"

¾"

Sides

(2)

5½"

4"

¾"

Front & back of cab

STEP 9. Assemble the front compartment. It is also attached solidly on the floor plywood.

Quantity

Length

Width

Thickness

Part

(2)

3¼"

1¼"

¾"

Sides of hood

(1)

7"

1¼"

¾"

Front of hood


STEP 10. To make the wooden grill, alternate 1/8" pieces with ¼" mini-blocks.


There are 4 of each.

Quantity

Length

Width

Thickness

Part

(4)

4"

1"

1/8"

Outer grill

(4)

4"

¾"

¼"

Grill spacers


STEP 11. Make sure that the headlights can't possibly come off, even if a child were to throw the car down the basement steps

Quantity

Length

Width

Thickness

Part

(2)

1¼"

1½" diameter

Headlights




STEP 12. Use three hinges to put the hood, roof, and trunk lids on.

Quantity

Length

Width

Thickness

Part

(1)

7"

4"

¾"

Hood

(1)

8"

7"

¾"

Roof

(1)

7"

3"

¾"

Trunk lid





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