A good client of mine won several tropies at a recent VW car show, and they didn’t stand up well on their own. So I made some custom base plates to remedy the problem. After delivering the base plates, he asked me if I could design a little stand to display images and information about this original 1957 “Oval” Beetle, and I was happy to help! After I had a chance to show him the prototype the same evening, he ordered four more. Two of the five display stands will be powder coated white, and be used in the showroom of the local Burnsville VW dealership, as soon as I have them back from JIT Powder Coating in Farmington. This is really exciting! Here are some pictures of the process, and I was having a blast while building these display stands!
Here is a close up of the base plates. The three little bolts will ensure that the topies will always stand securely without rocking, and the little clamp on top is made to hold the tophies in place.
One of the trophies mounted on the base plate. The client was happy about these turned out!
AFter some drafting in CAD, and some programming, I was able to cut the first piece of the prototype and bend it on my table. Instead of showing a drawing, I felt that the real thing would communicate the vision of the display stands a lot better.
Here is the first one, with base and top plate welded in place. I really liked how it turned out!
Here is the back side. The base plate is wide enough for a front wheel of the car. this will hold the display stand in place.
The client was so pleased with the first one, that he ordered four more. Here they are, after cutting and bending!
All five display stands welded.
I added some steel angles to the base plate to add more rigidity, and to lock the base plate in place, whe a car is parked on it.
Here are the top plates monted to the stands.
A picture form the back.
The original owner kept a log book for all the expenses on the car, and I wanted to integrate a display for it in the diplay plate for the ’57 Beetle.
Here is the display box welded with the mounting bolts in place.
Checking to make sure it all fits properly!
The display box is welded to the back of the display plate.
