Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine Toddler Bed

My son was and is a fanatic of Scooby-doo. All he wanted for his birthday was a Mystery machine bed. So, I started planning. This is my fist instructable so please bear with me LOL.

A toddler bed is 27" wide X 52" long. I build this bed at 30" wide X 60" long so that you don't have to fight the mattress to get it in or out. If I had it to do over, I would keep the extra length but not the width. I also built this so that me or my wife could lay with him if need be as sometimes kids ask, so it's stout. For material I used,

1-1/2"- 4' x 8' sheet plywood

3- 3/4"- 4' x 8' sheet plywood (MDF would probably work)

2- cans sample paint (grey & orange)

3- quarts paint (blue, green, & white)

Pocket hole screws 1-1/4" & 1"

1/4" plexiglass

2- 6" diameter push lights

2- 2" diameter red reflectors

This base is 30"x60". It is super stout, the bottom and cross-braces are 3/4" plywood cut at 11" deep. The top is the 1/2" plywood. It is a simple build, built just like a bookshelf (this is dual purpose, so that when he outgrows it I can turn it into an actual bookshelf). I used the pocket hole screws to assemble.

Start with a side. The ends are sloped the same. Start the slope about 6" above the platform, that gives the mattress a nice area to butt up against. Once you get one side finished, trace the cuts onto the other sheet and make them match.

Then the front panel is the measurement you need to fill from the bottom of the side panel to the start of the angle. The rear is the same but is notched to allow for access into the bed. once you have the 4 sides, the next part is somewhat tricky and needs some creativity.

I grooved the sides for the windshield. I rabbited a board for the top and bottom of it that is screwed into the sides with pocket hole screws 1". Then the very top is a flat piece of 3/4" plywood screwed into the tops of the side panels.

The 4 sides are screwed into the base from inside the base, that way there is no visible hardware showing.

Here is a good place to get ahold of a Mystery machine picture and keep it handy LOL. the first this that I did was put 2 coats of the white paint onto the whole project. Then assemble and use a pencil to freehand all the lines, flowers, wheels, and windows. I think I did extra work in this method. I think it would be easier if you paint it all blue, then come in and do the green. I did them at the same time which means I was cutting in 2 colors at once, don't think that was the best method, oops, live and learn LOL.

This is more of that FREEHAND stuff. I used a pencil and a lot of eraser LOL. Just keep working on it till you get where you are satisfied. Then, paint by numbers LOL.

I used paint to outline everything, whoa!!! tedious. Get yourself a paint marker, I did some touchups like this and it's WAY easier. The red reflectors are peal and stick so installation was a breeze. The push lamp you will need peal and stick Velcro, so that you can change the batteries. Lastly get the kid to sleep and maybe some stickers. I hope that you liked this instuctable.