That you are doing this in Pepakura shows what that software can do in the right hands. I can't make a box in it. yet in Rhino, I do rather well. You're doing a "fab" job!
This isn't one of the projects you hope gets completed, this model is coming to life, it's like a woman saying, "I'm a little pregnant!" It's on it way!
Fantastic!! Someone with your knowledge showing hot to make a basic model in Pepakura would help so many people. I have yet to see someone write one. I have a couple of tutorials here on Rhino, one of lofting a simple hull, but it's learning the commands that gives you the ability, and if you were to complete the tutorial I wrote, and understood it, you could translate the commands into just about any shape you could imagine, and the parts would unfold. Excellent job!!
I may well put a tutorial together if I get time. Will need to find a suitable model first, maybe something basic. Not this one though, way too many intricate parts.
This model is hi level modeling. The visualization of the model, frankly, has to be with someone who has access to the kind of info you have, otherwise, they usually come out as interpretations of a car shape, on a generalized body. I have seen some pretty neat cars done that way. This model is special, also, I think of your son and say a prayer every time I read a post of yours.