Layouts, viewports, and printing question

We are making Co2 cars and are required to print the templates from autocad. The issue I am having is that it is not printing to a scale of 1:1. The car is 12" in length and I am printing to legal size paper. I set the page details but every time I print, it is either not 12" or it cuts off some of the drawing. Can some one help me out. I am using 2009

Legal size is 8.5x14 so there isn't any reason why a car 12" in length shouldn't fit on the paper. Did you try checking off the box for Center the Plot? You do use the Preview feature before hitting the OK button right?

I was thinking that maybe im missing somthing when setting up the drawing area and layout view and viewport.

How would you go about setting up your page?

There are two answers to plotting actual sheet size and plottable area a typical laser can print to within about 5mm of the edge. Plotting on a roll similar. Check your plotter manual it will tell you actual max plot size and then come inside 1mm as an example our A1 is 841 title block is 813mm long.

I would set up my layout based upon a legal size sheet of paper. Then I would create a viewport and scale it accordingly (in your case 1:1). During the plot set up I would be sure to use the Plot Preview feature to verify the location of the model space object(s) prior to sending it off to the printer.

Depending on what I am plotting, I may use the "Window" option instead of Display and also check off Center the Plot as per my earlier post.