Interesting Project

[carreraken]

very cool project!! Nice work!

[1987M505]

[afterburn 549]

I am impressed with your compound tortured bends !

[1987M505]

Thanks afterburn, definitely learning a lot as I go. I shaped the front fenders from the inside to the outer wheel arch. I now learned that shaping from the wheel arch inward is way easier...

I also had an old friend tell me an interesting story about Ferry Porsche. As he was watching the panel beaters and metal shapers he realized that if he assigned right handed workers to the left hand side of a car and left handed workers to the right side of the car the workmen were able complete skinning a car much more efficiently and accurately to the buck. Not sure if it's true about Ferry Porsche, but it started to make sense as I am working on this project. Now I'm trying to be ambidextrous...

[Brian in VA]

That might be the coolest project I've evr seen. Good luck!

[masraum]

Yes, I'm very jealous. I think the shape of the old sports cars and sports racers is fantastic and is something that I miss in modern cars. I've always thought that it would be great to be able to build my own (since I'm unlikely to spend the coin necessary to purchase one). I've always thought that having to build a good handling chassis and a body to wrap around it would be a nightmare. It seems like a really great idea to take an existing vehicle like the formula Vee and build a body for it.

You're an inspiration.

[Rufblackbird]

"interesting" project? understatement of the year! subscribed as well!

[oldE]

Chris,

Thanks for the link to the other site. It answered a basic question about how you will mount the body to the chassis.

When you are done, I'm guessing the body will be two major components with the front 2/3 affixed to bulkheads and structures and the back 1/3 removable for engine access?

Thanks again for sharing this.
I suspect if you lived next door to Tim Hancock the world would have another custom vehicle fabrication works.
Impressive.

Les

[1987M505]

Hi Les,
You're on the right track with Bulkhead and structural supports for the body. Similar to the vintage Rometsch cars there are longitudal structural supports with outriggers off of them supporting the body. There will be a bulkhead support forward of the dash and a firewall just behind the drivers seat. The rear end will open similar to the 550 Spyder and will be completely removable as well. All templates are based off of the Buck. The Buck guides all the panels and structural supports. Of course all of this is in my head, no blueprints here.

As of now the front fender/nose clip is going to be removable but I really don't like the seams on top of my fenders... I am thinking to make a removable front trunk/smugglers hole to access the pedal cluster and steering box area.

Here's a recent picture after welding several of the nose seams. It's slowly becoming one piece.


Chris

[Tim Hancock]

Looking great! I applaud your tenacity for taking on such awesome DIY project. I have very limited aluminum forming skills but have always been intrigued by the art. This thread may result in me building an english wheel and a planisher. I previously built some some aluminum aircraft fuel tanks and kind of got the hang of hammer forming using an oak corking tool to form parts around wood forming bocks, but it is child's play compared to beating out large free form shapes such as you have done. Please keep posting progress updates!

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

WOW SIR!!!

(I wish I had as little talent as you do!!!)

WIFEY IS IMPRESSED!!!!! (She wants me to build her one now, like I have any skills....)

[M.D. Holloway]

That is too cool! I shall not show it to our Son or he will get ideas I can't do nor afford!!!

Very impressive!

[motion]

Incredible!!! You should keep it in bare aluminum when its finished!

[wdfifteen]

Wow! That is incredible work! Please keep us posted on your progress.

[MJHanna]

Will this be a street car or a track car when your done?

[Zeke]

I watched a hero panel beater recreate a RS 60 on a wooden buck just like yours. The car took a year to complete and it cost the owner a huge amount. Later the car sold for 750K. Other that the fact that these guys started with real RS 60 bones and a Carrera cammer motor, it was nothing more than what you have there.

[1987M505]

Thanks again for all the compliments everyone. To answer a couple questions...

@MJHANNA- The car will be street legal when done. Although my original intention was to do it for hill climbs, club track days and Bonneville Landspeed Challenge 36hp VW class.

The mid-engine FV chassis that I used was originally bought and registered for the street! One thing I've done with almost all my vintage cars over the past 5 years is take each on a road trip from Minnesota to Florida or reverse order. I've mentioned it to my wife to do it with this car, she didn't say no...

@ZEKE- I've also seen some insane numbers on alloy cars. This is the very reason I'm building this. Not for resale but 1. for the fact that I could never afford a 550 Spyder, RSK or an original Glockler and 2. If I'm going to have an alloy bodied, streamline "special" I wouldn't want a "replica" of one that has already been produced. 3. I've always been fascinated with the 36hp VW Cases and vintage speed upgrades (Read book "Making the Volkswagen Go") 4. I have toyed with the idea of building a couple of cars per year like this to keep in my barn and drive occasionally. I have a really neat sketch of another body design I plan to start next fall. I'm making my contribution to the ultimate barn find of 2060!

Here are a couple more pictures as I work down the car. Most of my seams are now welded and I haven't used any type of filler anywhere. There are several imperfections but I'm slowly working them out... I'm now laying out the rear which will clamshell like the 550 spyder.

[Joe Bob]

Been watching this develope on Crack Book...BTW, where are you guys located?

[Henry Schmidt]

Absolutely amazing............

[carreraken]

Awesome project - incredible craftsmanship!!