|
|
|
Sept 26, 2016 18:36:27 GMT
|
I'm slowly coming around to the idea that to make the car I want (and can afford) I'll have to build it from scratch. I'm a mechanical design engineer by day and been a petrolhead for decades, how hard can it be?  I've got an idea for running gear, I'm working out the chassis design and trying to figure out a way to make the bodyshell. I had hoped to make it from mostly flat parts as the Burlington Arrow but even if I can get the body tub sorted out I'll still need quite a few other parts.  Front wings Rear wings Running boards Scuttle Front apron Radiator shell are the first ones that come to mind. The problem with the body tub is the curve as the body panels fold from vertical to horizontal and it also follows the top of the doors.  I've got a way around this but it's quite complicated so maybe I'm better off doing a body tub in fibreglass and incorporating the scuttle in it. This looks like a good way of getting a bodyshell (this is a Suffolk Sportscars SS100)  Assuming I can source the basic parts to take a mould from, but assuming they'll be a bit rough, what kind of cost am I looking at for a fibreglass mould and a set or two of parts? Gareth |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 26, 2016 18:42:48 GMT
|
|
I f you have the time i would say make them your self . Plywood and filler , a fair bit of time . You can always modify and adjust as you go along .
I would say just make it all from aluminium but then you are going to need a welder of some sort , and most likely access to a big folder etc .
|
| |
|
|
sb
Part of things
Posts: 725 
|
|
Sept 26, 2016 21:31:39 GMT
|
Iwould say do it yourself as well. this would be a good read as he has done what you want, built a fibreglass body off a custom chassis: www.rodsnsods.co.uk/forum/garage/my-250-testarossa-project-83285Its essentially wooden ribs cut to the correct cross sections then filled in with foam which is cut down and shaped. Then glass over it. I cant remember exactly how its done in that thread but I would use the fibreglass on the foam as a buck then lay the actual panel into that. That way you can make more in the future if need be. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 27, 2016 8:24:07 GMT
|
|
You can still get the Burlington fibreglass panels.
Will take a bit of searching on Google but there is an owners / builders forum able to give you the contact details of who holds the moulds.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 27, 2016 8:26:41 GMT
|
|
try to buy rather than make......cheaper and quicker..
|
| |
|
|
froggy
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,099
|
|
Sept 27, 2016 13:01:19 GMT
|
If your making a 2 seater sports car I would use a chassis from a 2 seat sports car and save yourself a load of grief . I built a 32 style ford roadster with a modified seven style chassis and one piece fibreglass tub that I added an inner skin and doors . Even with the big pieces of the puzzle it still took 4.5 years to come together  |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 27, 2016 20:28:41 GMT
|
I f you have the time i would say make them your self . Plywood and filler , a fair bit of time . You can always modify and adjust as you go along . I would say just make it all from aluminium but then you are going to need a welder of some sort , and most likely access to a big folder etc . I've got some experience in welding, making silicone moulds and doing resin casting. I know that my first attempts were rubbish and it took a lot of practice to get them looking good. I'm absolutely certain I couldn't do that with fibreglass, even if I had the space in my garage to move massive moulds around. Iwould say do it yourself as well. this would be a good read as he has done what you want, built a fibreglass body off a custom chassis: www.rodsnsods.co.uk/forum/garage/my-250-testarossa-project-83285Its essentially wooden ribs cut to the correct cross sections then filled in with foam which is cut down and shaped. Then glass over it. I cant remember exactly how its done in that thread but I would use the fibreglass on the foam as a buck then lay the actual panel into that. That way you can make more in the future if need be. Yep, I've seen that - I couldn't make something like that look good. I can design stuff, I can build mechanical things but I couldn't do what he's done myself. Getting hold of a body tub and the other parts isn't too difficult so I don't need to do the frame & foam that he's done, it's the fibreglass bit I need. You can still get the Burlington fibreglass panels. Will take a bit of searching on Google but there is an owners / builders forum able to give you the contact details of who holds the moulds. The Burlington is probably the best of the '30s sports car kits but I want this   Which is definitely going to require its own moulds. try to buy rather than make......cheaper and quicker.. I agree, but there isn't one already  If your making a 2 seater sports car I would use a chassis from a 2 seat sports car and save yourself a load of grief . I built a 32 style ford roadster with a modified seven style chassis and one piece fibreglass tub that I added an inner skin and doors . Even with the big pieces of the puzzle it still took 4.5 years to come together There's not an existing chassis that's the right size, but it only needs to be a simple ladder frame and it's quite easy to design. Building will be mainly from box section steel so mostly cutting and simple welding. Your roadster looks fantastic, did you buy or make the tub? Have you got a build thread for the changes you did? |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 27, 2016 22:11:45 GMT
|
|
Are you planning on putting the car on the road ?
If so you need to ensure it is within BIVA rules. Your design will probably be very difficult to comply and that is one of the reasons why there are no such kit cars made along those lines.
I was interested in building a Burlington but even the designer admits now it wouldn't pass the BIVA test. In the end I bought a Marlin Roadster that was already Q reg and am altering the bodywork on that.
|
| |
|
|
froggy
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,099
|
|
Sept 28, 2016 12:13:16 GMT
|
|
Looks like you want something like a jc midge by the picture .
Making a chassis or body is going to double your material costs with a plug for the body and hefty build table / jig for the chassis .
Ladder chassis is fine for wobbling around and dragging loads of unnecessary weight to make it stiff , seven chassis can be stretched narrowed etc to suit whatever wheelbase you want .
I've got some info on rods and sods in the garage section under v8 turbo 32 roaster
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 28, 2016 18:23:34 GMT
|
Making a chassis or body is going to double your material costs with a plug for the body and hefty build table / jig for the chassis . Yes, I think you're right. Looks like you want something like a jc midge by the picture . Ladder chassis is fine for wobbling around and dragging loads of unnecessary weight to make it stiff , seven chassis can be stretched narrowed etc to suit whatever wheelbase you want . I've got some info on rods and sods in the garage section under v8 turbo 32 roaster It's a bit like a JC Midge but the track is too wide, the wheelbase is wrong and the body shape is wrong too. I did some chassis design work in university which I can partly remember as it was 25 years ago. A ladder chassis is the exact opposite of ultimate for torsional stiffness and lightness but it does have a few advantages: Easier to build, less material cost, better access to the mechanical bits and with a well positioned X brace and tall enough rails it's good enough for most things. My car will have less than 80bhp and 4 inch wide tyres, loading the suspension up isn't going to be an issue for me There's some interesting info here based on finite element stress analysisI'll have a look at your build, cheers! Are you planning on putting the car on the road ? If so you need to ensure it is within BIVA rules. Your design will probably be very difficult to comply and that is one of the reasons why there are no such kit cars made along those lines. I was interested in building a Burlington but even the designer admits now it wouldn't pass the BIVA test. In the end I bought a Marlin Roadster that was already Q reg and am altering the bodywork on that. That's an interesting idea, what bodywork are you doing? I've been reading through the IVA manual and I think it should be ok. Headlights are fine, seatbelt top position I'm mulling over whether to put in a roll bar hoop. The Suffolk Sports Cars SS100 doesn't have one which intrigues me. |
| |
|
|
|
|
froggy
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,099
|
|
Sept 28, 2016 20:20:22 GMT
|
|
what about a jba falcon ? Seen a couple of nearly done examples go for not a lot of money
|
| |
|
|
Darkspeed
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 4,710
Club RR Member Number: 39
|
|
Sept 30, 2016 6:19:26 GMT
|
|
The normal way is - Plywood formers - insulation board - PU expanding foam - polyester filler paint to make the buck and then mould from it. I estimate that something like that would be around £3K in materials to produce a first pull. I think that scouring the vintage ads and modifying old steel or GF parts would be the quicker and cheaper way. Cut and shut bits of old Pilgrim Bulldog and the like.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
what about a jba falcon ? Seen a couple of nearly done examples go for not a lot of money JBA Falcon  MG TC  The JBA is a nice looking car, but it's like watching a TC when an old film has been stretched to widescreen. The normal way is - Plywood formers - insulation board - PU expanding foam - polyester filler paint to make the buck and then mould from it. I estimate that something like that would be around £3K in materials to produce a first pull. I think that scouring the vintage ads and modifying old steel or GF parts would be the quicker and cheaper way. Cut and shut bits of old Pilgrim Bulldog and the like. I think you're right. I found the company that used to make the fibreglass wings and unfortunately they had a fire a few years ago and the moulds were destroyed. They can make some new ones for about £1000 per front wing and £600 for a rear wing which gives me enough of an idea to see if it's feasible. I'll do some searching for existing panels, hopefully as people restore these cars into gleaming concours entrants they dispose of the scabby old bits which I can pick up. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Am I missing something here?
80hp, 4 inch tyres, full-on scratch build? Surely for the price of doing that you could buy an original car from the period?
Building your own car would be awesome, but if you're aiming to replicate similar construction and performance, why not have the real thing?
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A real one is twenty five grand, more if it's a nice one. For ten grand you get one that needs everything, such as £5000 for a body tub, £2500 for wings, goodness knows what for engine...
According to my man-maths I can build one using my patented brilliant method for about £6,000
I know it'll never appreciate like a real one, but it's costing a lot less to buy.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 10, 2016 10:39:38 GMT
|
I did say a car from the period, not necessarily an MG TC. Would you be interested in building a hot-rod out of a more modest car? Any of the 1930s "10hp" cars should presumably be about the right size, put in a hotter engine and maybe chop and channel them a bit? That would be my choice.     Alternatively, if I was going for the full-on scratch build, I'd be putting in a V8, wide tyres, full independent suspension and all the modern goodies. Your car your way though! |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 10, 2016 11:19:39 GMT
|
|
|
| |
|
|
