|
|
|
Good article I always try and do this, there is no particular Scene or Look that I really like every element of, certainly not enough to want to emulate it..... Well apart from Classic Group B/4 rally stuff ;D but that is a product of function..... they evolved over time to do a job. But there are elements of them that I want to incorporate into a build. Take the Kadett. I don't like the complete euro look..... clean Garish colours, trim replaced, wide little wheels, stretched tyres I like some of it, clean straight bodywork, fat wheels, the "less is more approach" Now add in a bit of Bosozuku.... with some black arches rivetted on and an Oil cooler out front..... not the Huge spoilers, mad Neg Camber, and enormous front Snowplow splitters though Maybe paint it a subtle colour for a bit of Cal look Strip out and cage the interior.... 2 Race seats and a bit of carpet....... Slight twist on the door cards..... Panel it in something different, Carbon or Kevlar would be very cool..... Retro Racer with a Hi-Tech modern twist or make lightweight panels but trim them in Alcantara for a bit of class....... Think stripped out GT3 Porsche or Aston Racer Retro-Cars show: The one car that really stood out for me was the Mk1 Cortina, in a dark green colour.... Just looked low, clean, subtle..... Get up close and it had a 190hp Precrossflow motor, cage 2 buckets harnesses etc, but the Fibreglass buckets were painted body colour and trimmed in Green leather, as were the door cards.... Beautiful mix of styles that worked really well. I think this place is excellent, I have always been a Petrolhead, I am a design engineer, have race engineered Cars, built bikes and cars all my life but before i arrived here I would never have Imagined I would be thinking 70`s J stuff was cool ;D We have an open minded, eclectic mix of people here and I think that does more to get people "Thinking out of the Box" than anything or anywhere else on the web or in Print...... Just spread the word....... people will pop in here, see what fun we are having without all the "Dick swinging" that is prevalent among most "Scenes" and maybe choose to hang around for a while, because there really is nowhere else like it ;D Cheers David, And keep up the good work ;D Laters Dom "Euro/Bozo/GT3/Cal look or something ;D Kadett"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You can't build a car and ignore those 'rules', but you can't copy them either if you want to be different.
I think I've learnt how to 'read' cars...when I look at a car thar 'works' I try and see how or why it works...that's what you need to take away..and that's what you need to apply to a project. ...ideally not the same car you saw it on!
C'ya Simon Lowrider/Resto/J-car/Bosu/Retro/Euro/Hot Rod or something Cressida ;D
|
|
Last Edit: Oct 12, 2005 8:05:39 GMT by rmad
|
|
|
|
|
I've been inspired, one of the Mini's and the 106 has to go bare metal! I can see my xsi in bare metal with solid proline wheels usually found on beetles, bronze polycarb windows and a roll cage. Would that look the part or what? That is, as you say, inspired. ;D
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rules are for those that perhaps don't have inspiration. We all follow some rules here and there, there are a few great modifiers and car builders that set new trends. Posies, Troy Trepanier, Boyd - just a few hot rod names, but all builders of some truly inspiring cars. These people have rules, but they are some what more abstract than the rules we traditional have to deal with. If you think about it having any kind of budget is a rule, because you can't go beyond that, Posies et al don't have that problem so they are free of that. We (usually) have to have cars that work on the road (and are legal to drive), show/not used often car builders don't have that problem. We usually have a limited ammount of equipment and time to work on our projects. It's these guys full time job, and they have a team of people helping. No these guys are bumping up against different tules, the rules of physics and the very basic rules of proportion and aestetics, what they can and can't do with the metal vs. what they want to be able to do.
|
|
|
|
dp
Posted a lot
DP Race Tech
Posts: 1,044
|
|
|
Good article there.... I have a problem with labels, ok so Cal-Look is something that has become something beyond a label/style/look. Remeber my first Cal Looker (first in Sweden back in 79), a blue 62 fitted with chrome wheels & hubcaps, polished brakes, motor & trans, seats, steering wheel and badges from a wrecked Porsche 356, slammed nose and the right Cal Look IMO at the time, looking back it was not a 100% Cal Looker.... Back to my problem with labels, I have been building Hot Rods, Kustoms & bikes for some 30 years now and I would say I started some trends. Back in 85-88 I hatched a cool idea of bilding Hot Rod Motorcycles, you take one old bike and fit it with a modern powerplant and make it look cool, first out was a 69 Bonneville fitted with the first generation Triumph 3 cylinder powerplant from the "NEW" Trident, the bike looked cool IMO but purists gave me curse word big time and custom bikers hated it, second bike was a Ducati 900ss fitted with a 916 motor and done Ducati Imola 60's racer style, same again, purist hated me and sportbikers frowned at it. Bike 3 wsa a 70's Rickman chrome Triumph frame fitted with yet another "NEW" Trident motor and when showing at the Santa Barbara Concourse I almost got thrown out untill Jay Lenno came over and gave me a wad of $$$$$ for the bike, with him driving it around the Polo Fields people stopped & stared, what a bike!!!!! Now I could not find enough bikes and motors to pair up, sold another 2 bikes to Jay. Another one is when I started to build slammed Electra Gildes with 17" Road Racing wheel & tire combos, purists in the Harley Chopper community frowned at my bikes with looooow Glides, low profile tyres and looooooong exhaust (some 1½ meters out behind the bike) but as soon as Mickey Rourke orderd up one painted NY Taxi (painted by a verry young Jesse James) style the curse word hit the fan..... Same with the scooter I built for the Swedish Italjet Importer in 2000, it was an Italjet Dragster that was to be shown at the Stockholm MC Show 2001. At the time I had picked up a Cannondale MTB and with it sitting in my bedroom and beeing the last thing I saw before going to sleep I thought the handle bars and mounting stem looked quite cool, went by Cykloteket and picked up some stuff and started to fit it to the scoot and yes!!! a whole new look to it, first most of the kids in the PVC scene thought it looked "strange" but after I built the second Italjet Formula with a similar but more heavy duty setup it all went crazy. Today you can buy "Nude Bars", a term me and Paul ItaljetDragster.com Robinson came up with one late night, complete kits are available from TNT, BCD and others..... Non-linear scooter/moped thinking.... Right now I'm doing some extreme Street Fighters a'la DP Race Tech with heavy MTB/BMX/Dirt bicycle influences and getting some cred for it but IMO the hottest in the Bike Builde Biz right now is Jesse Rooke www.rookecustoms.com, complete non-linear thinking and sooooo cool, in a year or two there will be a bunch of people building similar rides..... Today in the car world, specially in the VAG, J & European communties I feel eveybody want to set a label on everything from purists "Resto Rides" to "Rat Stylz" to the much frowned upon "Rice" or "Max Stylee", I don't get it why you need a certain look/style to identify with?? Sure it's not that easy to think up a totally new style, look or feel but I would say go with what suits YOUR style and wallet, feel good about what you build if it's a Skoda or a Slammer Audi A8 with spinners, noone should tell you what to do and not to do!!!!! Man I can get longwinded sometimes but this is s big bug upp my ass, I have a friend who always says: Only dead fish travels with the current and verry often he screams dare to be different!!!!!! and when you dare it all turns out great.......
|
|
Last Edit: Oct 12, 2005 8:50:30 GMT by dp
|
|
MWF
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,945
|
|
|
I think it's a great article.
There's so much fashion in the car scene. It pains me really because I can slowly feel my own creative juices just draining away as my mind is tainted by seeing the same acceptable things.
The difficulty I have is that the more you try to be different the harder things become. You think something like "I'm going to strip the injection off my car and get carbs and some tubular headers" and then spend the next few days slowly learning that there just aren't the parts or it will cost you a small fortune.
I spend such a massive time theorising possibilities and such little time getting my hands dirty.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
dp - the end of that post made me think of Bill Hicks...
*n
|
|
Top grammar tips! Bought = purchased. Brought = relocated Lose = misplace/opposite of win. Loose = your mum
|
|
|
|
|
go with what suits YOUR style and wallet, never a truer word said! nice reply DP, really enjoyed reading that
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I spend such a massive time theorising possibilities and such little time getting my hands dirty. yeah thats one of the problems, I think a lot of people out here have ideas, but time/money/skill conspires against us. I have in the back of my mind plans to write a "how to complete a project" article, as I think you can apply project management principles to it (which is a part of my day job).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
i think thats a great idea HW. You can def apply project management principles to car projects. It wont help with the unexpected delays, but at least it might help people plan for them a little. It might also help people get things done, as i personally believe a lot of people in the UK are lazy fuckers! (thats not aimed at anyone btw, just a general observation)
|
|
|
|
|
MWF
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,945
|
|
|
I spend such a massive time theorising possibilities and such little time getting my hands dirty. yeah thats one of the problems, I think a lot of people out here have ideas, but time/money/skill conspires against us. I have in the back of my mind plans to write a "how to complete a project" article, as I think you can apply project management principles to it (which is a part of my day job). When I come on this forum it is like coming to some sort of AA meeting except instead of the alchohol we have modified cars and instead of not being able to give up we can't get started. I feel we are a group mainly made up of pained theoriests. We can easily tell others what to do but can never convince ourselves. Looking at some of the other comments I think it is -very- easy to say that you should follow your own style. And yes it's obvious and most agreeable option. However I don't think people are truely considering just how tainted their own style is and how in 6 months they'll look back at their views and see them like the global hyper color bum bag they though was so cool at the time. While I do agree with the thoughts that perhaps there is too much categorising, but it's only human nature to apply pattern and rules. I think some people have missed the point of the concept and that was that you -aren't- suggesting following certain styles but looking at those styles and analysing what elements of them achieve and why they work. Then taking those elements and adding your own twist. I think the concept of taking a set style and applying it to something new is a fantastic starting point for insperation. I have recently been following this concept myself with thoughts of applying classic American muscle car touches to my XR4i. Sadly I have hit a bit of a brick wall.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You can def apply project management principles to car projects. It might also help people get things done, as i personally believe a lot of people in the UK are lazy fuckers! (thats not aimed at anyone btw, just a general observation) HaHa thats true, but it only helps those who come out of nowhere with amazing creations, impress us more! Very good points DP
|
|
it doesn't matter if it's a Morris Marina or a Toyota Celica - it's what you do with it that counts
|
|
|
|
|
Racer86 works hard enough to bring the average for the UK up *n
|
|
Top grammar tips! Bought = purchased. Brought = relocated Lose = misplace/opposite of win. Loose = your mum
|
|
|
|
|
Him and Nightmaresracing ...
I think motivation is huge problem, thats why I really want to encourage people to meet up. It really does help you keep momentum, even if you don't get any help from anyone you'll try and do something before you meet up the next time, which keeps projects moving forwards.
|
|
|
|
dp
Posted a lot
DP Race Tech
Posts: 1,044
|
|
|
hotwire in da house: I think you can apply project management principles to it (which is a part of my day job).
You to??? I have done that in the early years of broadband here in Sweden with Bredbansbolaget....
I have done that with a couple of customer bikes, tried MS Project and it turned out more like a "log book" for the project wich impressed the customer and was of some help to keep a budget....
What I do for my own "projects" is storyboards, I buy bags of magazines every month (spend somehere around 200Euros), lowrider, hot rod & kustom, chopper, sportsbikes, scooter, truck, etc. when I find something that touches me I cut it out and hang in on my storyboard wall in the shop, every now and then I take it all down an look it through, I stack things that looks like a certain project in one pile and for another in another pile, then I grab a couple of cold beers and take another look, usually i grab a pen and I have huge pad on a stand where I start drawing stuff and so it goes on for a couple of nights.....
Project management on car & bike building might be a bit to linear, non-linear thinking rules when creating, but it might work, worth a try......
|
|
Last Edit: Oct 12, 2005 9:50:08 GMT by dp
|
|
MWF
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,945
|
|
|
The only downside I think the project management thing could entail is that it would be yet another excuse not to get started LOL
I think HotWire has hit the nail on the head with motivation and meeting up/networking. I bet there is a fair old chest of cumulative skills on this board. I know one of the things which really stops me getting started is finding people to do little jobs for me. For example, polishing, welding, re-trimming and little fabrication jobs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 12, 2005 10:01:35 GMT
|
Project management on car & bike building might be a bit to linear, non-linear thinking rules when creating, but it might work, worth a try...... I think defining an end point and a set of stages to get to that is a good way of going about thing.. Car projects tend to become a bit organic, but then they never get finished. So it's like I want new wheels, I want it lowered with lowering springs and I want to stick twin webers on it... is what people start with. Then once the wheels are on they are thinking, maybe I should rebuild the the suspension system before I start the engine. Then when they are thinking about that and looking at websites, they decide that webers arn't enough that they should build Megasquirt. Then if they are building megasquirt they should get the head polished and ported.... of course if they are going to that much trouble they might as well do an engine swap... 6 months has past and they have a car sat on new wheels and not much else. If they had followed their original project idea through they could have been cruising round in a cool car for the past 4 months whilst thinking about what to do next
|
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 12, 2005 10:07:34 GMT
|
thing is HW in many ways its different strokes for different folks For me, if i was doing a serious project, it would have to be time consuming and all out. I could do the rolling with something ok while i think what to do next. I wud rather have nothing, then have it perfect when done. For me, thats a case of lots of research, builing the finished article in ur mind then working it back. Once you get back to the start you know where u should be starting
|
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 12, 2005 10:12:22 GMT
|
For me, if i was doing a serious project, it would have to be time consuming and all out. I could do the rolling with something ok while i think what to do next. I wud rather have nothing, then have it perfect when done. For me, thats a case of lots of research, builing the finished article in ur mind then working it back. Once you get back to the start you know where u should be starting Thats fine as it works for you,.. but the problem is that changing plans half way through a project particularly an involved rebuild costs time and money. For me I'd rather see cars out there at shows, gradually changing and improving. Although there is a certain style in rolling out in a complete finished mind blowing project.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 12, 2005 10:12:46 GMT
|
Him and Nightmaresracing ... I think motivation is huge problem, thats why I really want to encourage people to meet up. It really does help you keep momentum, even if you don't get any help from anyone you'll try and do something before you meet up the next time, which keeps projects moving forwards. Absolutely..... I was discussing this with Imreallyslowme the other day, the fact is Racer and Nightmares are Do`ers and the cars may not be 100% perfect in every detail..... thats no disrespect to either of them .... but the cars are done and finished to a useable standard, and they are out there doing it, rather than in here talking and dreaming about doing it ;D I am guilty of sitting there bench racing for days and weeks on end, detailing cars and bikes on paper or screen, getting the stance just so or the wheel offsets right etc and I might end up in my head with a really really superb concept....... But in that time I have been thinking about it, Rob and Mark have done an Engine swap, chopped the springs, rubbed it down, reasonably well and shot the colour..... Its taxed moted and in daily use ;D I am determined to break out of the "detailing to death in concept" thing and just get the Kadett done and running...... The paint might not be flawless, there will be some filler in it the seats have got minor holes/marks etc.... None of which really matters...... Its the overall effect thats important, and that its out there doing it rather than in my Head being finalised Most Feature cars, including Max Power type cars, are not what I would term Show cars, certainly not in the fit and finish, and that is a good thing to remember for me.... I am not striving for perfection with this one, its built for fun not adulation ;D I`ve done the "Show winning standard" thing with the Ducati, and it was superb...... but it was also a lot of time and effort that could have been spent out riding it instead Which is after all the reason for doing it Nightmares and Racer86 have really changed my thoughts on this whole thing, and I hope thats taken as a Huge Compliment, not a criticism ;D ;D as I have the greatest respect for what both of them achieve Cheers Dom
|
|
|
|
|