Scratchbuilt body plans needed and brian wolf plans

[jonesy_sa]

hi,
As the name describes i would like to build the body and possible the chassis from scratch, to learn something new. my problem is i need the dimensions to build it, i have found brian wolfs plans for free at http://downloads.webguy.ca/?page=GT40 does anyone know anything about these plans. I have seen people say the chassis dimensions are incorrect, but i am mainly concerned with the body itself, i was told his gt40 was made from a genuine gt40 body but also that some of his body plans are just 3d rendering from some 3d car games.
I also cannot open the .plt files can anyone tell me why, the dwf files work great.
My questions are: Are the brian wolf files any good? if not
: Where can i obtain the nesisary body schematics to build a replica body/plug

thanks in advance.
-jonesy-

[jonesy_sa]

sorry forgot to add this link as well i just stumbled accross it:
http://www.projectdiablo.com/ this guy claims to sell gt40 plans, anyone familar with these.
thanks

[jonesy_sa]

hi,
turns out someone who is building a lamborghini of brian wolfes plans says his body plug stuff was quite accurate just needed some refining. anyone taken any measurements of the gt40 body plans as listed. There is quite a few 3d models around as well. Has anyone hear built there own body, or knows someone who has. im just after a the model.
thanks fellas.
jonesy

[FRPGUY]

jonesy sa, I tried to do some business with this guy, but he turned out to be a fake. He tried to trade a set of GT40 body panels for a Cobra Daytona Coupe body that I had, but the moulds to make his body panels didn't belong to him. He was involved with a Ken Howardson. If I remember right, I believe Ken was a mechanic for Comstock Racing. Comstock Racing raced a GT40 back in the sixties. Brian just fadded away. I wasted a lot of time with Brian Wolf.

[jonesy_sa]

Yeah it seems alot of people have had run-ins with Brian...im not to bothered what hes like i would never deal with him but since his plans poped up free i thought why not. i can get a chassis done prity cheap and would like to build my own body with a few changes, mainly to modernise it and save some dough possibly, if not still learn a great deal befor my one off project. Cant seem to find any digital 3d models to section that i no are reasonably accurate. by accuarate it must be atheitcally pleasing, same wheel base (which id proably alter none the less) height and few other character istics that make it purely gt40 and not mock up. Was hopeing someone had compared, built there own plug or seen a model thats dimensions were reaonbly accurate. Its the same effort to do it wrong as it is to do it right, at this stage its the olny thing stopping me...maybe im to cautions...maybe i could get a computergame model and find a 3d desiger to cross referance with proper gt40 dimensions. Any one have these domensions???
Anyhow if something turns up hopfully theyll post it right hear..
cheers fellas

[Jac Mac]

jonesey sa, as someone who is trying to build bucks /plugs of some cars let me give you some advice as you seem to be at an early stage in your project.
Since you live in Australia, and wish to base your car on a GT40 go and buy a base kit DRB body/chassis only. Fabricate a simple strong platform that can support the body yet allow you to work on it, and with provision for fitting wheels tyres for mock-up and movement purposes. (something like a small trailer axle at the rear and a similar steerable version at the front)
Now either sell the frame or keep it in case you put the project in the too hard basket.
You have the advantage of choosing a design that is available, I made a choice that there were no kits etc available at the time I started.

Jac Mac

[jonesy_sa]

hi,
jac mac - this is not feasible for me nore sensible considering all the cut and shutting i may end up doing, i did cheak some prices but at 20K for a body/chassis its not worth my while. i would eventual like to build a roaring 40's replica and the fit and finish was superb but it would be a replica no changes and lots of custom bits to represent origional car.
Did you build you own body?? if so where abouts did you obtain the plug info, books, plasns models etc.
thanks mate

[Jac Mac]

Originally Posted by jonesy_sa

hi,

Did you build you own body?? if so where abouts did you obtain the plug info, books, plasns models etc.
thanks mate

All of the above and more and have yet to find a set of accurate templates. In the end you have to make a buck and finish it to the standard you desire. In the process I have tried custom wood(mdf), foam with drywall compound, mesh with body filler, and other's to make up patterns. All on a part time basis while trying to earn a $$$. If I had to do it again I would go out and get a stress free job like driving a Bulldozer so that I could afford to spend my free time & $$ doing this sort of stuff. My Daytona Coupe templates were obtained from some model car drawings which I scaled up to full size by using the 125% enlargement of a photocopier. once they had reached a size approx 12" long I drew a grid pattern on the drawing that was slightly smaller than the paper size I was using in relation to the full size car ( Each square was numbered & lettered for position, guess some of the interim sizes may come in handy if I ever decide to produce a 50% one for the Grandchildren). I then continued to enlarge each successive set of drawings until I had a set that were within 3/4" of the actual car length when laid out on a large sheet of flooring board. Much to my annoyance I then discovered that the particular car that had been used to make the drawings from was the 'Gurney' car that had the high roofline. Then we drew & cut out profiles from 1/2" plywood, then filled in the gaps with mdf on that buck and -planed, sanded, rasped, filled, sanded,filled over & over again , And its still not finished !!
I see a lot of folk on this forum & others talking about cad this and 3d that, BUT at the end of the day you still have to do the '' hard yards'' to get what you want. I have yet to see the 'perfect' body on a replica that has not had some bodyman/painter spend quite a few hours block sanding /filling etc.
Finally you have to remember the GT40 & Lola T70 etc were first & foremost race cars, with very little in the way of creature comfort etc. Many of the better finished examples leave the originals in their wake in terms of finish etc. A/C in an original meant opening a window & powersteer involved a trip to the gym or eat more spinach!

Cheers
Jac Mac

Jac Mac

[jonesy_sa]

Yeah that is the challenge i desire, hard work learning, fabrication etc sounds silly but i dont get alot of enjoyment from kit car construction im not knocking it but i do it all the time with restoring other vehicles. this is a beter chance to learn new talents.
When you say daytona do you mean like this:
Daytona Coupe
Also do you have a website to show your progress and help others looking to do something similiar?
Also what about good books on fiberglassing, composites, car body constrction. amazon lists a few does anyone have any they reccomend??
thanks jonesy

[Russ Noble]

A picture's worth a thousand words. I think this is the sort of thing Jac Mac is talking about. Nevertheless the pictures can't convey the amount of work that goes into this.

[Jac Mac]

Originally Posted by jonesy_sa

Daytona Coupe
Also do you have a website to show your progress and help others looking to do something similiar?

No I dont ( past tense ) have a website, but thanks to a freelance photographer who has just put his backside & GT40 nostril in jeopardy courtesy of my right foot, you can see the lack of progress & how untidy the loft in the shed still is!

One book that I would recommend is --- Understanding Aircraft Composite Construction. by Zeke Smith. Published by Aeronaut Press, Napa, California.--
You should be able to obtain a copy thru --Aircraft Spruce who have a branch or agent in AU or go to the website Pilot Supplies, Avionics, and Homebuilt Aircraft Parts from Aircraft Spruce and Specialty Co.

While aircraft based this book has most of the info you will need to know to work with composites etc in your application.