Scott, You do some seriously nice fiberglass work! I know the problems involved, I'm impressed!
Scotts build thread
- Thread starter Scott R.
- Start date
Back about a hundred years, I was a partner in a custom car building shop. We specialized in show cars, mostly corvettes. Behind the shop we had an old sailboat hull. We used it to lay up all kinds of custom panels. It had about any kind of compound curve or radius that you could want for a custom part. Wax it up and lay your panel. The parts were really great quality. Mind you, this was before you could buy so many parts in the retail market. Looking at your work Scott reminds me of those days.
Thanks for bringing back some fond memories.
Thanks for bringing back some fond memories.
Thanks Al. I spent about 7 months remaking the body on an old corvette I used to have. Learned ALOT during that one car. Was heavy as hell from the amount of bondo, lol. Now I try to concentrate more on the quality of fg so it only needs a skin of filler.
Funny you bring that up Ken. I walk around my garage looking at things I can use to make the shapes I need. Haha. A boat hull would be great to have sitting around! Have used buckets to make larger radius parts, thin plastic bent into curves, windshields, etc. I have a stack of cut off pieces that are just one layer thick that can be easily cut with sheetmetal shears and then I use super glue to hold them together until I can fully glass the part.
I used to do competition car stereo, and the stretchy fabric method is used alot in that arena, but really tough to make big parts that way.
Most every other panel I need to make the front end, will come from molding off of the front end. Or repurposing the pieces I cut off.
I think that we are just on the same wavelength Scott. I was the concept guy in our shop. There is always somebody better at the grunt work, but they always cane to me for the concept. That, I think, is the most important ingredient in a recipe that knocks your socks off in the end. Hang in there. I think you have a great concept there.
Yup, thats the idea. That area would start off basically at the splitter height, then angle up with a slight radius to meet again at the top height. I was afraid it may be too much of an angle and look retarded, but it looks like it will be at 30 degrees, the same exact angle as the headlight area.
In concept, the air should be cleaner down the side of the car since some of the air that was being pushed around the car, will now be forced over the car. At the same time, the air being trapped in the channel and forced over, should add considerably to front downforce.
Lemans here I come!! :laugh:
It appeared this direction would have the most dramatic change from original, yet somewhat easy to build also. Once the cuts are made and panels filled in, I may add some little front wings in that area. Similar to how the Enzo front is.
Last edited:
Thanks Ken. I wish I had someone to do the grunt work, lol.
It isn't completely symmetrical, but very close. This would be the new "face". Think it might be worth a shot.
I am having a real hang up though on how to blend the fender back in. Have a couple ideas though.
I am having a real hang up though on how to blend the fender back in. Have a couple ideas though.
With that layout, you could almost make the front end into 3 pieces. Having the fenders more permently mounted, while the center section being able to be removed more easily. Just not sure how that would work or look with the design of the front chassis area, though.
Here's a thought.....what about a series of wide, concave louvers ascending the triangular cut out all the way to the apex.....like the rocker louvers on a Saleen S7. They could be fabricated off the car, with the correct curvature and then bonded in place, thus simplifying the bodywork. The bonding point would be the only area to blend. Somebody smarter than me could even figure out how to angle them to direct air over, into, or around the body. I think they might even look quite wicked.
Here's a thought....what about a series of concave, wide louvers ascending to the apex of the triangular cutout.....like the rocker louvers on a Saleen S7. They could be fabricated off the car and bonded in place, leaving only the bond point to blend and thus simplify the bodywork. Somebody smarter than me (Scott) could even figure out how to angle them to direct air into, over, or around the body as desired.
I will already have louvers coming out from the center radiator exit. Adding a bunch of them to the sides also, and having them on the tops of the fenders may be abit much. I was thinking of one thin one maybe at the entrance.
Got the panels made to create the inner fender piece. Was pretty simple, just cast off of the existing fenders. The left outside, will become the right inner, and vice versa.
I can almost make the entire floor out of the cut piece, so no worries there, and I have enough flat pieces laid up to make the very inner slice. Should be done in a couple days!
To protect the body, I ran vinyl release masking on the body, and put a coat of wax on it. Very quick and easy. All lay up panels are single layer (very heavy oz weave though) so I can cut with sheetmetal shears. Once panels get fit, I will put 2-3 more layers underneath to complete.
I can almost make the entire floor out of the cut piece, so no worries there, and I have enough flat pieces laid up to make the very inner slice. Should be done in a couple days!
To protect the body, I ran vinyl release masking on the body, and put a coat of wax on it. Very quick and easy. All lay up panels are single layer (very heavy oz weave though) so I can cut with sheetmetal shears. Once panels get fit, I will put 2-3 more layers underneath to complete.
Well, one side very lightly mocked up. I think it has alot of potential. All of the inside and outside corners need to be rounded, but I think the final product should look good on the car. A little late to turn back now!
I did seriously have a tear in my eye after doing it. :cry: After mocking it up, I continued to tweak and still not really satisfied. After taking some pics, looking at it on the monitor, and squinting my eyes abit to picture the final product, I think it should look killer when done.
I am picturing it finished and not in it's present state ofcourse. The idea isn't really to try and improve over the original design (since it was so good in the first place), but I just have to be different and though it is a dramatic transformation, it is far less than starting from scratch.
It really is pretty dramatic in person and has the look I was going for. Will finish one side up completely so I can get exact measurements to make the other side. for weeks now the intersection of where all the pieces come together at the top was a problem. Figured I had enough of the design figured out it would come apparent once mocked up. Will be trying to work on that blend over the weekend and start glassing the backside so I can finish the outside.
Pics as it goes!
Ya, I already made up quite a few pieces I can glue in, but I need compound curves for this. Plan to just fill with bondo on the exterior and shape, then when I flip it over I can grind alot of the bondo out, and have a nice radius left to fg it all together. Lots of waste, but will get uniform thickness in the end.
Here is a few pics on car. Posting these pics helps me get away from it in person to better judge the overall effect. I think the direction is a little more "racy", lol.
I think front downforce just tripled!
I think front downforce just tripled!
