My project supercar
Discussion
Well progress has been slow due to other commitments.....
But this was my final design for the rear, the splitter detail will differ slightly as I know what I want for this and do not need to spend time adding this detail to the picture.
I've then spent some time re-designing the side of the car and most critically I changed the door glass for something that I found much more pleasing. I currently don't have any good photos of the car from the side as the garage is a bit cramped at the moment.... its also very hard from the pictures to really see the curves and shapes in the battleship grey primer that I use, maybe I'll do a little video of it sometime and slap it into Utube.
But this was my final design for the rear, the splitter detail will differ slightly as I know what I want for this and do not need to spend time adding this detail to the picture.
I've then spent some time re-designing the side of the car and most critically I changed the door glass for something that I found much more pleasing. I currently don't have any good photos of the car from the side as the garage is a bit cramped at the moment.... its also very hard from the pictures to really see the curves and shapes in the battleship grey primer that I use, maybe I'll do a little video of it sometime and slap it into Utube.
I felt the same but I thought I'd give it a go anyhow and I think its turning out alright.... seeing as its all new to me (I'm an accountant) I recon if I can do it, anyone can.
Yes its a lot of work, but I don't watch telly or go down the pub so working on this is entirelly my R&R time.... it would be progressing faster if I didn't have to keep going overseas on business.
Yes its a lot of work, but I don't watch telly or go down the pub so working on this is entirelly my R&R time.... it would be progressing faster if I didn't have to keep going overseas on business.
Polarbert said:
Since you've put them in I've always thought the rear lights were some sort of aftermarket Nissan Skyline lights. Am I right? Or are they just generic rear lights?
rumbled.... aftermarket R34 items.
thanks for the possitive vibes, hopefully in a few years you'll all see it in the flesh at Pistonfest.
Gazboy said:
andygtt said:
Polarbert said:
Since you've put them in I've always thought the rear lights were some sort of aftermarket Nissan Skyline lights. Am I right? Or are they just generic rear lights?
rumbled.... aftermarket R34 items.
thanks for the possitive vibes, hopefully in a few years you'll all see it in the flesh at Pistonfest.
In that case you are going to have to think about reverse lights too, the R34 has it's reverse & fog set in the bumper:
fortunatelly there is no UK requirement to have a reversing light... only that if one is fitting it must work.
For example UK Ultimas do not have a reversing light but they must in the US.
For those that crave updates... I've done little recently due to work, BUT I have done quite a bit of body fettling and am going to try to get the car outside soon so that I can take some proper pics of it.
So pray for nice weather at the weekend.
My kids actually want to start getting involved with building the Indy which is the R1 engined caterfield that I am also building but have lost interest in due to the GTT.... It wont take many weekend to get that finished and then maybe I can get the bike back on the road.
Its almost a plan, if I manage it right I could perhaps get them building the cars and I can then move into a more managerial role
So pray for nice weather at the weekend.
My kids actually want to start getting involved with building the Indy which is the R1 engined caterfield that I am also building but have lost interest in due to the GTT.... It wont take many weekend to get that finished and then maybe I can get the bike back on the road.
Its almost a plan, if I manage it right I could perhaps get them building the cars and I can then move into a more managerial role
It's tight around the arches but that is deliberate so that for the track I can change the wheels for Porsche race wheels and rubber which have 1inch less RR without looking stupid in the arch...
This will also allow me to effectivelly lower the car by 1inch without any suspension mods AND lower the gearing from the quite frankly Silly top speed
The wheels on it at the moment are 19 Kahn split rims with enzo 345/35 rubber..... but its hard to get decent track rubber for 19's however there is loads for more normal porsche 18's, and I have designed the car to use porsche wheels.
Don't get me wrong I still need to check clearences carefully, just explaining why I've made it so close for now.
This will also allow me to effectivelly lower the car by 1inch without any suspension mods AND lower the gearing from the quite frankly Silly top speed
The wheels on it at the moment are 19 Kahn split rims with enzo 345/35 rubber..... but its hard to get decent track rubber for 19's however there is loads for more normal porsche 18's, and I have designed the car to use porsche wheels.
Don't get me wrong I still need to check clearences carefully, just explaining why I've made it so close for now.
The only BMW part is the V12... the gearbox is a Porsche GT3 item and the hubs and wheel bearings are all brand new Porsche 996 items so that 911 wheels fit straight on, also means that a simple upgrade to porsche carbon brakes is also possible.
Its heading towards the same wet weight as an Ultima GTR and with no internal mods the BMW V12 delivers 540ftlb at the wheels with twin turbos..... so it should slaughter my old Ultima's times and that was as quick down the quarter as a std Mclaren F1 (11.4's, Lm was 11.1!).
So performance should be good.
Its heading towards the same wet weight as an Ultima GTR and with no internal mods the BMW V12 delivers 540ftlb at the wheels with twin turbos..... so it should slaughter my old Ultima's times and that was as quick down the quarter as a std Mclaren F1 (11.4's, Lm was 11.1!).
So performance should be good.
It really isn't that hard... just a lot of work.
I was scared stiff of doing my own body (still am really) but have been forced down this route by a serious poor decision that I lost lots of money... it was either go for it or give up my dream.
Regarding safety.
The chasis has a strong backbone and there is box section around the driver and passenger, I also intend to put side impact bars in the doors and the roll cage is T45 (twice the strength of standard steel).... ultimatelly though it is designed by me in my garage and is no more/less proven than any other kit or one off special.
The car will go through something called an SVA (single Vehicle approval) which almost all low volume cars such as Ultimas do (as crash testing isn't an option). This test goes over almost the same aspects that a ford focus would have to pass, such as internal and external radius's, E marked lights, effective mirrors etc...
Its quite comprehensive and every new kit car you see on the road must pass this test before being registered.
Edited by andygtt on Wednesday 13th June 21:02
I had the areo expert round today to check the work I have done and finalise the rear spoiler design.... happy to say that he is now happy with the shape from an aero side and has recomended quite a large rear spoiler to match the considerable amount of downforce the front will produce..... anyone care to guess what car the front end was inspired by?.
Most of the changes to the shape this year have been aero changes that he recomended and then I had to tweak other bits to make it all look right, they may seem subtle but they make a big difference to both looks and the effciency (and around 9kgs of filler).
The wing is now being made... its a proper carbon fibre one about 300mm deep and 1.9m wide and continues the Britch GT car look that I am going for.
Unforunatelly I did my back in on Saturday and it's not recovering very quickly (been laid out all week) so I doubt I will get to work on the car for at least a few weeks.... but by then I may have the rear wing and be able to take some proper pictures of the car with it on.
Most of the changes to the shape this year have been aero changes that he recomended and then I had to tweak other bits to make it all look right, they may seem subtle but they make a big difference to both looks and the effciency (and around 9kgs of filler).
The wing is now being made... its a proper carbon fibre one about 300mm deep and 1.9m wide and continues the Britch GT car look that I am going for.
Unforunatelly I did my back in on Saturday and it's not recovering very quickly (been laid out all week) so I doubt I will get to work on the car for at least a few weeks.... but by then I may have the rear wing and be able to take some proper pictures of the car with it on.
GTWayne said:
andygtt said:
..... anyone care to guess what car the front end was inspired by?.....
I have a pretty good idea Andy but I wont spoil it for you. Hope your back is not damaged too badly.looks a bit different to when you were round last doesn't it.... I guess the question for you is does it look anything like what I tried to explain it would look like?
Dispite a bad back I have managed to rally the troops together and get the new carbon spoiler mocked up on the car (well actually I watched and Razman did the work).... and dispite heavy rain I decided to get the car pushed out of the garage (at last a use for the wife and all my kids) to take some better pictures of the body before all the suspension is picked up tommorrow.
I still havn't sorted my new replacement parts so the car will now be back on blocks for up to 6mths hence the rush. Have to admit I am currently regretting agreeing to sell all these parts
Hopefully the picture below shows were I was going with the rear end and how IMO it all comes together now the actual spoiler is on.... wooded struts are temporary and I will have a very different design on the final version.
Just to give the car some perspective to those that have not sen it in the flesh here is my 13yr Old daughter posing in the rain with the car.
Rear end still needs a lot of work particularly the diffuser.... but the look is exactly what I was aiming at.
After a visit from an absolute Guru (thanks Fran) I now have a real solution to line at the bottom of the windscreen that I didn't like as it didn't match the front of the car.... Here you can see the new shut line of the front clip and I will have a production car style black slam pannel below the screen.
Well its by no means finished as I do still have plenty of refinement to do but to be hounest but we are taking a few mm here and there to move shadow and shut lines... probably the most visible change in the future is on top of the front wheel arch which will be slightly reshaped and I may be changing the angle of the screen a degree.
Anyhow I am very happy with the shape and many thanks to those that have given input and special thanks to those that have come around.
I still havn't sorted my new replacement parts so the car will now be back on blocks for up to 6mths hence the rush. Have to admit I am currently regretting agreeing to sell all these parts
Hopefully the picture below shows were I was going with the rear end and how IMO it all comes together now the actual spoiler is on.... wooded struts are temporary and I will have a very different design on the final version.
Just to give the car some perspective to those that have not sen it in the flesh here is my 13yr Old daughter posing in the rain with the car.
Rear end still needs a lot of work particularly the diffuser.... but the look is exactly what I was aiming at.
After a visit from an absolute Guru (thanks Fran) I now have a real solution to line at the bottom of the windscreen that I didn't like as it didn't match the front of the car.... Here you can see the new shut line of the front clip and I will have a production car style black slam pannel below the screen.
Well its by no means finished as I do still have plenty of refinement to do but to be hounest but we are taking a few mm here and there to move shadow and shut lines... probably the most visible change in the future is on top of the front wheel arch which will be slightly reshaped and I may be changing the angle of the screen a degree.
Anyhow I am very happy with the shape and many thanks to those that have given input and special thanks to those that have come around.
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