New Prototype Kit Car...

[BladeX1]

OwenK,

The Blade is not really based on a MX5… I only used the front windshield and side windows as my glass pieces. I wanted to makes sure these were easy to get and that I would not have to have them custom made. The doors are from a MX5 as well but the final product will be composite doors with MX5 components. The chassis is custom designed and the wheelbase is at 95” about 6” longer than the MX5.

- Neal

[BladeX1]

Hey guys…

I just setup a Guest Book thingy on my site in order to make it easier to get feed back on my car. Its empty now and I was hoping you could help me get it started with a few comments. My project is about to be published on a few big sites starting today and I want to have at least a few posts in the Guest Book to encourage others that visit the site to comment.

Thanks a ton…


http://www.baileyblade.com/blade-gbook.cfm

- Neal

[RetroWheels]

As left on your guestbook...

Speaks the same design language as the TVR Sagaris ...
Stunning , HardCore , Malevolent , Beautiful and Stunning once again....

[OwenK]

BladeX1 said:

OwenK,

The Blade is not really based on a MX5… I only used the front windshield and side windows as my glass pieces. I wanted to makes sure these were easy to get and that I would not have to have them custom made. The doors are from a MX5 as well but the final product will be composite doors with MX5 components. The chassis is custom designed and the wheelbase is at 95” about 6” longer than the MX5.

- Neal

Ah, I follow. A wise choice I think, with MX5s being so readily available, and the passenger cell is quite sporty looking after you shed the Mazda nose and tail.
I think your side window shape is a little off on your 3D model. What blueprints are you using? If any? What program is it modeled in? Instinct tells me to say Max but I suppose it could also be Maya?

Be interested to chat with you further about cars, 3D and such, email if you like or I also have MSN Messenger if you have that.

Best of luck with the Blade, will be following your progress!

Owen

[simonjrwinter]

man thats fugly!

[BladeX1]

OwenK said:

Ah, I follow. A wise choice I think, with MX5s being so readily available, and the passenger cell is quite sporty looking after you shed the Mazda nose and tail.
I think your side window shape is a little off on your 3D model. What blueprints are you using? If any? What program is it modeled in? Instinct tells me to say Max but I suppose it could also be Maya?

Be interested to chat with you further about cars, 3D and such, email if you like or I also have MSN Messenger if you have that.

Best of luck with the Blade, will be following your progress!

Owen

Hey Qwen,

The conceptual images are designed using 3D Max and the chassis and other components are developed using solid works. Not sure about the side windows, it may be just the perspective. No blue prints were used at all, actually the doors were scanned using a 3D laser scanner and sonic scanner. The dimensions are pretty accurate.

Thanks,

simonjrwinter said:

man thats fugly!

Uh…well ok.

Thanks,

- Neal

[BladeX1]

Well it’s been awhile a lot has happened and we have moved into a new facility. It’s not really new… just new to us. Finally got moved in earlier this month and everything is still a mess so look for things to be much cleaner or possibly worse in the future. LOL

We took the previous body off the car and will begin a new version in the new few days. The new body will be a lot more refined in details and contours. Anyway enjoy the pics… you get to see the “Blade” necked.















- Neal

Edited by BladeX1 on Friday 30th May 20:29

Edited by BladeX1 on Friday 30th May 20:31

[BladeX1]

…and here is another quick update for the past few days.

This month has been a busy one… I finally finished all the tweaks to the new 3d model, had someone run some CFD testing (Aerodynamics) and made a few changes to the backend to help with airflow. Also designed the backend around some common taillights so that I want have to use some custom non DOT/SAE lights. The lights are still expensive but better in the long run.

I have included some current renders of the new design…. One thing you will notice is that the back end is different the rear diffuser is higher and manages the air flow a lot better, I removed the rear side vents and shorten the rear end by 4” The main reason for shortening the rear is because I added 4” to the wheelbase making it a total of 99 inches. This allows for a complete plug-in IRS setup that we are going to use and will help with the handling as well.





Other than that the front end has not changed much only refined more.

Also since the model is finished I have been spending a lot of time cutting out the new forms for the new body buck. I am calling this Blade 2.0 now… the new forms are a 100 times more accurate and I am using almost 4 times as much wood as I did the first time. I went with a thinner ¼ MDF as it’s easy to cut and shape with tools.

Here are a few images of the forms in place before the faming process.

















- Neal

Edited by BladeX1 on Friday 30th May 20:30

[M400 NBL]

I think it looks great. It looks to good to be a kit car, will it only be available as a kit? or will you do somethhing similar to Ultima?

[fuoriserie]

[quote=BladeX1














- Neal

Edited by BladeX1 on Friday 30th May 20:30

[/quote]

Neal

You're doing a great job on the prototype buck, and I'm looking forward to your final build.

I was looking at the earlier pictures, with all those Gt40's and other kits, is that a kitcar manufacturer facility?
Italo

Edited by fuoriserie on Friday 30th May 20:41

[BladeX1]

M400 NBL said:

I think it looks great. It looks to good to be a kit car, will it only be available as a kit? or will you do somethhing similar to Ultima?

Yeah at the beginning it started out to be a kit car but due to all the attention on the web and in magazine we have decided to turn it into more a turnkey specialty car. It’s becoming more advanced than a typical kit car and would be too much for someone to assemble at home. At the moment we are setting up dealerships and partnerships for production. We may also sell it as a turnkey minus where you buy the car and install your own engine… but this may change.

At the moment we are looking at a few engine options including the ROUSH 400IR 500HP and the new 5.4L Ford Racing with ROUSH supercharger 745+HP.

I am not sure what Ultima does (love their cars though)…

- Neal

[BladeX1]

fuoriserie said:

Neal

You're doing a great job on the prototype buck, and I'm looking forward to your final build.

I was looking at the earlier pictures, with all those Gt40's and other kits, is that a kitcar manufacturer facility?
Italo

Edited by fuoriserie on Friday 30th May 20:41

Yes it is… it’s a company called Lone Star Classics. We are leasing space and equipment from them. There is really no partnership except that they may be one of the first dealers of the car when it’s done. The project started out in my garage and I just needed more space and better equipment. They have it all there and I worked out a deal for the space.

- Neal

[Stevie Mojo]

If you end up with a car that resembles the one in the pics and stick a nice V8 in it as you intend then that is gonna be a rather nice motor. I'd love to see it happen.

[BladeX1]

Stevie Mojo said:

If you end up with a car that resembles the one in the pics and stick a nice V8 in it as you intend then that is gonna be a rather nice motor. I'd love to see it happen.

Hey thanks guys… I am working on some build videos too. Check out the link below it’s my first one. I have 700 gigs of video so far but its very time consuming to go through it and mesh it all together. So I just did a simple time-lapse version of me installing the forms.

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/Building-the-Ba...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJFSXIP6Vw8

- Neal

[Paul Drawmer]

BladeX1 said:

<snip> ...due to all the attention on the web and in magazine we have decided to turn it into more a turnkey specialty car. It’s becoming more advanced than a typical kit car and would be too much for someone to assemble at home. At the moment we are setting up dealerships and partnerships for production. <snip[>

So when does this thread become advertising then?

[andygtt]

I see your point, but he is doing something that kit car builders will be very interested in and has said that he's not intending to market it as a kit now...... I think from his posts he's just sharing his prgress with like minded people so as long as its not blatant and more as a result of him showing his progress I think its fine.

[M400 NBL]

I agree. I think PH should be delighted to be part of it. It's not as if it's in the genral gassing forum, although there are too many on here that will think the project is doomed just because it's British.

I dare say that PH will eventually test drive the finished artical and start a thread about it anyway.

[Stevie Mojo]

Paul Drawmer said:

BladeX1 said:

<snip> ...due to all the attention on the web and in magazine we have decided to turn it into more a turnkey specialty car. It’s becoming more advanced than a typical kit car and would be too much for someone to assemble at home. At the moment we are setting up dealerships and partnerships for production. <snip[>

So when does this thread become advertising then?

If somebody seems to be getting a little bit of something for nothing then you always get one who'll try to put a stop to it whether it affects them or not.

[Graham-P]

M400 NBL said:

I agree. I think PH should be delighted to be part of it. It's not as if it's in the genral gassing forum, although there are too many on here that will think the project is doomed just because it's British.

I dare say that PH will eventually test drive the finished artical and start a thread about it anyway.

Think you'll find he's from across the pond, the Lone Star State, Good old Texas. . . . .

[M400 NBL]

Graham-P said:

M400 NBL said:

I agree. I think PH should be delighted to be part of it. It's not as if it's in the genral gassing forum, although there are too many on here that will think the project is doomed just because it's British.

I dare say that PH will eventually test drive the finished artical and start a thread about it anyway.

Think you'll find he's from across the pond, the Lone Star State, Good old Texas. . . . .

Oh. Cheers.