New build, old school shell on later spec chassis - discuss?
Discussion
For my next project Im thinking of rebodying a later spec car (I.e. chimeara) with an early styled body shell.
Why? To get the best of both worlds, modern running gear, reliable economic v8 performance with the style and looks of an earlier car. Using a donor car means no bespoke major parts.
My thought process is to use a catD car that would otherwise be stripped and sold for parts.
The shell would consist of the inner tub of a chimeara (so it fits straight on) and uses chimeara steering column, electrics, etc.
The outer style will be based on early Griffith/wide body Tuscan.
What's your thoughts on this project?
Thanks,
Phil.
Why? To get the best of both worlds, modern running gear, reliable economic v8 performance with the style and looks of an earlier car. Using a donor car means no bespoke major parts.
My thought process is to use a catD car that would otherwise be stripped and sold for parts.
The shell would consist of the inner tub of a chimeara (so it fits straight on) and uses chimeara steering column, electrics, etc.
The outer style will be based on early Griffith/wide body Tuscan.
What's your thoughts on this project?
Thanks,
Phil.
heightswitch said:
Why?
The Thurner and M chassis are just as good as any later up ended tower crane with telescopic suspension and fully triangulated wishbones. You will gain absolutely nothing by trying to mix the 2 parts only creating a chopped around chassis trying to make it fit a different wheelbase!!
Ok, well im not suggesting the later cars are necessarily better in chassis design or not, but think of my suggestion more along the lines of making good use of otherwise to be dismantled cars. The Thurner and M chassis are just as good as any later up ended tower crane with telescopic suspension and fully triangulated wishbones. You will gain absolutely nothing by trying to mix the 2 parts only creating a chopped around chassis trying to make it fit a different wheelbase!!
Costs- there are far more chimeara donors available for @ £3k. than there are original cars. What better to rebuild them to look like this :-
Assume you dont have access to an original early car to restore, its not like they come up very often? but want a lookalike.
No changes at all to the chassis, the body shell will fit directly onto the chimeara platform, arches will accomodate standard wheels even as the new tub will be identical to the chimeara underneath. Only the external appearance will look old school.
New life for cars otherwise heading for the scrapyard?
I was thinking £3k reasonable for a 50k miles pre-accident car with bodyshell damage?
New shell fits straight on, same wheelbase.
My last griff rebuild was straight forward enough, certainly easier than my cobra build. They really are not that complicated when compared to kit cars.
Phil.
New shell fits straight on, same wheelbase.
My last griff rebuild was straight forward enough, certainly easier than my cobra build. They really are not that complicated when compared to kit cars.
Phil.
Well as it happens I have been toying with a few bits I had lying around and found the outrigger positions of the chimeara and taimar are the same. The taimar was a close fit (although it didn't) on the chim chassis but the cross rails and central tunnel were the biggest problem.
I needed a chim tub so that I didn't have to build the floor from scratch. So a donor tub was sourced and trimmed to fit within the taimar shell.
This is where I am at, along with a scheme for the final look. Pics to follow.
Phil.
I needed a chim tub so that I didn't have to build the floor from scratch. So a donor tub was sourced and trimmed to fit within the taimar shell.
This is where I am at, along with a scheme for the final look. Pics to follow.
Phil.
I see where you are coming from, and of course what you are saying is completely true and makes a lot of sense, just spend £10k and buy a vixen.
But then you see this idea is not about that, its about exploring an idea. A random thought. What if.....
First pic shows taimar and chim side by side (well sort of).
The next couple show the two merging.....
The next shows the outer shell nearly in place and with a bonnet....
and the final one the planned end result...
But then you see this idea is not about that, its about exploring an idea. A random thought. What if.....
First pic shows taimar and chim side by side (well sort of).
The next couple show the two merging.....
The next shows the outer shell nearly in place and with a bonnet....
and the final one the planned end result...
Slow M said:
hil, that's tasty. Very aggressive looking, but I think they could have made the front wheelarch extensions somewhat more curvaceous, and follow the fender top line more closely.
Best,
B.
Yes , you are spot on, that's the one bit that lets it down. I was thinking I could widen the bonnet a tad at the front to cover the wider tyre line. Will post a pic in a moment to show what I mean.Best,
B.
N. for me its the round arch every time. Not true TVR maybe, but personnel taste. Your griff is looking great, a real car at last, worth all the effort, well done that man!
E. the older bonnet fits very well width wise, very close, only the early ones are not flat across the top like the taimar, they undulate slightly (curvy) but that will be accommodated.
Thanks for all the support, will keep posting progress, next job over the coming weeks is to bond the two tubs to make one, incorporating a rollcage of course that will pickup on the chim frame.
P.
GTRene said:
a bit silly power but nice to see what its becoming.
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=32693.8175
Blimey and I thought I was being radical!http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=32693.8175
Geoff - I'm at the stage of glassing the two halves together, I went for retaining the chim bulkheads front and rear and split along the top of the outriggers on both tubs. Fingers crossed it should fit well.
just a quick update, progress has been much slower than i had hoped (basically havent been near it !) but have finally got back onto this project again this week.
Have been wanting to spend some time on the tub and get it back to one piece ready to lift off the chassis which is currently holding everything in place at the moment. (also because its not my chassis, just borrowed it, and it is due to go under a griff refurb sometime soon...).
I wanted to get the outer shell bonded to the lower shell whilst bolted down flat to the chassis. Anyhow, i also wanted to look at the engine and exhaust manifold access issues and see if i could create more clearance whilst in the process of modifying the footwells and bulkhead. I decided to keep the battery in a secure battery box down in the passenger footwell but move the fusebox out somewhere more sensible. On the drivers side i still cannot decide whether to stick with a standard pedal box arrangement or go for a floor mounted box similar to a T car. The only real advantage of the floor mounted box being the increased engine bay room i could obtain above the drivers feet, handy for access to manifold bolts etc.
Will be stripping down the donor chimeara this week and see what condition everything is in, so i need to plough on and finish the bonding process and lift the tub...
Have been wanting to spend some time on the tub and get it back to one piece ready to lift off the chassis which is currently holding everything in place at the moment. (also because its not my chassis, just borrowed it, and it is due to go under a griff refurb sometime soon...).
I wanted to get the outer shell bonded to the lower shell whilst bolted down flat to the chassis. Anyhow, i also wanted to look at the engine and exhaust manifold access issues and see if i could create more clearance whilst in the process of modifying the footwells and bulkhead. I decided to keep the battery in a secure battery box down in the passenger footwell but move the fusebox out somewhere more sensible. On the drivers side i still cannot decide whether to stick with a standard pedal box arrangement or go for a floor mounted box similar to a T car. The only real advantage of the floor mounted box being the increased engine bay room i could obtain above the drivers feet, handy for access to manifold bolts etc.
Will be stripping down the donor chimeara this week and see what condition everything is in, so i need to plough on and finish the bonding process and lift the tub...
made a wooden former to ensure clearance for battery box and glassed up this new panel to go in passenger footwell. Once bonded into tub i will then thicken it up to required strength and flatten it off for paint. Obviously with it not being a reverse molding it will require more finishing but you get the basic idea, and hopefully the increased clearance for manifold access will be helpful and less heat transfer to the bodyshell.
When stripping the footwell carpets out of the tub and finding the carpet burnt from heat coming through the fibreglass I will be putting plenty of heat reflecting material on.
When stripping the footwell carpets out of the tub and finding the carpet burnt from heat coming through the fibreglass I will be putting plenty of heat reflecting material on.
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