Somewhere between body kit and kit car...
Discussion
I'd love to own something that resembled and looked like a supercar. I'd love to design my own. Unless I win the lottery, it seems highly likely I ever will, as with most people.
Anyway, what is the crack if you took an already good car, stripped back the bodywork to the bare basics, then designed and built your own panels to effectively transform the look of the car, and I mean significantly?
Like a kit car but the donor car stays mechanically intact. Underneath you still have an Audi S4 or whatever, but on the outside it looks like the batmobile?
Has anyone ever done it? What would be the requirements for the DVLA and insurers?
inb4 someone says, "just get a Lotus/VX220/motorbike/Skyline". This is about having a stand-out, unique and personally designed car (exterior) as much as anything.
Anyway, what is the crack if you took an already good car, stripped back the bodywork to the bare basics, then designed and built your own panels to effectively transform the look of the car, and I mean significantly?
Like a kit car but the donor car stays mechanically intact. Underneath you still have an Audi S4 or whatever, but on the outside it looks like the batmobile?
Has anyone ever done it? What would be the requirements for the DVLA and insurers?
inb4 someone says, "just get a Lotus/VX220/motorbike/Skyline". This is about having a stand-out, unique and personally designed car (exterior) as much as anything.
Yep done loads of times before - nothing new. Most recent are MEV MX5 reskin (now discontinued) and the MX250. Most replicas of modern Fezzas are done this way too (based on Pug 406, MR2 or Ford Cougar). So not a new concept and also avoids the pitfalls of IVA but it's choosing a desirable donor (desirable in terms of drive train and driving dynamics) and working around the structural fixed points to come up with a radically different and cohesive, good looking car - that's the trick that very few master.
Ideally you'd want a donor with a chassis so you ditch all the bodywork - problem is most modern machinery is monocoque so that limits what can be removed. This is why the humble Beetle wasso popular back in the 70's as a base car because of it's flat chassis and low profile running gear, once the body was removed you could design the whackiest body in the world for it (and some did!)
Personally I think the future of rebodying lies with 3D printing developments - CAD all the way, all interference problems ironed out in the virtual world, no dodgy bucks and a product that would be mm perfect time after time.
Ideally you'd want a donor with a chassis so you ditch all the bodywork - problem is most modern machinery is monocoque so that limits what can be removed. This is why the humble Beetle wasso popular back in the 70's as a base car because of it's flat chassis and low profile running gear, once the body was removed you could design the whackiest body in the world for it (and some did!)
Personally I think the future of rebodying lies with 3D printing developments - CAD all the way, all interference problems ironed out in the virtual world, no dodgy bucks and a product that would be mm perfect time after time.
Edited by smash on Thursday 27th June 10:05
I've done it. It's VERY hard. Making something that looks good is one thing, making the other side match is another, then making it solid enough to stand up to the vibration and harshness of actually driving is another.
Great project, but do it with eyes open.
Best donor is a Seven type car (see Dutton Legerra - that's what they did, or the MK HSR). Or use an MR2 like Tribute AUtomotive do with the MRS200, or an MX5 like Tribute does with the MX250.
There's loads of possible donors, but pick one that's decent to drive! nowt worse than having a smart looking car that gets outdragged at the lights by shopping cars!
Good luck.
Great project, but do it with eyes open.
Best donor is a Seven type car (see Dutton Legerra - that's what they did, or the MK HSR). Or use an MR2 like Tribute AUtomotive do with the MRS200, or an MX5 like Tribute does with the MX250.
There's loads of possible donors, but pick one that's decent to drive! nowt worse than having a smart looking car that gets outdragged at the lights by shopping cars!
Good luck.
I always think a very good base for this idea is the VX220.
It's relatively cheap, already sports a fibre glass body and the rear end is quite workable to accept different engines and configurations.
Even in standard trim it's a pretty sporty car so you could just re-work the body and go with it.
I often wonder just how hard it is to create a body though. mechanics i'm fine with, fibreglass etc, not so much.
It's relatively cheap, already sports a fibre glass body and the rear end is quite workable to accept different engines and configurations.
Even in standard trim it's a pretty sporty car so you could just re-work the body and go with it.
I often wonder just how hard it is to create a body though. mechanics i'm fine with, fibreglass etc, not so much.
smash said:
Yep done loads of times before - nothing new. Most recent are MEV MX5 reskin (now discontinued) and the MX250. Most replicas of modern Fezzas are done this way too (based on Pug 406, MR2 or Ford Cougar).
Yeah the Extreme Merci looks astonishingly good.The main issue with all these is that they're based on small engine cars, be nice to have a beefy 4.2 V8 or something under the hood.
Edited by 1ManRiot on Thursday 27th June 15:03
Decided I'm going to use the mk3 MR2 for this project (or maybe a Celica actually), I did want something a bit more "luxury" but they're a good shape to play with and cheap enough to not worry about too much.
What proper engines fit into an MR2? (had a look, looks like you can get a V6 lump in it)
Planning to simply use bits of wood, mesh and foam to build the shapes I want then GRP all over it.... simple as that....?!
What proper engines fit into an MR2? (had a look, looks like you can get a V6 lump in it)
Planning to simply use bits of wood, mesh and foam to build the shapes I want then GRP all over it.... simple as that....?!
Edited by 1ManRiot on Thursday 27th June 18:11
My RS200 is a Mk3 MR2 (facebook.com/MRS200)
It's riding a 1MZ Camry 3.0 V6... it's enough! The 2GR does go, but it's overkill (remember the Mk3 is a lot lighter than Mk2).
What am I saying... never enough power!!!
SOmeone dropped an Audi 4.2 V8 in there...
If you're going to mess with a Celica, use an ST205 - 4wd and big turbo power. It's a brute, but it's fast. If you want lighter deft handling, use a 190 Gen 7.
It's riding a 1MZ Camry 3.0 V6... it's enough! The 2GR does go, but it's overkill (remember the Mk3 is a lot lighter than Mk2).
What am I saying... never enough power!!!
SOmeone dropped an Audi 4.2 V8 in there...
If you're going to mess with a Celica, use an ST205 - 4wd and big turbo power. It's a brute, but it's fast. If you want lighter deft handling, use a 190 Gen 7.
I'm on the verge of buying a non-running MR2-3, wondering if it'll be more than I can handle, never done anything with RGP or anything before. I even downloaded Blender to try and do some 3D designs of how I want it to look but I've no idea how to use it!
I want it to look angular, Gallardo-inspired without looking like a Gallardo copy or something.
I've been looking at the Woodsport V6 conversions which seem best bet, I would still prefer a V8 though, especially an Audi lump!
I'm not mechanically experienced, but one of my good friends is and has access to a top-notch garage (his best mate's) and all associated equipment at weekends so I'm quite prepared to put some work into it.
Upgrade suspension, easy, upgrade brakes, fairly easy, upgrade engine/transmission/gearbox, the trick part. And then create a design which seems like the hardest part of all!
But I really would love a nice, proper, meaty, poser's car for next summer!
I want it to look angular, Gallardo-inspired without looking like a Gallardo copy or something.
I've been looking at the Woodsport V6 conversions which seem best bet, I would still prefer a V8 though, especially an Audi lump!
I'm not mechanically experienced, but one of my good friends is and has access to a top-notch garage (his best mate's) and all associated equipment at weekends so I'm quite prepared to put some work into it.
Upgrade suspension, easy, upgrade brakes, fairly easy, upgrade engine/transmission/gearbox, the trick part. And then create a design which seems like the hardest part of all!
But I really would love a nice, proper, meaty, poser's car for next summer!
OlberJ said:
I always think a very good base for this idea is the VX220.
It's relatively cheap, already sports a fibre glass body and the rear end is quite workable to accept different engines and configurations.
Even in standard trim it's a pretty sporty car so you could just re-work the body and go with it.
I often wonder just how hard it is to create a body though. mechanics i'm fine with, fibreglass etc, not so much.
This is the best way TBH.It's relatively cheap, already sports a fibre glass body and the rear end is quite workable to accept different engines and configurations.
Even in standard trim it's a pretty sporty car so you could just re-work the body and go with it.
I often wonder just how hard it is to create a body though. mechanics i'm fine with, fibreglass etc, not so much.
The car is already a good base. The bodywork is already fiberglass, and its really just a couple of bolt on clams. Unbolt those and you have a running elise chassis, ready to accept whatever body you care to build.
There are quite a few modified body elise/and xv cars about, so its been done quite a few times before.
smash said:
Yep done loads of times before - nothing new. Most recent are MEV MX5 reskin (now discontinued) and the MX250. Most replicas of modern Fezzas are done this way too (based on Pug 406, MR2 or Ford Cougar). So not a new concept and also avoids the pitfalls of IVA but it's choosing a desirable donor (desirable in terms of drive train and driving dynamics) and working around the structural fixed points to come up with a radically different and cohesive, good looking car - that's the trick that very few master.
Ideally you'd want a donor with a chassis so you ditch all the bodywork - problem is most modern machinery is monocoque so that limits what can be removed. This is why the humble Beetle wasso popular back in the 70's as a base car because of it's flat chassis and low profile running gear, once the body was removed you could design the whackiest body in the world for it (and some did!)
Personally I think the future of rebodying lies with 3D printing developments - CAD all the way, all interference problems ironed out in the virtual world, no dodgy bucks and a product that would be mm perfect time after time.
Not discontinued - taken over made by someone else now (which seem to happen quite a bit with Stuarts designs):Ideally you'd want a donor with a chassis so you ditch all the bodywork - problem is most modern machinery is monocoque so that limits what can be removed. This is why the humble Beetle wasso popular back in the 70's as a base car because of it's flat chassis and low profile running gear, once the body was removed you could design the whackiest body in the world for it (and some did!)
Personally I think the future of rebodying lies with 3D printing developments - CAD all the way, all interference problems ironed out in the virtual world, no dodgy bucks and a product that would be mm perfect time after time.
Edited by smash on Thursday 27th June 10:05
MEVX5
If it had an opening rear hatch/window it would be really usefull.
1ManRiot said:
Planning to simply use bits of wood, mesh and foam to build the shapes I want then GRP all over it.... simple as that....?!
I think you should investigate how some people make light aircraft. Some of the manuals on the Europa website make interesting reading if you are that way inclined.Not a supercar but something along these lines.....
Strip away the old bodywork to leave the floorpan with the original running gear on the chassis.
Just a PCD change on the hubs to help the project along - keep it simple
Buy lots of fibreglass materials and destroy the inside of your garage for months.
If you know your cars then you might get an idea from the white bootlid?
Make up a buck and mould away
or give up and just photoshop
Strip away the old bodywork to leave the floorpan with the original running gear on the chassis.
Just a PCD change on the hubs to help the project along - keep it simple
Buy lots of fibreglass materials and destroy the inside of your garage for months.
If you know your cars then you might get an idea from the white bootlid?
Make up a buck and mould away
or give up and just photoshop
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