Has anyone built their own car, from scratch?
Discussion
I am seriously thinking about doing this, either from scratch or based on an existing chassis. Mechanically, I'm not too concerned...
My main concern would be having it not look like a bag of rubbish at the end - bodywork, windscreen, those sort of areas seem tricky. An alternative would be to go Atom / X-bow style and have little or no bodywork.
Has anyone done this?
Cheers,
FT.
My main concern would be having it not look like a bag of rubbish at the end - bodywork, windscreen, those sort of areas seem tricky. An alternative would be to go Atom / X-bow style and have little or no bodywork.
Has anyone done this?
Cheers,
FT.
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk is full of people building their own car from scratch, including me. Not everyone on there is building a seven. Look for motalairea for an aerial atom like car, or for posts by fred W B for how it should be done, or me (smart51) and my cabin scooter for how I'm doing it.
Ideally something fully enclosed, with a roof and windscreen. Maybe a sort of lemans prototype look alike, or perhaps an Atom/X-bow sort of idea.
I'm pretty confident mechanically and I've worked with glass fibre in the past on boats... I'd like to work out how it'll all work before I start!
Cheers,
FT.
I'm pretty confident mechanically and I've worked with glass fibre in the past on boats... I'd like to work out how it'll all work before I start!
Cheers,
FT.
It helps if you know someone who can provide free CAD and/or CNC time. If not, it may be worth talking to a few manufacturers to avoid underestimating what is required.
It's a lot of work to do it by hand. I reckon I've spent circa 2k hours on my bodywork so far, and that's just a restyle (about 50% of the full car).
It's a lot of work to do it by hand. I reckon I've spent circa 2k hours on my bodywork so far, and that's just a restyle (about 50% of the full car).
A very good freind of mine loves his old british sports cars and V8s. He is currently building from scratch a MG Midget. As they race these cars whole fibreglass fronts and backs can be purchased for pennies. So he has used the panels as a guide for shape and size then CAD, bent all the metal work, welded and fitted all that is needed to make the car. Final task is to then fit the removable fibre glass over the top. It means its a bit of a sleeper with a 500BHP supercharged V8. Not finished yet and is taking him an age to do (especially as he has only just found the enjoyment of an Aprilla RSV Mille R and a full bike licence!). Its a different way about it if you dont want to fibre glass whole cars to finish the look.
Bi22le said:
It means its a bit of a sleeper with a 500BHP supercharged V8.
That's going to be a bit of a squeeze into an MG Midget. I really don't see how that could be done without some of the engine and blower being outside the Midget shape. If the idea is to have the blower sticking out through the bonnet then that is rather going to spoil the 'sleeper' aspect of it.LotusNova said:
It helps if you know someone who can provide free CAD and/or CNC time. If not, it may be worth talking to a few manufacturers to avoid underestimating what is required.
It's a lot of work to do it by hand. I reckon I've spent circa 2k hours on my bodywork so far, and that's just a restyle (about 50% of the full car).
Ta. Just looked at your profile, that car's crazy! It's a lot of work to do it by hand. I reckon I've spent circa 2k hours on my bodywork so far, and that's just a restyle (about 50% of the full car).
Cheers,
FT.
LotusNova said:
I reckon I've spent circa 2k hours on my bodywork so far, and that's just a restyle (about 50% of the full car).
I built this bolide simply to get the first ten second quarter in the Philippines. I had about fifteen minutes in that bodywork. 
The motor was a 350 Chevy, with all the bits in, a two speed Powerglide, 9" rear axle, and not a lot of anything else. Body was marine ply, glassed over inside and out. Roll cage was probably illegal by every racing standard in the western world. But gods teeth, it was quick. No wheel spin, no screeching of tyres, it just got up and went like a scalded cat!
singlecoil in reply to the v8 supercharged in a midget this is where my mate is being quite clever. He is using a modern v8 from a burnt out range which is smaller and lighter. He has acquired a massive turbo from a marine engine and will split it. Belt driving only the compressor side gives a small but punchy supercharger. I hope it works and if cant see why not. He would of known if it dont.
Bi22le said:
singlecoil in reply to the v8 supercharged in a midget this is where my mate is being quite clever. He is using a modern v8 from a burnt out range which is smaller and lighter. He has acquired a massive turbo from a marine engine and will split it. Belt driving only the compressor side gives a small but punchy supercharger. I hope it works and if cant see why not. He would of known if it dont.
Turbos spin at 100,000+ rpm, superchargers generally operate nearer engine RPM. You'd need a hell of a gearbox to belt drive that, wouldn't you?Cheers,
FT.
I would of thought as long as you get the PSI output from the compressor rotation speed would not matter. The only reason that turbos spin so fast is to give response and that they use gas as the generating force not a belt to the crank. Also a turbo is capable of huge PSI and are heavily regulated to stop crazy over boosting. Not saying these points are the answer. Just my thoughts in response to the question. I just hope it works. If not it will be a happy 450BHP midget, oh well!
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