Anyone designed & built their own car?

[groomi]

Hi all, first time posting on this forum.

Having been through the system at Cov. uni a few years back studying Automotive Design, I've always had a burning desire to design and build my own car.

It's still a few years away yet as I don't have a house with enough space for a garage, but I am trying to get round to the designing bit

So, just wondering if there is anybody out there who has done this who could offer a few words of encouragement to keep me going until I can persuade the missus to move?

Cheers,

Iain

PS: I have a particular liking for a modern day take on a Mille Miglia style sportscar

[dern]

Check out www.locostbuilders.co.uk. Most of it is seven inspired stuff based on Ron Champions book but there are people who are going their own way and some who are building their own mid-engined cars from scratch.

Regards,

Mark

[docevi1]

http://216.65.16.162/meerkat/ is a member here
and www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=110243&f=30&h=0 will be of interest.

[groomi]

Cheers Guys,
Just what I needed to get the juices flowing again

[sgraber]

Hi Iain,

I am rolling my own. I started with an idea and a pile of steel and am still at it after 2-1/2 years. It's a middy with a 1.6l Toyota engine, and bodywork of my own design. Designing and building the chassis and getting that part running was pretty straightforward. Here is a photo of the plug from May 1st, 2005.




I would imagine that my project was similar to a locost build (with the exception that mine is a middy designed from scratch) up until about a year ago when I started on the bodywork... That's when it got really difficult. I keep thinking that I am close to pulling molds, but in reality I probably have another 100 hours of work to finish the plug.

www.grabercars.com

[tvrolet]

Check our 'vprman'. He has designed and built a full sized viper replica from the ground up - like chassis, running gear, the lot!

Also makes 'mini-vipers' too!

WB

[Spartan_andy]

check out meerkat too he's doing his own from the ground up

Last time i looked had a full build to date diary

[RickH]

Have a look at this one:

www.dpcars.net/

And go to dp1 (fourth one down below the cart)

This guy has serious amounts of time and cash on his hands.

Bike engined, four-wheel drive, custom build (CAD designed) chassis and carbon fibre shell. Nice

Rick

[groomi]

RickH said:

Have a look at this one: www.dpcars.net/ And go to dp1 (fourth one down below the cart) This guy has serious amounts of time and cash on his hands. Bike engined, four-wheel drive, custom build (CAD designed) chassis and carbon fibre shell. Nice Rick

WOW! What a fantastic project. How people find the time to design and build something like that and still keep a very thorough web-diary, I have no idea.



Certainly getting inspired now!

[289]

Here IS the vpr Viper

www.pistonheads.com/sales/detail.asp?i=42156&s=130

Fantastic car.
A credit to the talents of Colin.

[groomi]

Right then.

Have managed to lay my hands on Solidworks, so just need to learn how to use it. Will do that whilst plotting the basic dimensions and parameters from the intended donor vehicle - Jaguar XJR8

Then it's on to the fun bit of actually sketching concepts around those parameters.

This is going to be a very long process and may never even reach fruition - but it's gonna be fun finding out

[vojx]

groomi said:

Right then. Have managed to lay my hands on Solidworks, so just need to learn how to use it. Will do that whilst plotting the basic dimensions and parameters from the intended donor vehicle - Jaguar XJR8 Then it's on to the fun bit of actually sketching concepts around those parameters. This is going to be a very long process and may never even reach fruition - but it's gonna be fun finding out

way to go. good luck

[fuoriserie]

groomi

I'd like to see your sketches and ideas on this project, in fact I'm sketching, just for fun, a Kougar sports car update with Jaguar running gear.

I also like your Mille Miglia concept.....I hope to see some of your sketches in the design thread

cheers
Italo

[groomi]

fuoriserie said:

groomi I'd like to see your sketches and ideas on this project, in fact I'm sketching, just for fun, a Kougar sports car update with Jaguar running gear. I also like your Mille Miglia concept.....I hope to see some of your sketches in the design thread cheers Italo

Yeah, looking forward to having a bash. I haven't used my markers for about three years, but it shouldn't take long to get back into the swing of things.

I'll post the initial ideas up when I get going.