"The Next One" - Handcrafted Mid-Engine Sports Car

[123pugsy]

Originally Posted by alloy

Please post more photos.

I am getting serious withdrawal symptoms

X2.

For all us guys who haven't been able to do any twisting lately, pics are a real lift.

[invision]

Originally Posted by alloy

Please post more photos.

I am getting serious withdrawal symptoms

Originally Posted by 123pugsy

X2.

For all us guys who haven't been able to do any twisting lately, pics are a real lift.

I'll try to get some stuff up this week guys.. hehe While the build hasn't been moving ahead as much as I would like ... progress is being made. This great weather is partly to blame... just can't help but get out and enjoy it.

Pugsy, I guess i'm not the only one who looks at other's work to get my butt in gear and get some metal shaped.

Stay tuned.

[invision]

As promised the front fenders

Cutting into yet another new sheet after creating a template of the general shape required..

The electric shear can create wavy edges while cutting the metal if pushed too fast so I usually, try to lay out/cut the sheet in a way that the wavy edges remain on the drops. However, at times the good piece may still end up with these distorted areas. The slapper and a flat dollie are used to even them out. Also, putting the perimeter through the wheel with some light pressure will take care of this issue as well.


Left and right pieces both start out nice and flat. However, 2 reverse curves in one panel will take care of that very quickly.


I started with rolling the piece though the wheel with the rubber wheel installed to give the panel some rigidity while working it.


Witness marks were made to indicate areas that I need to stay away from as they cannot be rolled...yet. The panel was then flipped over, having only the centre rolled to create the concave area. At this point the steel upper wheel is installed and after a few minutes of alternately rolling one side and then the other with some pressure...the fender is starting to take shape and fit the buck. However, there's still a long way to go. Areas to push and pull are highlighted.


Almost there...smoothing out and preparing to tip the body line features and edges into the panel. The wire frame's features are traced onto the underside of the panel. Also a bit of excess to trim away.


At this point this was far enough for the passenger side... the driver's side needed to be caught up. More to come

Thanks for following along

[Car Guys]

I face booked this and then found this thread. I'm gobsmacked. Your work and design look factory pressed if they actually cared.

Great work

Mark Shearer

[invision]

Originally Posted by Car Guys

I face booked this and then found this thread. I'm gobsmacked. Your work and design look factory pressed if they actually cared.

Great work

Mark Shearer

Thanks very much Mark!

Likewise, it's a great pleasure to meet so many talented people who share the same passion for metal and custom vehicle fabrication.

[invision]

Cutting out some more pieces...this time for the sides of the hood.



Welcome to the hood! Sorry, didn't have the camera out while these were being shaped. Both my Dad and I were busy getting these sides wheeled. Now the work begins...to fit, scribe, cut, weld, grind, planish, and hem this thing.



While creating this first hood(yes you read that correctly) may appear like 'metal shaping black magic'... that is, 'ahhh yeah...how'd he get from flat sheets to the final curved pieces" - I'll get some more comprehensive pictures up in the next while of the next hood that was made to replace this one.

[invision]

Topping off the build with the roof panel.

I was getting a bit anxious as the time was approaching to create the roof panel as I've never shaped a panel this large. The shape is simple enough...it's just managing the size. Normally, some would approach fabricating this in 4 pieces - the sides and front curvature pieces, followed by the main area panel...which would be welded to the 3 perimeter pieces. As you guys have seen, I've got a few marble loose up there ... so figured why not try it as one piece. The other thing is that I didn't really want to do all that welding/finishing. There'll be enough of that in the coming weeks.

The same shaping principles used to create smaller pieces also apply large ones...except for handling the size of the sheet. The throat on our wheel is large enough to accommodate over 1/2 the panel so 'washing out'/smoothing the panel wouldn't be an issue...

The roof panel was started by creating a flexible template on a fresh 4'x8' sheet.



The piece was cut out and preliminary wheeling pattern marked out.


After about 1/2 an hour of shaping the roof panel marks the 68th and final major panel being shaped... It's easy to over shoot the shape, therefore I like to take my time and sneak up on the curvature. Overshooting isn't really that much of an issue since you can wheel the perimeter to get the centre back down...but that means more time spent wheeling.


Later, after final shape tweaking, the edges will be trimmed and feature lines will be created.


So back to the wheel with my dad...pushing the areas over the doors up to attain the prescribed curvature.


Dropped the roof skin on again and marking areas to be adjusted...




A shot from the underside if the roof and the wire frame buck. The skin needs to conform to the this buck precisely. It's close, but has a long way to go yet...


Bringing up the centre section of the roof some more by starting to wheel it again...1/2" at a time.


Rolling on....


... and on...


...and on... It's getting close...and shiny. The upper wheel and lower anvil are transferring their mirror smooth surfaces onto the material being rolled.


Trial fitting the panel...again. A few more adjustments before the features are put in and edges tipped.


Perimeter edges need to have excess material trimmed.


Edges trimmed away and prepped for tipping.


Pheu!

Thanks for looking

[invision]

Pieces for the rear hatch are laid out and being prepped for assembly.


Fitting the pieces to the buck and scribing the underside of the dovetail panel so that the vent holes can be cut out.


After cutting out the vent holes, the panel was run though the tipping wheel to brake a starting bend. These bends can now be formed over the buck for a true fit.






Guess it was a few days later when these panels for the front compartment were shaped...didn't have the camera around to get some shots. Now they need to be welded and finished. Next thing to tackle are those big holes in the hood...

[invision]

With the metal shaping for the front compartment coming to an end and the troughs along the side redone(wasn't happy with the first go of narrow troughs) it was time to start fitting all the body pieces together.

I started by fitting the tops of the rear 1/4's to the buck. A few areas were in need of a massage until it felt relaxed in place.


Our Body Caliper was set up to measure and compare both sides for symmetry.


I was quite pleased to see that the consistency of the panel curvature came out this well. That includes the outer curvature. The curvature was checked in relation to each other on both sides at 5" increments.


Thanks for following along.

[fordguyfordman]

That's simply gorgeous. One of these days I'm going to have to visit you. Your work is fabulous. I end up around the falls area at least3 or 4 times a year.
Tom