Lowlife ! ! Posted June 10, 2023 Posted June 10, 2023 Time for a new project ! I always liked concept cars, although the I8 is pretty futuristic, i plan to make it more so, get a bit crazy and see what happens... No ideas what the plan is yet, just make it up as i go along....hopefully i can come up with something a bit unusual.... Heres a pic from the Net as im waiting to take delivery of mine !
Lowlife ! ! Posted June 10, 2023 Author Posted June 10, 2023 Well its arrived, took some bits out to mock up and ive been staring at it ever since. Problem is you dont want to rush in and chop bits up, so im coming up with ideas slowly as i build a picture in my head of the finished thing ! I keep looking at the AVTR by Mercedes, its my favourite car ever, so im trying not to get too carried away ! One thing was the roof top, i love the look of a glass one, so very carefully removed mine. The idea is to heat a clear piece of plastic over the roof i removed, to make a clear panel with the right curves. I scribed it out then used a Tamiya photoetch saw blade to finish. Highly recommend these, they bend easy but are great for thin cuts ! Anyway some pics, more soon ! Before.... And after... 1
Lowlife ! ! Posted June 11, 2023 Author Posted June 11, 2023 Thanks Steve ! Interior time ! Been looking forward to this bit, the interior is the main showpiece as its all glass above, so its gotta be crazy ! First thing was to cut out the horrible bits, centre console, seat bases and a hump running across the floor. Make up some templates in card and replace with plastic sheet. Now i have a clean space ! Ive cut a strip off the standard dash and added this to support the window correctly. Next is a centre console that runs from the top of the rear seat, curving through the interior and ending up forming the new dashboard ! More soon ! Before... Bits cut out and new templates... And a clean space, with a bit of original dashboard added to ! 1
Ace-Garageguy Posted June 11, 2023 Posted June 11, 2023 Very interesting project. I'm wondering how you're intending to heat-form a clear plastic part over a plastic part, without getting distortion of the form. I would probably opt to make a high-temp epoxy/f'glass copy of the roof panel to use as a form, but I tend towards overkill in most things.
Lowlife ! ! Posted June 11, 2023 Author Posted June 11, 2023 Thanks bill, Funny I meant to ask for suggestions about doing this , I've no idea... Anyone done this before ? Ideally I'd like to make glass for the windscreen and roof in one piece, but maybe that's a bit adventurous !
JollySipper Posted June 11, 2023 Posted June 11, 2023 Hello, Martin man! I really like what's going on here..... The panoramic roof will definitely make this special. I really hope you'll figure out the clear piece, maybe using a thin enough clear sheet, you can form it at a low enough temp that the buck doesn't get warped on you.....?
Kennyboy Posted June 11, 2023 Posted June 11, 2023 There are videos online of how to make a vacuformer with a shop vac. Just 1 idea
beeRS Posted June 12, 2023 Posted June 12, 2023 Great start Martin. Good start with the roof so far. Knowing you, this’ll be another crazy and epic adventure. Looking forward to seeing where you go with this one.
MeatMan Posted June 12, 2023 Posted June 12, 2023 Great project Martin! Yeah, I think vacuforming is the most expedient route, using the cut off piece as the mold for a buck.
Lowlife ! ! Posted June 22, 2023 Author Posted June 22, 2023 Thanks guys ! Dashboard was a pain as it mounts to the bodywork, not the interior. So i had to devise a way for the dashboard to fit to the interior bucket, and still line up with everything ! Think i like this idea, a floating dash that runs through to the back ! Had to cut out the original dash mounts etc out and cut a wedge from the back seat to fit it .. And by accident initailly, im following the dash styling with layered pieces overlapping too ! heres some pics..... 1
Lowlife ! ! Posted January 18, 2024 Author Posted January 18, 2024 (edited) Finally.... Progress ! ! Well kind of, I enjoy these builds where its all make believe, but the problem is I build stuff, then a few days later I dont like it ! So first a couple of pics of mistakes that i threw away ! Original seats were slimmed down, cut apart, added movable arm rests and adjustable foot pads, all painted then a week later decided they were just too normal so binned them ! New seats from the parts box are crazy things that i really like, they are `floating` with no visible supports . Rear seats deleted so a 2 seater now ! Edited January 18, 2024 by Lowlife ! !
Lowlife ! ! Posted January 18, 2024 Author Posted January 18, 2024 Next up the engine, thought you wouldnt see much of it, so built it out the box, with wiring etc... Yep, hated this one too, so cut it in half, threw the top part away and made this, mainly out of 2 ball point pens ! Needs a bit more wiring maybe but its got the look i want .... Crazy !! Oh and ive just found some wheels... there actually rubber bouncy balls but i think they might just work.... More soon...
Lowlife ! ! Posted January 21, 2024 Author Posted January 21, 2024 Thankyou Gents, much appreciated ! Getting really carried away with this now, more crazy ideas... Was looking for wheels to use, something unusual, and then thought why use normal shaped wheels ? So went on the look out for round shapes, approx 1.25" , and rubber (ish) !! Found some bouncy balls eventually, there a bit heavy but perfect size, and if i drop the thing it should hopefully bounce back ! ! Painted black, for now, they need something else but have the look im after !! Ive filled over the bonnet intake, didnt like that bit, and cut the grill out of the front end as i dont want lights, or a grill ! Thanks for looking in ... Front end looks kinda mean ! !
Randy D Posted January 22, 2024 Posted January 22, 2024 Martin, Having a great time following this one ! Randy
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