TheGecko
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| posted on 2/3/03 at 02:35 PM |
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Body design progress
Hi all,
Despite being buried in my day job I've been spending bits of my evenings and weekends trying to finalise my styling model. Here are two shots of
the model in white primer - I've digitally added in the black beltline trim and two of the taillights.
The front is now somewhat shorter than before and the tail completely redone. The instrument pod is shown but neither the new windscreen or wind
deflector are modeled fully yet. Also, a set of 5 engine bay air intakes to run down the side in front of the rear wheels that aren't shown although
you can see them in my old avatar image at left.
Comments (good or bad) welcomed.
Dominic
[Edited on 2/3/2003 by TheGecko]
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Alan B
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| posted on 2/3/03 at 07:00 PM |
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Taking shape nicely mate I particularly like the rear.
I wish I'd have spent more time on my model instead of re-working stuff at full scale....
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scutter
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| posted on 2/3/03 at 10:40 PM |
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Very nice,
The back end is a little reminiscent of a corvette(should confuse people following you)
keep going Dan.
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TheGecko
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| posted on 3/3/03 at 02:58 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Alan B
Taking shape nicely mate I particularly like the rear.
I wish I'd have spent more time on my model instead of re-working stuff at full scale....
Thanks Alan. I laboured over the rear end design for a long time without coming up with anything I liked. When you started posting images of the
Meerkat's tail I was inspired (to say the least  . There's only so many ways of doing the tail on a transverse mid-engined roadster I suppose. I
took about 6"-12" in length off the original rear and gave it an 'arch' in profile so it didn't look as flat and slab like.
On the subject of modelling vs full-size: I'm hoping to make as many of my styling decisions as possible at 1:6 scale to save time and effort at 1:1.
All things being equal (hah!) I'll gel-coat the model and pull some moulds from it soon, which should also help define the right place for split
lines etc. The recessed 'beltline' that runs all the way around is the primary mould split (along with the arches and cockpit) but I'll need some
more around the tail particularly.
Dan, thanks for your encouragement too. The (slight) resemblance to a Corvette shouldn't be much of an issue as they're very rare on the roads here
(Australia).
Dominic
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Rorty
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| posted on 3/3/03 at 06:38 AM |
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I definitely prefer the update....I don't like big over-hangs. Or Hang-overs for that matter!
I've been keeping an eye on your project, and I'm still of the opinion (my very own!), that the whole front has the appearance of the front
suspension having collapsed. I would prefer a little more daylight, as it were, around the top of the tyre. It also looks like the top of the scuttle
will be just grazing your knees, and I think that's amplified by the screen being so tall. If the scuttle were higher, and very, very gently curving
down to the (slightly higher) nose, it would give it an overall, much meatier appearance, without greatly adding to bulk or weight.
Just when you thought I'd finished tearing your pet apart....
I do like pronounced guards, it adds a pleasant "haunchiness" (there's a new word) to a car, but, I feel there's too much showing at
the front leading edge. It's too square. I would prefer to see the body slightly wider, and flow the nose into the flare just slightly, to reduce the
"I've-just-found-some-old-rally-flares-for-my-car" look.
I'll fully understand if you never send me a Christmas card again, but it's all critiscism, not an attack!
Cheers, Rorty.
"Faster than a speeding Pullet".
PLEASE DON'T U2U ME IF YOU WANT A QUICK RESPONSE. TRY EMAILING ME INSTEAD!
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TheGecko
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| posted on 3/3/03 at 12:21 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Rorty
I would prefer a little more daylight, as it were, around the top of the tyre.
There's only about 55mm above the tyre as it currently stands and, yes, it's not enough. Like a lot of the details on this model, I'm a bit
limited by the base structure I built 16+ months ago. I have moments when I think about starting from scratch (!!) but then sanity prevails and I try
to work with what I've got. I'd rather do the second iteration at 1:1 scale.
quote:
It also looks like the top of the scuttle will be just grazing your knees, and I think that's amplified by the screen being so tall. If the
scuttle were higher, and very, very gently curving down to the (slightly higher) nose, it would give it an overall, much meatier appearance, without
greatly adding to bulk or weight.
Well, that's one of the reasons there's no screen in the current images The scuttle is taller than it looks - about 550mm from floor pan to top
side at the dashboard. Once again, if I were starting again I would lay out that part of the model somewhat differently.
quote:
Just when you thought I'd finished tearing your pet apart....
I do like pronounced guards, it adds a pleasant "haunchiness" (there's a new word) to a car, but, I feel there's too much showing at
the front leading edge. It's too square. I would prefer to see the body slightly wider, and flow the nose into the flare just slightly, to reduce the
"I've-just-found-some-old-rally-flares-for-my-car" look.
Well, the annoying part is, I pretty much agree with you . The area around the
front air dam/wheel arch is the least satisfactory part for me. One of my more radical thoughts (which would pretty much require starting from
scratch) is to widen the whole body by about 100mm (50mm a side). This would reduce the amount the guards 'stick out' by more than half.
Simultaneously increasing the diameter of the wheel arches and raising the scuttle would keep the proportions at the front about the same while
balancing it better with the back. Plus, I'd get the extra tyre clearance I need. Of course, it would mean pretty much abandoning the current model
and building a new one  At least I know a heap of mistakes not to make this time
quote:
I'll fully understand if you never send me a Christmas card again, but it's all critiscism, not an attack!
Rorty, if I didn't want criticism (constructive, that is) I wouldn't show the images. I really appreciate your comments, particularly as they
reinforce many of my own concerns about the design. I pretty much convinced now that I'm better off starting from scratch with a new model that
includes all of the 'fixes' the current one needs.
Oh, and don't worry - you were never on my XMas card list
Thanks again,
Dominic
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Spyderman
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| posted on 3/3/03 at 05:54 PM |
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My thoughts were overall it looked good!
My only concerns would be the nose cone as it looks rather high.
If it were curved downwards slightly from about the front axle line it would look less "frog-like".
The wheelarches I could live with, but would agree that if the front was widened it would blend in better.
It is definately the nose that needs attention as it is "so seventies" in appearance. Could almost imagine it being sat upon a VW chassis.
Terry
No christmas card for me either!
Spyderman
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TheGecko
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| posted on 4/3/03 at 02:54 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Spyderman
My only concerns would be the nose cone as it looks rather high.
If it were curved downwards slightly from about the front axle line it would look less "frog-like".
I'm not quite sure what you mean when
you say 'high'? The nose is all pretty low (given that it's pretty much all lower than the top of the wheels). Or are you getting at the flatness
of it, which I agree is a bit of a problem. See the attached image for possible before and after profiles through the nose area. Is that what you
have in mind? It's where I'm heading (I think).
quote:
It is definately the nose that needs attention as it is "so seventies" in appearance. Could almost imagine it being sat upon a VW
chassis.
Boy Oh Boy - are you ever off the XMas list =)
Seriously though, thanks for taking the time to comment - it's appreciated.
Dominic
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Geoff011
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| posted on 4/3/03 at 11:17 AM |
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Dominic,
That's looking good. I think that if you look at the styling it fits closely within your original inspirations (Maxton Rollerskate, Bertone Runabout,
etc). The thing with styling is you can pretty much disappear up your own a$#ehole by adding bits here, chopping bits off there to the point of
frustration. At some point you should probably go, "yep, I'm happy with that" and go build it.
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kb58
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| posted on 5/3/03 at 03:27 AM |
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IMHO, you can't go wrong if you avoid all straight lines or edges, and avoids the "kit car" look. Gives a car a much more pleasing "organic"
look, like the 50's/60's race cars.
But that's just me...
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Schrodinger
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| posted on 5/3/03 at 10:19 PM |
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Dominic
I like the looks of the rear end it does look "designed" and has a tight look to it but for me the front looks a bit "flat" and needs some curve
along the bonnet. I would suggest that it ought to be convex at the scuttle and the working to flat or concave at the grille.
I also feel that the opening for the grille could do with either being reduced or somehow filled.
Hope the ideas and thought are of help
Keith
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