Hi all, im new to the locost game. Im looking at building a locost project car, Someone else is dealing with chassis, another one doing engine, im responsible for the bodywork, has anyone designed and built their own bodywork for their car (i.e. not the regular westfield/caterham shape)? I've got a simple design and broken it down into smaller sections but im not sure on the processes involved, i.e. how to make the moulds! Any help would be appreciated
cheers
IAN

Look at what I'm doing...it may help a bit.

http://www.desicodesign.com/meerkat/

thats looking great, so you make the rough shapes out of ply, cover in styrofoam and shape, apply white filler, then normal car filler. Then do you make fibre glass mould of that and then a fibreglass mould of the fibreglass mould for the final panel?
Cheers
IAN

Wow, that makes it sound easy...

But, yes that is exactly correct. Fairly laborious but fairly inexpensive too.

Have fun!

Cheers alan, im well impressed with the speedy response
IAN

No problem Ian, I live here

Alan, I was looking again at the photos on your site, will the whole backend be one mould or will it be a couple of smaller ones beacause i was trying to workout how youd get it out in some places?
IAN

The back end will be just one mould. It does appear to be possible, as there is a certain direction at which draft is visible on all the faces. The main body is a diferent story and will probably need 3 or 4 seperate mould sections.

You are right to consider the removal of parts of course, it can get embarassing and expensive if you don't

Is it possible to bend the mould out slightly to clear certain bulges and indents as you take it off? Is the fibreglass flexible enough for this?
IAN

The purists would say no, but in reality yes you can. It is better to avoid it if possible, but it will flex safely a reasonable amount.

I'll be moulding some air fittings in around the number plate area to aid extraction.