If you make your own bodyshells then that means the hassle and expense of bucks, moulds and finally the parts themselves.

Or does it?

Has anyone thought of alloy bodywork for nosecones etc. or for a complete bodyshell. Has anyone looked into the cost and difficulty of using this approach? I honestly don't know where to start but it must be possible. After all every special bit of bodywork used to be made this way before fibre glass came along.

Possibly easier for a one off body?

IMO

Absolutely, 100% doable.....

but, needs LOTS of skill.....:-(

chris gibbs put me in the direction of a book by ron fournier - search amazon and you will see his publications.

He is a bit of a guru in the metal bashin world.

The books are quite good and tell you about all the tools and techniques. It taught me how to make apertures using frames, which has been useful.


However, its a bit like buying a book on heart surgery. Its all there, and the tools are all explained. But having the skills to do it is something else!

Cars are generally nice and shiny. A good paint finish should be blemish and dent free. We must have all looked at cars in the right light and angle and thought, oohh, a little dent or mark there.

Well, just imagine, having to shape the bodywork with hammer blows, like these guys do and not show a mark.

Its a real skill.

And the reason im struggling (but making progress!) making all my fiddly bits in fibreglass.

On the other hand, I did see a car at the shows last year that was totally 'glass bodied, and the suspension picked up from the body itself. (may have been a gtm, but I could be deluding myself!)

atb

Steve

quote:

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Originally posted by stephen_gusterson
........However, its a bit like buying a book on heart surgery. Its all there, and the tools are all explained. But having the skills to do it is something else!......

---

Is that one available on Amazon as well Steve. I always fancied a go at that or brain surgery, it's not exactly rocket science is it?. By the way, where do you get the bulk fibreglass materials from?.

yours, Pete.

Pete,

The place I used (years ago) was Glasplies in Southport........about the cheapest in the UK at the time...

Alan

I'll see if they do an info sheet. I fancy having a go at bodywork some time. Not bothered about anything fancy like colours, just like to make some wings or something.

yours, Pete.

'course I made my ali nose cone but then I'm good.

Cheers

Mr Modest

CFS are quite cheap for GRP - they advertise in Which Kit

I remember Chris, that you told me once it took you six months off and on to make that nose cone. I admired your efforts. And then you told me my build was taking a long while cos I had made things too complicated

I dont disagree with you at all!!!!!



And thanks for the fournier book tip too!

As far as I can tell there is only glassplies and CFS.

CFS seems to be a fair bit - like 40% - cheaper.

do a google on cfs fibreglass supplies and they will come up.

Amazon do glassfibre books too

I have

the glass fibre handbook by rh waring

ISBN 0 85242 820 0


Ita only about 6 quid and gives a basic grounding, but there are probably better books.

This guys site gives a pretty good basic grounding on what is needed.

I will try and get my experiences up on my site in the next week or two. Well, the fibreglass ones anyway :0)


http://www.c.lourie.btinternet.co.uk/glass.html


atb

steve

[Edited on 27/4/03 by stephen_gusterson]

Agreed you could end up with a car looking like the one in the Puegot 206 advert, although the maker of that looked quite pleased with himself.
Paul

quote:

---

Originally posted by stephen_gusterson
Cars are generally nice and shiny. A good paint finish should be blemish and dent free. We must have all looked at cars in the right light and angle and thought, oohh, a little dent or mark there.

Well, just imagine, having to shape the bodywork with hammer blows, like these guys do and not show a mark.

Its a real skill.


atb

Steve

---

Hi Chris - can you tell us more about your ali nosecone, how you made it? Maybe the basics, but not for me - I've got a few of the standard books on sheetmetal work. I'm interested things like how you made your buck, how many pieces you used, where and how you welded it, how you shaped the grill opening, stuff like that.

Did you also add some shape to your scuttle for the instruments? I couldn't see from your pictures other than the dash. Is it ali too? Same questions if so .