JR Posted June 5, 2014 Author Share Posted June 5, 2014 I did see one outfit that made them, they were super pricey ($1700 from memory) and only made them for a few bike engines. The poor wee commuter 125 didn't make the cut. Maybe there is cheaper ones out there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR Posted June 25, 2014 Author Share Posted June 25, 2014 Started working on the body the other day. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
63Ragtop Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 so cool man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR Posted June 26, 2014 Author Share Posted June 26, 2014 Cheers man, its heaps more fun to work on at this stage.... so much more progress seen for the amount of work done. Â Does anyone know a good place to buy resin and cloth for the fiber glassing? I was thinking of going to one of the local boat builders and asking them? Also ill need some sort of foam to make the plug for the tail. Any ideas? Â cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P_Star Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 What about the old dropcloth/canvas with paint deal? cheap and easy?  Like this: http://www.instructables.com/id/Poor-Mans-Fiberglass-make-nearly-anything-weatherp/step1/tools-and-supplies/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlownCorona Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 i would definitely recommend at least using a sheet for the first layer, it makes it so much easier, and you can staple it to the wood to get it nice and tight, then resin it, and then glass it once its dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR Posted June 26, 2014 Author Share Posted June 26, 2014 I'm planning on using 3mm plywood sheets bent around the stringers for the skin and then glass over it. I want it to have a realy nice finish. The back tail cone will be fiber glass with a some ribs on the inside for added strength. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlownCorona Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 ah fair enogh, thats what im doing but in steel.  have you considered swaping out the plywood for steel sheets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR Posted June 26, 2014 Author Share Posted June 26, 2014 That would be epic but I don't rate my fab skills enough, I can see myself making a mess of steel. Wood is a lot more forgiving and I have more experience working with it. Steel would be cool, I'm too scared of making big ripples/a pile of scrap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlownCorona Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 ive never worked with steel and im just gonna wing it haha. from what ive seen, cycle cars dont need to be 100% smooth to look good, they can be glossy as hell and show the slight warpage in the steel but still look good, and that warpage kinda adds to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR Posted August 21, 2014 Author Share Posted August 21, 2014 Progress has been slow the last wee while I have been very busy, some motherf!@#$% tried to extort $14k out of me. I got it sorted now (WOOOOHOO) through the courts but it took soooo much time. Â So I am about to get stuck in to the body. I plan to make the skin out of thin wood bent to shape. I had a scrap test piece of 3mm ply wood that I soaked for 2 days then bent it over the body frame. It seemed like it was going to follow the contours just.... maybe. Does anyone have experience bending wood? I was wondering what thin mdf is like to bend? Im guessing you cant wet it to help out but it is cheap. Â Does anyone have ideas? I will be glassing over the top of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris.QCR Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 You can by a specific plywood for bending. It's quite thin and would work great for what your doing . We used to use it when building teardrop caravans and then clad it with 0.9mm alloy sheet. We got it from ITM here in chch . Can't remember if there is a ITM in Blenheim been too long 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingbrick Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 Personally I'd be using thicker ply and cutting lots of slots on the inside of each bend. That way you will get flat areas and curves exactly where its wanted plus the ply will be much less resistant to warpage from the glass. The curves will be made out of lots of flat lines but 5 minutes with a sanding block will fix that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlownCorona Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 definitely dont use mdf. it goes all fluffy and expands when you wet it, and if you dry to bend it, usually just pulls apart since its the wood equivelent of weetbix Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR Posted October 8, 2014 Author Share Posted October 8, 2014 So I decided to use 3mm MDF for the skin. I glued and screwed it down, the plan at this stage is to use fibreglass/shit loads of bog for the tight bends on the sides of the bonnet. I think ill use scored cardboard for the basic shape. I'll have a thin layer of glass over the MDF too. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Just messing around with the shape of the dash with that bit of cardboard. Â Â Next purchas will be some cloth and resin. The cone shape part at the back will be interesting to make.... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingbrick Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Epic! I vote having the dash lower and making your card mockup the windshield. Edit. Just noticed. Really you should read a book on body design as I see NO attempt at a crumple zone and rigid passenger compartment. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR Posted October 8, 2014 Author Share Posted October 8, 2014 Yeah I hear ya, when I said dash it was probably/definitely the wrong word. Ill have it as close as I can make it to the inspiration car on the first page of the thread, except it will have an AC Cobra type chrome head rest/roll bar hoo dacky im thinking. Thats about as far as safety considerations went, I'll raise the boy like they did in the 70s, kids were bulit proof back then  Edit- but seriously- Do you think its worth designing a crumple zone? I could still do it I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingbrick Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Damn. I was joking.. And now I can't tell if you are joking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tortron Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Damn. I was joking.. And now I can't tell if you are joking gasser style fuel tank crumple zone 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlownCorona Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Damn. I was joking.. And now I can't tell if you are joking i hope this was in jest at the kind of comments that were on my build lol 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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