Hi everyone. Its been a while since posts but i'm still around. For those that were following I gave up on the first design for a widebody kit that I was making. No matter what I did I couldn't stop it looking like a Holden Crewman . I've taken the car off the road while im designing this new one and figured Id give it a full rebuild while im at it. At first its going to be the kit but once that's done the engine and gearbox is coming out for a freshen up. Work has been slow on the kit as I was busy over the summer months with sailing but now that its cooling down I can get some serious work done. Im enjoying taking my time as I dont have a "look" that im aiming for this time. (last kit I was trying to make look like a AMG Merc) The kit design just kind of builds it self by trial and error. I'll have an idea, mock it up. If it doesn't work I bin it and have another crack when I get another idea. At this point Im happy with the rear guards and the fronts are close. Side skirts still need a little work. I have no idea what im doing with the front and rear bar yet but im sure ill figure something out. So some build pics for you all. First attempt at the rears involved making a wooden outline and stretching rubber over the guard to make the shape. The plan was then to seal it and make a mold of it however the rubber was porous and even after sealing it would still stretch and sag under the glass. It took 4 attemps with different ways of sealing it, Final one we ended up using duct tape to seal it and then pinned the corners of the rubber down with backing strap. Once I got it right A mold was made and from this a fiberglass panel was made. Only downside of screwing backing strap to the panels it that it was riddled with holes. Thankfully Steve (2thumbsup) Is a sheety and was able to weld them up for me. He was also very helpfull in stretching the rubber over the guards. I must have needed his help about 8 afternoons in a row with that. :zlove: Following pics are of the Fiberglass guard getting attatched. It is held on with marine grade epoxy and a shitload of stainless steel rivets. And with a "little" bog the whole thing gets sanded and smoothed over. This has little to do with the build but I was trialing my 10 inch rims on the front. PHAT:zlove: Some clearance pics at full compression, it tucks nicely. I removed the shock for this. Front Guards and side skirts I did differently to the rear. I had a go at using filler foam and then boggin over it. It is much quicker than the way I did the rears and Is alot more forgiving when you make a mistake. These are still in the design stage but when Im happy with them Ill make a mold and replicate the panel in fiberglass. First I got the basic shape of the guard by again using a wooden outline but then I used foam to fill in the gaps. Add a skirt and cut a vent Idea 1 for the vent was unsucessfull Idea 2 was better I cut the metal guard underneath and recessed it a bit. But needed more work. Im happy with this idea for now but I have to make the side skirt work with it. Once thats done Ill be able to get all the lines perfect. And thats where its at right now. As I said progress is slow but Im enjoying it. Ill post up more pics when I have some. Cheers Al
I have been waiting for this, and its just as much awesome as i thought it was going to be. Top job Z-toy!
Noice! Liking where this ones going. I don't think I would have the same patience you have to do this sort of job. Loving where the guard vent 2.0 is going. tTose radius angles look real good and far better then the first version. Are you planning on adding a bit to the doors to continue the pumped guard and vent design....the bit where you drew the horizontal lines on the door.... Can't wait to watch this progress.
I plan to leave the doors alone. Those lines were just for reference for the vent. They are parallel to the door infills.
That's the right amount of flare on the rear guards! You see so many that try and flare too Much but it doesn't sit right with the squareness of the rear end... Good job
What if you didn't vent it and left it as is and used that horizontal line as a 5mm tapering pin stripe....or even a two-tone duco. Damn yeah.
Its not the plan but i will have molds for it all so if someone was willing to part with some dollars I can make another kit.
Looking fantastic Love the way the skirts are shaped to the wide body and the fact you are leaving the doors . Similar to mine but your's is more squared off at the seal panel which I couldn't do . How wide are yours ? .
Not too sure. Its hard to judge as the guards had already been cut when I started this design. Its not drastic though. 1.5 - 2 inches tops. Front is only bigger by a half inch. But squaring it off like you mentioned makes it look heaps bigger than it really is.
not much work got done this weekend, I did start the drivers front guard with foam but I got sidetracked and left it as is. I was sidetracked by this.... My new snoz. Its a replica of the Varis nose.
I'd be interested in the rear fenders, how much we looking at for just the rear add ons ? been thinking about doing this in metal but it's a big DIY job for me this would be easier, quicker and cheaper with the same result... Love that it's very subtle like "mission" like it came from Nissan that way. Clean look! Ztoy you got fb
I have absolutely no idea on the $ of any of this at this point. The rears arent anywhere near finished anyway. The molds you saw at the start were quick ones and the shape has changed a bit since bogging and smoothing. When it it all completed I will make new molds of the rears with the finished shape. When the time comes though Ill let you know.:zlove: