If anyones built, planned, or has experience with a 32/33 Ford street/track hot rod please see my post in the "other cars". I am mapping out different builds and trying to determine which path to venture down.
You'll spend 40K + on a FFR 33 if that helps. The chassis is great and the performance speaks for itself. See the Ridetech build page. Although this car is highly modified, Erik Hansen and Tom Veale have shown this car to be no slouch in rather stock form.
You'll spend 40K + on a FFR 33 if that helps. The chassis is great and the performance speaks for itself. See the Ridetech build page. Although this car is highly modified, Erik Hansen and Tom Veale have shown this car to be no slouch in rather stock form.
I agree with the cost analysis. I don't see how to get by much cheaper.
Any idea when the FFR 33 hot rod bodies will be seamless with no painting required? The new FFR 818 body is reported to require no painting and molded without the multiple seems. I might opt for this budget savvy build (if the new 33 body is in the works) and hope for a future compatible bolt on steel body down the road.
I looked at two ongoing FFR 33 builds this week (Boca and West Palm Beach). The fiberglass bodywork required appeared extensive. The included gas tank (Boyd upgrade) and fluid reservoirs (CNC upgrade) appeared subpar. Anything else one should budge for? Both folks I meet with encountered challenges in their ongoing build. That being said, the kit does include a lot and is the most complete that I’m aware of excluding (Speedway32).
I was contemplating an Ariel Atom type (open air) build with the “stage 1” until the seamless no paint required bodies are offered if this is something that will occur down the road. Is anyone running and driving an open-air bodiless setup currently?
This could afford a running drivable project and save the 12k plus on bodywork/paint for down the road.
Last edited by joejohnson50; 08-17-2012 at 05:08 PM..
Performance, handling, safety and quality aesthetics don't come cheap. Rat Rods should be an alternative. And they undeniably have appeal, and not just to the Budget Builder!
I think that you can just forget about the idea of FFR ever offering a seamless no paint '33 HR body......I don't know who gave you that idea, as it has never been mentioned by FFR.
I agree with the others about the $40K + for something nice. $35K for a more bare bones HR. Maybe $30K if you want to use an old used drivetrain and drive in primer.
Why not keep an eye out in the HR classifieds for someone that is selling an incomplete project? They do pop up from time to time.
Olli
__________________
FFR Roadster #2316 sold
FFR Hot Rod '33 #003
FFR Roadster Mk IV #7235 complete kit, IRS
the 33 kicks butt in performance and handling but definitely needs a lot of fitting of parts. The body takes a ton of time to get right. Depends on what you are after. If you go topless or even windowless you can save a lot of time and headache. Same with ditching hood and side panels. Heck if you want to stay real basic and climb over like a t-Bucket you could glass the doors shut. It really comes down to what you like. The thing I like best about the 33 kit is no two seem to come out the same. We all have the same lego blocks to start with but it has lots of room to personalize it from there. There are other kits out there with a higher quality of body. Antique Collectibles produces some very nice fiberglass bodies.
I was hoping the "new" 'technology in the forming of composite body panels which enable a no-paint finish.' on the 818 would make its was over from the 818 to the 33 eventually. I did not hear about this occurring from anyone at FFR. Project 818 | | Factory Five RacingFactory Five Racing
I am a little nervous about a partially completed kit unless its a steal financially and local so I can inspect it prior to transport. I am a bit of a perfectionist with a little OCD The screenshot photo of the build scope comparisons has comments and links to the parts and notes ect.
If you are a perfectionist with a bit of OCD then maybe the FFR HR isn't for you. The HR comes with many warts.....but they are at no extra charge. If on the other hand you have very good fabrication skills and a boat load of patience and are willing to expand the budget, then maybe you will be O.K.
FFR hasn't proven the "no paint" concept on the 818 project yet. FFR still has challenges in producing quality Roadster fiberglass parts. I just returned my Mark IV hood due to poor lamination.
Olli
__________________
FFR Roadster #2316 sold
FFR Hot Rod '33 #003
FFR Roadster Mk IV #7235 complete kit, IRS
If your goal was to capture the safety, drivability, and reliability of 20th century amenities in a car that drives and handles outstanding while maintaining the outwardly iconic look of a 32/33 Ford coupe how would you do it. I’m 31 so I want a car that handles great that I can drive hard (not a show car). I’ve started drafting a .pdf of the spreadsheet I’ve started for parts (Speedway), vendors (Body and Chassis), pricing (comments have links or notes). I am sure I am not the first person to do this so rather than continue to recreate the wheel I was hopping to get some suggestions/insight.
First off, welcome to the forum Joe.
As far as your dream build, you need to zero in on a workable budget for yourself. The components and cost you are throwing around are all over the map and really can't be compared. The builds you describe could be anywhere from $30k to $100k+. Your speadsheet is woefully inadequate. You could easily double or triple those numbers.
How much work can you perform yourself? Are you looking to buy all new components, no donor parts? The Speedway '32 is $50k, but you still need to provide a engine & trans I believe.
The FFR hot rod is not for everyone and yes, they did take liberty with the body shape a little to make it work with the chassis (and to fit pretty much any motor you want under hood -thank you FFR ) But, there is a lot more room inside than a "real" '33. That said though, it's more like a race car that just looks like a '33. Once you wrap your head around that, it makes sense.
As far as any other fiberglass or metal body not needing extensive body work, you are going to pretty dissapointed. Since you found a couple of people building FFR's do yourself a favor and find people that built the other cars you mentioned. I think you will be surprised.
Just get the FFR33 you'll be really happy. I've owned two 32's in the past and I'm liking this one way more then those. My budget is 32 grand and I think I'm going to be pretty close. I think FFR is still running the half price on all options for the summer so now is a good time to buy. My kit came with a/c, hard top and I was out the door at 23 grand. If you know your way around a shop and you have tools because your dad was a tv repair man your in good shape. It's an easy build as long as you take your time and pay attention. About a $teel body, it's way to expensive!!! I think they might cost as much as an entire FFR kit. These cars are all about fun so don't drive yourself crazy searching. Good luck on your search and stay on this site for great info....
I was a little confused by your post. Looks to me like you are comparing apples to oranges. Fiberglass / track-capable FFR vs. Hotrod Speedway 32. Both very cool cars, but very different concept.
The FFR takes some creative liberties to achieve it's goal: performance handling with classic looks. While the Speedway holds true to the original Hotrod looks, but I'm sure doesn't handle anything like the FFR. (and I'd be afraid to put 300+ HP in that type of engineering).
I think you need to identify what your objectives and goals are and understand that there are going to be compromises to achieving them or they will increase the build cost significantly.
As far as OCD, that's fine and I'd wager that 95% of the builders here are of the same mindset (and some much more! ).
But you can let those issues bother you, or you can DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. (with patience, they are addressable).
remember, you are doing this for you. if it bothers you, don't do it.
I've encountered minor challenges with my build (I think the mk4 roadster has evolved to eliminate the majority of the issues), but there is always this forum and you local club / gear-heads that can help you through it.
don't think about the problem, imagine the enjoyment (and building it yourself is part of the experience).
I agree, if budget is an issue, find a partially started kit. be patient, the perfect one will present itself.
__________________
F5R #7446 Delivered 4/4/11, First start 9/29/12, First Go-Kart 11/17/12
Licensed 4/24/13!! Wahoo!
Olli: The FFR is a serious/top contender. If the "no paint" concept on the 818 expanded to the 33' I wouldn't be question for me as it would save me a ton of time and money.
Arrowhead: Thanks. The assembly is not a problem but I don't have experience with bodywork or paint. I'm attempting to compare two very different builds (FFR 33 vs. the goal of a similar handling "assembled from parts" Ford 32 on a TCI or kugel frame/suspension. I'm having a difficult time deciding what route to take and the speedway parts list was a rough cost of the items included in the FFR build. I would love to do an "assembled from parts" ford 32 on killer chassis with a Brookville $teel body but its not within my financial reach. I would have to opt of an older steel body or a fiberglass body. I would want to keep my total build cost to a minimum so I would use rebuilt parts wherever possible depending on the bodywork and paint predicament.
Garyg: I am glad to have your feedback as an owner of both cars. A 32 Ford "assembled from parts" with IFS/IRS to handle similarly maybe a budget busting deal breaker.
MPTech: Sorry I was not very clear, I have spend too many hours staring at excel and car forums. I am not actually considering purchasing the speedway 32 roller as I want a car I can drive hard. I wasn't sure if their were other 32/33 kits that I might have overlooked. I was using the speedway parts cost as baseline to gauge the cost of a TCI or Kugel frame with IFS/IRS build and attempting to compare that to the parts included with the FFR kit.
Olli: The FFR is a serious/top contender. If the "no paint" concept on the 818 expanded to the 33' I wouldn't be question for me as it would save me a ton of time and money.
Arrowhead: Thanks. The assembly is not a problem but I don't have experience with bodywork or paint. I'm attempting to compare two very different builds (FFR 33 vs. the goal of a similar handling "assembled from parts" Ford 32 on a TCI or kugel frame/suspension. I'm having a difficult time deciding what route to take and the speedway parts list was a rough cost of the items included in the FFR build. I would love to do an "assembled from parts" ford 32 on killer chassis with a Brookville $teel body but its not within my financial reach. I would have to opt of an older steel body or a fiberglass body. I would want to keep my total build cost to a minimum so I would use rebuilt parts wherever possible depending on the bodywork and paint predicament.
Garyg: I am glad to have your feedback as an owner of both cars. A 32 Ford "assembled from parts" with IFS/IRS to handle similarly maybe a budget busting deal breaker.
MPTech: Sorry I was not very clear, I have spend too many hours staring at excel and car forums. I am not actually considering purchasing the speedway 32 roller as I want a car I can drive hard. I wasn't sure if their were other 32/33 kits that I might have overlooked. I was using the speedway parts cost as baseline to gauge the cost of a TCI or Kugel frame with IFS/IRS build and attempting to compare that to the parts included with the FFR kit.
I do have an issue with your "no paint" requirement. Being an avid boater I'm not sure I'd want a car with only a gel cote finished surface. Gel cote will haze and discolor when exposed to direct sunlight. You can wet sand and buff gel cote but it's a maintenance nightmare. There's no way you can get a glossy finish that will last like paint. With the 33 the bodywork shoud be minimal and nothing that your local auto body shop couldn't hande with there eyes closed. Don't be scared...remember corvettes are painted and they are fiberglass. One would assume that if general motors hasn't figured out how to get a nice finish On a fiberglass car it's probably a good idea to get it painted. Good luck
Part of the technology behind the paintless panels on the 818 will be the design of the body itself. Being able to design body panels that fit together well without seams in the mold to avoid the seams like seen on the roadster, 33, and coupe will allow that to happen. That's done by smaller panels that are designed to overlap or meet up on the frame, and that's not possible with the 33's body.
Besides, they haven't even got that completely figured out for the 818, let alone how they might incorporate that into existing kits.
I'm not really a fan of body work either, mostly because I haven't done it yet.
But even with a brand new Brookville body, you'll have to do body work. Just on steel instead of fiberglass.
As for the rest, even with a great IFS/IRS on a Kugel frame, their frame is still based on 1930's tech, and will not be as solid as the FFR frame.
There is also the matter of parts. The FFR comes pretty complete, you can build a basic kit from what they send you and a motor, trans, rear, wheels and tires.
With the other options you're looking at, you have to piece it all together, hunt down parts that might or might not fit, etc
It all comes back to what you want. Do you want a performer? A good cruiser? A car that looks period correct but drives like a more modern car? Something cool and different?
I would figure that out first, then start looking at how to get there.
I do have an issue with your "no paint" requirement. Being an avid boater I'm not sure I'd want a car with only a gel cote finished surface. Gel cote will haze and discolor when exposed to direct sunlight. You can wet sand and buff gel cote but it's a maintenance nightmare. There's no way you can get a glossy finish that will last like paint. With the 33 the bodywork shoud be minimal and nothing that your local auto body shop couldn't hande with there eyes closed. Don't be scared...remember corvettes are painted and they are fiberglass. One would assume that if general motors hasn't figured out how to get a nice finish On a fiberglass car it's probably a good idea to get it painted. Good luck
You raise a good point. If I had to choose between the handling and performance potential or splurging on paint/bodywork I would without a doubt skimp on the looks. I reside in Broward-Coconut Creek.
jayguy: I would prioritize my goals as 1) Affordability 2) Reliability (in my control) 4) Handling 4) performance potential (street/track) 4) Iconic look of a 32/33 but modern with modern technologies as I drive my cars hard.
I was looking at the pro-street version of the TCI frame but like you said, its not a caged set-up like the FFR 33.
Last edited by joejohnson50; 08-19-2012 at 09:48 PM..
With the 33 the bodywork shoud be minimal and nothing that your local auto body shop couldn't hande with there eyes closed. Don't be scared...remember corvettes are painted and they are fiberglass. One would assume that if general motors hasn't figured out how to get a nice finish On a fiberglass car it's probably a good idea to get it painted. Good luck
Have you built one of these yet? If you have and it's that easy maybe you can finish mine or find a body shop that will do the body work and paint for less than $12,000 to $15,000. That is about what it's going to cost and that's not a bad price. When I was first quoted these prices, my first thought was that they were insane. Now, after having done most of the body work, I don't think I'd want to do one for any less. The materials alone are $1500 to $2000. We've gone thru 2 gallons of Evercoat Rage, gallon and a half of primer with hardener and reducer, 3 quarts of Duraglass, acres of sandpaper, rolls of paper, tape, spreaders, paint cups, and a lot of stuff I've forgotten and we aren't done. The paint is going to be around $900 a gallon for the base coat and around $300 for clear not to mention sealer and God knows what else. We have 250 to 300 manhours so far. Figure it out at even $50 an hour and that's $12,500 to $15,000. The guy helping me has 40 years of Custom shop and general body work experience and doesn't ever want to see another one. Most body shops don't want to be bothered with something like this as it ties shop space up for a long time. The body on the 33 is really not very good. It has serious problems not minor ones.There are a lot of poorly fitting parts that need to be modified. Maybe if one doesn't really care what it looks like one could just slap it together and be on your way. But if you want it to look reasonable you are going to have to spend a lot of time and/or money. And if you think you can do all of the body work yourself and just pay someone to paint it, think again because most body shops don't want to paint what they didn't prepare. If it sounds like I'm being negative, I'm not. I think that finished the car is quite nice. The chassis is it's saving grace but without that you would definitely want to be looking elsewhere.
Any additional items worth noting or planning for (not listed below or included) excluding engine/transmission/rear end with brakes, wheels and tires, bodywork & paint, fuel pump, and battery?
Fluid reservoirs: (prevent access holes in cowl)
-Dual master reservoir replaced (kugel?)
-Gas tank (Boyd?)
-Create an access panel for transmission fluid
Sealing:
-Paint/power coat firewall?
-Paint/power coat underbody panels then coat bottom with lizard skin
-Interior / trunk / engine bay: aluminum tape + auto seam sealer
-Dynomat entire car
Have you built one of these yet? If you have and it's that easy maybe you can finish mine or find a body shop that will do the body work and paint for less than $12,000 to $15,000. That is about what it's going to cost and that's not a bad price. When I was first quoted these prices, my first thought was that they were insane. Now, after having done most of the body work, I don't think I'd want to do one for any less. The materials alone are $1500 to $2000. We've gone thru 2 gallons of Evercoat Rage, gallon and a half of primer with hardener and reducer, 3 quarts of Duraglass, acres of sandpaper, rolls of paper, tape, spreaders, paint cups, and a lot of stuff I've forgotten and we aren't done. The paint is going to be around $900 a gallon for the base coat and around $300 for clear not to mention sealer and God knows what else. We have 250 to 300 manhours so far. Figure it out at even $50 an hour and that's $12,500 to $15,000. The guy helping me has 40 years of Custom shop and general body work experience and doesn't ever want to see another one. Most body shops don't want to be bothered with something like this as it ties shop space up for a long time. The body on the 33 is really not very good. It has serious problems not minor ones.There are a lot of poorly fitting parts that need to be modified. Maybe if one doesn't really care what it looks like one could just slap it together and be on your way. But if you want it to look reasonable you are going to have to spend a lot of time and/or money. And if you think you can do all of the body work yourself and just pay someone to paint it, think again because most body shops don't want to paint what they didn't prepare. If it sounds like I'm being negative, I'm not. I think that finished the car is quite nice. The chassis is it's saving grace but without that you would definitely want to be looking elsewhere.
Ok I see your point loud and clear but 12k for a paint job is crazy! It's just my opinion and we know about those. Let me explain. I'm in the commercial real estate business for thirty years here in Miami I Have about twenty five body shops as tenants currently. Most of them are small 1000/2000 sqft shops but a few are large multi bay auto paint operations. So i have choices at my finger tips. Now if your looking for dime gap quality pebble beach concourse de elegance riddler award winning paint that's one thing. Those can get up to over a hundred grand in some cases.I'm cool with that if it's your thing. Then there's the basic shiny smooth wet sanded and buffed paint job that every joe blow with a gun a booth and a county permitt can lay down. There's all kinds of paint jobs in between. I also have to say that I may be painting this thing myself in a tent in my backyard. The body work im going to sub out to a Tenant. I've painted several bikes in he past And one of my best friends paints about six cars a week in his daily job. I know my way around a booth a little. If you are willing to strap your 33 to a trailer and lug it down here to Miami I can put you in front of twenty body shops within a mile radius some of which would be happy to paint your car for under ten grand. Here's an example I just sold my boat in July. It was painted in June. It was a 21 skater clone catamaran. The paint job consisted of three coats of silver, nine coats of clear base with silver glitter and then three coats of aulgrip clear. Now the boat had two previous paint jobs on it that had to be completely removed. The final bill was way less then 12k and that's a lot of surface on a 21 cat!!! Good luck..
Sorry for being so wordy but I didn't answer your first question. I'm currently building my 33. It was delivered on July 16 I think Monday. Had a roller in a week or so fit the body Sunday. I'm shooting for six weeks plus or minus with paint. Might take eight though.
Have you built one of these yet? If you have and it's that easy maybe you can finish mine or find a body shop that will do the body work and paint for less than $12,000 to $15,000. That is about what it's going to cost and that's not a bad price. When I was first quoted these prices, my first thought was that they were insane. Now, after having done most of the body work, I don't think I'd want to do one for any less. The materials alone are $1500 to $2000. We've gone thru 2 gallons of Evercoat Rage, gallon and a half of primer with hardener and reducer, 3 quarts of Duraglass, acres of sandpaper, rolls of paper, tape, spreaders, paint cups, and a lot of stuff I've forgotten and we aren't done. The paint is going to be around $900 a gallon for the base coat and around $300 for clear not to mention sealer and God knows what else. We have 250 to 300 manhours so far. Figure it out at even $50 an hour and that's $12,500 to $15,000. The guy helping me has 40 years of Custom shop and general body work experience and doesn't ever want to see another one. Most body shops don't want to be bothered with something like this as it ties shop space up for a long time. The body on the 33 is really not very good. It has serious problems not minor ones.There are a lot of poorly fitting parts that need to be modified. Maybe if one doesn't really care what it looks like one could just slap it together and be on your way. But if you want it to look reasonable you are going to have to spend a lot of time and/or money. And if you think you can do all of the body work yourself and just pay someone to paint it, think again because most body shops don't want to paint what they didn't prepare. If it sounds like I'm being negative, I'm not. I think that finished the car is quite nice. The chassis is it's saving grace but without that you would definitely want to be looking elsewhere.
I agree with everything you posted. I have at least that many hours in body work also. When doing a car, I figure it's about 100 hrs just to spray color, clear, cut and buff after body work is done and ready to spray. But the final product will have no orange peel or urethane wave.
I am curious as to what paint cost $900 a gallon? I haven't quite run across that yet, I think you should check around. Not saying that some paint doesn't cost that much, but I've priced some pretty wild colors in name brands for much less than that.
As far as the body work, it's all about what you want out of it. I wanted a show quality job so I spent the time to align the panels and do the bodywork to make sure they "flowed" from one to another. The panels as delivered do not have smooth transitions from one to another, but the gel coat is decent and some have even sanded down the mold lines and touched up with gloss black and called it good. So it really depends on what you want the final product to look like and what your willing to live with. The is no rule book that says you have to spend $15k+ on bodywork and paint.
The first summer I had it on the road, I rattle caned the whole thing just so it was all one color and got lots of compliments anyway, some were adamant that I should leave it.
Not my style though so I did the body work and paint the way I wanted it.
Any additional items worth noting or planning for (not listed below or included) excluding engine/transmission/rear end with brakes, wheels and tires, bodywork & paint, fuel pump, and battery?
Fluid reservoirs: (prevent access holes in cowl)
-Dual master reservoir replaced (kugel?)
-Gas tank (Boyd?)
-Create an access panel for transmission fluid
Sealing:
-Paint/power coat firewall?
-Paint/power coat underbody panels then coat bottom with lizard skin
-Interior / trunk / engine bay: aluminum tape + auto seam sealer
-Dynomat entire car
Was the suspension issue fixed?:
-Rear control arm length
-Steering rods length
Joe,
No offense, but every now and then we get a guy showing up here on the forum that wants to whittle down building a car into a check list. Well that's fine and it's good to have a plan, but you need to have an idea of what you want to build and yes, spend hundreds of hours researching - just like we did. You can buy wheels from Summit for $600 for four or buy Billet Specialties for $1000 ea. You can spend $15k on body and paint, or $50 on spray cans. Only you can decide.
Like the post above, you can spend $900 a gallon on paint or get a basic color for $250. Engine/trans can range from $0 (buy a wrecked car and strip it and sell the parts you don't need to get your money back) or the sky is the limit for a drive train.
You have to take a hard look and ask yourself “how much can I spend and how much can I do?" I will tell you this, even with the short comings the FFR kit may have, the body work and paint numbers that are being thrown around are pretty universal with any car you want to build (and have the same quality result). Even if it cost $15k for body and paint on a FFR, you still way ahead of the game compared to building a hot rod piece meal. There are so many parts and pieces that you will need building a car from scratch, you are looking at $40k easy. Just to buy the '33 grill will cost you $1500-$3000.
I wish I had the inventory sheets handy to show you what's included in the FFR kit. I think I had 40+ boxes stacked up in my garage. Is every part top shelf? No. Will you like the style/color of every component? No. But it's all there, every nut, bolt, bracket, wire, etc. and you can choose to use it or not. I don't think people should build a FFR just because it could be done "cheaper” That’s bad way to look at building a car. You need to want to build this car for it's purpose and for what it is - a race car that looks like a hot rod.
Thanks for all the insight guys. If I go this route I might try an open-air bodiless build for an few months (Ariel Atom 4-wheel motorcycle style "go cart") or opt for a (sleeper "rat rod" flat black) DIY paint job (similar to what you did Arrowhead) while saving for a more professional bodywork and paint. I would love to have a show quality body but its just not in the budget right now. For me its easier and more enjoyable to execute the build in usable stages.
Here's an example; ( http://www.dogfightmag.com/forum/sho...ube-Chassis-FS ) of a one off frame that I was attempting to compare the FFR 33 built to. Another example would be the TCI 28-41 Ford Pro-Street Chassis with Kugel Komenents Indy Style IFS and rear Kugel IS. Both are going to offer handling with the facade of the early Fords while they are very different my goals would be the same with either build.
If anyone has a racing or engineering background I would appreciate your thoughts on the handling comparison.
Thanks
Last edited by joejohnson50; 08-18-2012 at 10:29 PM..
For the money and performance the FFR seems like the way to go! I may be hosting a few “build parties” in the future. The pride and learning experience is worth swapping or modifying one or two of the thousand plus included items. Guess its time to get over my fears (technical skills in some areas) and have some fun.
For the money and performance the FFR seems like the way to go! I may be hosting a few “build parties” in the future. The pride and learning experience is worth swapping or modifying one or two of the thousand plus included items. Guess its time to get over my fears (technical skills in some areas) and have some fun.
Just plunk down the cash already you won't regret it!!!
Give us a call in about (3) weeks. We're in paint as we speak. Our Hot Rod is nothing like the Basic kit you order. To the point , I have built 11 or 12 Hot Rods,Jeeps, VW's, Corvette's ,Muscle Car's. Believe me this has been a wonderful experience and if you have the patience and imagination ,in my opinion , there is nothing in the market place that will give you the joy and fulfillment this build can offer. The most important and invaluable part of the whole FF build gig is "THE FORUM", you have at your finger tips years and years of experience that is available 24 / 7 FREE. Again, in my opinion you have a better handle on your cost of the build with the FF kit, your still going to want special features if your budget allows for it but most of the cost are there in their basic kit. Look , listen to the guy's on the THE FORUM and you will be a happy guy when your baby is completed. Think like Henry Ford, you're BUILDING A CAR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I would agree, As I look at all the finished car shots no two look alike. The kit lets you personalize to what you want. You can stay really basic, no hood, fenders, dide panels... or take it way over the top. Your budget and imagination is only limit. Were there many parts and things that needed fixed yeah, but that was a lot of the fun and in the end lead to a greater satisfaction saying I built that. It will never be finished but you can stay simple and always upgrade from there.
I was contemplating an Ariel Atom type (open air) build with the “stage 1” until the seamless no paint required bodies are offered if this is something that will occur down the road. Is anyone running and driving an open-air bodiless setup currently?
This could afford a running drivable project and save the 12k plus on bodywork/paint for down the road.
Joe, just now came back across your link on H.A.M.B. we really do have the exact same ideas -- the idea of custom fitting some minimalist steel legends/dwarf panels to an ariel atom was what brought me to the FFR, haha. and obviously we both came across each other in a thread regarding vintage stock cars (still havent let loose of that idea!).
and it sounds like your priorities are the same as mine, something that is not only fully capable but a real road course performer, a drivers car that someone can push and learn and compete with some real hi-po cars ...but with vintage styling. [[edit: while im at it, i should mention definitely look into modifying or replacing the front steering rack if you plan on doing this kind of driving in teh FFR with serious rubber, check into ridetech's work. (bret@ridetech on here, i believe)]]
i really could care less about paint finish and will likely do a rattle can (im honestly considering bedliner just because i want a flat black finish and would love the easy maintenance, but fear the idea of ever wanting to remove it).
which gets me to the point many people have mentioned here, i dont really care about panel fitment from a perfection standpoint (really, at all) but from what ive seen some panels need to be cut and reglassed to even fit at all (rear waterfall cover in back of cockpit, side panels) ... can anyone give me idea of what a real minimal level of work is required? i.e. to get things on and secure and not ridiculous looking? any hesitations i have mostly come from the fact that im ok with welding and grinding but this extensive amount of fiberglass is something that is new to me. i figure with enough time and care it should be doable, i just remember the stuff to be sloppy, and difficult to get to get mix 100% right so it will cure perfectly
Quote:
Originally Posted by robboy
The guy helping me has 40 years of Custom shop and general body work experience and doesn't ever want to see another one. Most body shops don't want to be bothered with something like this as it ties shop space up for a long time. The body on the 33 is really not very good. It has serious problems not minor ones.There are a lot of poorly fitting parts that need to be modified. Maybe if one doesn't really care what it looks like one could just slap it together and be on your way. But if you want it to look reasonable you are going to have to spend a lot of time and/or money. And if you think you can do all of the body work yourself and just pay someone to paint it, think again because most body shops don't want to paint what they didn't prepare. If it sounds like I'm being negative, I'm not. I think that finished the car is quite nice. The chassis is it's saving grace but without that you would definitely want to be looking elsewhere.
Last edited by aesthetect; 08-30-2012 at 02:38 AM..
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The screenshot photo of the build scope comparisons has comments and links to the parts and notes ect.
Misc Parts
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Linear Mode
