Metalshapes! can we see the Uni-body roadster?

[DrJ]

metalshapes,
You mentioned yuor frameless roadster construction on the channel thread and I was REALLY interested in seeing pictures.
Can you post some?
Is it made anything like a Lotus wishbone?
Curious as hell.....

[Unkl Ian]

[ QUOTE ]
Curious as hell.....

[/ QUOTE ] Definately.

[metalshapes]

I'll ask my G/F to post some pics for me.
I'm still pretty new to computors, and I dont know how.

[DrJ]

[ QUOTE ]
I'll ask my G/F to post some pics for me.


[/ QUOTE ]
That would be most appreciated.
I can see how a coupe would work but making a roadster rigid enough is what I NEED to see.
The doors open? or is the body solid for strength?

[metalshapes]

Yeah, the doors open. The car is a lot stiffer than any other Roadster I've ever been in.

[metalshapes]

Here they are...

signed,
the g/f

[metalshapes]

another...

[metalshapes]

number 3...

[metalshapes]

the last one...

[metalshapes]

I'm not sure these are clear enough to show you what you want to know, but in the last pic you can see the tranny tunnel, part of the driveshaft tunnel, and how much lower the floor is ( than the "usual" way of doing it ).
If these pics are not good enough, I could try and sweet talk my G/F into taking some better ones with her Digital Camera.
I would owe her big, but for you guys, I would do that!!!

[DrJ]

Cool!
Looks like the ear lobes at door level look..That's stylin' and keps the top low too.
That interior space looks a lot like inside my MGB, which is about as comfortable as it can get except for a 65 Sunbeam Alpine interior, they are size fit-me.
Is that remnant of a top going to get done for it?
It looks like some nice shapes going on there.

[metalshapes]

Thanks, Doc.
I'm building a top that will fold inside the car ( behind the seat ), so you dont have a wad of canvas behind you on top of the bodywork.
With the top up, the car is well under 4' total height.
I'm 6'2" and the car is comfortable enough to do a 5Hr round trip. ( Tucson to Scotsdale and back, for last years Goodguys. I plan to be there this year too ).

[daddylama]

OK, im damn curious...
is it a true unitized body, or are the body panels on a close fitting space frame?... like, do the body panels actually make up the chassis, or are they a skin over something else? Couldnt tell from the pics...

Looks "right" BTW...

[metalshapes]

ol' 55, do you mean all the tubing you can see in the 2 middle pics?
Those pics were taken during the construction, and the tubes were there to keep everything square. They were later cut out.
I did not start with a complete body, but parts of 5 different cars. Sportscoupe rear quarters, Cut down 2Dr Sedan doors, '28 lower Roadster cowl, and a hand made cowl top, so I could fit a '30/31 Fire wall. I also made the sideways curve of the '32 rails flatter in the cowl area to get that Firewall to fit. The first couple of feet of the frame is Model A, because I like the shape of the Framehorns better. And the taper is different, so I could stretch it a little.

[daddylama]

yeah, i figured the tubing was for temporary support...
just tryin to figure if the body panels were also part of the supporting members, or if it is more of a pan-style frame (sorta like that of an early VW).
are the rear quarters supporting?
How's the torsional stiffness?
and since im always lookin at light-weight ideas... any clues as to the weight savings or losses with your design?

truely dig the idea... 'specailly with the interior size, looks nice and spacious...

[metalshapes]

Everything is part of the load bearing structure. The quarters are welded to the framerails, the rear bulkhead, and the trunkfloor. The bulkhead is welded to the bellypan and the driveshaft tunnel. The tranny tunnel is welded to the bellypan and the Firewall.
The car is very rigid, I can feel some movement in front of the Firewall ( when I push it very hard, power sliding it around ) but I dont want to put any braces in because that would not look right.

[DrJ]

Guess I won't be too quick to cut up what's left of this Uni-bodyBurndupVolvo floor pan I've got here, it might come in handy!

[metalshapes]

It might be easyer to build your own than to make a Volvo pan work.

[daddylama]

cool, thanks for the info...
really dig the car, too...

[DrJ]

[ QUOTE ]
It might be easyer to build your own than to make a Volvo pan work.

[/ QUOTE ]

I was mostly kidding...Not completely kidding, but mostly. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[metalshapes]

Thanks for the kind words.
I like how the car came out too...
In fact, I'm so happy with it, I'm getting ready to build a Coupe next.

[Hot Rod Ron]

From a passenger's view the car is very very solid and has no flex in it at all. Once Metalshapes had the car on a dyno and all dialed in, he took me for a ride and the car is so ridged that it handles torque steer. I have been in this car in a drift at about 45-50 mph and it handles like a dream. Fast as hell with the MaClough super charger on it.

[scarliner]

Metalshapes, Your car just goes to show that a little hard work and thinking along with a couple of stiff drinks can go a long way.I really like the over all lines of that thing and to think it was put together from bits and pieces of what may of been others throw aways.I really like the pic with the roof mocked up, it gives the car a nice flow.Also the interior has all the right touches.Makes me proud to be a car nut.Thats what I love about hot rods, its a do what ever you like world and theres always someone that can do it a little different than most-this keeps it interesting.

[metalshapes]

Scarliner, How did you guess about the stiff drinks???

[34Fordtk]

Thats super cool,I think thats the first roadster I have EVER seen with a top!!!!! How bout some motor pics.??