Projects Introducing the Roofus Special

Yeah, you're right....dumb idea. I need to keep going with the sports car/racecar theme I was working towards.

 

I can sell u a gas cap......................pm me

 

Dzus or Camlocs http://www.coastfab.com/products_hardware.html

Also might want to use captive nuts (dog bone thingys that rivet in from the back) they're only 90cents a piece and have thread-locking feature.
Space-frame racecars had tabs all over the frame for body attachment
The tail will be strong enough without a vertical tube, save the weight......you're going to need it.
Bugatti Type 35 had small hex head screws safety-wire drilled on the outside of the chassis rails all wired together criss/cross ...tasty stuff.

Roofus................just got it

Keep us posted on track nose, your cunning sense of style is outrageous!!!

Pedal to the metal,
Jim

 

Cool gas cap.

I'm going to wait until the car is closer to being a car before I start dropping cash on "nice parts".

 

We scored a couple of neat parts at the swap meet at the Bowling Green Hot Rod Reunion that may alter the build (not sure yet).

Dad bought a Whippet radiator and shell and I bought a Jaeger 5" speedometer and mechanical tach.

I have searched a little and think the gauges are 1953 MG TD. They look cool no mater what they are.

If the caddy track nose doesn't work out, I have a cool backup.

 

cool car looking foward to seeing it finished

 

Pics

5" Jaeger speedo and tach



Whippet radiator

 

Thought about it a while.... I am going to continue to work on the track nose. The car needs to shrink a little though to pull it all off.

The cowl will need to be pinched a little to get the lines to work out right (who really needs THAT much foot room anyways?). The nose is gonna get a little smaller and a little lower at the front. Those pretty cam covers are actually going to poke through the hood a little at the front of the motor. The door openings are also gonna get smaller (shorter front to back and shallower).

I'm going to try and pack everything into a 100" wheelbase.


The Whippet radiator and MG gauges will go towards dad's T rebuild.

 

I spent a couple of frustrating days working on roofus. The heat and humidity in Memphis was awful.

I had a heck of a time trying to make the transition from the boat tail to the track nose.

I started trying to mock up the original roof pieces.


IMG_0004 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr


IMG_0006 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr


IMG_0005 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr


IMG_0012 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr

Kinda OK, but I wasn't really feeling it.

On to plan B.

 

Another ROOF ! ...and a jaguar roof to boot! A 1979 Jaguar XJS to be specific.


IMG_0019 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr

Cut down the middle like I did the tail.


IMG_0021 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr


IMG_0022 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr


IMG_0023 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr

 

Looks good enough, time to cut. ....and bend up some new angles.

IMG_0024 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr


IMG_0025 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr


IMG_0026 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr


IMG_0027 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr

It looks like crap...too square.

Does not flow with the rest of the car worth a damn.

It fits the curve front to back pretty well though.

On to plan C

 

The cowl top need a bigger radius. Time to make more angle pieces.
I dropped the roof panel down. Instead of trying to make the XJS roof make the whole bend, I decided to only make it do part of the bend. I positioned it down lower on the car.


IMG_0032 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr


IMG_0033 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr


IMG_0034 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr


IMG_0035 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr

 

Not 100% sure on the peaks. The flat top dash was definetly wrong though.


IMG_0044 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr


IMG_0045 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr

The "hood" will butt up to the cowl. Curves actuallly match up pretty good.

IMG_0043 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr

(3 of the four firetruck are visible in this pic)


IMG_0040 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr

Cowl top will be filled in with cadillac door sheetmetal.

 

In the pics, the red panel looks really flat. In real life, it has a decent amount of shape and follows the curve of the framework fairly well.

On the subject of curves, do you guys think that the hood and cowl should be peaked, curved, or flat down the center?

I'm kinda up in the air over this one.

 

Great work so far..... Curved hood, unless you're gonna hinge it in the middle "gull wing" style, then either peaked at the hinge or flat between the hinges.

 

It will probably be hinged in the middle.

The side panels will be attached to the car. They might get hinged to the top pieces if the carbs and exhaust fit under the hood.

There are a lot of details to work out. I am fighting basic ideas for shapes right now.

I plan on doing the hood and nose as one piece and then cutting it apart after I am happy with the shape.

 

Figure out how you want the rear deck -- it and hood and cowl should probably have similar treatment. If they are seriously different, it will look funny.

 

Do I spy a 5 window?

 

Its only a model A

 

Peaked - then you can get a bit of an Alfa look going on.....

 

I have to mark this!

 

Definitely no flat panels anywhere.
Some might look flat at first glace, but the should not actually be flat.

 

Flipper,

Your speedster looks awsome, keep up the good work!

Have you decided upon a direction for your wind screen yet? I have a pair of large wind wings that I've had sitting around for over 35 years. I've never been able to figure out what car they fit. I always thought they would be perfect for a speedster like you're building. If you want them, you can have them for the cost of shipping and maybe a speedster ride someday! If you send me an email address via PM, I can send you a couple of pictures to see if they interest you.

Let me know. Thanks

 

That RULES!!!!!!!!!!

 

Thanks for the offer.

I am flip-flopping on my ideas for a windshield. Three top choices are Brooklands style screens, 32 ford-ish windshield, and a short Duvall style windshield.

I will probably mock up all three (or ten by the time I get to that point) and pick what feels right.

 

Here are a couple more pics that show the overall shape of the body a little better. Just adding a steering wheel makes it look more like a car to me.


IMG_0036 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr


IMG_0037 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr

I gotta spend a day cleaning up, the shop looks BAD in pics.

 

It took me a awhile to actually find the Wind Wings, but I did. I emailed pictures to you. Let me know if you can use them.

Good luck with your build, it's looking great!

 

All of the sudden, I think rounded cowl and hood tops may be the way to go thanks to Surf Monkey's coverage of Goodwood.

I don't know exactly what this car is, but I love it.

 

Killer build you have going here keep up the great work...

 

Picked up a pair of 16x4 space saver spares at pull-a-part on Saturday.

The plan is to cut the centers out and convert the outers to be used for use with the wire wheels. I will be converting my 15x5.5 wheels to 16x4.

Going to play with forming the dimples for the spoke nipples using a press. Not sure if I will need to add heat or form it cold.

If it works, these will be the front wheels. I want skinny 18's for the rear wheels.