UPDATE #1 ---- SERET SPEED SPORTS CAR ---- Build Thread

I can't tell you the exact date but I can tell you the exact moment I knew I wanted to build a 50’s style sports car. I was coming home on Highway 37 about five or six years ago when I passed by a polished aluminum sports car on its way home from a track day at Infineon (Sears Point) raceway. It wasn’t a vintage car but I was totally awe struck. When I got home I was so exited I did an image search for polished aluminum sports car and a vintage lotus came up. It was like nothing I had ever seen before. I knew right then the ultimate challenge for myself was to build a car of my own design from scratch.
I began to do more in depth research on 50’s sports cars, looking more into their construction, track widths and wheel bases. In the early stages of the design process I met with artist John Bell who did a series of concept drawings for me. Shortly after that I got distracted with other projects. It wasn’t till Kirk and I finished the Legion Special I began to get motivated to pick up the sports car project again. Due to the 5 or so years I have kicked this idea around I have really refined what I want the car to be and how I want it to look. One of the cars I was most inspired by was Dean Moon’s Moonbeam. He campaigned that car as a triple threat: drag racing, land speed and raced it at the Brighton Speed trials. Using that car as a template I began to order parts that would give my car its American heritage. In fact all the parts in this car (aside from the frame and body) can easily be found on most any Hot Rod. For exampe the 40 Ford wheels from Wheels Vintiques, Super Bell dropped axle and buggy spring, 6.00 & 7.50 Firestone tires from Coker, spit wishbone, Vega steering box, Horton’s welder series 4 link and QA1 coilovers. Then there is the 147 ft. of .134 DOM tube and 5 sheets 3003 .063 aluminum.
My basic goal is to build a classic European style sport car with American Hot Rod influence that is SCTA and NHRA legal. I have the motor transmission and rear end, but I won't tell you about those until update #3 so stay tuned!!<p>

 

Subscribed.

 

This is SO COOL!!! And, you already know what update #3 is gonna be!?!

 

awesome work as usual.

 

Matt, you're totally off your rocker. Great project. Keep at it. I'll be keeping an eye on this.

 

Sweet! I look forward to seeing the updates

 

This is going to be good.

Seret, if you can keep the build in one thread that be awesome. Easier to keep track of progress.

 

This looks like a great project and I'll be watching closely. I've wanted to do the same kind of thing myself. The only thing I wonder about is the choice of the straight axle up front. I realize cornering isn't your primary aim but I think you'll be giving a lot up with the straight axle. Very few cars, even homebuilts, had straight axles after about '54-'55.

The rendering looks killer.

Kurt O.

 

Hell yea!

 

Fuckin' A

 

Very cool...

 

I agree 100% the staight axle is an bad choice, If your comparison is a Modern Factory 5 Cobra kit. But for vintage stye build with the skinny I think its going to handle great. I do however plan on using a torsion style swaybar up front.

 

cool build. what is wheelbase and track?

 

Amazing how some people also have the same dreams as others, I've often contemplated this with a Kurtis Kraft styled car. Great progress & Good luck - I'll be watching this with mucho interest

 

wheelbase is 95" amd track is 55"

 

This is going to rule.

 

On man, this is gonna be good! Can't wait to see what you come up with for the body.

 

Awesome...

Don't forget this one... a bit newer... but the style is there.

 

Here are some pics of Straight Axle, American built Sportscars.

Kurtis.




Morgensen/Bird Spl.




Ol'Yeller 1 ( which was also a Morgensen Spl )




Stroppe Spl.






And there was a Lister ( jag or Chevy engined... probably Chevy ), that had its IFS replaced for a Kurtis Straightaxle.
Complete with torsion springs, etc.
And it was faster than it was before...

A good Straight Axle can be better than a not so good IFS.

 

damn matt that things gona be kick ass

 

I am really, REALLY enthused to see this type of project from you, although I'd also like to see that LSR car being built. I can't wait for the metal forming updates!!!

I don't know enough to have an educated opinion about the axle... but the only thing that I thought first off was why a dropped axle? Seems like you had plenty of room (mounting height-wise) to run an authentic stock axle. But, like I said... I don't know anything!

Awesome project, Matt.

 

Man I really want to see you pull this off.

 

Neat idea. But some wise-guy will probably tell you it's already been done - from Kurtis to Cobra. Good luck. Gary

 

Cool, this will be fun to watch.

 

Are there more design drawings or just the side profile?

 

Nice project! Is your SCTA-legal roll cage going to be bolt in or weld in? They can be pretty fussy about how things are done; make certain that you are following the 2011 rules. As a one-off, it is either a streamliner, I think, or must run TimeOnly. Let's hope Nathan (Beef Stew) sees this and provides some tech inspector input. SCTA legal or not, it is a way cool build. vic

 

Ready for part 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I originally planned to use a stock axle and I have one. But they are a little to wide. I only went with the dropped axle because the are narrow, and I wanted to get my track width to 55" the same as my rearend. also with the dropped axle the spring is just under the top of the frame

 

awesome can't wait for part two.