Great pictures guys. Proof that determination and effort can bring a dream to reality. While I was serving my apprenticeship many moons ago, an older,and very talented I might add, journeyman told me that "craftmanship" started with what you have at hand, not with what you can buy! Didn't young Mr. Davenport from Salt Flats Speed Shop pound out a Willys coupe from aluminum?
Here is a Willys i rebuilt. Its not all scratch built, i used the cowl and rear quarters. I did rebuild the inner framing, rear wheelwells, deck lid, rear filler panel, doors, cowl sides, and filled the cowl vent. This was all by hand, the only "specialty tool" i used was a brake. The beltline on the doors was made using a 2x4 that i shaved down to fit inside of the original belt line, then pressed it over my knee. I didnt have a bead roller, so i took a body hammer and a piece of 1/4 angle iron. Anyway, heres some pics
Ha ha... crack me up. Burning grass apart from the illegal kind is frowned upon!!! When the retaining wall gets to a 50degree angle something NEEDS to be done about it. I thought leaving it to fall over by itself would be a better, less effort idea, but she wouldnt have a bar of it. Less time working on garage projects.
Using the search function near the top of your screen,look for scratch-built bodies, and homemade bodies.Good stuff!
back in the late 70s my parents built this c cab from 3/4" plywood. Saw the car a few months ago and after sitting outside uncovered for a while the body is still solid.
Some car magazine years ago had a story about a guy who built a 3/4 scale 37 Chevy out of refrigerator door skins. He had a Toyota 4 banger in it. It looked good.
here's mine so far. 30/31 model a cowl and 56 plymouth savoy fenders as quarter panels. check out the rest of the build here. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=570948
looking good a bit more leg room too I see It will come down to what tools you have & what style you want theres plenty of parts out there that you can put together to make a cool car
Sounds like we seen the same one. I also thought it was neat. Red and black, made out of a 1974 dodge. I like how the van middle body seam made a neat body lines in the t-bucket. Seen it at Jefferson, Wi. at a car show about 10 years ago maybe and still think about it quite often
I'm having a brain fart, but the brothers who made the copper bodied cobra. I love how they hand made with little pieces I think was a 40 ford or willy's can't remember. Sorry the Kirkham's, they are friggin amazing http://www.kirkhammotorsports.com/galleries/custom-cars/copper-40-ford
Since this thread got resurrected anyhow, I thought I would add my scratch builds to the list. This roadster was finished in 2006. All steel and all hand fabricated except for the grill shell. And this sedan/delivery/pickup was completed last year. Build photos of both cars are in this thread http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=615827 You can also see waaaaaaay more photos in this book about scratch building hot rods http://www.hotrodders.com/scratch-built/Cover.
Here's mine that's a work in progress. I call it a "cruckster" since I pulled styling cues from several 20's and 30's trucks and coupes and thanks to the removable tilt roof, can double as a roadster. Originally it wasn't going to have a removable roof, but I'm 6'4 250lbs and I built this plenty big enough to seat me comfortally, I was never fond of the need for squeezing through a little willy wonka-ish drivers door that results from chopping and channeling of traditional bodies. Started with a drawing, some ambition, and amateur metal working skills and built this from scrapmetal lying around (including an old gate, wheelbarrow, bed frame, and a trampoline). The only major tools needed were a grinder and a welder. I've invested about $8 in materials so far, maybe another $30 for enough consumables to finish the body out. I see more handmade bodies coming from my garage in the future, it's a lot of fun and an awesome learning experience. Not the prettiest thing, but I'm staying within my skills and tooling limits and not getting ahead of myself.
here is some of mine - real low buck - less than $100 as it sets - ready to start the glass ( kevlar ) - jaxx
here's one I done earlier Started with a 1933 Alvis rolling chassis, quick cardboard mock up profile followed by months of toil....