I really love that 54 F88 show car (someone else has a thread) and I have been thinking about building my own for years. I have this parts car, and well... what do you think? I built a model in a 3dsMax class at school, I have never taken on a project this big, but I have seen some pretty inspiring things here on the HAMB.
Nah...I'm not sure I'd tackle building that car from a "real" steel car. The amount of shortening, sectioning, chopping, reshaping, probably doesn't make it worth the time and effort (Ask Fritz....he tried to build a steel version of a Roth showcar, and finally just built it out of glass) You'd be better off taking that Olds frame, shortening it, and then building a fiberglass body around it. You can us the traditionally apprived Roth "spitball" method of body building, or a more modern approach of a light wood framework, and foam, carved to shape, and covered with glass (supposing it's a one-off, and you dont' want to build a mold to do multiple versions. Marty Martinez, out of Va, built the Pontiac version of the Vette showcar, the Club-De-Mer, this way. I think there might be some good info about it on Still Runnin', the internet magazine. If not, contact Leah, who runs that site, she is a friend of Marty's and can fill you in with what it takes to do one of these.
The real F88. Is that the one that sold recently for something like 3 million? Link to an article on how stuff works......http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1954-oldsmobile-f88.htm/printable
I really respect the Ed Roth method, but with the doors and stuff, I think steel would actually be easier. The theory is not to copy the F88 show car, but sort of "what if". The shortened body ends up being about the length of a 78-86 GM A or G body car. Swapping the sheet metal onto a running Cutlass (or cousin) would make things alot simpler
Looks like a cross between a Thunder Bird and a Corvette. But if I had to decide between the two it would be a hard decision so you are about to create the best of both world's. Neat looking 3d model.
Get into some Metal Fab. Class's. You'll find it easier to build the panels then cut and weld the original body. Maybe start from the cowl, windshield and floor pan. Then build from there. Anyway go for it. We all have a dream. JP
Anybody have pictures of the Papoose, built in Atlanta? 55 Pontiac with unborne calf interior. I saw it at the car show, then later on Peachtree St, same day I saw the ZOT cruising Peachtree!
hey if your going to cut that car up let me know i can use some parts off that......the idea you have looks pretty cool....................john
Go for it!! I think it would be really coll, and I agree with doing it in metal, I think it would be a really fun project!
Would be a lot of work to stitch back together, but guys have done that stuff on here before, if your welding skills are up to par, go for it. I'd round up a 4-door to cut up rather than a 2-door hardtop, though. And I'd suggest a more traditional Olds front end look, like the actual F-88, you'd hate to go through all that work and have someone see it from the front and think it's a T-bird.
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