Fiberglass

[Neverdone]

Has anyone on here ever tried to build something out of fiberglass? I have this engine sitting on the floor that really needs a home. Its a 2005 Yammaha R6 engine (18k rpm 140hp 6spd). I am really trying to come up with something unique to build with it but am struggling. Of course you could go with the traditional quad engine swap, too easy..... Could build a mini rail, single seat sand rail, could be fun........ or........... I was thinking of a mini single seat roadster. Kind of like these things I have seen online called tot rods http://www.v8hotrod.com/totrodders.htm only big enough that I could uncomfortably fit in. When finished I would also like to get it inspected and street legal.

The problem is that I have not been able to find anywhere online that sells the bodies in the US so I would have some place to start. I think I would rather buy a body if it was big enough rather than try to build one, but I have also heard that fiberglass work is not that hard. Is this true? Has anyone on here ever tried to build something like that? Or is there maybe an easier way? [S

 

[ratrodz]

check with speedway they had some smaller scale race bodies you might be able to make work

 

[King Herald]

Fibreglass is great stuff, but to build a decent shaped body-shell does require a whole lot of work, to get it looking right.

My current project is a 'glass 28 RPU, which was a basic body shell when I got it, but just to get it workable involves a lot of 'glass work. I don't really mind it, but it tends to drag on, and is itchy as hell.

 

[Neverdone]

Looked into speedway, can't find any on there.

Herald, How much glass work have you done? Ever tried to build your own plug or anything like that? I have been doing some reading about building a mold and things like that. I think I might give it a shot building a mold from cardboard to get the basic shape down and go from there. I would try and do it from foam, but if I did that the mold alone would cost me about $1000!!

The goal is to have the motor sit in the back, have the whole thing about 6' long and the driver seat be about 32" wide. Have the whole thing taper down to about 18" in the front. I would like the back of the body to be about 34" tall with a slight downward slope towards the front. Does it sound like my proportions are about right?

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

How about a belly tank? Or a 23 T-Bucket? Or a Fiat Topo?

Check this link.

http://www.classglassperformance.com/P-38 Belly.html

 

[Neverdone]

I do like the belly tank idea..... the problem with that is the motor probably wouldn't fit inside it. I don't know how it would look with that hanging out. The motor is about 18 long 18 wide and 24 tall. Do you think it would look alright with it being visible?

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

I'd think you could put 4 of those engines in there and not see a thing. The tanks from that site are 36'' in diameter.

 

[Neverdone]

Must have miss read that some where!!! In that case this might be what I do, I think that would be a great project!! Little bigger than what I was going for, but with that R6 motor in it I bet that thing would really SCREAM! [dr

 

[King Herald]

Looked into speedway, can't find any on there.

Herald, How much glass work have you done? Ever tried to build your own plug or anything like that? I have been doing some reading about building a mold and things like that. I think I might give it a shot building a mold from cardboard to get the basic shape down and go from there. I would try and do it from foam, but if I did that the mold alone would cost me about $1000!!

The goal is to have the motor sit in the back, have the whole thing about 6' long and the driver seat be about 32" wide. Have the whole thing taper down to about 18" in the front. I would like the back of the body to be about 34" tall with a slight downward slope towards the front. Does it sound like my proportions are about right?

It is hard to get 'the look' right and both glsass cars I've built have been based on existing 'glass shells, which I have done lots of work to. most of it is simple stuff, glassing floors in, reinforcing, rebuilding doors etc.

Have a look at my current build (link at bottom) and you can see what I've been doing with 'glass on this one.

Making a complete body, hmm, you could try thin plywood to get the basic shaped and use various material to build it to look right, then either glass over it and make a mould. Or like I did once before, make it out of 1/2" plywood then glass it solid inside and out and use that as the body. it came out looking pretty odd though.
Looked okay from the rear......

 

[blacksheep]

Has anyone on here ever tried to build something out of fiberglass? I have this engine sitting on the floor that really needs a home. Its a 2005 Yammaha R6 engine (18k rpm 140hp 6spd). I am really trying to come up with something unique to build with it but am struggling. Of course you could go with the traditional quad engine swap, too easy..... Could build a mini rail, single seat sand rail, could be fun........ or........... I was thinking of a mini single seat roadster. Kind of like these things I have seen online called tot rods http://www.v8hotrod.com/totrodders.htm only big enough that I could uncomfortably fit in. When finished I would also like to get it inspected and street legal.

The problem is that I have not been able to find anywhere online that sells the bodies in the US so I would have some place to start. I think I would rather buy a body if it was big enough rather than try to build one, but I have also heard that fiberglass work is not that hard. Is this true? Has anyone on here ever tried to build something like that? Or is there maybe an easier way? [S

.
Man, I've worked with alot of fiberglass, and it is a pain to work with. Also just the harmful effects just made me stay away from glass stuff anymore.

 

[rainman]

Check out zzrodder's mini t from a golf cart build thread, That would be cool!!

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

A salt-flats belly tank build.

http://candyshotrodsupply.blogspot.com/

 

[Neverdone]

Thanks Crankenstien , that is awesome!!! I am looking for a real belly tank now. If I was to do something like that I want it to be like the real thing I think. At the beginning of the year there was some one on here selling one, I knew when I saw it I should have bought it.....