The Roofus Special

[Flipper_1938]

I'm planning on heading to Dad's afer Christmas and working on the car a little more.

I had been planning on seperate seat backs kinda like bomber seats, but I was having a hard time figuring out what to do with the bulkhead/firewall behind the seats.

I think I may go with a single seatback kinda like this.

 

[earthman]

I can't wait to see this OFF the table. [dr

X2

 

[Flipper_1938]

No pictures 'cause I'm on dad's dial-up, but figured I post an update.

I "raised" the engine and trans back up to where it used to be. I want the car to be flat bottomed...nothing hanging down below the floor. I'm pretty sure this will be a really low car.

I made a hole in the firewall to poke the steering column through. The extended coulmn looks like it will be just the right length.

I cut up lots more Cadillac sheetmetal trying to flesh out the front bodywork. I think I figured out how to make the track nose work...I had the Cadillac hood pointed the wrong direction! The cadillac front doorskins are now going to be the hood. ...and the Cadillac front fenders are now the cowl. I've had lots of fun.

I would have gotten farther, but had to help dad on a project.

 

[Sam_Fear]

I cut up lots more Cadillac sheetmetal trying to flesh out the front bodywork. I think I figured out how to make the track nose work...I had the Cadillac hood pointed the wrong direction! The cadillac front doorskins are now going to be the hood. ...and the Cadillac front fenders are now the cowl. I've had lots of fun.

Waiting on pics of this...[P

 

[rainman]

Agree with Sam, NO PROOF, we don't believe you!!

 

[Flipper_1938]

I've taken lots of pics for a visual update when I get back home.

Another day of a whole lotta mocking up sheetmetal....

The "fender cowl" got replaced today with a combination of the red XJS jaguar roof from last year and Cadillac rear door sheetmetal. The XJS roof fits the framework SO GOOD!!! I forgot how well the curves matched

Also, the hood from a VW fastback has become hood sides.

With body work on it, this car looks long and sleek....for good reason....this little car is 14 feet long!!!!

 

[hotrod preacher]

I would have gotten farther, but had to help dad on a project.

i have the same "issues" on my projects...

but i try to remind myself of all the "projects" dad set to the side to raise me

not trying to be rude-just me thinking out loud..

anticipating pics ...[P

 

[rainman]

Looking forward to seeing what you've got!![P[P

 

[andyspinstriping]

cool idea!

 

[Flipper_1938]

i have the same "issues" on my projects...

but i try to remind myself of all the "projects" dad set to the side to raise me

not trying to be rude-just me thinking out loud..

anticipating pics ...[P

Not fussing, just laying groundwork as to why I wasn't terribly productive.

After 350,000 miles, the o-ring that goes between the oil pump and block on his toyota 4x4, finally dried up and cracked causing an oil leak. Swapping that out wasn't all that big of a deal. The fun was figuring it out why it wouldn't run when we put it back together. Turns out that he unscrewed something on the mass air sensor that he shouldn't have while tearing stuff down. It was the first time I had torn into one, but I figured it out and put it back the way it should have been. It runs fine now.

 

[Flipper_1938]

The big project for today was beefing up the harbor fright bead roller so that it will actually roll beads. Mission accomplished. It's fun to screw up sheetmetal!

I felt I had to get that sorted out before I do the visible interior sheetmetal panels in the interior (like the bulkhead under the seat).

 

[Flipper_1938]

Where I started this trip. I decided the drivetrain needed to be tucked up inside the car. I pulled out thje 1.5" spacers that were under the frame.

I went ahead and mocked up the single chamber flowmaster where it would fit under the hood.

I made a hole in the firewall for the steering column

this neat little piece from the jag donor still fits

going from the column to the rack looks like it will be easy

It feels right

 

[Flipper_1938]

I decided that I really needed to know the body shape before I could mount the brake pedals (one of the things I needed to finalize the seat design)

Time for the "real mock-up". I tried the cadillac track nose again...this time I turned the hood around. The lower edge of the hood points toward the cowl now. A front door skin is now the hood. a piece of the rear door skin is the cowl.

The grill looked like it would work.

Also, decided to find a use for the fenders

 

[Flipper_1938]

decided to try and use more of the fender. The wheel opening is now the door opening.

The car is 14 feet long! It is starting to look fast.

I wasn't happy with the fender top as a cowl. The transition from hood to cowl to body didn't flow good enough. I went back to the rear door piece.

fender

door

 

[Flipper_1938]

I raised the door opening

insert motor noises

The curves all line up

Time to cut down the rear door piece to eliminate the overlap

tacked to the hood (door)

The fender looks good in pics, but the contour under the chrome would be a pain to deal with and it really didn't match the curve of the chassis. Bring back the 1979 jaguar XJS roof

 

[Flipper_1938]

It needs hood sides. VW squareback hood to the rescue

This thing still is a movie set prop

side re-positioned

it's got room under the hood even with the raised motor position

 

[Flipper_1938]

Before I could go any farther with sheetmetal work, I needed to beef up my horrible fright bead roller.

junk from the pile

welded on

It works!

 

[Flipper_1938]

Somehow I had offset the trans too far to the passenger side.

the tunnel was too tight anyways, so I removed 1 inch.

34 olds? dash insert looks cool upside down and looks like it might work

more mock-up pics

making plans for the body side of the trans mount

 

[GJunktionMike]

Now thats looking like a ride[cl cool dash

 

[Sam_Fear]

You really had something to show!!! I like it all. Really coming together now.