A long-nose roadster
idea came to my mind as I was rotating the body in my hands.
I've turned the
car the other way round, I used the rear of the kit as the
front.
What I will make
is a front engine-rear drive roadster with some power. So I want a long
nose and with the hood's end being close to a V-shape, like the Old
Beetle.
That's why I turned the car around, because the rear part is closer to
what I want.
I bought a die-cast
BMW Z3, which unbelievably very finely fitted the VW body with the
wheelbase,
track, chassis, engine (though not detailed), windshield and
seats.
I would prefer
to buy a Tamiya kit for the BMW, but no chance! Out of stock... And
also
no engine!
Anyhow, I am
after a new body concept so I really don't bother too much with the
underbody. |
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June 05, 2004:
I
took the templates of the hood opening
and the windshield bottom part, on cardboards.
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Some
final touch was missing at the
very front of the car and I put a PT Cruiser's front bumper in, to be
blended
with the body later. |
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June 06, 2004:
I
tailored the firewall in place.
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I
trimmed the chassis of the Z3 to
fit the VW contours. Measurements showed that the rear axle was 1.5 mm
backwards. |
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I
enlarged the positioning holes of
the rear axle to slots, to take the rear axle 1.5 mm forward. |
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June 07, 2004:
I put
2 mm dia. styrene rods to hold
the windshield in place. This also serves for keeping the windshield in
when needed during construction and taking it away when not needed.
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June 08, 2004:
I cut
the raw styrene hood and bent
it roughly to shape.
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June 09, 2004:
I put
a brass wire reinforcement under
the hood for keeping the shape of the hood permenantly. I used epoxy
glue
for fixing.
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To
be a bit more nostalgic in the looks,
I cut out the famous hood contour of the VW. |
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I
glued the parts of the hood together
to have the well-known form of the hood. |
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I
applied automotive putty to the recess
at the front, which was once the place for the rear licence plate. |
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