The "non-car body filler" technique worked...it parted well....

http://www.desicodesign.com/meerkat/

Looks good Alan. Can't wait to see the finished product!

Thanks Matt,

I thought you'd be glad to hear of the non-bondo plug......very time and cost saving...so long as you put enough kilz on that you don't rub through it's great.

Should be making the bonnet/hood pretty soon, so we'll get some idea of the finished car then....

I just shake my head... in admiration of your work with composites - that's a mountain I have yet to climb. I just have images of an enormous mess, with dust through out our house and all the plants dead from epoxy fumes. Maybe when I build a detached workshop...


[Edited on 21/5/03 by kb58]

Thanks KB,

Yes, I have to admit the detached (200 yards away) shop does not hurt at all......

The breathing mask helps with the fumes, but the dust does get everywhere....I won't miss it when I pass the body stage..

Good luck when you reach that stage.....at least your are well on with wiring,...I have that to come...

KB, where in CA are you?

I'll be in San Jose next week for a couple of days.

Nope, way south. (And if you did visit, with the dog fiasco and all, you'd not be allowed in the house, as it'd make your shop look really clean...)
And yes, the wiring is/will taking a really long time. As an EE I should have known better... but it has to get done so I just keep digging.

[Edited on 21/5/03 by kb58]

dog fiasco??

Ned,

Click his www button for the story.
You really must keep up.......

KB,

Nothing short of the end of civilisation would make my shop look tidy...

Ned, you should visit KB's site anyway...full of great stuff....

If I do a wood buck will you do all the filling for me? I am a better wood worker than a composite worker. I can get it looking okay, but I can't get it to look right within a couple feet.

Matt, with the white drywall filler it's pretty easy...just long winded..slap some on...rub it down...fill again...and so on

It's just more tedious than anything else really.

Then when it is really close to feeling true you can start putting the paint on to help show the blemishes.

Before asking him to build you a body over a buck, first figure what you'd pay him per hour (wild guess, $50?, or $80 if he doesn't want to do it,) then multiply that by a month.... or two, or three. I'd expect it to be very very expensive.

About my site, it's at:
http://members.cox.net/kimini22/car/
Specifically the "Build Diaries."

[Edited on 21/5/03 by kb58]

Ah KB....you read between lines for a living I guess......

Yes, indeed it is soooo tedious it is difficult to imagine what I would need to charge to feel adequately compensated...

It could explain why it is nearly 20 years since I last did a set of car body moulds..

It's a fantastic experience......






once....

That's what I find about yard projects. They're a great experience... once. I'm not so sure about the car. While I'm building, I'm keeping a mental list of how I'd do it better, cheaper, faster, etc, the next time. "Next time" might be a three-wheeler - much, much simpler, cheaper, lighter, and I secretly have always wanted a sportbike, though I know I would kill myself. At least a three-wheeler has some protection.

This picture on my website I got from the owner's website and it looks pretty nice:
http://members.cox.net/kimini22/car/next/index.html

Styling is certainly the nightmare though. As much as I like the specs, cost, and simplicity of it, it IS hard to get past the "missing wheel."

[Edited on 22/5/03 by kb58]

Alan,

I hear you re the tediousness of plug and mould making. I'm currently doing a course on same and, with five three hour classes, we won't come close to being finished making our simple plug and two part mould. As it is, I brought home the plug from class last night so I can try to finish all of the tedious sanding, filling, sanding, filling, polishing etc etc at home.

I'm having pretty serious concerns now about how much time it will take me to build a plug, set of moulds, and pull panels for my proposed body design. This is now at the point where I'm considering a much simpler body style more like a traditional Locost (ali side panels, simple cycle guards etc) to get the build finished in my life time

My sincere congratulations to you for the speed at which you've completed the buck, mould, and first set of panels!

Dominic

Dominic,

Is the avatar a rendered model of what you're planning to build? it reminds me of the fiat x1/9, albeit with a few bits chopped about a bit.

Ned.

Ned,

The avatar image is actually of a 1:6 scale model rather than a render but, yes, that is what I am/was planning to build. The current version is somewhat modified from the avatar one - see this message thread for some newer images.

I said 'was' above because I've been having serious concerns about build time for the bodywork (and I can't get the nose looking the way I want ). I'm now leaning towards something a lot like the CarCraft Cyclone - a mid-engined Locost-like car (a lot more so than the Sylva Mojo too).

Dominic
Brisbane, Australia
http://www.DIYSportsCar.org

Dominic,

I thought that way too (simpler design), but ended up just saving having to do GRP sides, which wasn't much saving because most of the work was in the front and rear.....in my design at least

I must admit it does get easier...I think you get better at filling and rubbing down...although in saying that I just checked and the bonnet will end up having taken 3 months in total....:-(

How many hours labor would you guess constitute that three month period? I'm just wondering what I'm in for when I tackle something along the same lines...

I reckon I've done about 15 hours per week on average........so say around 200 hours.

<head in hands>
oh God, oh GOD, OH GOD.....

I sometimes wonder if it's better to be blissfully unaware of whats in store for me. For some odd reason (maybe it's denial), I keep thinking that my cars bodywork will be less difficult. But I'm delusional.

<head in hands>
oh GOD, oh God, oh god...

Steve G

Er yes....perhaps it may be easier to pretend you didn't visit the site today...

quote:

---

Originally posted by Alan B
I thought that way too (simpler design), but ended up just saving having to do GRP sides, which wasn't much saving because most of the work was in the front and rear.....in my design at least

---

quote:

---

I must admit it does get easier...I think you get better at filling and rubbing down...although in saying that I just checked and the bonnet will end up having taken 3 months in total....:-(

---

200 hours... yup. If it makes you feel any "better," I've spent about 120 hours on my wiring... and I'm not done yet.

[Edited on 23/5/03 by kb58]

Hey not so fast on writing a book... that's what I'm going to do to recoup MY expenses....

Hmmm?.....seems my plan is not so original now.....

Alan
I've just had one of my frequent looks at your website and see you have finished the molding congratulations. I can't wait to see it all finished.
I'm still at the planning/thinking stage
If you get to the stage of marketing Merkat in the UK I think there will be a few takers from this forum me being one

regards

Keith

Maybe all you pioneers of the mid engine locost should compile a book together so there are a wide variety of design styles and chassis design and this will inspire people to develop new and original designs rather than reproducing someone elses?

Keith thanks, I have you pencilled in for a brochure...

Tell me anything you don't like about it.....I'm trying to seek as much constructive negative feedback as I can....

When or if several people mention the same thing then I can maybe do something.....

Poloace:
Yes good idea, I would certainly buy that book....who knows I may have to write myself... I know what you are saying though...the "book" pretty much guides you to a seven replica, creatively yes, but still a seven...I like sevens, but I wanted something different, using common parts (OK, I used the MR2, but most FWD units will work).......

the more i read your build diaries, the more im glad i stuck with using a nova shell and just made alterations to it to suit (40cms longer engine compartment and a rear spoiler, hardly hard work)...
I swear im going to finish it in a year or two tho...

quote:

---

Originally posted by MrFluffy
the more i read your build diaries, the more im glad i stuck with using a nova shell and just made alterations to it to suit (40cms longer engine compartment and a rear spoiler, hardly hard work)...
I swear im going to finish it in a year or two tho...

---

hello spyderman, 9 years? eek ive been building a bike for must be 5 now, and already ive started redoing things i did at the begining in light of new ideas. Must feature freeze it!
usual options for the fuel tank, in the side pods like the works lambo miura on which the shell is based (problem is the works car did sideswipe into a stone bridge and explode but no crash cages and no explosisafe in them days), over the transaxle in a crash cage, or up front in a cage between the strut towers same as the road going miura. Then theres in front of the rear wheels above the driveshaft area like one of the lotus's if I remember correctly..
Im going to evolve it a bit and make the final decision later. More important to press on than agonize over the details any more..