Board logo

Help me decide
liftarn - 21/4/07 at 02:15 PM

Now I'm getting new ideas again and I have already taken a few turns. But then ideas are good since you can experiment with various ideas. I have considered CanAm styling, single seater formula cars in 1960s style and now I'm thinking that that style may be widened, simmilar to the Sylva Riot (but without the "fold here" design of the chassis).
Anyway, I would like to have som input and perhaps even more ideas.

The requirements are:
* must use the classic SAAB 900 engine and gearbox
* the bodywork should be possible to make yourself, i.e. no complex curves and/or a lot of fibreglass work
* road legal
* preferably in a classic design


coozer - 21/4/07 at 04:21 PM

MNR Vortx, you cannot go wrong and don't need to fabricate anything your self


DIY Si - 21/4/07 at 04:27 PM

Why that engine and gearbox?


akumabito - 21/4/07 at 04:32 PM

I guess because that's what he's got laying around?


liftarn - 22/4/07 at 05:07 PM

MNR Vortx seems to miss on the two first points so it's a non option. I like the rollercoaster scuttle tough.
The RCB has a nice design too (and the visible rivets actually makes it look better)


Yes, I bought a rusted out SAAB 900 Turbo and the body is bad, but the engine and gearbox is in sperb condition. The previous owner kept a log of all the changes. Regular oil changes, almost new turbo, slightly tuned. It has a wonderfull turbo kick and the gearchanges are smooth as butter. I originally planned to fix it up, but the body was too rusty to be saved. My second idea was to put the engine in a SAAB 99 or SAAB 90. I even bought a SAAB 90 (it has the advantage that I can use the donor fuel tank and pump) and even if I checked it for rust as best as I could before I bought it there was still some rust at a very bad place (where the front engine support bars connects to the body). I managed to trade it for a couple of spare parts for my 99 and I got to keep the rims, so I actually made a little money on it, but I scrapped the idea of an engine swap and started thinking of something mid engined.


Doug68 - 23/4/07 at 01:45 AM

I'd stick with the original Meklus idea as it meets all your conditions.

There's other cars from the era that look great and match too such as this:

http://www.cknet.org.uk/html/91730_photo.asp?img=91730_001_19XX_Porsche_Museum

the main thing is YOU have to really want it because YOU are going to be spending a lot of time - effort - money to get the project done.


liftarn - 23/4/07 at 10:57 AM

Yes, the Melkus idea is a good one, but I was checking if someone had a suggestion I had missed. The only miss of the CanAm design is
* the bodywork should be possible to make yourself, i.e. no complex curves and/or a lot of fibreglass work
It may be possible to do it, but how good would it look? Another option would ofcourse be to not have any bodywork at all (Ariel Atom, sandrail et.c.), but I don't think so.


liftarn - 25/4/07 at 02:45 PM

Oh, another requirement
* it must weigh more than 720 kg (easy!)

I like the idea of a more rounded shape then the standard seven.