Well I finally got around to ordering a plasma cutter
So now it is time to actually commit to doing something with my car. I would really like to build a spitfire/metro combination but I don't have time this summer for anything that involved so my only real option is to stick with a base metro shell to build on. I have 3 metro bodies sitting around in the yard I can hack on and get figured out what I can do. I have lots of random thoughts but not really sure what ones are good. I will have the summer to build whatever I do and need it running by fall and be able to drive it all school year.
- Chop the roof, easiest way would be cut the firewall near the windshield and tilt the roof back so it is flat to the tail lights. Also would help by making the windshield angle steeper. Door windows might not ever roll down again but who cares. All glass except the windshield would have to be custom formed lexan.
- chop the front end into something a bit better shaped. if nothing else just re-angle the bumper so it pushes air over the top better and isn't so flat. Tilting the radiator back some and making the hood close much lower so the engine only has 1/2" of clearance would be better.
- Narrow the entire car. The engine does not take up the entire engine bay so the car could have 6 inches cut out of the center, CV joints are easy to narrow, not sure about the steering rack but I am sure something can be figured out pretty easy. The gear shifter would be hard to do something with. it would be in the center of the drivers seat if left alone so it needs some way to be moved way to the right and still work. I would also have to find a different windshield, probably something like off an Opel GT, I think it is pretty narrow. Cutting the stocker would be hard but not impossible.
- Narrow the rear of the car so it tapers in after the rear wheels. Be easy to do just not sure if there would be much gain from it. Narrowing the rear wheel s without the fronts matching would make handling totally suck.
The other thing I would love to do if I have time(I probably don't) is to replace the unibody totally with a chromoly chassis. I would be able to strip all the supports off the stock body panels so they are just a skin attached to the frame. That way I could dig up some good spitfire body panels in the future and just change the car over to it by just changing the body mounts around. Once the car is built on a tube chassis changing it into something totally different looking is way easier and could probably be accomplished over 2 weekends.
These are the main ideas I have for what to do to my metro. I now have all the tools I could possibly need for metalwork. Stick welders, Mig welder, chop saws/grinders, plasma cutter, tubing benders/notchers, and a 40'x48' garage. So instead of finishing up the kit car that has been sitting for a few years I am going to get into another project that will hopefully get done faster than the never ending kit car project. Anyone got anything else they can think of adding to my idea list for this car? I am open to anything no matter how insane the idea might sound.