here are 2-views of the bumper-mounted swing-mount onto which the tail attaches and pivots on
For the upper corner attachment to the truck box I re-configured 2-ammo boxes to take advantage of these robust latches
The boat tail slips down onto the half-hinge welded at the centerline of the swing-mount
I did as large a scale set of drawings that I could,although they're at different scales so I have to triple check everything
'Baby's' chassis is a re-tasked go-kart frame I bought decades ago from the metal recycling center.It's been shortened and narrowed,then a rough perimeter of 1/2" EMT welded on to define the body outline.
To reduce weight,and give me some extra room in the truck bed,the tail can be dropped (also for testing!).The cut is at Kamm's 50% frontal area location
At the parting line for the tail I welded in some 1-penny nails for registration pins and then welded in a 1/4"-20 bolt,with hand nut for quick attach/detach
To the chassis I welded single-hole EMT clamps,which hold speed-nuts,into which trim screws pass to secure the belly pan.I made a GO-NO-GO of ground clearance dimension,then used a tubing cutter to cut portions of EMT to create shims which hold the belly to the proper ground clearance
Then a bunch of deadwood was added to reinforce the perimeter of the belly as well as lock in the elevation of the upper body when placed,while providing attachment points for 'skins'.
Then the nose,sides,and tailpiece could be attached.
The upper body started with the 'planview' as a base,upon which the central spine was added,then the ribs.
She was so heavy that I went back and cut out much of the 5/8ths plywood just to shave weight ,going from 50,to 32-pounds.
She pretty much has the ultimate profile of the car defined now
And now she's inverted on the table with her belly facing skyward so I can do the wheel fairings.
Cubic man-hours!
All my scrap foam in assembled and I'll be gluing in that real soon,then the shaping,fiberglassing,Bondo,and finishing can follow.
I'll see where I'm at after my physical on the 11th and perhaps by then I'll have a sense of when to contact DARKO.