CFECO's X-Car Project Re-Do

[freebeard]

The Old School Beetle's front track can be adjusted in the wheel offset, trailing arm length and beam width.

[CFECO]

I'm going the wide beam route.

[CFECO]

Today I started a Sketch-Up rendition of my 1/24 scale model, of the Old Style VW Beetle, being converted into the next X-Car prototype. This uses the stock VW wheelbase and the rear, approx. 3/5 of the stock Beetle body, turned around on the stock pan. Also is the current state of the 1/24 model with the clay additions, which is a slow process...sand yesterdays clay, add clay, and wait till tomorrow to see how it sands down...repeat. But it's getting there! I found some photos of some full size VW fiberglass body molds on The Samba, but nothing seems to be available today. One of those would greatly simplify building the full size car, by not having to cut up a stock Beetle and then making a mold off the metal parts, to later form fiberglass pieces from. Stock, straight beetles are getting rarer and pricy too.

[freebeard]

Rent a New Beetle for the weekend, slather it in Vaseline, and make partial molds that you can piece together?

[CFECO]

Todays progress has brought the left rear quarter of X-Car, version... "Old Style Beetle reversed on the chassis, and streamlined", to a place where I'd like to hear comments on the streamlining at the rear. It's hard to see all of the shape due to the lighting. There will be a cover over the wheel at least 1/2 to 2/3.
I have found a couple of running Beetles locally, which would make a good starter car for the build, but they are actually in such nice shape, I'd hate to cut um up! Got mold making materials ordered to make copies of the 1/6 scale new Beetle.
I went through the Illuminati Motors Works build album today, studying their construction methods. Interesting build, and it gave me some good ideas for body forming, but putting that car in "Production" would be a nightmare.
Ahh, Winter in Southern AZ, t'shirts and shorts...sorry, I couldn't resist, you in the North can get me back in July!

[freebeard]

..but they are actually in such nice shape, I'd hate to cut um up!

Tell me about it. My '58 Canadian Beetle was alreay baja'd when I got it, but it really deserves a ground-up restoration.



My biggest concern would be that the greenhouse doesn't have as much plan taper as the fenders. maybe a little pie-cut through the roof?

Two automatic left axles on a manual trans will let you shorten the torsion bar tubes and narrow the track 3". It's a complicated subject; you have yor 'long-long' and 'short-short' axles and everything inbetween, so here's a link:

http://http://www.thesamba.com/vw/search.php?cx=partner-pub-7723606459919165%3A4490904434&cof=FORID%3A10&ie=UT F-8&q=automatic+left+axle&sa=Search

[CFECO]

There would not be a problem getting more tapering in the back half of the cabin, the beetle body stops at the barely visible Sharpie line on the left glass area, and the corner mark on the roof. The rest of the back body is newly made. Full scale, once I get a base line mpg, I can get a body that has been hit in the front and
cut it off at the windshield line.

[CFECO]

I'd kinda hate to cut this up, they are a dying breed.

[kach22i]

I love this project, it's right along the line of some of my own car fantasy projects which have died on paper, never making it to the model stage.

CFECO, you are using a new Bug windshield on the old Beetle project, right? Looks like the rear glass on the front, I do not think that is legal.

Are you are going to adjust steering and seating to be even more cab-forward than a stock Beetle?

[CFECO]

On the model I have used the New Beetle rear glass for the windshield,( Good Eye!), as it was a better fit on the OS Bug. I am going to build a reverse cab forward out of the New Beetle kit also, so I'll save it's windshield for that. When it comes time for he real car build, I will have to find a proper windshield, DOT approved. Yes, I will move the pedals and seating forward till the pedals are at the front axle, which will require widening.