Originally Posted by Frank Lee (Post 500792)

Originally Posted by elhigh (Post 500805)

Frank is messing with you. "Viola" = a stringed instrument a little larger than a violin. Like the relationship between a cornet and a trumpet.

SYK, "voila" = French phrase meaning "see there." Unfortunately some people get it even wronger and spell it "walla," which makes me want to punch my computer in the throat for even displaying something so dumb.

You are aware the front seats of the Previa sit right on top of that engine hump, right? Is there even enough headroom to lower the roof like you show?

Be advised that some of my concern stems from the previous generation Toyota Van (TownAce to non-American drivers), in which the engine hump is even higher.

Originally Posted by elhigh (Post 500805)

Frank is messing with you. "Viola" = a stringed instrument a little larger than a violin. Like the relationship between a cornet and a trumpet.

...

You are aware the front seats of the Previa sit right on top of that engine hump, right? Is there even enough headroom to lower the roof like you show?
.

Originally Posted by Cd (Post 500803)

As far as this concept, how aboat start small and work your way into things ?

I really like the look of the design though. Keep up the art !

Originally Posted by freebeard (Post 500891)

The bottom pic is the clearest exposition of your concept. By my onscreen measurement, the wheelbase discrepancy is 94%. The discrepancy in wheel diameter is 88%. Imagine a mannequin into the driver's seat. The windshield header will be coincident with the driver's forehead. But enough about the details.
I will be making a virtual build using 3d models including more compact seats to make sure theres proper spacing .

There are things that are hard to move on a car body, like the cowl height and beltline. That's why you see show cars that are sectioned or have a chopped top, but what you don't see as much are slab sides and beltlines resculpted as you show.
I feel cowl height may be a little problem once the seats are lower... but hopefully not too bad.

Try this: Start with the stock Previa body and apply a slant chop. The stock roofline's highest point is over the middle seats. Essentially you would cut a slit across the top of the windshield and take 6-8" out of the rear posts. The rear seat disappears and the middle seat moves down and back (else a shag carpet and water bed interior).
I think the Prius top would be perfect for this... I'd just have to adopt the Prius power windows to work with the Previa controls.

The roof could follow Thee Holy Template which would gain a lot of cred on Ecomodder. I would then graft in the rear hatch from a Dodge Magnum since I rilly dig those. The aggressive fender flares could be body-kitted over the slab sides.
Im thinking more of the Lambo SUV for the rear hatch... and FORD Bronco concept for the sides as I already have the 3D's for them.

You could start the slant chop at the bottom of the windshield, but good luck with that.

Edit: Oh, my. You could have started over fresh at Ecomodder, but you posted that VWVortex thread. They're not very polite to you there, are they?
We have a love hate relationship :)

So the way I get it is that you are living in the Previa in question, with a CNC router taking up the whole back end. Is that about it?
No I live in an apartment :p but yes my CNC machine is in the back of the van

Originally Posted by freebeard (Post 500968)

One year in the 80s, at the Oregon Country Fair, I saw a VW Type II pickup that had the roof of a 1950 Kaiser grafted on. It had a nice fastback roofline.

Have you compared widths? It would only take a discrepancy of 3-4" to complexify things. If you want to use Prius power windows, those will be in the doors. Then you are looking at whether the door cutlines match. Good luck.

Originally Posted by Cd (Post 500999)

I certainly do not want to discourage your ideas, but I have to ask ... why ? Why that you are set on doing this project when you don't have the money ?
( I am 'poor' myself ! )

Originally Posted by Cd (Post 500999)

Have you welded before ? What about doing custom fabrication ?
I have my own fantasy project car, but it would take every penny I own to create it.

Originally Posted by Cd (Post 500999)

I like your art. I really do, and I think others will too.
Please do not feel discouraged.
I just think you are exerting a lot of time and effort on something that is better left as a concept.

Originally Posted by freebeard (Post 501043)

They call it Daily Motion, but I can't get the thing to play. :confused: I can scrub the timeline, though; but I can't tell if it's a series of still pictures as it appears.
...
And the still pictures? Do you know what 'greebling' is? Too much of that.
...
What model file types are you merging? OBJ, 3DS? What program?
it.

Originally Posted by freebeard (Post 501043)

Aligning the door cut-line at the B-pillar is a good strategy. Are you going to retain the slider side door, or have any doors in back? You can graft the Prius window into the Previa door in front. Have a look at the Ring brother's wide-body Mustang.

Originally Posted by freebeard (Post 501084)

You're Okay. You either knew about or found the Ring brothers without a link.

Originally Posted by Xist (Post 501133)

How much visibility would that have? Would a shorter driver be able to see over the steering wheel?