To Wheel Or Not To Wheel ?

[All Darc]

Old vs New:



But you VW it's difficult to pictures.

What is the hydrodynamic versiobn of Morelli's shape?

Originally Posted by freebeard

I've always wanted to see a VW Beetle with the roof cut off, with a wooden barrel-back aft deck like a Chris-Craft speedboat with a single seat under a hatch.

[freebeard]

I know. Maybe I can cobble something together. Meanwhile:


http://car-from-uk.com/ebay/carphotos/full/ebay443729.jpg

Like this except cut straight around the back to eliminate the air vents that now face the wrong way. A cutline like the New Beetle convert. Then a curved edge behind the seats and a simple-curved 'barrelback' deck. Varnished wood with cream-colored pin stripes. Maybe a short flagstaff over the engine bay.

I found the cable to charge my camcorder, so I did a pencil sketch and took a picture.

[Angel And The Wolf]

https://images.search.yahoo.com/sear...g&action=click

[freebeard]

Somewhere I've got the front view. Those wooden Tropfenwagen-style front fenders could work on any Beetle.

[All Darc]

I understand now... A wood deck...

Would you do it youself ?
DO youy have tools tu cut and everyting else ?

Originally Posted by freebeard

[Angel And The Wolf]

The VW fenders come off with wrenches. The front fenders need not come off. Leaving them leaves the headlights, turn signals, and a more aerodynamic front body than the little wood fenderettes. The Gold Wing bike takes the place of the VW engine/transmission, and provides more HP than the old air cooled VW mill. (And, turns the car into trike, with all the front seat amenities. The top could be left on for protection from the weather.
https://images.search.yahoo.com/sear...g&action=click

[Frank Lee]

I like the Hebmullers.

[freebeard]

DO youy have tools tu cut and everyting else ?

Well, yes. Including a stock of 1/4"X4" Redwood bender board.

I've always wanted to see a someone else's VW Beetle with the roof cut off...

Mine is a 1958 Canadian, with big back window and semaphore turn signal pockets in the door post. It's really solid but it would lose a lot of value. It deserves a full restoration on a correct year pan.



Frank Lee — I need to dig a picture of Gary Emory's rat rod. I don't know if he ever finished it. 1952 Beetle with the cowl set back on the pan to meet the [suicided] doors of a Superbeetle nose grafted onto the back. MG-TD windshield and the Super windshield curve across the back of the cockpit. Possibly the coolest car ever, the closest thing I have in my albums is this...



Which appears to use a fiberglass Hebmuller kit and a beam extender.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Mine is a 1958 Canadian, with big back window and semaphore turn signal pockets in the door post.

I really like those semaphore turn signals, too bad they were quite prone to vandalism. I remember some people replaced them with fixed turn signals mounted in their same location, usually nicknamed "priest's ears" in Brazil.

[All Darc]

I found more images from the Fusion vehicle (Morelli's shape "bike" 4 seats), including photos of the earlier version with 4 wheels :






Note how in the 4 wheels version the front riders are not so close to the front beak as in the 3 wheel version :



The 3 wheel. See how the shell is thin and the weight it's mostly probably for the iron body for the riders and pedals :



Is that possible today to use thin iron skeleton reinforced with carbon fiber around the metal strips, to get a very lightweight skeleton ?