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 Post subject: Re: Kurtis body
PostPosted: March 30, 2017, 11:37 am 
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seattletom wrote:
Sean in CT wrote:
Tom - i was thinking nose and fenders - would make a good class project. A glass nose could be copied fairly quickly....
An ally nose that was a copy of my modified fiberglass nose would be really nice...but I'll probably leave that until after the car is on the road. Fenders, though, are still needed.

I previously purchased a HF shrinker/stretcher and bead roller along with some extra aluminum sheet to attempt Ewhen's approach to fender building. Haven't progressed beyond thinking about it, though. But Fenders N More is getting pricey.


It's really not difficult to turn out a pair of cycle fenders. If you guys recall these only took a few hours to make a matched set.
Attachment:
front fender 2.jpg

Attachment:
front fender 1.jpg


My goal was coverage, not perfection. :cheers:


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 Post subject: Re: Kurtis body
PostPosted: May 3, 2017, 10:17 pm 
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Hey Sean,

I bumped into a video Wray posted about your car and project. I assume you've seen it, but I'll post it for others who are following your efforts:

Wray walk-around and explanation of Sean's Kurtis project ==> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEX3pdLUMxM

Cheers,

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Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886


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 Post subject: Re: Kurtis body
PostPosted: May 8, 2017, 12:51 pm 
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Yeah - I saw that he did it, but never watched it. Havent been to his shop in 2 weeks, but im going Wednesday. Just made the "bulkead" to support the back of the nose. I have vinyl sign software (Flexisign) and a cutter that I design stuff in. I made a template of the shape from 1/4" hot rolled bar. I took a pic, downloaded it into my sign program and developed patterns. I cut it out of vinyl, then used that as a pattern for 3/4" MDF. I bought 6063 architectural channel (1" with 1/2" legs, 1/8" thick) and cold formed it around the MDF. Came out perfect, no wrinkles or bowing. The body will be riveted to this.


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 Post subject: Re: Kurtis body
PostPosted: May 9, 2017, 11:21 am 
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Great work on the channel. Did you bend it around by hand, or use something along the lines of the apparatus shown in Champion's book?

Cheers,

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Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886


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 Post subject: Re: Kurtis body
PostPosted: May 10, 2017, 6:55 am 
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I bent it by hand - no tools. The architectural style has square inner corners (not radiused like C channel). I though i would need the torch to sharing the tight corners, but it didn't wrinkle, so it is good. Ill weld a piece across and a vertical or diagonal too, maybe both. Going to Wrays today - going to work on the rear body.


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 Post subject: Re: Kurtis body
PostPosted: May 31, 2017, 8:58 pm 
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Making some progress on the Kurtis. The headrest/fairing is going to be a lot lower with angled sides - that is just a demo piece.

Sorry - side view pic stinks! The car is bigger than it looks - 102 WB, 30" tires - top of body about 30" too. Its the size of a corvette

It is actually looking a lot better than i imagined, esp being my first car.


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 Post subject: Re: Kurtis body
PostPosted: June 1, 2017, 12:12 pm 
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Thanks for the update - looking good.

Man, when I see big shop spaces like that I wonder if I should move to the country again and build another one. Not quite that big, however.

Cheers,

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Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886


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 Post subject: Re: Kurtis body
PostPosted: June 1, 2017, 1:25 pm 
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That looks very nice, Sean! :cheers:

What do you think of the effort required to make an aluminum body compared to fiberglass? I didn't realize you guys made steel patterns first. I think the aluminum would be more fun to work with, but if you make any parts twice it seems like a lot of work. So I would hesitate to take something so good looking onto a track for anything except casual use.

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 Post subject: Re: Kurtis body
PostPosted: June 1, 2017, 7:47 pm 
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Metal shaping is fun, though time consuming. Wray has his monthly classes make steel panels (its cheaper and students progress at different rates) I fine tune the panels then make an aluminum one. He has developed a great pattern making technique ("flexible shape pattern".) Once a panel is done, a copy (or mirror image) can be made in 1/3 to 1/2 the time. I just used aluminum from the beginning on some panels. Both 0.060 aluminum and 20g steel are similar to work with. I never shaped metal until i took his class 4 months ago.

The plan is to drive it to work on nice days (2-3K miles a year) I don't drive in much traffic, so nothing to worry about.

Marcus, you should stop by the shop sometime. Its on Rte 20 in Charlton. Its BIG - 20K square feet! High ceilings too - really nice to visualize cars in from a distance. Plus always full of "car guys" I am typically there on wednesdays from 10/11 to 530 or so.


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 Post subject: Re: Kurtis body
PostPosted: June 7, 2017, 9:57 pm 
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Made the right rear "quarter panel" today. Made a flexible shape pattern of the left and made the panel in 3-1/2 hrs. There is a lot of extra material in the nose which will get wrapped to form a grill opening

I posted in reverse order


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 Post subject: Re: Kurtis body
PostPosted: June 8, 2017, 8:10 am 
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Would you make an hour long video of just making the shape of the very back of the rear quarter panel please?

Of maybe one of the head rest fairing. I'd like to make the nose for the A Mod from 1 piece and it shares a lot of the same workability issues as those two panels.

I'm taught by youtube and have a LONG way to go.

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OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216


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 Post subject: Re: Kurtis body
PostPosted: June 8, 2017, 9:02 am 
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Would you make an hour long video


+1 on that. I'm sure there are many here that would love to learn, but don't have easy access to Wray's school!

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 Post subject: Re: Kurtis body
PostPosted: June 8, 2017, 11:11 am 
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Marcus, you should stop by the shop sometime. Its on Rte 20 in Charlton. Its BIG - 20K square feet! High ceilings too - really nice to visualize cars in from a distance. Plus always full of "car guys" I am typically there on wednesdays from 10/11 to 530 or so.


I'm going to try and do that. Let me talk to my old engine builder friend and see if he's interested to tag along. Thanks for the invite!

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 Post subject: Re: Kurtis body
PostPosted: June 8, 2017, 3:13 pm 
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Marcus - maybe we could do a project together, and you can video tape - I have the basics at my shop. Wray has some good videos, as do others, but they don't make sense until you really understand what is happening to the metal (a lot of the shapers on Youtube do NOT) Its really mostly about shrinking and stretching. A headrest faring is a really good project to learn on b/c reverse curves (think Pringles shape) blend with regular curves.

I am only 4 months into this so I have a LOT left to learn!


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 Post subject: Re: Kurtis body
PostPosted: June 9, 2017, 6:30 am 
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Here is a pic of my english wheel - the most important tool for sheet metal fab - can't cut corners here.

i designed it in Flexi Sign (2D CAD vinyl sign software ). I had it CNC plasma cut - should have had it water jetted but the fab shop talked me into plasma. It is 4' x 4' with a 37" throat. The plate is 1/2" thick, and every hole was seriously tapered. I clamped the 2 pieces together, ground the edges and redrilled all the holes.
The wheels and adjusters are from Hoosier Profiles (the BEST manufacturer) The upper is 4x9" and the lowers are 4x4. There are 6 lowers in the set - i was able to specify the radii. They are hardened ground and polished 4140. The large wheels make really nice panels. These wheels have "flats" in the center rather than full radius - flats really improve the finish and the speed but need a stiff frame.
It was about $2000 for the wheels, cradles and adjusters. And about $1000 for the steel and cutting. A similar quality wheel is about $8-10K to purchase. I spent about 15hrs grinding and tig welding.

I have the Cad file - if anyone wants to build one, id be happy to share.


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