newbie questions

caslor · Post by **caslor** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 10:40 am

hi my name is antony and i ma from greece...
here all kit cars are dont have a street permision since 1974

i have find an old beetle and thinking to experimental with this

(i have all ready one convertable 61 beetle and 70 beetle)

i will try to make my own design for a car kit. so need some help.. (we dont have magazines here with this subject as no one has car kit)

how thick should be the fiber?

the doors in kit cars has roll bars? should i palece them (more pretection in a crash) as a fiber is not like a iron panels

the front windows have roll bars? ( my 61 beetle has )

what i should be carefull for? any notice...

(i am going to make a speedster .. 2 seats like this one..

this is a ''mania'' car kit

i dont know about the Wind screen (front window) where can find something like this one.. just have to start looking in cars to see what will be right for me.. any idea about that?

thanks

letterman7 · Post by **letterman7** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 12:53 pm

Maybe I'm not getting it, but if kit cars aren't street legal in Greece, than why make one? I think you are setting yourself up for a lot of hard work and heartache if you don't have the necessary skills for buck forming fiberglass, welding, and fitting components. If you're asking how thick fiberglass should be, then I don't think that this is a project for you to be playing with. Just my opinion, though. Surely there are Speedster kits available out of the country that you could import?

Rick

caslor · Post by **caslor** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 4:46 pm

as i told you it is something i would like to make...

i know to make fiber (i own a sailing boat... and now to use fiber)
welding also as it is something have to know for my work...

so wait for anyone that can say something for my questions

MikeVW · Post by **MikeVW** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 6:36 pm

Here is a website about making your own auto body out of fiberglass

http://rqriley.com/frp-foam.htm

You can go to fiberglast.com and use their forums to ask questions about thickness and such. They will probably be more willing to answer your questions and not brush you off. Some are do it yourselfers and some just want to be like everyone else. Good luck with your ventures.

Mike

caslor · Post by **caslor** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 10:34 pm

thanks for the link...it was what i need

some people want to try build things even we dont manage at the end...

i will ask and the other link you gave me about the thicknes as it isnt the same thicknes when you make a sailing boat and a car.. sailing is thick

(thick = layers of fiber)

letterman7 · Post by **letterman7** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 7:28 am

No attempt of a brush off. Unless he stated he already had fiberglass experience, I wouldn't have made those remarks. I've seen too many "projects" like this with guys sinking thousands of dollars into it only to wind up at the local dump because they couldn't figure basic stuff.
Building a kit car isn't easy, especially one from scratch. You have to know where the stress points are going to be, how it's going to be mounted, and how to cut in all the accessories. And that's before you get to the chassis.
Caslor, do you have drawings ready? A chassis plan? Some way to translate your drawings into a full size vehicle? Fiberglass thickness is the least of the problems at this point, but if that's all you need to start, typically, from the outside (gelcoat) inwards goes like this:
Gelcoat (color coat), two to four layers of weave, alternating directions, two to three layers of chop mat, then another couple layers of weave if you want a finished inside look. Otherwise you can stop at the mat. Most shells aren't much more than 3/16" thick through the middle of a panel, but most have a heavier build up along stress points and mounting edges.

Water borne vessels need the thick hull to withstand the structural forces and poundings they receive; cars only need it to hold the shape - unless, of course, you add internal structure to the panels.

Rick

caslor · Post by **caslor** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 7:59 am

because all are in my mind yet.. havent draw nothing yet...
maybe next days go and make a basic plan in 3d studio max

i ordered and a plastick model (tamiya) so can make a basic shape there ...have it in 3d to see how it look like before i start...

it is a future plan and not for now... just gathering informations...

you see i restoring my beetle 61 convertable..so no time for kit car now...

[img][img]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c316/ ... abrio5.jpg[/img][/img]

[img][img]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c316/ ... emove7.jpg[/img][/img]

[img][img]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c316/ ... 978/VW.jpg[/img][/img]