AJs FFR 818 Custom Body Thread

[AjzRide Active Users Find all posts View Profile Close AjzRide]

I'm currently working on a Factory Five 818 roadster (no top) that I picked up as a roller from the initial purchaser. The donor was a 2006 WRX Turbo. The motor is bone stock, and the only upgrade on the transmission is a OEM limited slip diff. At this point the car is fully go-karted and tested and I'm into body work now. Current deviations from stock are:

• Billet shifter with full mechanical linkage (no cables). Linkage fabricated from 1/2" SS tubing and schwagelok fittings with handmade bell-cranks.
• Restomod Air A/C System
• Android 10.1" head unit for gauge cluster. Communicates with an Arduino Mega via Can-Bus. The Arduino serves as a SSM to Can-Bus adapter (Subaru ECU's talk SSM, not CAN)
• Reshaped and enlarged side scoops
• Lincoln MKZ tail-lights

Planned modifications still to go

• Custom targa top (I don't like the FFR hardtop option, it's ugly) with side windows.
• Modified rear decklid to allow access to trunk/engine after targa top is installed.
• 2010 WRX OEM Dash
• Custom door panels
• Custom front fascia with Toyota Celica headlights
• Custom hood with radiator extraction ducting.

Here are some pics of the work so far:

[AjzRide Active Users Find all posts View Profile Close AjzRide]

Today I began preparing for the work on the rear section. I started by bonding the trunk cover and the engine cover together, so that I can then cut the center out to re-use as the start of my decklid cover, and use the edges to start my targa top frame. The fiberglass will cure tonight, and tomorrow I will cut on the marked lines. These two pieces left on the edges will be the start of my flying buttress style targa top frame.

[AjzRide Active Users Find all posts View Profile Close AjzRide]

Forgot to include a rendering:

[Don Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Don]

Looks good. Do you have a name or manufacturer for the shifter setup? That looks really nice as well and I need one for my Countach build.

[AjzRide Active Users Find all posts View Profile Close AjzRide]

It was a no-name eBay special. Look for “billet TSX shifter”

[AjzRide Active Users Find all posts View Profile Close AjzRide]

Cut the decklid up and then used tape to figure out what shape I wanted. Took a few iterations and few rolls, but I think I got what I like.







After I finished with the tape, I took some pictures and marked them up on my tablet so I could get an even better visual



Finally, I started playing around with some foam. I don't really expect this to be usable, it is really just for me to practice some techniques and see how the different types of foam stick/stand/feel.

[RCR Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RCR]

Thanx for posting the project. looks great.

Just an FYI, the foam i used was yellow in color. Make sure the pink stuff won't melt.

Bob

[AjzRide Active Users Find all posts View Profile Close AjzRide]

The pink stuff will melt, I will have to seal it if I use that. It seems sealing might be easier than removing the foil from the yellow stuff. Still experimenting.

[TDW Active Users Find all posts View Profile Close TDW]

In my opinion and from my experience: When you were here....with the "tape shape"...you could have just laid on a layer or two of matt to create a "shell" to work with, and skipped the foam step altogether. Yea, it would be very far from where you want to end up, but it has the basic shape and size you want to end up with. The "form" you wouldve ended up with can be worked and finished the same as the form you will end up with using the foam.
If you are going to do it "right"....whatever you end up with will be a "plug" from which a mold can be made, then the part you actually want to use taken from that mold. Long way around I know, but trying to use the built up "plug" that you will end up with after layering the foam, glass, bondo, paint, etc., as a finished part will leave you wanting it to be "more finished". As I said, just an opinion.

It's kinda in the same category as using an existing metal hood as a mold to make a lighter, fiberglass hood to use on your car.....it will have the same shape and size, but the "exact" overall dimensions will be "off" a little, but not off so much that you can't make it work right with some finessing and "tweaking". Or an existing fender, and laying up a new one on the inside. It will be off dimensionally by the thickness of the original fender....but if you are adding material, shaping and sizing anyway...it gives you a very good place to start, and saves a ton of work! Fiberglass is very forgiving in one sense, and very demanding in others. Not like working with metal at all. The guys on here that work, shape, make metal "do their bidding"....are true artists! Just some very amazingly skilled craftsmen here.

Not trying to give advice, or tell you what you should do...just commenting on your project with regards to my own experiences.....good - bad - or - indifferent.

Body is looking good, again IMHO! Keep up the great work and the updates.

HAGO!

[AjzRide Active Users Find all posts View Profile Close AjzRide]

Thanks for the input, and the more mess I make with this foam, the more I wish I had just laid some glass on the tape. In the end, I may actually have to go back to that, who knows. I do know that the foam is probably much more practical for the custom nose than tape, so this is certainly worth while practice.

[AjzRide Active Users Find all posts View Profile Close AjzRide]

The expanding foam just isn't working out for me, I can't get a uniform consistency and it comes out in chunks. I got the drivers window installed which gave me an opportunity to rethink my approach because I could not get it sitting where I thought it would. I came back with more tape and setup a new outline, then drapped some resin soaked felt across it. Now I'm coming back with plaster to fill lot spots and provide the first coat of smoothing.

[dobie44 Active Users Find all posts View Profile Close dobie44]

Lots of work ahead of you but looking good , some good advice from experienced guys like Don, Ted and Bob.

wayne

[AjzRide Active Users Find all posts View Profile Close AjzRide]

I haven't done a great job of keeping this thread up to date, I do a better job over at the FFR forum. I finished up the drivers side and was very happy with it, including a mounting flange for the weather seal. Things really slowed down when I started trying to make the passenger side and get it symmetrical to the drivers side. I tried a couple of different methods of creating symmetry including making ribs from fiberglass that would be flipped over for the other side and paper patterns. Recently I decided to reboot and tackle this the way I had initially intended to before I got impatient and just started plowing into it. I used a 3D modeling program (Gravity Sketch) on a Occulus VR headset to trace out the passenger side piece that I was very happy with, then imported that mesh into Fusion 360 and built a wireframe around it which I could patch and thicken to get 3D panels in Fusion. After a little help from the mirror function I've split it up into 11"x9" pieces and it's currently printing out on the 3D printer. I'll glue the pieces together to give myself a nice symmetrical base to work from, then add a layer or two of fiberglass for strength before I finish it off with body filler and paint to be ready for a mold.


I have pics of the 3D model, the 3D printed pieces and other things, but I can't seem to upload a picture, it say's I've exceeded my uaergroups quota of 976KB by 14.66MB. Could this have something to do with the new user security?