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Steel bodies speedster replicas?

FM Former Member
Following on the recent discussion abuot Fred's 356A coupe that Raul is making for him, and the pending couope from JPS, it has gotten me thinking...

In the world of global markets, CAD and automation... how much would it really cost to have a coupe/cab/speedster body done in steel. I've raised the topic of a metal body before, but in that case I was referring to the www.kirkhammotorsports.com Cobras, the ones that they have produced in an ex-Mig fighter factory in Poland. For various reasons, cost being one of them, aluminum is overkill for a speedster/coupe. However...

Being that the bodies are well known and moulds exist (or even ready access to originals to take measurements and create the CAD files) I have to think that this could be outsourced to a metals expert at minimal cost if the volume was reasonable (which, like cobras, there is a ready and steady market).

I don't have any expertise in this space, but I think there has been a huge technological leap in the 20-30 years people have been making fibreglass speedsters, and I also think that the body cost has risen steadily...

Any thoughts on outsouring a body, in steel, to somewhere like China? CAD is your friend. :)

-Jeff
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FM Former Member
Following on the recent discussion abuot Fred's 356A coupe that Raul is making for him, and the pending couope from JPS, it has gotten me thinking...

In the world of global markets, CAD and automation... how much would it really cost to have a coupe/cab/speedster body done in steel. I've raised the topic of a metal body before, but in that case I was referring to the www.kirkhammotorsports.com Cobras, the ones that they have produced in an ex-Mig fighter factory in Poland. For various reasons, cost being one of them, aluminum is overkill for a speedster/coupe. However...

Being that the bodies are well known and moulds exist (or even ready access to originals to take measurements and create the CAD files) I have to think that this could be outsourced to a metals expert at minimal cost if the volume was reasonable (which, like cobras, there is a ready and steady market).

I don't have any expertise in this space, but I think there has been a huge technological leap in the 20-30 years people have been making fibreglass speedsters, and I also think that the body cost has risen steadily...

Any thoughts on outsouring a body, in steel, to somewhere like China? CAD is your friend. :)

-Jeff
execk2execk2
I would think that the tooling costs would be too high. I used to get steel from China for my machines and although the steel is cheaper the toolings costs for molds and mine were 3-4 feet long, curved and oval...tool costs for that were into the hundreds of thousands and 3 months lead time. Also the machines that need to stamp out the body parts are huge and not everybody has them. Those that do have them are charging a premium to use them.

You know it's weird that China can buy our steel and sell it back to us for less money even when you factor in the freight costs.

I was thinking the same but different though and would be possible out of polymer like Saturns. That would be awesome!

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  • bob
FM Former Member
You may be on to something on the polymers.

I just have a feeling that if the bodies were put in to CAD the number of options would open up dramatically. If you're working with plastics you have a lot of flexibility, no question. Overall rigidity might be an issue though? The Saturns are still steel underneath.

-Jeff
FM Former Member
Mike,

If you think the tooling costs are big for steel stampings. They would be astronomical for plastic like the Saturn's body panels.

Many big truck and ATV manufacturers use a process called RIM (Reaction Injection Molding). This is a low pressure process where two chemicals are mixed in a mold and react to create a polymer. The tooling is cheaper but still cost prohibitive.

Fiberglass and carbon fiber require tooling that just holds the shape, It doesn't have to withstand high pressures or account for shrinkage. Those of us who have made simple fiberglass panels in our garage know the tooling can be as simple as some plywood, tin foil and anything else that may be laying around.

Jerome
FM Former Member
OK,

Here's an ideal and quite elegant solution to the Coupe Crisis. We've all seen the old books with pics of the original shed where the first prototype coupes were hammered out in aluminum. Remember the cool pictures of that wooden ribbed buck ?

Why not a lightweight wooden coupe? Wood bows impregnated with resin and linen stretched over it like the original Fokkers. Kind of like building an upside down boat covered in cloth and sealed with dope. Remember your old model airplane building skills . . .

Painted up in WWI camouflage with crosses on the doors and roof. Interior done up fighter plane style, old tractor gauges, steel and wood butterfly steering wheel, WWII bomber seats, levers, pull rings, canvas straps, wooded slatted floor, bright yellow roll cage with "attach strap here" and "no step" lables, etc., etc. Possibly some nose art between the front wheel well and the door.

A REAL Outlaw, a genuine do it yourself Home Depot style project, light/fast/fun and pretty cheap to built I must say.

Why, the build-up could probably be pitched to the Discovery Channel as a series.

??! !??

TC
FM Former Member
Yes, I agree - it is doable.

I also don't entirely buy the rust argument. New steel, properly treated, can easily get 7-10 years with no material rust at all. Properly manitained, as most speedsters are, a lot longer than 7-10 years.

My Explorer is 1997 and its in great shape. :)

-Jeff
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