Do you also have 1:1 project cars?

[ctruss53]

I didn't do any searches, just a quick peek and didn't see this topic covered recently.

Do you have 1:1 scale proct car(s)?  If so, what do you have.

I am currently building a 1930 Chevy Coupe from the ground up.

My project started when I saw a pile of body panels laying under a tree. I looked for the property owner, and asked him what he was doing with the pile of sheet metal. I asked him if I could look through it, and he said yes. I found most of a 1930 Chevy Coupe in the pile. I found the cowl, the body sides, a pair of doors, and the rear panel that surrounds the rear window. I asked him what it would take to go home with the parts, and $300 later I had most of a 1930 Chevy Coupe body.

Then I was going to scratch build the chassis. But I found a 1930 Ford Model A chassis on Craigslist and it was already all boxed in and ready to use. Bonus, it was only $200.  I couldn't buy raw materials to build a chassis for less than that.  PLUS Model A chassis and suspension parts are super easy to find.

Then I bought a complete transverse leaf spring, and drop axle front suspension kit from Speedway. And I also picked up a disc brake conversion for it. The disc brake parts come from a GM car, I forgot the body code, F Body, or G Body, one of them. 1980's Monte Carlo disc brake parts.

The rear axle is a Ford 8.8" with posi from an early 90's Ford Explorer. And I bought a trailing arm and panhard bar suspension kit from Speedway. It came with coil-over shocks.

And then for power I am going with something strange. I have a late model turbocharged performance background. So I got my hands on a 1995 Saab 2.3L turbo 4 cylinder engine. 225hp, 230ftlbs, in a small package. Fuel injected, dead reliable, and bulletproof. And to make it work in a rear wheel drive application, I bought an adaptor kit from a company in Poland which allows me to use a 6 speed manual transmission from a BMW M3.

Currently I have gotten to the point where I have a rolling chassis. The front and rear suspension are all figured out and welded up to the chassis. Wheels and tires are on it. But I still have to figure out steering, front shocks, and all the plumbing.

The body is all put back together into one assembly. I need to find or make a trunk. I need to get some door hinges. And I need to make body mounts and an interior.

And the engine and transmission are put together. I need to figure out engine mounts.

I have a long way to go.

Here are some pics.

 

[iamsuperdan]

I've had a few projects over the years, some more involved than others.

 

No project vehicles at this time though.

 

 

 

 

My first big one was a 1985 VW Transporter Double Cab. Did an engine swap, and put in the TDI from a 2005 Jetta. Had the transmission regeared to suit it better, changed suspension, added new wheels, grille, headlights, upgraded the front seats, added Tristar sliding rear windows. Was a lot of fun to drive, but it stopped being fun. So when the right offer came, away she went.

 

Next big one was a 1992 VW Passat GLX Wagon. THis wagon had the VR6, which is an awesome engine. It also had the 5-speed manual. But it needed a little more. So the AC system was removed, and replaced with a big turbo kit. Complete re-map, new injectors, new Borla exhaust, intake, intercooler, and some other engine bits. Then did a set of coilovers and swaybars, brakes from a Porsche Boxster, and a set of Porsche wheels. I loved this car, until the head gasket went.  Then it was parked, and while getting the motivation to fix it, someone offered me dumb money, and I sold it. I miss this one.

 

 

Next was not a big project, but it was fun. 1995 Camaro Z28 convertible. Springs, struts, swaybars, brakes, intake, exhaust. Car was an absolute blast to drive. If it had a manual transmission, I would have kept it. Some days I think I should have kept it anyway.

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

Two current client cars: a complete high-end build of a '66 Chevelle SS with a 750HP 572, custom chassis, and everything onboard upgraded to contemporary specs; and a DeLorean electrical and function upgrade including a full custom wiring harness, instrument panel, and electronics package.

3 primary personal projects I'll be getting back to as soon as I'm settled in Az.:

1)  The '32 Ford roadster that has its own model build thread on the board. The shot below is the 1/8 scale version in the model shop in Az. that adjoins my big-car shop where the real one will come to life. I have the rame, f'glass body, hood, 350 Chebby engine, "double-hump" heads, Ford 8/8" to set it up with (it'll get a QC), f'glass hood, 15" Jag wires for the front, and quite possibly a Borg Warner T-10 in a couple of days. All pretty old school, with a target weight of 1700 pounds. With an honest honest 350 horses, it should be a rocket.

2) This all-composite 3-wheel ultra-high-efficiency original, designed by me in around 1985; design and engineering are about 90% complete, and the plugs for the full-scale body molds are about 70% complete. Initial power is 600cc Kawasaki aircooled twin, which I have, along with the majority of the major parts.

https://contest.techbriefs.com/2010/entries/transportation/871

3) My own design, for a client who ran out of money. The idea was to combine the flavors of a 356 Speedster and a 930. Custom front and rear fascia, with the fenders reworked to eliminate the crash accordions. The windshield is chopped and laid back, and the rear body is sectioned and laid forward. The hard tonneau is also sectioned to present a lower profile. I still have the running '74 911 Targa S purchased for the project.

Maybe: I may or may not complete this original design I did for another deadbeat client. As it's the only other original design of mine I have enough stuff to finish, including a ratty 914 to build it on, there's a good possibility I'll at least take it to the primer stage. Note my signature on the concept sketch I provided the client, published to the web without my permission.

   

 

 

Edited May 19, 2023 by Ace-Garageguy

[Ace-Garageguy]

1 hour ago, ctruss53 said:

I am currently building a 1930 Chevy Coupe from the ground up.

My project started when I saw a pile of body panels laying under a tree...

Great project, great story.  

[ctruss53]

39 minutes ago, iamsuperdan said:

I've had a few projects over the years, some more involved than others.

 

No project vehicles at this time though.

 

 

 

 

My first big one was a 1985 VW Transporter Double Cab. Did an engine swap, and put in the TDI from a 2005 Jetta. Had the transmission regeared to suit it better, changed suspension, added new wheels, grille, headlights, upgraded the front seats, added Tristar sliding rear windows. Was a lot of fun to drive, but it stopped being fun. So when the right offer came, away she went.

 

Next big one was a 1992 VW Passat GLX Wagon. THis wagon had the VR6, which is an awesome engine. It also had the 5-speed manual. But it needed a little more. So the AC system was removed, and replaced with a big turbo kit. Complete re-map, new injectors, new Borla exhaust, intake, intercooler, and some other engine bits. Then did a set of coilovers and swaybars, brakes from a Porsche Boxster, and a set of Porsche wheels. I loved this car, until the head gasket went.  Then it was parked, and while getting the motivation to fix it, someone offered me dumb money, and I sold it. I miss this one.

 

 

Next was not a big project, but it was fun. 1995 Camaro Z28 convertible. Springs, struts, swaybars, brakes, intake, exhaust. Car was an absolute blast to drive. If it had a manual transmission, I would have kept it. Some days I think I should have kept it anyway.

 

I'm an ex-VW guy so I can totally follow you on those builds.

I had a big turbo 2003 GTI. It had so much power I could go 60 on the highway, drop it down to 3rd gear, punch it and spin the front tires.  haha

I also built an all motor mk1 Rabbit that could run high 11's in the quarter mile. I built a 2.0 ABA (mk3) engine so it had 12:1 compression. I had to use a diesel starter to have enough cranking power to turn the engine over. haha

I have also owned a couple old Bugs, a mk2 GTI, a mk3 Jetta VR6, and a mk6 Tiguan with the 2.0TSI and a 6 speed.

[bill_rules]

...current project...this going into that...

[1972coronet]

2004 Crown Vic Police Interceptor. I bought it for 900$ two years ago ; it's my daily driver. 

Eventually I'll download a Coyote 5.0 into it, maybe a 5-speed auto as well, as I'm not sure if the 5.0 will interface with the 4-speed auto in the car now. 

Short term goals:
- Replace the (crummy, worn-out) carpet with the black rubber/vinyl mats (not sure why Inglewood ordered carpeting in their fleet)
- New AM/FM/CD receiver (the one that's in the car now is some el-cheapo swap meet no-name junk)
- Powder coat the factory 16" wheels 

The widebody here has lost 25 lbs. since this photo was snapped two years ago. I also added a correct Unity spotlight since then.

 

[redscampi]

I worked on this 1954 F100 for a couple of years before I ended up moving cross country and sold it due to logistics. I also sold my Firebird and Lemans. Many projects before that. I'm older now so just have this 66.

[StevenGuthmiller]

My '69 Grand Prix, Model-J.

 

As is often the case, funds are what's been keeping me from finishing it for the past 42 years!

My first car out of high school, I paid $1,400 for it in 1981, drove it for a few years, and then life and family forced it into storage for 28 years.

About 8 years ago, it came out of storage and the drive train, brakes, fuel system, cooling system. etc, were all rebuilt.

With a pretty nice original interior, if I can ever scrounge together enough cash to do the body work and paint, I'll probably call it done.

Never gonna be a show car, but it would be a nice driver.

Maybe some day.

 

 

 

 

Steve

Edited May 18, 2023 by StevenGuthmiller

[wrenchr]

I have a 65 F100. Had it now for about 8 years. 

Lowered, dream beams. 351 Windsor and C4 trans. Ididit tilt column. 

 

[iamsuperdan]

1 hour ago, ctruss53 said:

I'm an ex-VW guy so I can totally follow you on those builds.

I had a big turbo 2003 GTI. It had so much power I could go 60 on the highway, drop it down to 3rd gear, punch it and spin the front tires.  haha

I also built an all motor mk1 Rabbit that could run high 11's in the quarter mile. I built a 2.0 ABA (mk3) engine so it had 12:1 compression. I had to use a diesel starter to have enough cranking power to turn the engine over. haha

I have also owned a couple old Bugs, a mk2 GTI, a mk3 Jetta VR6, and a mk6 Tiguan with the 2.0TSI and a 6 speed.

I've had a few other VWs, but they weren't really project cars per se. Just daily drivers that I had some fun with.

2005 Jetta TDI - lowered, murdered out, added a boost gauge

1992 Passat CL sedan - lowered, big stereo, full repaint

1992 GTI - only an 8V, left it bone stock, but a lot of fun to drive

 

[Sam I Am]

Over the years I have had way, way, WAY too many projects. Some "finished ", most just moved on from. Current projects, 1937 Buick special.  Right now it's for sale. Do you know how big that thing is ?  Way back burner is a 1966 Mustang, 1942 Ford GPW, 1963 GMC step side, and 1972 BMW Bavaria.  Like I said, way too many....and don't get me started on the motorcycles in the garage....

[RSchnell]

I was in the vintage car/Corvette restoration business for years. I don't do much of it now, just "by invitation". Here's a few of the cars I've done over the years. I built the '61 Corvette from a basket case and enjoyed it for several years until someone offered me more than I thought it was worth. LOL The '69 Falcon wagon was a factory 302 with A/C car. I kept the body as is but the mechanicals were top notch. The Model A Pickup was my shop truck for many years.

[redscampi]

1 hour ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

My '69 Grand Prix, Model-J.

 

As is often the case, funds are what's been keeping me from finishing it for the past 42 years!

My first car out of high school, I paid $1,400 for it in 1981, drove it for a few years, and then life and family forced it into storage for 28 years.

About 8 years ago, it came out of storage and the drive train, brakes, fuel system, cooling system. etc, were all rebuilt.

With a pretty nice original interior, if I can ever scrounge together enough cash to do the body work and paint, I'll probably call it done.

Never gonna be a show car, but it would be a nice driver.

Maybe some day.

 

 

 

 

Steve

This was my second car exactly in this color with parchment interior. I bought it for $700 and a junky 64 Dodge. Now I can barely get a kit of this car for reasonable money...

Yours is beautiful by the way. 

Edited May 18, 2023 by redscampi

[catpack68]

My 1:1 project I’ve been dragging around for the last 14 years😳 92 Camaro RS Heritage Edition.Last week I finally decided to sell off most of my model collection so I can concentrate on getting it running.I kept about 18-20 models.I will still continue to build but I really want to get my Camaro running this year.i pretty much have everything I need to get it running.These two pics remind me that I really need to clean the garage floor🙄

 

 

Edited May 18, 2023 by catpack68

[webestang]

Have to wait till I get a house (looks like next year) to finish my 85 Mustang and rebuild my 88 after that fender bender a few years ago. 

Still debating on a turbo 4 or stick a 5.0 in the 85, at least the paint is done. 

[stitchdup]

Not got any pics because i didn't have a camera. My last project car was a 1993 mk3 golf vr6 gti (no sunroof) but i sold the engine to a friend for his mk2 golf and played about with some 16 valvers. I had it for 5 yeras and in that time it ran throttle bodies from a honda fireblade, twin 45s, a very bad g60 conversion (never could get everything to seal well enough to have any fun) and to end up it had a very high mainentance turbo putting near 260 to the front wheels. It had air suspension, shortend rear beam and was on 16" passat steels widened to 8 and a half on the front and 10s on the back. The body was stock and the colour was indian red which apparently a rare colour. there were primer spots coming out the arch trim so while i saved for a real paintjob it got touched up with whatever duplicolour was cheap at the time. The interior didn't match but i had plans to ditch it and go single seat and stripped out interior. the ultimate plan was a completely smoothed body, body colour rear lights, smoothed engine bay with no visable wires with a turbo (not for power, they just look smoother than the other options i played with) stripped and smoothed interior with one bucket and maybe an audi tt dash. It was unreliable and kinda ugly but i enjoyed everything about that car and i regret selling it, even if i aint allowed to drive. I will build a model of it sometime

[Tabbysdaddy]

I had to sell off a few cars to raise funds to buy my house. An 83 GMC C10, an 87 Chevy R10, and my 72 LeMans. My brother found the LeMans for me and I wish I still had it as he has since passed. My uncle had one and gave it to me, but unfortunately it's far too gone for me to do anything with. Pontiac 400 with a turbo 350.

[Can-Con]

Been tinkering with this thing for about 7 years now. 

The guy I bought it from said it had been sitting for about 15 years. 

I did run [barely] when I got it but it runs great now. Mostly stock. Replaced 3/4 of the floors, brakes, tires, various engine parts, etc.

Have an interior kit, headliner, etc. to go in it eventually. 

[StevenGuthmiller]

1 hour ago, Tabbysdaddy said:

I had to sell off a few cars to raise funds to buy my house. An 83 GMC C10, an 87 Chevy R10, and my 72 LeMans. My brother found the LeMans for me and I wish I still had it as he has since passed. My uncle had one and gave it to me, but unfortunately it's far too gone for me to do anything with. Pontiac 400 with a turbo 350.

Wow!

Never seen a hood rust that much!

 

 

 

Steve

[Dave Van]

My current project is a 1923 Ford T. The chassis is a long WB for a C Cab delivery body......not 100% sure the exact body yet. 

302 Ford power

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

And if I live long enough...

1) The one I REALLY want to build is this. It started as my rough 1/25 scale concept (above left) but Chris Drysdale's (known on the board here as Spex84) design tweaking and illustration took it over the top, and I fell in love. At one time, I was on the trail of a set of molds for a Cord kit car, but they got away and moved to Australia. So this one would either have to be based on a ratty kit-car or somebody's unfinished project (they are out there), or built from the ground up...which is OK. I can do that. But to pull this off at the quality it needs to come in at, it'll be expensive, so some others might have to go to make it happen.

2) I built the first 1:1 Z-car convertible on the planet back in 1974-76, though it's hard to prove. I only have a few B&W photos of the car in my shop under construction, and it disappeared while in storage at a friend's who was going through a nasty divorce. It has never resurfaced. This would be what I'd build if I did it today, and it's possible. I have a bunch of Z-car engines, gearboxes, and suspension bits. A not-too-rusty shell could make it reality.

Note the Weber-carbed Z engine behind it, which I still have.

3)  This one started as my design for a "collaborative" project between me and a company involved heavily in aviation composites (the 1/10 scale clay model). Originally intended to be powered by a Ninja engine and weigh less than 1200 pounds (with an all-composite chassis), it became apparent that the "collaboration" would have me doing all the work and supplying all the parts and materials, while my "partners" would share the credit for "letting" me build it in their facility. No thanks.

I redesigned it as a rebody for a gen-1 Toyota MR2 (small model in foreground) and already have two donor cars...one wrecked but running, and another one stripped but with a virgin tub to build it on. A stock '85 MR2 weighs about 2400 pounds, and I should be able to shave 800 off of that, so even with the little Yota motor, it'd be pretty quick. But the plan calls for a V6 Ford / Yamaha SHO.

[Scott8950]

My 87 corvette.. I've recently put in a led upgraded gauge cluster, new flowmaster mufflers and catback system.  Original plan was to do a ls swap but the l98 seems to have alot of untapped power.

[ctruss53]

3 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

And if I live long enough...

1) The one I REALLY want to build is this. It started as my rough 1/25 scale concept (above left) but Chris Drysdale's (known on the board here as Spex84) design tweaking and illustration took it over the top, and I fell in love. At one time, I was on the trail of a set of molds for a Cord kit car, but they got away and moved to Australia. So this one would either have to be based on a ratty kit-car or somebody's unfinished project (they are out there), or built from the ground up...which is OK. I can do that. But to pull this off at the quality it needs to come in at, it'll be expensive, so some others might have to go to make it happen.

2) I built the first 1:1 Z-car convertible on the planet back in 1974-76, though it's hard to prove. I only have a few B&W photos of the car in my shop under construction, and it disappeared while in storage at a friend's who was going through a nasty divorce. It has never resurfaced. This would be what I'd build if I did it today, and it's possible. I have a bunch of Z-car engines, gearboxes, and suspension bits. A not-too-rusty shell could make it reality.

Note the Weber-carbed Z engine behind it, which I still have.

3)  This one started as my design for a "collaborative" project between me and a company involved heavily in aviation composites (the 1/10 scale clay model). Originally intended to be powered by a Ninja engine and weigh less than 1200 pounds (with an all-composite chassis), it became apparent that the "collaboration" would have me doing all the work and supplying all the parts and materials, while my "partners" would share the credit for "letting" me build it in their facility. No thanks.

I redesigned it as a rebody for a gen-1 Toyota MR2 (small model in foreground) and already have two donor cars...one wrecked but running, and another one stripped but with a virgin tub to build it on. A stock '85 MR2 weighs about 2400 pounds, and I should be able to shave 800 off of that, so even with the little Yota motor, it'd be pretty quick. But the plan calls for a V6 Ford / Yamaha SHO.

You have some crazy ideas. And I mean that in the best possible way.

[Mike C.]

Had this '70 real GTO up until I had to sell it a few years ago. Project never really got off the ground.