This is a read-only archive of the old Madabout Kitcars forum. New posts and replies are no longer possible, but every thread is still here to browse and read.
Just come across your thread tonight and have enjoyed reading about what is a fantastic build, I thought I had a major build but your build is pure magic I especially like the have a go attitude.
Thanks and yeah, I will put it under primer myself and drive it like that for a while to see if everything stays or if I have tension cracks or other issues...if everything is fine I will first spray it myself and see how it turns out, might go for a professional paintjob later...!
Since the weather switched to winter this week with cold temperatures and lots of snow it is no fun in the workshop...so there is only minor progress.
I did the inner panels for the headlights and checked with the wheel, a tight fit, it is half an inch gap which should work I hope...
When I get home from work it is already dark when I go in the shop, so sorry for the bad pictures, but I want to keep you updated even if it is just minor progress or dark pictures...
Thanks a lot guys,
I am still working at it, but it is so many little details, brackets, reinforcements so I did not take the time to take pictures and post, but there is progress!
awesome work as usual Axel. One question for you. How does photography equate to plans? I ask because I have been trying to get good plans for a Dino 246 body and the photos Ive found have an astonishing amount of distortion due to perspective & lens. If I'm not sure I can trust the outline drawings I've found on the net (or in the Dino workshop manual) how can photos work? I have the front panels of a real 246 in my garage and measuring them up - they just don't seem to overlay on photos.
That is right Ross, you cannot take a sideview outline from photos, I always overlaid the photos I have taken from my car with some I found in the inet and tried to use the same distortion and lens.
I did not have a sideview outline from the 206SP, I found an old plan from an early 206SP but it was too unprecise.
What I did is I also played with some 3D files to generate outlines, but it did not work well...
So it is all based on the feeling for lines and proportions... but actually it should be much easier to find plans for the 246GT!!
You lucky bastard have original 246 panels? Or fiberglass Deon DGT or else?
The Deon is not based on the 246 but on the 206GT, I found out there is a big difference between the earlier 206 and the 246, front and back of the 206 are much lower, bumpers go down at the front, looks less attractive than the 246!
awesome work as usual Axel. One question for you. How does photography equate to plans? I ask because I have been trying to get good plans for a Dino 246 body and the photos Ive found have an astonishing amount of distortion due to perspective & lens. If I'm not sure I can trust the outline drawings I've found on the net (or in the Dino workshop manual) how can photos work? I have the front panels of a real 246 in my garage and measuring them up - they just don't seem to overlay on photos.
Hi rossnzwpi
are you intending building your own dino?. I have a deon gt and to be honest I've fell out with it! I want to build my own chassis and fit a cascu body to it.
Do you have any chassis plans? I want to base it loosely around the dino chassis but I cannot find any plans anywhere.
Ian
I have considered building a DIY Dino replica and may start a thread here to gather ideas and designs. The Dino chassis is pretty old fashioned - large tubes (oval) as a flat platform with some raised parts over engine bay, front suspension and front bulkhead with minimal triangulation. I guess its pretty heavy and not that resistant to twisting. It does allow for low door sills and a flatfish floor. Personally I'd prefer to go for a multitube, highly triangulated chassis made out of smaller section mild steel tube (like a more sophisticated midengined Locost)
[IMG]http://s1380.photobucket.com/user/rossnzwpi/media/246GT_chassis_blueprint_zpsfxumy6tw.jpg.html?filters[user]=146005730&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=0[/IMG] =146005730&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=0"]http://s1380.photobucket.com/user/rossnzwpi/media/246GT_chassis_blueprint_zpsfxumy6tw.jpg.html?filters[user]=146005730&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=0
Hi Axel. The 206 doesn't look that different to the 246 and the bumpers etc don't go down much. The droopy front and back you refer to is, I think, because the replica moulds somewhere along the way were taken out too green and drooped. The progenitor was a genuine 206GT that a gentleman had a mould taken from and then he adjusted the length of the wheelbase slightly to suit his Lotus Europa chassis by shifting the rear wheel arches. DGT, Deon, etc are based on this faulty mould.
A guy named Tim Wright has been designing an open source sportscar (mid engine Alfa V6+Alfa transaxle) and has 3D CAD modelled the engine and weighed it in minute detail. His chassis is a bit too wide and more of a track day car with limited door access but it is very interesting. In the interests of open source he might contribute his measurements and ideas (he is a suspension designer by trade)
Funny that, a guy in england was selling a full front end just the same a few months back! went for silly money too!
Loved the 246 chassis plans-shame it's not bigger so I could study in detail!!
I had a visit to a small kit car recently company and they have given me a little food for thought. Alfa engine and an mr2 turbo gearbox. Search turbonutter lancia mr2. Interesting. Or the engine to go for lexus rx300 mr2 box, bolts straight up-no adaptors.
I'm trying to source a box at the moment and see if it'll bolt to my cosworth V6.Also looking at a focus rs box so I'll look at both. But really want to ditch the deon chassis.
I was doing a search for chassis and came across this English company who will customise their design. It uses MGTF running gear and they size it as a replacement for VW beetle chassis in kitcars. Worth a look: http://www.pievalleybuggies.co.uk/chassis.html
I had looked at these guy's before and assume the quoted price is a starter price before any customizing of the chassis is done. Dehavilland use the complete mgf subframes along with the mg engine in their chassis build, but are said to be looking into a V6 engine mod option. But they still use the original JHClassic's moulds so still with the inherited body anomalies.
I happened to come across some original dino 246gt side gutter/rain strips and also a front screen rubber filler strip. To my amazement the gutter strips fitted straight on to the return I had bonded onto my deon/JHC so side glass and door glass must be the same in the 206/246? The screen filler fits the scuttle and the upright front screen pillars width wise although does not fit at the top!! Therefor the 246gt screen must be about 20mm taller than the 206. This confirms to me why a friend's replacement dino screen didn't fit. After a small accident resulted in his screen shattering the local auto screen people broke the replacement screen while refitting it,then claiming it was too big for the opening! I remember he sourced a replacement at the time from deon.
I studied your chassis pictures and compared them to the cascu build on face book a couple of years ago.Although similar there are quite a few differences. The pic you posted shows outriggers not fitted on his chassis, and also a slight difference in the centre tunnel. Do you have a date on the blueprint?
Sorry the blueprint is just a photo of something that was up for auction - its all over the 'net but only in the size I have here. Personally I wouldn't want to do a replica of the real Dino chassis because its not that great and you could do better with modern design. It also is dimensioned around a symmetrical engine/gearbox and would probably require quite a lot of rethinking with end-on transmission and the suspension that would force on you.. If you had a V6 or V8 Ferrari combo then just buying Cascu's chassis would be the easiest path.
