I have realised that this concept is more a akin to the Sammio than the Cobra
The large grille opening features on both but the Sammio has always had the lower profile and more sleek as apposed to the Cobras more purposeful poise.
I never consciously incorporated the Sammio into the design.
But 50's and 60's design repeat a lot of themes and some lines are duplicated on multiple models.
But while reading Pauls thread I realised How similar the Sammios lines were.
It is a shame JMC it would have been a great little car - you were cutting up your Miata the same time as I was. Seems an age ago
Been a bit quiet recently, I have stopped sketching more ideas.
The core idea is in place and until Chris starts to sculpt I don't know how it will evolve.
I did get my first rear lamp mocked up though.
Readers that have been following the thread will know that my choice of light units have caused lots of debate.
I don't think Chris has started it yet .
Im waiting with baited breath
Im used to working outside and the weather normally hinders progress.
But the weather keeping me inside led me to complete another lamp.
The led halos are working and the red covers mimic the look of the wheels.
So if you squint and imagine them installed in the rear clam
I visited Chris last weekend and the z300 shell is complete and waiting to be mutated into my beast.
Thanks for the advice
Im actually considering Plastidipping it as it is easier to maintain a satin finish unlike paint
Xmas is coming
This weekend was one of the rare occasions that nobody was after my attention. So what to do with this rare free time?
I got up before dawn and headed to the "dream factory"
Chris was already hard at work when I arrived but as always welcomed me and gave me time.
So my mission was to refocus on the build. While waiting for my position in the queue I had become distracted. I even started sketching again - dangerous cant drift off into another project before this one is finished.
Did I mention that I have a beach buggy that is 95% complete?
Next year I promise
I recently started seeing a rear lamp that I really want to add to the Z300 rear
Its tinted and Led and the shape looks like it would cut into the curvaceous rear end well.
But they are Porsche rear lamps and have a Porsche price £550 and even with my trade connections the cheapest I could find were £316 - so unfortuantly out of my budget
Te first cut is the deepest
The mutant Z300 shell has been laid up for a number of weeks now.
I have been collecting bits and pieces that I hope will be useful in its transformation.
My first job was to mock up a damaged rear end.
Out came the angle grinder
So after a bit of wandering around and looking at it from many angles, I think we have the start of something. I still have much musing of where to locate the twin TVR exhaust cans. But the number plate will fit above the rear diffuser.
The rear light cups have a limited area that they can be cut into. Legalities and the curvature to be considered.
The front wasn't safe from the angle grinder either. Chris showed his skill lopping off the Z300 nose. In one cut I could see how the previous idea for the Zagato would have formed.
The idea for the vent has been cut but to be honest I wasn't sure about it and its very close to the slam panel so I don't think it will feature in the finished car
Thanks "y" and DSG
The rear has so much shape to it.
Its a huge compound curve, not a single flat edge.
That's why I originally decided to find a small lamp to recess in.
The small surface area not being affected so much by the shape.
I have a few ideas up my sleeve including making my own out of led rings and strips.
[QUOTE=WorldClassAccident;72620]These are different to what you are looking at but give a neat modern rear
Thanks Nick
I do love the clean look of Richards Z300 and im sure it must have passed an MOT.
The lack of reflectors, fog light and reverse light means that the police could still pull you for not complying with construction and use.
I love driving something different and being stopped by the police so they can have a look at it is a common occurance so I will have to comply the best I can
Still planning something like this
Thanks Paul, I have a good feeling about this one.
Maybe because im cheating somewhat. Working for a few hours in a workshop and having Chris construct the front.
Don't worry the rest of the build will take place out in the elements, I could get used to having a garage though :P
The visit to Chris's a few weeks back has refocused me on the build.
I have an idea for the rear lights that incorporates fog and reverse lamp.
I was going for 4 x 100mm lamps in the rear, partly to match the 4 lamps up front.
I have since revised this to just 2 round lamps, they will still be tinted with red led halos as per my earlier mock ups.
The lower recesses that no longer need to accept lamps will now be my exhaust cut outs.
Similar look to the original plan but with the added trick detail.
This also has the added bonus of uncluttering the rear diffuser.
Up front the price of aftermarket headlamps are falling so I will probably take advantage of these. Tinted units with projector beam tie in the design of the rear lamp units.
I have chosen a discrete bonnet vent in the same location as the original.
I don't for one minute believe the Z3 will overheat without it. after all the Z3 was not designed and built in Germany but instead it was penned in the California studio and built in the States.
Im not sure on the front grille, I like the idea of black vertical bars but im not sure the sketch does them justice.
Im also mocking up headrest fairings. I intend to secure these to the roll over hoops and they should clear the roof in both its up and down position.
December is almost here and my build slot in Chris's busy schedule is getting closer.
I wasn't happy with the way the grille was illustrated
I still like the vertical elements but they were too obvious.
I decided to try a rear spoiler and I colour coded the mirrors and the head rest fairings.
The front looks better the spoiler I will mock up in real.
I really liked Chris's Kobra.
Classic shape but with the up to date road racer theme
I realised today as I was sketching that the design has evolved along way from the original sketch.
However all my previous sketches I hadn't tried to make the picture realistic.
The wheels had always been to big , the stance was not practical and even the proportions were off.
So with the majority of the details now finalised and the phase for it to leap off the page fast approaching, I sat down and tried to depict it closer to the final product.
I show the latest pic next to one of the original concept sketches.
For those of you that are familiar with Chris's skills you can see the shape emerging.
After getting the scale and details right on the front, i decided to give the rear another go.
The windscreen height is more realistic and the proportions fit the z3 better
The fiat wing mirrors have now been added.
The deliveries from Hong Kong arrived, more leds and diffuser rings to play with.
The rear lights now look like this, all four functions in a 110mm round unit.
So whats it look like when the tail lights and brake lights are lit i here you cry
Agreed and from the side it is no better
[QUOTE=DSG4ME;73292]Just to give you a bit of inspiration....
How about this British sports car company that's no longer with us
I hope to pop down there next week
I don't know how Chris's schedule has been with his Mum in hospital.
I plan not to get in the way but I want to do some more on the rear diffuser and I have a huge hole saw which I would like to cut the apertures for the lamps and exhausts.
Im confident that the front will move along fast once its turn comes.
The deadline I have set for a fully finished model is Stoneleigh 2016.
So maybe we can get a small group of us to meet near the M1 and head up together
I don't know how close it will be to the sketches, they have changed a fair bit since the original idea. As long as the main elements remain I will be content.
A long day
31/2 hours down to the "Dream factory"
As ever Chris and Dan were hard at it.
More 250 swb's in various stages and a few other rods and sods here and there.
It doesn't matter how much I sketch the real thing has far more shape than you can imagine.
Im not complaining, I love the huge hunches over the rear wheels but measuring twice cut once doesn't work here. I measured countless times from various datum points and finally I got brave and started cutting.
The lamps are going to fitted in their bezels from behind which will allow for alignment and the join will be invisible.
The rear diffuser is coming together, some bonding and blending and we should be close.
The weather and traffic means it was a horrendous 6 hour trip home
I have been wasting many hours choosing and then re choosing a colour for the beast.
It may be a more modern interpretation but I still love candy type finishes as per the blue Kobra that's getting a lot of attention
At the moment I think I have a favourite - but surprisingly its not paint
Check out this vid
https://youtu.be/f_HbhZoPbZE
I have painted most of my cars
I have used cellulose, synthetic based and 2k on the buggy.
But I have been watching plastidip for a while now as the tri coat and specialist finishes look more forgiving than the 2k.
Especially as I don't have a workshop.
They have been experimenting with pigments and candys and the clearcoats are now at a point where it should look ok under the lights at Stoneleigh
You had to go back a long way to find this
Of course I have pictures
But im not ready to share yet as my photshop skills are still lacking
DSG has helped me visualize and I can't thank him enough for his time.
I have reverted to cutting and pasting (not on a computer but with a scapel)
The buck is slowly coming together at the workshop and in my front room.
It is still very much a Z300s based shape albeit with an up to date twist.
