Help me design my next project car

Take a Locost and scale all the body parts up including the crappy fabric top and doors(you said no roadsters).

Or VW T2. T1s are getting pricey but the T2 isn't as loved.

In reply to dean1484 :

Hah, yeah, I was thinking along the same lines yesterday when our mailman stopped by. That wold be pretty funny; aero, meh, stability, oh well. Entertaining, yes.

In reply to wheelsmithy :

I've always liked the Falcon because it's sensibly small. I guess at the point of changing suspension and drivetrain makes brand adherence kinda moot, though would hurt resale, if one cared.

Yes, the thought of driving a faux wood sided station wagon, tailgating a sports compact through the curves would be epic, except that it won't fit in the garage!

It's interesting how many 1960's cars are very close to 15 feet long. I never noticed before because I didn't care, but I wonder if it was a classification thing, manufacturers copying each other, or if that was what was popular.

I've really been intrigued by the idea of an extended cab S10 with C5/C6 rollerskate for motorvation.

Between full fiberglass cabs, beds, doors, hoods, fenders (including flared fenders) from the aftermarket, and all the LS goodies and Vette specific parts, you could build a featherweight road scorcher for relatively affordable sums.

Basically tube frame sections to connect the subframes and a rollbar/cage with a body dropped over it.

Do it. DO it. DO IT. DO. IT.

As much as I like the idea of a sport truck with a shortened bed, if you're keeping the roller skate stock, to where the engine position relative to the front suspension is largely fixed, it seems like the nose/cab proportions may have the driver and engine trying to occupy the same space.

What about a W114 Mercedes?

Driven5 said:

As much as I like the idea of a sport truck with a shortened bed, if you're keeping the roller skate stock, to where the engine position relative to the front suspension is largely fixed, it seems like the nose/cab proportions may have the driver and engine trying to occupy the same space.

What about a W114 Mercedes?

That's why I said extended cab. Like most of my mental musings, I've done the research. Idle hands and what-not. 
Right wheelbase, room for engine setback (Corvette) relative to original configuration (S10). I have specs and stats...my favorites bar is crammed full of cross-reference material for stuff like this.

kb58 said:

Here's one that really pulls at me

http://beckkustoms.blogspot.com/2014/08/f132.html

This one is full of win. 

In reply to Gingerbeardman :

Agreed, but for this particular scenario, how many pre-1975 trucks are extended cab?

Driven5 said:

In reply to Gingerbeardman :

Agreed, but for this particular scenario, how many pre-1975 trucks are extended cab?

There's alot of pre/mid 70s repro fiberglass available, thanks to the offroad community and drag racers...think kit-car and with pre-emissions looks and the Corvette skateboard, you can have a helluva lotta fun for not alotta dosh.

Let me dig up some examples right quick...be back with the edit in a while.

https://www.mcneilracinginc.com/collections/67-72-ford-f-series

https://www.mcneilracinginc.com/collections/73-91-blazer

https://www.advfiberglass.com/collections/chevrolet/products/1974-1992-chevrolet-blazer-race-fender

https://www.advfiberglass.com/collections/chevrolet/products/1974-1992-chevrolet-blazer-bedsides

https://www.advfiberglass.com/collections/chevrolet/products/1973-1987-chevrolet-fullsize-race-fender

https://www.advfiberglass.com/collections/chevrolet/products/1973-1987-chevrolet-fullsize-bedsides

http://www.usbody.com/Pages_Trucks/67-Chevy.htm

http://gtsfiberglass.com/envira/chevy/

I could go on and on, that was literally a 30 second GO-OGLE search.

Good pictures of a racing pickup on SpeedHunters:

http://www.speedhunters.com/2020/03/making-barn-door-fly-meet-targa-truck/

Buying an old NASCAR truck was on the list for a while, but after realizing that they were never designed for doors, weatherstripping, glass, lights, etc, it got pushed down the list. Also, it's likely (unconfirmed) that the wheelbase will be all wrong. Lastly was the concern about what the California DMV would consider it. Since it looks recent, I think there's a strong chance of it becoming an emissions nightmare. I want it to be 100% street legal and have no interest in building a trailer queen.

Going the from-scratch approach with fiberglass is more work, but opens up options such as being able to adjust the wheelbase via the truck bed rather than messing with the torque tube length. I'll have to see, as mentioned above, about the viability of a pre 1975 extended cab. A full size version would obviously fit everything, but costs more, weighs more, and is literally a big deal in my small garage width wise. As mentioned above, the fiberglass bed could be shortened up, effectively pushing the rear tires to the back corners. Someone (maybe here) said that he saw an extended cab truck where they bolted the engine directly to the transaxle, and it needed the extended cab portion to help house the front end of the engine.

Jah29 said:

Good pictures of a racing pickup on SpeedHunters:

http://www.speedhunters.com/2020/03/making-barn-door-fly-meet-targa-truck/

Oh to have such resources, sigh.