Vintage single seater glasfiber body 3D... anyone?

I'm wondering if there are drawings (or even models?) available for bodies from vintage F1 cars? Really, anything looking like a drawing would help.

I'm finishing up my current project and now have my eyes on the next one. I want to build a 1960s F1 replica. But not a "real" replica of course, that would be insane, but a single seated inspired by *fill in beautiful F1 goodness here*. As I did some google research on this, I found Scarbo performance (https://www.scarboperformance.com/). Exactly THAT is what I had in mind, but far less exotic. I see no need for a hand made ALU-body, custom wheels or even the LS-engine. I'm thinking more in the lines of a Chevy 305 with carbs and some cool headers snaking backwards, uprights and brakes from Westfield/Ford, custom A-arms and a mild steel tube frame. Boxster transmission, most likely. 

In the 60s the F1 cars had moved to the mid engine layout, but they had not yet been fitted with wings and aero-stuff. I think that this period produced the most beautiful racing cars ever. 

Now, regarding the body: I'm not at all after an exact copy, but it would help to have something to go by. The best would be a 3D model of any format, but anything that can be called a drawing with some dimensions would help. 

My fall back plan is buy one or several well made toy cars. Then to make a 3D surface model by photographing a toy car and, using the photographs as template/background, build a surface model. I have done this before and it works... but it's not easy. I would print section of the model and cut our Styrofoam layers, creating a rough life size model which can be hand shaped to the finished result. 

But... a drawing with some basic dimensions would help a lot. Can anyone think of a source?

https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model/ef31d366-54e0-430a-91cb-c495af8b5760/Lotus-49-1967?hl=en

Here's one. I find models here vary widely in quality, and it helps to search for specific models, but I bet you could find more. 

In reply to Mike (Forum Supporter) :

Dude! Awesome! Thank you!

I would like to subscribe to your newsletter. Please keep us updated on the project. Ive long thought about this.

Road and Track often had great technical drawings of race cars.....

In reply to Dusterbd13-michael :

I thank you for the confidence! 

Drivetrain: Chrysler 300m with flappy paddles. Reuse the brakes and uprights. Add basket of snakes headers, tidy everything you can. Should be low budget. 

Please do this. I have often dreamt of the same thing! Are you thinking of a nice weather daily driver or a track only car?

In reply to Dusterbd13-michael :

I want it to look more authentic than that. It must have a longitudinal V8 and it must have a gearbox sticking out in the back. That's also why I'm considering a "smaller" displacement V8: I would love to make it rev to 7000rpm, to at least get a little  closer to the right noise. 
 

Of course, only in my head still...

In reply to dculberson (Forum Supporter) :

Track day only. I see "snowball in hell" chances to make it road legal here in Sweden.

I have also thought about this one for quite some time. Very tempted to create this low-tech monster.  Pretty set on making it happen, but it'll take some time.

I believe this would fit the bill for engine and gearbox.

The rest I would make out of aluminum, panel bond and rivets. A cheap english wheel would make easy work out of any of those cigar shaped panels.

In reply to NOHOME :

Pantera drive train? I want something common and cheap. Preferably a crate engine. And since I'm in Sweden, anything that is "just a pallet from Georgia" means + international shipping + 25% tax + 10% toll for me. I would consider one of the British V8s: Rover or Jag also.

But a smallblock crate engine is pretty cheap over here too. Sandwich plates and adapted flywheels are expensive, but at least fairly available.

I thought Audi was the go-to for cheap longitudinal mid engine donors, of just about any size, power level, and transmission type?

I've dreamt about this for a long while. I would 100% daily drive something like this. If not a small block, then Audi v8 + 01X 6 speed.

In reply to Torkel :

Audi

Cheap as chips for what you get.

That engine is meant to be bolted to that gearbox with OEM parts inside. The need for custom adapters to mate and engine to a gearbox is the NO GO point for all of my project fantasies. It never works out.

I rule out the Audi drivetrain for a few reasons:

- As I mentioned, I want the car to look more period correct, more authentic. I want a classic Ford or Chevy V8 with two or more carbs sticking up. Maybe even a tunnel ram? I'm not even going to think about running the Audi V8 on that kind of setup. 

- I'd have to source wire harnesses, ECU and a bunch of boring crap I have no interest in what so ever. Carbs, a distributor, a fuel pump and a pressure regulator - done.

- I'm not touching the over engineered Audi V8 with a stick... 

This car would be all about impression, feelings, noise and nostalgia, mechanical beauty and old school racing. The world is full of high quality 4 banger FWD drive trains with excellent power output - from an engineering perspective I should build the car with a K24 and a civic gearbox... but who wants that in their vintage F1 racer?!!

Here is what I'm talking about: 

I think the audi v8 would be cheaper in the long run even with megasquirt and an ITB setup but definitely more complex. But if it's a nogo, then LS - ECU + carb/dizzy + https://www.kennedyeng.com + 01x

In reply to Torkel :

Lotus F1-67 Replica 

Stuart Taylor Racing Ltd / England, Motorn: Chevrolet LS1 5.3 liter V8, Gearbox: 930 Turbo 4-speed,Price: €65,000

You forgot to mention that $$$$ is not an obstacle. They are asking $80k and my guess is the build cost was closer to twice that.

In reply to NOHOME :

Dude, I'm filthy rich and basically just working to pass time! Or... no, wait...

It's an example. An idea, a sketch, a thought. I'm after the basic look and feel, not all the exotic parts. Choosing a Ford smallblock on carbs vs an Audi V8 is a step in the right direction. 

You did make me think about the material for the body though. I've been excluding the ALU-body idea as too difficult, but... making a plug and a mould and finally a body out of glass fiber is not going to be a quick job either. I don't have the skills to make the body in ALU myself, but I know some people who do... Perhaps it's worth at least considering.

In reply to iansane (Forum Supporter) :

Thanks for the link. I think I'm going to try to use a European manufacturer though, since that saves on that international shipping + 25% tax + 10% toll I mentioned. But... I might end up asking some of my US-buddies to smuggle ship me some stuff. Ssshhh! Some stuff is just stupid-cheap on the US market, at least compared to here. 

Man... I don't want anyone to think I'm open to reasonable feedback and suggestions or anything, but... I've done some further research.

An Audi V8 mated to an Audi FWD would be a very much easier solution, not to mention MUCH cheaper. And lighter. With the same HP.  And of course, over here on this market, getting the parts will be easy. 

Maybe it can be dressed up a bit to look more "Vintage V8"? They are properly ugly without their huge Audi plastic covers. Actually, they are ugly with the covers too, but that's a different discussion.

How about something like this....http://race-car-replicas.com/rcr-steinard-formula-libre

DeadSkunk (Warren) said:

How about something like this....http://race-car-replicas.com/rcr-steinard-formula-libre

Yes, spot on! I've been drooling over their creations quite a lot. They also make adaptor plates and such. 

They do know how to charge: Pricing is just $39,995 for a semi-complete roller. You just have to add your choice of instrumentation, drivetrain, etc and then hit the track! 

Torkel said:

DeadSkunk (Warren) said:

How about something like this....http://race-car-replicas.com/rcr-steinard-formula-libre

Yes, spot on! I've been drooling over their creations quite a lot. They also make adaptor plates and such. 

They do know how to charge: Pricing is just $39,995 for a semi-complete roller. You just have to add your choice of instrumentation, drivetrain, etc and then hit the track! 

Why does it look so big in this picture?

• Chassis Construction: Aluminum monocoque, TIG-welded

  Body Construction: Hand-laid fiberglass or aluminum optional

An MGB cost 35k to restore nowadays, so in the grand scheme of things, I guess that 40k for a ultra low production, hand-made roller is not out of the question. The vendor has a lot of development and tooling cost to recover, not to mention overhead, labour and materials to account for each time one is sold. Plus profit; gonna guess that is a line item on the price tag total. I myself would want to net at least 7k per sale to make it worth my time.

In reply to Torkel :

I'm mating an Audi 01X to a 5.7L SBC via homemade adapter and flywheel, and installing it in the middle of a 1965 Corvair.  I'll let you know how long the 01X lives, as it is my intent to hit it harder and harder until it breaks.  I can get them all day long for under $400 USD.