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Re: And so it begins.....the 904 project!

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2016 7:58 pm
by Adam Wright
Today was eventful, got the rear end where I wanted it. Getting it there wasn't easy, we had to drill out all the spot welds on the rear shock towers. When we build the real chassis we will lower the shock towers. In fact, I will probably re-use the ones I pulled off the test car because the race cars ones have been modified for the roll cage. But the rear end is now in the right range of where it needs to be, a good dry fit.
Then we moved onto the main body and our heads really started to hurt. Lots of measuring and staring, and drawing, and re-measuring, but we will do the main body cut tomorrow, right behind the floor center cross member.
Lots of dramatic moves on the body, and cutting is always fun, but we are now getting into the more serious cuts and lots of math.
Stay tuned!

Re: And so it begins.....the 904 project!

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2016 9:46 pm
by M Penta
looks like quite an ambitious project, nice progress so far.

I like where this is going!

Re: And so it begins.....the 904 project!

Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2016 8:00 pm
by Adam Wright
Today was both dramatic and eventful. After what seemed like a million cuts we got the car into two pieces, and then made it back into one, losing 5 inches in the process. From there we were able to get the main part of the body in place, so you can start to see the 904 emerging. It's getting fun!

Re: And so it begins.....the 904 project!

Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2016 9:57 pm
by Bob Watts
Thanks for the updates, Adam.
I can sit for hours and watch people work.

Re: And so it begins.....the 904 project!

Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2016 7:15 pm
by Adam Wright
Today was all Hollywood, meaning it was all about the nose job. We ran out of day but got to a good stopping point.

Re: And so it begins.....the 904 project!

Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2016 7:10 pm
by Adam Wright
Part 1 of this build is now complete. The body has been dry-fitted to a 914 chassis. From here we have to figure out suspension, front and rear. But it has been proved, you can modify a 914 to accept a 904 body.

Re: And so it begins.....the 904 project!

Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2016 7:30 pm
by Vic Skirmants
Good on ya, mate!

Re: And so it begins.....the 904 project!

Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2016 10:27 pm
by jim saunders
Vic, No spaces between the words.
I'm sure you know that - and you, an honorary aussie.

Re: And so it begins.....the 904 project!

Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 8:44 am
by Vic Skirmants
goodonyamate?
or: goodonya mate?
or: goodonya, mate?

Re: And so it begins.....the 904 project!

Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 4:21 pm
by jim saunders
I reckon you've got me here Vic, I'm stumped. Looks like advanced grammar to me.
I'll see if I can get some expert advice. Cheersmate, jim

Re: And so it begins.....the 904 project!

Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2016 8:43 pm
by Adam Wright
Well, looks like a no-go on the off the shelf Dual A-arm setups. The Mendeola guys didn't respond when I asked if it would work for my project but the guy from EyeBall Engineering, who sells a similar setup was nice enough to get back with a very refreshing and honest answer.
"hi
in a word no,but anything is possible with enough money
the old saying goes speed costs money,how fast do you want to go?
thanks bruce"

I can only assume the answer would have been the same from Mendeola, which is why they didn't bother to respond.
Either way neither system will work as far as I know, so I'm back to my own engineering. I had already planned to lower the shock towers in the rear but I guess I'm going to try for the shorter shock in the front. I'm confident I can make it work.

Re: And so it begins.....the 904 project!

Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2016 8:56 pm
by M Penta
Adam, that is impressive. Dang you work fast!

I did not realize you were trying to convert to dual A arm, sounds like a huge project in itself.

What wheels are you going to use? 5.5 steel? 6" in rear? The one I was drooling over at LRP had them (or maybe it had those ultra rare 6' all around) with Dunlop vintage race tires, big 205's in the rear I think.

Love this project, love 904's. +2 Vic's original comment; Good_on_ya!

Re: And so it begins.....the 904 project!

Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2016 9:39 pm
by ryan base
this is the practice frame and when you know what it takes to make it work you do the money cuts on the yellow one? is this a kit body or the real deal? either way it is very ambitious and i am sure there will not be one purist to turn up their nose. really nice good job

Re: And so it begins.....the 904 project!

Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2016 10:29 pm
by M Penta
Hi Ryan,

The body is a kit, but not a VW based kit as far as I know. I believe the body fits a custom chassis, in this case a custom 914 based chassis which seems like a great way to go to stay Porsche (but not necessarilly easy!).
In my limited research, I see that these cost well over 100K to build, it is not some Bradley GT on a VW pan!
I believe the chassis he is working on is the actual. The car will be about as close to the $2.5million real thing you can get. Anyone who would turn their noses up at this when finished is insane!

Re: And so it begins.....the 904 project!

Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2016 11:08 pm
by Adam Wright
It's not really a kit because it is made by a guy who sells just the body, he took molds off an original body a few years ago and has sold a few body's. I know of mine and another in the Phillapines. He also made one for himself, he and the guy in the Philapines are both making their own tube frame chassis, I elected to go with a modified 914-6 so it would still be a Porsche when I was done. Going to all the trouble to have a VIN-less car, you might as well buy a Beck, save yourself the trouble.
I don't plan to sell this one like I did Da Spoodster. I can always build another one of those, but I don't think I will be able to replicate the 904 build, too many variables have had to come together.