The BMW 507 Ultimate Build Thread!!!

[A12pilot]

One of the very few cars that's always intrigued me and stopped me in my tracks due to it's drop dead gorgeous looks is the BMW 507. I was very fortunate sit in one and go for a "leisurely" jaunt around the Cologne, Germany area many years ago when I stumbled upon a gathering in front of "The Dom" cathedral by the main train station. I was hooked. But seeing how they are... oh...a tad out of my price range, I always thought I'd make an accurate replica. The body was always the main issue. But, I've got that resolved. Now I'm considering using a BMW V8 but know zero about them. I've owned several BMWs, but they were Z3s, 3-Series E30 and later, and one 528. All 5spds. I'm intrigued to use a BMW V8 if I decideto build one, and know the 4.0 had issues.

Does anyone here know about stand alone EFI (like FAST or the like) systems that can be retroed to earlier V8s? I figured I'd ask here before heading over to Roadfly or the like.

It would be a big project since I'd be fabrication pretty much everything. But how cool would that be?! We'll see. Still in the information gathering process.

Cheers
Dave

[m22mike]

That is a cool looking car Dave :biggthumpup:

[A12pilot]

Thanks Mike. Of course, something like this won't affect the latest build thread comin' in hot in another section here shortly. :smirk:

Cheers

Dave

[PxTx]

A buddy of mine has a little company that specializes in German performance and stand alone efi. Marc Swanson at www.efiexpress.com

[JKZ27]

Dave, I'm going to be using a MegaSquirt stand alone EFI on my Camaro to replace the old Edelbrock that's on it now. They seem to be adaptable to almost any type of engine and appear to have pretty decent support.


https://www.diyautotune.com/

[A12pilot]

Excellent info.... thanks guys!

Cheers
Dave

[ZLP955]

Lynn's been around Beemers for decades, may have some advice.

[L78M22Rag]

I wasn’t into BMWs until now... that is one drop dead gorgeous car!

[A12pilot]

They are, and it would be a fun undertaking and build. The results when done would be... I'm hoping.... fantastic! Great info guys. Thanks for the help. I actually found a few nice original BMW parts they still make for it. A supplier in England makes the windshield. Good stuff!

Cheers
Dave

[m22mike]

I can't stop looking at that picture you posted....:drool:.....do it, do it Dave .
It kind of reminders me of a early Cobra ???

Mike

[A12pilot]

You'd have to come down and stay at the new place next year, Mikey, and help fab up stuff when you aren't knee-deep in COPO stuff! :burnout:

Indeed, the frame would be a modified Cobra frame. Dimensions are remarkably similar. But nothing else is. Torsion bar suspension (familiar with that from the Mopar genre:naughty:). Hmmmm..... is there a BMW thread section? :confused2: Might have to "member ride" it! I'll already have another one going in the Mopar section shortly:wink:

Cheers
Dave

[mockingbird812]

Cool project Dave. Go ahead and create a BMW thread - precedence has already been set. Eddie (enio45) forces us to follow his build on his old musty '58 Elena. Your project can't be any more offensive to us sYcers than that!!!!!!! :youguysrock:

[Lynn]

Hey Dave:

Between my brother and I we have owned over 60 bimmers over the years, but not one V8. 4, 6 & 12. So, I am far from a BMW V8 expert, but can help a little. BTW, not that many on this site would care, but a BMW car is a "bimmer" and a BMW bike is a "beemer".

Have always loved the 507. It was more expensive new than the Mercedes Gullwing cars (but has not kept up since then price wise). Did not sell that well, and almost bankrupted BMW.

Yes, the 4.0 liters had issues, but it was related to the high sulpher content of US market gasoline in the early 90's. It would eat away at the hard coating applied directly to the cylinder walls. BMW repaired a lot of those engines, even ones that were well past the warranty period. They also changed the composition of the coating either mid 95 or mid 96, and all the later engines are free from that malady.

If you source a decent engine, I would try to get the wiring harness and ecm with it. Nothing to program, and parts are easy to get. Even a very well kept 740i is ridiculously cheap when it is 15 to 20 years old. Even better if you can find one that has been recently hit. Just buy the whole car and you will have everything you need.

I would look for something like 98 to 2004 range.

With that little car, you won't need outrageous power to have fun.
Maybe we can start a new forum for totally non muscle car build threads. You can do this one, Eddie already started on the Ferrari, and I have a tube frame chassis, aluminum body replica of a Ferrari 250 GTO (body is about 80% done) that wil be gettin a Ferrari V12 and 5 speed.

[markinnaples]

I have owned a few BMWs over the years including a couple E30's, an E28, and currently an E60. I ABSOLUTELY advise against the use of an N62 (4.5L V-8) from the 2000's. I have a 2004 545i that has been a nightmare. The cooling system has a design flaw that causes leakage (massive leakage) due to a cheap plastic coolant pipe that is located in the front of the engine that goes into the lifter valley. There is a fix for this which entails putting in an aluminum sleeve that has had good lasting results and that I'm going to do once I get back home from up north, but honestly, in a car like that I highly doubt you'd want to use an engine with that design. This fix is a DIY $250 but the dealer fix is $2500+. It also has a design flaw where oil leaks out of the alternator bracket gasket, which mine has and that I'm planning on fixing when I do the other fix. Other issues with this engine include valve cover gasket leaks, timing cover leaks, VANOS solenoid o-ring leaks and upper timing cover gasket leak.
See what I mean? Run away, fast and far from the N62.

[The Boss]

I have always thought the 507 was pure sex - the body lines, the curves and the fact that they were completely hand formed and no two were exactly alike.

Would love to see one re-created but might be more fun with a 12. :cool2:

[Lynn]

Agree with Mark. Those 4.4 V8s are all plagued with that cooling system design flaw.

Not being a bimmer V8 expert, I wouldn't be able to tell you exactly which years are best, and which to avoid. I am sure that info is available without too much work.

[1967Z28]

Seems like you could not fit a V8 under that hood nor could you get enough tire under it (without flares) to handle the V8 power.

[Lynn]

It came from the factory with a 3.2 liter V8

[olredalert]

----LS it, Dave! No one will know the dif and it will be faster,,,LOL!!!...…..Bill S

[A12pilot]

Good stuff, guys!:D I'm still in the formulation stage and searching out technical aspects of out. Luckily, Elivs' 507 just underwent a complete restoration and there's several videos showing exactly what I needed to know as far as the frame/body assembly goes. Torsion bar suspension like my beloved Mopars!:headbang: Yep, these were factory V8 cars. It's killing me to not have a shop right now. This project will start next year. :scholar:

As I gather more info I'll post up. Yes, Steve-a-Reeno...new category needed on sYc: "Non-Supercar Builds". Almost like a general category, but strictly related to "other" build projects: cars, house, boat, bike, Humanoid Robot.... whatever!

Cheers
Dave

[A12pilot]

Massive V8 power! Well... not really:burnout:

Cheers
Dave

[PxTx]

Looks close enough to an LS valve cover to me.

[A12pilot]

I've come up with a chassis design based on watching the videos and still photos of Elvis' 507 restoration. The 507 has a 4 wheel torsion bar suspension with a solid axle rear. I have the front worked out by using my beloved Mopar setup, and for the rear, I'm contemplating just using a 4-Link coil over setup. The whole platform would be based 64 Valiant convertible. Dimension wise, it's almost spot on with the wheelbase being the biggest discrepancy. That can be remedied by moving the rear frame rails forward. The entire unibody would look very similar once I add front steel wheel wells, trunk and hood gutter frames, and modified firewall. I'll post up once I finish the drawing/ plans.:headbang:

In other news, bought the first part for it! Gently used 1957 caps!:biggthumpup::biggthumpup::biggthumpup:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[A12pilot]

Chassis design is complete. It's a homologous concoction of no less than four cars that will bring the unibody construction striking similar to the factory 507's structure. Best part? It should satisfy everyone on the board since it'll encompass parts from all of the Big 3!:cool2:

The front chassis, rear frame rails will be 67-70 Mopar A-Body for the torsion bar suspension, then transitioning to a late 70s Mercedes SL convertible rear tub section, with GM AD series truck front door jambs (almost identical to the 507s) and GM A-Body wheel wells. Firewall will be custom, A-Pillar will be custom made surrounding the correct 507 windshield so dimensions stay true to the original design. That's three makes, but what about a Ford part to complete the big three American car companies?? :dunno: Glad you asked! :grin: Modified Mustang seat pan risers on the floor! See?? Everyone is offended equally!:biggthumpup::hmmm:

Already figured out powerplant, transmission, and rear axle selections too. Biggest challenge on this project is mainly finding 507 specific parts but I'm planning on fabricating most myself and using eerily similar readily available donor parts from other makes and models for others. Door handles, mirrors, tail lights, wheels, seats, and several other parts are already on the list and bought. Assembled in it's entirety..... unless placed next to a factory 507... the plan is to not know that this is Chassis #DM507001:grin: and not a factory original!

Is this a daunting project? Sure! Will it be a colossal failure? Probably! But will it be fun to watch this Andrea Doria sink to the bottom as that Stockholm slowly approaches?? Of course it will!!:grin:

More to come.....
Cheers
Dave

[markinnaples]

Wow Dave, your ambition is wild and with the skills to follow up with it, pretty amazing stuff.

[A12pilot]

Thanks, Mark! It'll be a fun one to build. I met a 507 owner who's willing to let me crawl all over his car for photos and such when needed. He's really intrigued by the project since he says he'd love to own one he can actually drive without fear of something happening to his on the road. :burnout: Come on, stupid house and shop!!!! Holding everything up!!!!!:frown:

Cheers

Dave

[markinnaples]

This should be really interesting to watch. You need to figure out how to bottle your energy and enthusiasm and sell it, then you could buy any car you want!

[firstgenaddict]

Hey Dave:

Between my brother and I we have owned over 60 bimmers over the years, but not one V8. 4, 6 & 12. So, I am far from a BMW V8 expert, but can help a little. BTW, not that many on this site would care, but a BMW car is a "bimmer" and a BMW bike is a "beemer".

Have always loved the 507. It was more expensive new than the Mercedes Gullwing cars (but has not kept up since then price wise). Did not sell that well, and almost bankrupted BMW.

Yes, the 4.0 liters had issues, but it was related to the high sulpher content of US market gasoline in the early 90's. It would eat away at the hard coating applied directly to the cylinder walls. BMW repaired a lot of those engines, even ones that were well past the warranty period. They also changed the composition of the coating either mid 95 or mid 96, and all the later engines are free from that malady.

If you source a decent engine, I would try to get the wiring harness and ecm with it. Nothing to program, and parts are easy to get. Even a very well kept 740i is ridiculously cheap when it is 15 to 20 years old. Even better if you can find one that has been recently hit. Just buy the whole car and you will have everything you need.

I would look for something like 98 to 2004 range.

With that little car, you won't need outrageous power to have fun.
Maybe we can start a new forum for totally non muscle car build threads. You can do this one, Eddie already started on the Ferrari, and I have a tube frame chassis, aluminum body replica of a Ferrari 250 GTO (body is about 80% done) that wil be gettin a Ferrari V12 and 5 speed.

oh Boy... where is the GTO thread Lynn?
I love Aluminum bodied sports cars... even more so when they are under the Prancing Horse... What Livery?

However I am looking forward to this...
I thought about doing a 850 with a newer M5 power plant... the 850 weighed entirely too much though, it would need a MAJOR diet.
Then I saw a gray market C55 AMG... Yes... they made them for Europe, the car was under 5k and was running driving and titled registered in South Carolina. 400HP in the C class... I missed the car and then didn't reconsider the BMW project.

[PxTx]

I'm really looking forward to following along. Previous threads have been fun, but this is exciting and a bit over the edge. Thanks for sharing and good luck!

[Lynn]

oh Boy... where is the GTO thread Lynn?
I love Aluminum bodied sports cars... even more so when they are under the Prancing Horse... What Livery?

However I am looking forward to this...
I thought about doing a 850 with a newer M5 power plant... the 850 weighed entirely too much though, it would need a MAJOR diet.
Then I saw a gray market C55 AMG... Yes... they made them for Europe, the car was under 5k and was running driving and titled registered in South Carolina. 400HP in the C class... I missed the car and then didn't reconsider the BMW project.

I will start a thread when the time comes. I believe by 2020 I will be starting in earnest. That project is one of the reasons I am rehabbing that old warehouse into a shop. Possibly sooner, but keep finding things to occupy my time. Sorry for the hijack Dave.

I will be following this thread for sure. Had a guy approach me back in the 80s. He wanted to build replica 507s but wanted to use the big six running gear. At the time, BMW was not even producing V8 engines. I passed as I figured it would be hugely expensive, and a very limited market. On the other hand, I think Dave is spot on with this approach.

[A12pilot]

No worries Lynn. I'm excited to hear about your GTO. I just started looking at 348s and think I may pull the trigger on a Spider next year! :drool:

Just bought a few more odds and ends, and I'll post up drivetrain specifications soon. Thanks for the support here on this project! My passion lies in the fabrication, details, and final execution of any car I dive into. And the love of the design elements of all cars is the reason I have these desires to jump into these restorations and projects that really, nobody in their right financial mind should want pursue. SO MUCH FUN!! :3gears::biggthumpup:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[A12pilot]

Door handles: the 507s were a very slim line design and while looking at them, thought they looked eerily familiar to me. Then it hit me! 1955 Chrysler 300C! :biggthumpup:

Once rechromed these are just about identical to the 507 in operation. No lock in the handle, but that's ok. There's ways around that! Man.... can't wait to start on this thing!

Tires are 6.0 x 16 which are pretty close to the old Chevy truck tires. The times are becoming a fun search. The last set of German Rudge wheels, restored, were sold for $16k a set. Along with that, you need the adapters for the axles. Well, homey don't be having no $16k for wheels laying around, so that's out. What I've found that's pretty close are spare tire rims from Fords and Chryslers. The rims are 16x4.5 usually. Will post up more as I zero in on a final selection. :biggthumpup:

Cheers

Dave

[A12pilot]

After an exhaustive 3 week, steel wheel, Googley search, I've come up with an almost perfect match for wheels for the 507. Rudge wheels were on the BMW as well as Porsches of the day. They are unique in that they are pin drive (read, knock-offs) and have a very unique center section. Size was 16x6. Yep... that's a big, skinny wheel!! :smile: Now, with real Rudge wheels climbing up past the $16k mark, and keeping with the design philos...philasof...fila..:confused2:..idea here of using extremely similar, easily found, parts to get the look in after, these 2015 Ford Transit wheels are a pretty good match! Way better than my last selections. The center section has the bulbous look of the originals and they are 10 hole as well. Although these are 16x6.5, I will send them to a shop and have them narrowed along with a standard 5x4.5" bolt pattern installed. A thin chrome trim ring on the outside and a simulated knock-off of my own design, or the dog dish caps I have, will complete the look! :laugh:

Interestingly, I've had several people ask if I could build them one when done... how cool is that?! Way cool, I know!!! But I don't think that's going to happen for a number of reasons. Still neat that there is interest!:biggthumpup::laugh:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[markinnaples]

You're an inspiration Dave.

[A12pilot]

Thanks Mark! It's a blast to search for parts that are just about as similar to the original as I can get. The top frame, windshield, and a few odds and ends I can buy that are genuine 507 which will nail the original look. Drivetrain details forthcoming!:biggthumpup:

Cheers
Dave

[A12pilot]

One would think with the house thread going and Anheuser Busch Clydesdale barn build well underway, along with 10 acres of fence, and two shops to stiiiiiiilllllll get to:rolleyes2:, that one might not have time to continue on with one's car builds.:hmmm: And, you'd be right.... until I get to the hotel on overnights and have nothing to do except search for parts and car stuff! :tongue:

I was able to score some brand new tail lights in cast bronze form from 1976! These were made by the BMW 507 car club way back then after they couldn't find any parts for their cars. So, they started making their own! These are cast off originals and are about as NOS as you can get. I also have authentic lenses (red and amber) to go with them. Interestingly, only 507s destined for the US got the dual red lenses. European models got the red and amber.

In other 507 news, I stumbled across an original Becker Mexico AM/FM radio with auto-seeker, along with its original amp and speaker! This will set the dash off perfectly! Pics of mine and a properly restored one.

And finally, the wheel quest. Having searched more for the right wheels, I have a company that will make me a set when the time comes which mimic the steel wheel and hubcap look I'm after. But doing some more searching, found BMW steel wheels that are pretty darn close. I decided against the Rudge knockoffs, and am going with the stock steelies and dog dish caps which I already have. Pic attached of the stock wheel.

Next month is a trip to Sacramento to visit the body manufacturer and get that rolling. :biggthumpup:More to come as more parts come in!!:cool2: Now, back to the barn build! :tongue:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[mockingbird812]

Lovin’ it Dave!!!:burnout::burnout::burnout:

[flyingn]

Looking good Dave! Love those.. Speaking of BMW's, a good friend just bought a new BMW M5 competition and took me for a ride. The fastest stock street car I have ever been in. 10.8's and 0-60 in 2.8. AWD 617 hp twin turbo v8

[Burd]

Sweet car.

[A12pilot]

Continuing to score parts for the 507 project with these freshly restored roundels. They're impeccable and with everything BMW.... not cheap. If you never knew what BMW stood for, it's "Bring Money With":thumbsdown:

The hood roundel is larger and is an unrestored original off a 503, which is what the 507 chassis was based off of. An often misconception of the BMW logo is that it's a spinning propeller. Not so! The issue started with an ad featuring the logo spinning in the place of a propeller in a 1929 ad. Further, an article in 1942 in a BMW journal used a similar image and the legend grew. It's actually a spin off (Get it? Spin off? Propeller? Yeah....i know:frown::grin:) of the origins of BMW which was known as Rapp Motorenwerke. When BMW was branded, the logo was designed after the Rapp logo to rely on the brand recognition and featured the colors of the national flag: blue and white. Just so happens that those colors correspond to a spinning propeller through blue skys when placed in a circle.

There... all you needed to know about the Roundel but were afraid to ask! Next month I head out to get the body made and visit with the owner of the 507 that was found with Elvis' car (blue one) ...and was restored by BMW right along side of it.

Cheers
Dave

[markinnaples]

Thanks for the Bimmer lesson. Now, when you have a few minutes come over and help me resolve the 108th problem I've had with my 545i so I can sell it with a clear conscience.

[A12pilot]

Are you kidding? After owning 3 Z3s, a 528i, and three 3 series, I ain’t smart enough to mess with (fix)....or probably won't own again...any new BMWs. Never own them out of warranty. Nice looking car though, Mark. Sorry you’re having issues with it. Will that be the chariot that picks me up at the airport when I get to Ft. Myers??:3gears:

Cheers
Dave

[Billohio]

My weekend machine is an X3. I really like it but warrantee up dec of this year. Probably trading it when I get home. Dealer is great to work with tho.

[markinnaples]

Seriously Dave. I've replaced the Active Steering module in the steering column, did the "Bimmer Fix" to repair the coolant pipe that runs down the intake valley, replaced the thermostat, new battery, coolant level sensor, and the list goes on. Ugh, it's a beautiful car and rides and handles nicely but every time I get in the car the CEL comes on.

[A12pilot]

Man, Mark. That stinks! Takes all the fun out of any car ownership. That’s why my 507 will be all Domestic parts!:biggthumpup::hmmm: But funny thing, the only BMWs I had that gave me problems were the Z3s and they were stupid thing, but still a pain to deal with. And ironically, they are built in the US!:grin:

Cheers
Dave

[earntaz]

Had a good friend of the family who was in the Army in Germany. One of his dreams was to buy a BMW and later ship it to the states when he rotated back. The car needed all the export crap installed to get it legal be for shipment. Long story short -- car was a waste after all the mods that were required. He referred to it as a "Body Movement Wonder" ... traded it for a pickup.

[A12pilot]

It's a getting serious now! This is the first body made from a mold off the original body.
I flew out to inspect, verify details up close,
And I'm extremely pleased! I'll have mine in May. :biggthumpup::biggthumpup::smile:

I'll start fabricating up the chassis and frame construction in June, right along side restoring the Crusty Cuda (which takes priority due to a 2020 MCACN deadline :burnout:).

More updates and info to follow....goggles

.... ...and you thought this wasn't gonna happen:headbang: This thread will be more entertaining and soul cleansing than a colonoscopy!

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[mockingbird812]

This gonna be fun! You gotta be stoked Dave!!!!!

[Postsedan]

Looking forward to this German Build.....to bad the Brats in Texas Suck :-(
The kind of Brats that are soaked in real German Beer :-)

Cheers Dave

Dan

[A12pilot]

Oh, quite the contrary there, Danno! The town that about :30 minutes North of me, Granbury, has a real-deal German restaurant and the owner is from the Cologne area and imports the brats from Germany! The schnitzel, spatzle, kraut, wursts....all as authentic as can be! Come on down!:drool:

Yeah, it’ll be fun Sam! We’ll see if anyone would want to watch this build, so we’ll see if I continue the thread. Maybe an update here and there. I don’t want to bore anyone :frown:

I’ll be having the Crusty Cuda build going on shortly anyway, so that’ll be more interesting to watch and then see the results in person in 2020!:headbang:

Cheers
Dave

[Postsedan]

Oh, quite the contrary there, Danno! The town that about :30 minutes North of me, Granbury, has a real-deal German restaurant and the owner is from the Cologne area and imports the brats from Germany! The schnitzel, spatzle, kraut, wursts....all as authentic as can be! Come on down!:drool:

Yummy, that sounds like a future plan :)

Dan

[A12pilot]

I've decided to take the 507 project in a new and challenging direction that will be the ultimate test of my skills at fabrication, design, patience, pocket book, and thread posting skills! :eek2:

My planification is to produce two body bucks and fabricate the body by hand. :smile: With factory dimensions, old blueprints, and access to a real 507 should I need a few up close measurements or pictures, i think my plan will work. So how am I gonna do this? :confused2: What a great question!:naughty:

Welp, last week I talked to a gentleman that runs a pretty large 3D scanning and design firm here in Ft. Worth about my project. I explained to him my overall idea, what body bucks are, how the whole project "should" work according to my feeble brain.:smirk: His reaction wasn't one of laughter, or a massive rolling of the eyes, or a "Ha! Not gonna happen Super Daydreamin' Dave." I was met with not only enthusiasm for my project, but examples of people who have done exactly what I've done with motorcycles and a couple vintage Ferraris. And coincidentally, he started in the auto industry so he knew exactly what I was talking about the whole time and knows what I'll need to make the body bucks! :biggthumpup:

I'll be meeting with him again this week to talk prices and schedule the start of my project. He'll 3D scan a 1/18th scale model I have of the 507 and incorporate the blue print dimensions to scale up the model to true size. I'll confirm with the real 507 to verify everything and then have the 3D CAD file made with stations (slices, if you will) every 8". They'll be a few stations longitudinally
too. That file will be taken to a printer and the individual stations printed out. I'll take those and glue them to plywood and cut each one out. I could take them to a CNC guy and have them laser zap them, but haven't looked into a cost on that. Once that buck is built I'll fill in the gaps with foam, sculpt, then fill with polyester fill primer. I'll sand and prime that one for a true scale body that I can see. Basically, like a clay model that the auto manufacturers still use. Another buck will be built to hammer the metal on. Once the panel is formed I'll place on the finished buck to verify fitment. After all panels are made I'll weld them up respectively. After chassis fabrication, those sections will be welded to it creating the unibody. 507s were painted body color all over as one piece.

Cheap? No. Easy? Ha! But I'm pretty sure I can make it happen and keep everyone entertained along the way! :laugh:

More to come....

Cheers
Dave

[markinnaples]

Wow, now that sounds like a project! Looking forward to seeing how all of this works as it is has really gotten interesting now, lol. Best of luck Dave.

[big gear head]

You don't have time for all of that. You have to get a Cuda ready for SCR! :rolleyes2:

[Dave Rifkin]

Seeing how fast Dave works it should be done just in time for some wind in the hair summer cruisin'

[Billohio]

As long as we are entertained, cost should be no object!

[m22mike]

:haha: :haha:

[A12pilot]

:Charley::Charley: :smile::laugh:

Don’t you worry, Freddie! I’ll be there!:burnout:

Well, this one won’t be going so fast with all the logistical logistics involved since I’ll be splitting my time between home and Miami with my new base. But, hopefully I’ll be based back in DFW by June at the latest freeing up more time for hourly updates!:tongue: Crap! I gotta update Cristy’s thread! I’ll do that tomorrow:test::smile:

More details soon on this magnatical project!!

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[A12pilot]

Here's a couple examples of body bucks along with one guy that had one made for a Porsche by a company in South Africa which were laser cut and shipped to him.

Gonna be fun! :headbang:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[x44d80]

WOW! That's going to be awesome.

[Billohio]

Just putting the buck together will be impressive

[A12pilot]

My 1/18th scale model has arrived and I'll prep it for the scan tomorrow! :headbang: Tuesday I'm meeting with my design team to scan the model. Man, I sound all classy n' sh$t! I mean, haven't you always wanted to say you have your own design team?:laugh: I mean....a DESIGN TEAM MAAAAN!!:headbang: "Hey Dave, we're all headed to Smilin' Pete's for a beer, you wanna come with?":hmmm: "Gee fellas, I can't make it. I have to meet with my design team today at twelve hundred hours.":scholar: Yep......so freakin' fetch!

Anywho, the model will be disassembled so it's just the body shell with windshield remain. I'll blast it to remove paint then prime. That antiglare flat primer is the best for 3D scanning. There's no light interference, from my understanding. The beauty of the 3D scanning is the two other parts of the car I need will be the dash and the windshield frame. Those can be done separately and be made from their own files.

Pics and an update Tuesday! Thank you for following along down this crazy build road!! If anything,
I promise it'll be entertaining with results that may surpass the Homer Simpson mobile! :headbang:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[markinnaples]

Really interesting Dave. So, the model you're using for the 3D printing is an exact, exact replica of the original? I'm just curious as this is a really interesting process to me.

[A12pilot]

Correct, Mark. I also have copies of the original blueprints of the car (engineering drawings) that have dimensions, accurate curvature, angles, etc. Before final execution of the forms and after the scanning of the model, the dimensions will be verified against the blueprints and adjusted accordingly. This should yield a perfect match.

Now, these cars were all hand built so there are variances between cars. Take the hardtops that some were equipped with. Each one was unique to that car and wouldn't fit another since there would be minor variations in body panels where the tops mount on the body.

That's another reason for the full sized mockup. I can then compare to the real thing and sign off on the final design before I move it to production. See?! Not only do I have a design team, I also have a preproduction inspector and a production staff! :rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2:

Yes, Vintage Coachworks, a division of Restorations by SuperDave, a corporation of DaveCo, is in its infancy!!:hmmm::tongue::biggthumpup::bs:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[m22mike]

Super Energizer Bunny Captain Dave, can we gits a pigture of the model B4 you strip in ?


:beers:

[Lynn]

Dave:

I really need to come down and see you when you get going on this. My next BIG project is going to involve some mini bucks (long story) and don't want to hijack the thread).

Sending you a PM.

BTW the following quote: "I have to meet with my design team today at twelve hundred hours."

Really cool if you are talking about a car. Super sucky if you are talking about the downstairs powder room.

[A12pilot]

Oh yeah, Mike. I'll start another thread for the model teardown! :D:p Just kidding. :wink: But I will be showing the whole process start to finish, so don't you worry! I'll show the model prep and hopefully I'll be there for the scan or at least get photos.

Definitely come down, Lynn! We'll chat next year!

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[A12pilot]

This has to be the fastest I've ever disassembled a car! :cool2:

I'm overly impressed with this model as far as accuracy and details. So now that its torn down, time to get it primed. The best part is the 3D scanning guy can make a CAD file for the dash along with the ever important windshield frame to ensure correct dimensions.

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[A12pilot]

A quick scuff with some Scotchbrite and a light dusting of 4:1:1 primer/ sealer, and we're ready to meet with the 3D scanning guy tomorrow! More to come....

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[mssl72]

This is gonna be cool!!

[A12pilot]

The meeting today was a complete success and Mike is just about as excited as I am to see the completed body buck! :shocked: Due to the holidays coming up, I probably won’t have the CAD file until Mid January. I’m also working with a CNC company that will router out the panels. Mike and I will finalize the end design with a few keels along the longitudinal axis that will keep the buck straight during assembly and also aid in panel formation.

The 3D scanning technology is amazing.:worship: Time to jump back in the other projects while this moves forward!:scholar:

Cheers
Dave

[A12pilot]

The scan is done and it's moving forward to dividing the model into stations now. Woohoo!:biggthumpup:

Cheers
Dave

[dykstra]

Way cool!!

[Hawkeye]

Dave,
First I want to commend you for taking on such an endeavor. This is pretty awesome and I am really enjoying following along.
If you are on Instagram you may want to follow Runge Cars. Although he solely works with Porsche designs, you may get some inspiration and tips on the buck building and body work/assembly.

Thanks for taking us along on this ride.

Marty

[A12pilot]

Hi Marty,

I’m not on Instagram, but I’ve been scouring the net for everything related to this build and watching videos of metal forming, etc. I’m going to start a video build and post up here shortly, which I think will be fun for everyone especially me!:bs::p:p:p

It’s a daunting task but it’s also going to be so much fun! Rewarding? Of course. Frustrating? Absolutely! But it’s sure to be challenging to not only my skills, but my patience and wallet!:scholar::thumbsdown:

More to come...they’re almost done with the CAD design. The latest email showed me the placement of the body buck stations as well as the stringers that will run longitudinally down the body. Think old-school style Gullows balsa wood model plane.

More to come....

Cheers
Dave

[A12pilot]

... and this is what I mean! :smile: I got this email yesterday and it's identical to what I envisioned. I think we're pretty close to being done with the CAD work and then it's onto getting it sent over to the CNC company to router out the design in 3/4" plywood. :biggthumpup:

I acquired some NOS Mercedes bullet style turn signal
lenses and a few other small parts. Coming along nicely! I hope to have the body buck assembled in March and should be in paint by June:no::tongue:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[big gear head]

Paint by June? What's taking so long? You are Super Dave! You are faster than a speeding English wheel, more powerful than a planishing hammer, able to leap a 2 post car lift in a single bound!

[A12pilot]

Ha! Good one Freddie! Parts collection continues, and I picked up set of NOS Mercedes W108/111 turn signal bases, lenses, and bezels. They're very close to the 507's although I'll have to make my own base extensions. That should be easy enough to do compared to making the whole of everything else!:eek2::hmmm::rolleyes2:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[A12pilot]

More progress progressing forward! Latest feedback from the CAD people is this rendering which shows the skeletal sections under the sheetmetal body to verify fitment. What you see it's what I'll be getting out of wood, both horizontal and longitudinal. All parts will interlock and they'll be a keel down the center foot rigidity as well as alignment proposes.

This is a snapshot of a video they sent me, but I'm technologically challenged with trying to upload this tip YouTube. But fear not! Videography at it's finest will be forthcoming! :biggthumpup::rolleyes2:

Cheers:beers:

Dave

[m22mike]

Like the Ford truck comercial states , :bs: :are you using "Military grade aluminium" ? :grin:
Seriously, do you have to use a dead soft aluminum ? What thickness ?

Mike

[Mr. Chevy]

Ford's aluminum and paint process for same is crappy. We have several newer Ford Explorers at work with 30k miles that the paint is bubbling and peeling on the front aluminum hood lips. Take it back to the dealer and they tell you it must have been caused by stone chips. BS!!

Other then that, they are awesome vehicles.

Rich

[Lynn]

Watching the thread religiously. Actually, it may be a religious experience.

Go Dave.

[A12pilot]

Although the original was aluminum, this one will be steel. From guys I’ve talked to about metal shaping and forming, with this being my first time, they suggested 20ga which gives some good strength but is malleable enough to not let me get too frustrated starting out. :biggthumpup: Should I make another, the second one would be stronger 18ga. I’m just going to have to use some scrap and figure out what is working best for me. Perhaps some parts like the doors/hood thicker while other where there’s more curves will be the thinner metal. :hmmm: Either way, it’s sure to be a disaster!!:rolleyes2:

They’re about done on the CAD model, so more pics soon!!!!:3gears::cool2:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[x44d80]

If you watch Ron Fournier, Ron Covell or Kent White take a flat piece of sheet metal and proceed to make a smooth bowl out of it is absolutely amazing. Can't wait to see your project unfold.

[m22mike]

Thanks Dave, not sure why I assumed it was going to be aluminum :biggthumpup:

[big gear head]

Some good stuff here. https://www.youtube.com/user/lazzemetalshaping

[A12pilot]

Great link Freddie!

We're getting closer! The stations are done on both lateral and longitudinal axis. These are the longitudinal ones that interlock with the lateral axis stations to form the structure. Next up is getting the quote from the CNC guy for laser cutout MDF stations! More to come with more details to follow. It's getting closer!

And yes, I plan to document the pricing on this project so nothing is a mystery. Why not? I think it would be good to show what a project like this costs especially in this phase of the plan.

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[cook_dw]

Dude, you remind me of Micheal Keaton in Mutliplicity Movie.. There has to be multiples of you running around..


https://thumbs.gfycat.com/ThankfulFoolhardyBudgie-size_restricted.gif

[A12pilot]

Moving forward, the CNC company came back with a quote for the panels to be routed out. They're starting that process and based on their schedule, I should pic them up the first week of March! :headbang:

Through sheer Yenko.Net comradory and the ability of many to help others in this site, I've found a Nicson 2x2 intake complete with carbs courtesy of Hawkeye's (Marty) sharp eye! :scholar: I use this term sparingly, so consider it the ultimate Super Dave compliment: You da MAN!!:biggthumpup:

As I stated, here's my breakdown of the design phase of this. I used Mike at Partsnap.com for the 3D work and one of his suppliers for CNC work will provide the cutouts. To scan the model and do the 3D work on the stations was $2600. Considering the first guy I contacted, while enthusiastic and knew exactly what I needed since he's done them before, wanted $10k-$15k (not an exact quote, just a shooting off the hip estimate), I think that's a screaming deal and I'm beyond impressed with his work and detail. The CNC panels are quoted at $3100. So I'm in this at $5700. Of course the model cost at $75 and then the extra materials to assemble the buck will be superfluous (me so smart n' stuff!:scholar:), so let's just round up to $6k for the design and execution (smart!:eek2:) of the start of this whole endeavour (man... I'm killing it with big words today! :wink:)

More updates to come soon as I start to acquire more parts next week! Body buck assembly next month!

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[William]

Consider reaching out to Craig Naff. Super-low profile but has hand-made many famous show car bodies.

http://blog.bubbasgarage.com/2013/10/photos-from-craig-naffs-hotrod-body.html

[Riparian]

Foxwell has been producing great obd2 scanner models, but which one to choose? One tip you must first check what you really need and find what fits your vehicle. To help you out you can check our detailed review of the 8 best Foxwell Scanner (https://bestobd2scanners.com/foxwell/) on the market today.

[Hawkeye]

Dave,

I am glad I could help. I didn't realize how rare that intake is. I can't wait to see it on the all aluminum 427 small block chevy your going to build for this sweet ride. :burnout::burnout:

Cheers,
Marty


ps. If you ever have a layover in Charleston, SC please let me know.

[A12pilot]

Thanks again, Marty. I'll definitely give you a ring when I get a Charlie South overnight for sure. Now, an all aluminum 427 SB on the other hand...:hmmm:

This just crossed in Paris. Ouch!:biggthumpup: I folliw them around based on chassis number since all are known, basically. Interesting to see which ones cross the blocks. I can almost assuredly guarantee mine won't be nearly that valuable! :laugh:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[A12pilot]

I've been doing some more research and it's getting exciting! Cannot wait to start making the buck! I talked to the Bryce and Mike at Partsnap and they may be able to scan the windshield frame and dash for me, then make the parts from a 3D printer. The windshield frame will be to form a template so I can ship that to a glass manufacturer who will use it to make the correct front windshield for me when the time comes.

Here's a picture of BMW's original assembly buck, not the hammer buck. I'm trying to get photos of that but it's a pretty closely guarded secret. Rightly so! Otherwise you'd have more idiots like me trying to do what I'm doing and actually succeed!! :tongue: What I see in other restorations for other cars is the nose piece being carved from a block of solid wood, usually oak, so the curves can be hammered out directly on that. Man... good thing I was an art major before deciding to become a pilot. I knew"d that edjumacation thing would be useful one day! :hmmm:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[markinnaples]

Brilliant Dave. I think you need to build two: one with all of the stock components that you can find, and the second with an LS and resto-modded.

[A12pilot]

Ha! Right, Mark! I’ll be good just to get one done that halfway resembles the actual car!:crazy::rolleyes:

But funny you mention that. I was actually looking at the EFI setup that uses the Rochester 2G style carburetor as a base. Like FAST EFI but with a 2bbl R2G look. It would be pretty darn cool to make this thing EFI featuring twin Rochester 2G style throttle bodies! But for simplicity this first time around, I’ll stick with the 2x2 carb setup.:biggthumpup:

More details to follow...

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[A12pilot]

...and this just in! The body buck panels are done and ready to be picked up Monday! That's way ahead I'd schedule which is pretty awesome. But before assembly, the small shop finally gets finished with cabinets, work benches, trim, and exhaust fans. A thorough cleaning us needed now that the mighty F1 is gone. More to come with the first SuperDave YouTube video documenting this build next week! :3gears:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[mssl72]

Go Dave!!

[olredalert]

----X-2......Bill S

[A12pilot]

Thanks men! Yesterday was a pivotal day in Super Dave's quest for his "Ultimate Driving Machine". I picked up the 507 body buck which was exactly when they said they'd have it done. Woohoo!:headbang: Mike and Bryce nailed this thing. They even made instructions for me as well. Excellent work all around. They are now going to scan the windshield frame and start making one of those for me as well so I can get a windshield made up. Just amazing this 3D scanning stuff!!

Here's a few pages of the instructions showing exactly how things are going together. Each of the stations are numbered by a small drilled hole. I've already decided that the tail panel and nose will be sculpted from wood for metal forming, which is how the original was made.

So what's one to do with this body buck when done? Simple! Bring it to MCACN to be displayed right along side of the car!!

Next month I'll have it assembled, but for now, I've got to get the Fantastical Ford F1 ready to leave today, finish the small shop up, and finally get Crusty driving! :eek2: You know... just a few things...:frown:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[Postsedan]

Reminds me of first grade class :)

Well done.

Dan

[markinnaples]

Wow, that seemed like a pretty reasonably quick timeframe to get done.
This really is one of the most interesting projects I've seen, and looking forward to seeing the progression of things.

[Billohio]

Very interesting!

[mockingbird812]

Most excellent Super Dave! Can't wait to see your continued progress!!!!

[mssl72]

So what's one to do with this body buck when done? Simple! Bring it to MCACN to be displayed right along side of the car!!

Dave after MCACN you can make some of these!

https://i.ibb.co/5BrLD48/dinasaur-model.jpg (https://imgbb.com/)

[A12pilot]

Bwahahaha!!!:haha: oK...now that’s some funny stuff right there!:biggthumpup::biggthumpup:

Hopefully this really turns out to be something special, and if not, there’s a contingency plan already in place. Living on ten acres, I have me own burn pile. Things don’t work out, guess where that body buck goes??:hmmm::p

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[A12pilot]

Research continues, and I found some more pictures of original 507 bucks. This one was at the unveiling of the Elvis 507 at the BMW museum in Germany. I befriended a guy that forms cowlings for vintage aircraft at my local airport where I have a hangar, and he's willing to help me when I get stuck and want to turn my creation into a wadded up ball of tinfoil. :shocked:

I've got my supplies to form the buck this month and will do that when I get back. Also bought a windshield gasket along with a blank few data tags that I need. More later this month! :headbang:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[TimG]

That is beautiful, what an art to form panels on a wooden buck. My neighbor brought over his 2000 Z8 two days ago. I didn't know much about them, but it was a beautiful car and he educated me on the Z8 ties to the 507.

[markinnaples]

As Tim said, those bucks are definitely artwork themselves, not to mention the resulting panel. Beautiful artworks to me.
And I also agree with Tim about the Z8; beautiful cars that I was really hoping the depreciation bug would have hit and brought them down into the real-world of pricing so the average Joe could afford one, but negative. I remember a new Z8 in the showroom around 2005 when I was shopping for a new 3 series. Stunning, and they've aged extremely well in my opinion.

[olredalert]

That is beautiful, what an art to form panels on a wooden buck. My neighbor brought over his 2000 Z8 two days ago. I didn't know much about them, but it was a beautiful car and he educated me on the Z8 ties to the 507.

----Tim,,, Did your friend buy the Z8 at Amelia Island last weekend? RM had one in their auction...….Bill S

[A12pilot]

Yes, agreed, guys! I'd give up my Cuda, 911, and new 2500 Ram for a straight up trade! That car when it came out was the "dream" for me. Sat in one at Mecum in DFW when I sold the Mustang there and it was pretty sweet. I owned several Z3s and always dreamed of the Z8. And like you, wish they weren't holding their values!

Maybe after I get done with the 507 I need to jamb it down to Tim's house for a photo shoot with your neighbor's-8!?:worship:

Let the fun begin! :headbang:

Cheers
Dave

[mssl72]

Boy you guys are right!! That fender buck looks like a piece of furniture!

[TimG]

Bill, my neighbor bought his in 2005, he paid sticker price at that time. It's a 13,000 mile car. It was really stunning. I started looking at them on line and they are not cheap to buy.

[A12pilot]

Now that I'm back home and Crusty is down for the count with a bad main harness, I turned my attention to the 507 and getting the buck fabricated up. The buck frame consists of 4x4 posts and after a few hours, voila! A gurney!:eek2: Wait, that's not exactly PC right now. :frown: There's 15 stations and all are exactly 10" on center. I marked them all and as you can see with the drill marks provided by the 3D scanning company, there's a corresponding number to indicate the position. It slipped right in! Woohoo!

I should have this built today...two weeks until paint! :naughty: More to come!!

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[A12pilot]

So with every panel being 10" on center, I laid that all out but still wanted to verify everything before I started assembling the buck. Using one of the longitudinal stations, I double checked the 10" marks. Also, once positioned I checked to make sure the stations were square. They are tight on the frame so they hold in position well. If that didn't happen I think I'd be chasing a set of very large Dominos!:eek2:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[A12pilot]

I started in the center and built outwards. Seems to be the best balance on the gurney, er.. body dolly :blush:.

Once the stations were lined up I used the 1.5" stringers to hold them together while I installed the longitude stations. Some banging and taping here and there, but they all interlocked pretty easily! I'm just so pleased with this design!

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[A12pilot]

The parts came came together so precisely that there's maybe 1/16th of a gap on the front and back sections. I mean, if that's not adhering to BMW exacting standards, I don't know what is!:drool:

The initial stage of the buck is complete but there is some detail work that needs to be done now. Where the stations come together the angle is sharp and needs to be sanded flush. You can see this in my photos of before and after. This will need to be done all around the car. After that, I'll use some stringers and outline the interior, wheel wells, and then the front and back of the body will be formed from solid wood.

More to come as the detail work continues!

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[SuperNovaSS]

Wow! That is nothing short of amazing. You look so proud in the last picture as you should.

Well done,

Jason

[Lynn]

Looks great Dave.
Obviously, this is for checking panels, not beating on them.

Are you going to have the luxury of a fender buck for pouding out the front fenders; something like you posted in post 107?

[A12pilot]

Correct, Lynn. I do plan on making fender bucks. I’m strateegerizing my next plan of attack on this. Depending of my thought process, I might start on the chassis first then go into the body forming. Now that I have the buck I can have accurate measurements with wheel base, track width, etc. Gonna be such a fun build!!

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[Lynn]

I definitely want to see the fender buck being built. I have a good idea how to get it done, but will be patiently awaiting the write up.

[Woj]

Pretty cool Dave. I'd wrap that thing in silk, dope it, throw some tars and engine in it and you'll be on your way. Don't use the Cuda harness though. Might cause some problemos.

Looking good!!

[A12pilot]

Ha! I was thinking the same thing! I mean, a 4x4 wood post frame can handle, what....30hp?:burnout:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[markinnaples]

Not quite the same as the immensity of your project Dave, but maybe this will give you even more motivation (not sure you've ever lacked that, lol) or maybe just a feeling of camaraderie with this fella who faced some battles during his epic restoration of a burned out Riley sportscar:

https://www.foxnews.com/auto/classic-phoenix-car-burned-barn-fire

[A12pilot]

That’s inspirational for sure, Mark! Thanks for the post! Been sanding and forming more on the buck. Almost feel like I’m a furniture maker!

Cheers
Dave

[A12pilot]

After packing up Crusty, I decided to dive into my 507 project today and it's all I can think about! There's a lot of woodworking involved on the buck and a lot more to come. I started by making templates for the front grilles and side vents. Once in positioned them in place I fastened them down with 3" screws. I can clearly envision where the metal needs to curve to create that sultry sensual style that this car commands. I cut the wheel wells out by first drawing a 36" circle on a piece of plywood and then cut the circle out to make a template. The center of this will also provide me with the axle position and I can position a tire in the well to check spacing and measurements. It's almost like assembling a car on a wood skeleton to verify everything, and then forming the panels after it's taken back apart. What a fun learning process!

The cool thing about the 3D scanning is that there is a notch where the hood, door edges, trunk, windshield frame, door handles, and Roundel emblems are located. That really eliminates any guesswork for me.

It's coming out exactly how I thought. And that in itself is pretty scary! :cool2:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[mssl72]

This is so cool!!! Coming along great Dave!! :biggthumpup:

[A12pilot]

Thank guys! Right now instead of running to the auto parts places for coils, wires, etc...I’m running to Home Depot for 80 grit, Sawzall blades, and wood! More to come over the weekend.

Cheers
Dave

[markinnaples]

Love watching this develop Dave. So, please refresh my memory, are you going fiberglass, aluminum or steel for the body panels? Will you be forming them yourself, or do you have a guy for that?

[A12pilot]

Thanks, Mark! I’m going through all of this to make the body out of 20ga or 22ga steel. I didn’t want to use aluminum since I’m not familiar with it, and the expense. And yes, I’ll be doing all the forming myself. I know! I can’t wait to watch this train slowly derail too!:hmmm::rolleyes2::biggthumpup::tongue:

I’m working my way around the car sanding and blending curves. The plan over the weekend is to start forming the nose as one solid piece. That’s called a hammer buck since I’ll actually be hammering the metal on that piece to form the nose. I’ll have to fall back on all my artistic experience sculpting the curves, etc. Fortunately before becoming a pilot, I wanted to be a car designer, so all my high school classes were art and design related. I dun just knew’d that edjumacashun would come in handy!:grin:

Cheers
Dave

[dykstra]

Very cool Dave, keep up the great work!!

[TimG]

Dave, there are some good Kirkham videos on YouTube that show great metal forming skills. The Kirkhams are the ones that built my bronze bodied Cobra. What these guys do with a flat piece of metal is amazing.

[mockingbird812]

Way cool Dave! Are folks down in Texas smaller than us Yankees?:hmmm: I don’t know how I’d fit my keester in them tiny cavities you got. Oh well, you took art in HS, so who am I to second guess?!:biggthumpup:

[markinnaples]

Dave, there are some good Kirkham videos on YouTube that show great metal forming skills. The Kirkhams are the ones that built my bronze bodied Cobra. What these guys do with a flat piece of metal is amazing.

Tim, can you share a couple pics of that Cobra? I'd love to see them and I'm sure that Dave wouldn't mind seeing it as well.

[TimG]

Here you go.

[TimG]

Last one

[Dave Rifkin]

My God those cars are works of art.

[big gear head]

:drool: Wow, that's beautiful!

[Charley Lillard]

I need to con you out of that somehow...

[mssl72]

That's gotta look like a shooting star zipping down the road!! :eek2::beers: Bee-u-tee-full!! :burnout:

[olredalert]

I need to con you out of that somehow...

----Charley,,,Just keep telling Tim how labor intensive that finish is and I'm sure he will sell it to you for a song...…..Bill S

[markinnaples]

That is unbelievable, wow. Whew, that is amazing, congrats on owning it. I love bespoke stuff in general, and I think you've taken the cake with that.

[mockingbird812]

That's gotta look like a shooting star zipping down the road!! :eek2::beers: Bee-u-tee-full!! :burnout:

That’s it right there!!! :laugh:

[A12pilot]

Good..night!!! That is gorgeous!! I can only hope mine comes out 1/1000th as nice as that!! How in the world do you keep that clean!?!

Don’t you worry Samitron.....you’ll be sitting in it next year at MCACN if things go right!!

Cheers
Dave

[TimG]

It takes some work to keep shiny, but it's worth it. It's an amazing car with the bronze body and stainless steel chassis. There's absolutely no paint on the car or chassis at all.

[A12pilot]

Well men, I think I’ve made an executive decision on the 507 build. I’m starting to lean on taking a page from “The Book of Woj”:flag: and leaning on making the first run of my design out of fiberglass. I put the kaibosh on that idea initially since I really wanted the body to be metal. And then there’s the mystique of all the Fauxbras running around, but honestly, I think with this car and all the other fabrication involved on the chassis (including the amount going into this buck right now!!!:rolleyes2:), the fact that the body is fiberglass probably won’t make a real big difference in the car’s appeal when it’s done. My initial thought was that this was going to be taking the easy way out, but the more I read about it, it’s changed my mind completely. Making a fiberglass body ain’t exactly easy either!:no:

There’s several reasons for leaning on using fiberglass, and mainly, it has to do with the amount of tools required to form the metal panels. I’m looking easily at upwards of over $10K for a few tools I’ll need before I even buy a sheet of metal to beat on!:shocked: So just for giggles, I started looking at how to make a fiberglass body/mold and coincidentally, I’m pretty much headed down that direction right now!:biggthumpup: I still would like to make a metal body in the future. Maybe the next one.....:rolleyes2:

The next stage of the buck is building up all the cavities with foam and sculpting it down to form the body shape so I can compare it to the original. This will allow me to fine tune any errors I see so the final product is as close to the real thing as possible. Think of the clay models that the Big Three do when designing a car. Same concept!:biggthumpup: This will be all sanded smooth, primed, and painted. This will allow me to spray a mold release on the surface and keep the underside of the body smooth while laying up the body. I could also make molds for each part, then assemble them later.:hmmm: I haven’t decided which way I’ll be going (mold or moldless) and am still looking/readin/researching this whole endeavor. I could mass market the car if it comes out right! Uh.....no:no:

So now we’re coming into the next phase where I’m going to start needing my donor chassis which will be the basic platform of the 507. My chassis design of the car has changed from what I thought I was going to use initially, and now I’m leaning on using the Mercedes R107 (1971-1989) 350SL/450SL chassis. I’m looking at the earlier versions that have manual windows and locks since that will make the door internals ready to go for the 507. These Mercedes have dimensions that are just about identical to the 507s in length, wheel base, track, and width. This will give me the basic 2dr convertible body chassis I need with all structural issues taken car of, plus a functioning convertible top. :cool2: Although I am still planning on using a 4-wheel torsion bar suspension like the original had. More details on that later.

More pics tomorrow!!!! It’s really coming out great and starting to look like a car instead of a popsicle-stick Tyrannosaurus Rex!!!:cool2:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[TimG]

You're amazing, Dave. I can't wait to see your progress.

[m22mike]

Dave, there are some good Kirkham videos on YouTube that show great metal forming skills. The Kirkhams are the ones that built my bronze bodied Cobra. What these guys do with a flat piece of metal is amazing.


I watched some of the Kirkhams videos on YouYube yesterday and as a A&P mech and sheet metal hack I found it very interesting. Like the repair to the left rear fender/Q panel that was caved in..... WOW !
These guys are GOOD.
Question Tim

What was the metal and or process in making your bronze body ?


Thanks Mike

[TimG]

The metal is silicon bronze and the body was built in Poland at the old Mig factory. They hand pound the panels and attach them the to the stanless steel chassis. It is shipped to Kirkham for finishing. There's a good video of Kirkham building a bronze hood for a SOHC twin supercharged car. I have no idea how they produce such beautiful cars.

[TimG]

I don't mean to take up Daves post as I want to follow his build. I'll put this on a separate post.

[L78racer]

you could do matchsticks..

https://www.youtube.com/embed/HyuE1XnYO0I

[njsteve]

Why don't you just continue as you have been doing and make the rest of the car out of the same wood? Just fill in all the remaining cross sections and you are done.

[A12pilot]

Thanks for the compliment, Tim!

Oh, it's not taking over my thread. No worries! That's a beauty and inspirational for sure. It's downright mind boggling what they can do with that metal.

Steve, that MDF is heavy, and not overly cheap. I just bought the foam and will be sculpting it out starting tomorrow. I'l update later this week!:laugh:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[A12pilot]

Ok, that match stick guy is amazing! So, I should make a matchstick car? If I hit anything the body would bust up into a billion pieces!

I fabricated up thre windshield frame using measurements from the model along with the windshield gasket I have. I also cut out the rear wheel wells. This frame will get a sheet of metal screwed to it to keep its shape when removed. I'll then ship this to the company that will use this template and make the glass for me. It really gives the car more of the car look! :hmmm: :biggthumpup:

Headlight buckets should be here next week and I'll mount those which will give me the correct position for the openings I'll need. The buckets are going to be from the 47-54 Chevrolet 3100 along with the trim rings.

Up next will be foam cavity filling! :biggthumpup:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[mssl72]

I could see Fred Flintstone driving that the way it is!

[A12pilot]

Yesterday I started to do some foam installation along with a little filler to see how it will take shape. Once the whole body is done I can sculpt the curves more precisely. I'm extremely pleased! Less typing.... more foaming!!

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[TimG]

Wow

[big gear head]

I sure hope this turns out well. You're putting a lot of work into it.

[Crush]

Total rookie here but could you use spray foam?

[A12pilot]

Thanks, Freddie. I think it will. Crush, the spray foam would be a big mess, and carving this foam is a smaller big mess, so I decided on the smaller big mess:frown:.

Updates later this week! Coming together nicely! I think if things go well I may pop a body next month!:headbang:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[A12pilot]

Moving forward, been doing some more sculpting and forming. This is just the initial go-around and I'll hit it with long boards after the body is foamed up. Starting to take shape! I’m extremely pleased!

Cheers :beers:
Dave

[TimG]

That looks great.

[Billohio]

What are you cutting it with? I would think that stuff could be everywhere

[A12pilot]

Bill, it’s cut with a 12” fine tooth sawzall blade and sculpted with a belt sander with 60 and 80 grit. After each day I clean the shop and surprisingly, it really doesn’t make the mess you’d think.

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[markinnaples]

Coming along great. Have you done any measuring of the buck just to make sure it all matches up exactly with an original? Just curious since you're really into the meat of the body now, I'd be freaking if I found something was off after all the work was put into forming the mold.

[Hawkeye]

Looking great!! Once you have the entire car formed in wood and foam, what is the process to make a mold and how many sections will it be? Did you get your intake yet?

Thanks,
Marty

[A12pilot]

Marty, the owner of the intake was really cool to talk to. After considering what I needed to do, I just couldn’t justify that price for an intake I’d need to modify anyway. I decided tig welding two-barrel adapter plates to a dual-four intake would be best since I need to do some fabricating to the remainder of the intake anyway for a drip pan. I couldn’t justify bastardizing a vintage speed part like that. That guy builds some cool old-Skool hot rods!:headbang:

Mark, I’ve been going off measurements from the model and then multiplying that number by 18 to get the proper dimensions. I have exact tail light housings and used this method to see how close I was to the actual real part. I was about 1/18th off, so it’s safe to say everything else is measuring correctly. Big dimensions like width, length, and wheel base are exact. Honestly, a keen visual eye for the detail of the curves is really all that’s needed for the forming of the panels. Smaller items like location of the side grilles measured perfectly.

I am thinking I may have the 3D scanning company come down and scan my completed buck and do a comparison to the scan of the model body and see where I may need to make any corrections. They can overlay one over top of the other and any resulting errors would show up red indicating where I’d need to trim.:wink:

More esplainin’ later.....:scholar:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[Billohio]

Getting your buck scanned is a great idea.

On facebook market place I saw a wood racing boat hull that looked something like your buck. If you decide the car is too much trouble just throw a motor on the back of it.

[TimG]

I know the Kirkham brothers originally did one side of their Cobra from an original and did a mirror image to produce the other side as both sides of their fathers original Cobra had different dimensions.

[A12pilot]

It's interesting you say that, Tim. All of these cars were hand made so no two are identical. When studying restored examples, you can clearly see asymmetric traits in grille openings, headlight to fender angles, and various other small inconsistencies on the same car. Seeing how time was critical on making these, it's not surprising to see these errors.

Since time isn't critical on my build, those inconsistencies will be from me not knowing what I'm doing versus production volume! :thumbsdown:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[A12pilot]

The weekend has been foamtuitous with progress!:headbang: I'm about 2/3rds of the way done with the initial foam carving. You can really see the lines now! The green is fiberglass impregnated filler which fills the seams and bonds the foam together. The other is just regular filler. The CAD scan gave me the hood line reliefs as well as the scoop position. No guesswork as to it’s location.

I’m thinking now my plan will be to make molds and then assemble the body as one piece. The nose will be a section, the left front and right front will be two more followed by the doors and rear. That way if I decided to build another (a his and hers version) I could easily make another body if needed. Or, I something happens and I need a repair panel. See? I’m already thinking of my first crash!:confused2::frown::thumbsdown:

I hope to have the body sculpting complete this week!:scholar:

Cheers
Dave

[Billohio]

I thought you were sending us airport pictures like you were flying this weekend, how did you get all that done??

Progress looks great. Really starting to take shape

[A12pilot]

I flew Friday and Saturday getting done at 8am so plenty of time to get things done, Bill! Don't you realize I didn't get the Super Dave moniker coined by Sam for sitting around and doing nothing? :wink::p:p

Be well up there!

Cheers
Dave

[Charley Lillard]

https://mycarquest.com/2020/04/the-first-elvis-presley-507-1957-bmw-507.html

[A12pilot]

Very common mistake to think it was the same car, but here's an interesting tidbit too; Elvis never "owned" the car. It was leased!:hmmm:

Cannot wait to get behind the wheel next year! And since I'm hoping to bring it to MCACN, I hope you all will get a chance to sit in it too!

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[jbtech]

I'm late to the party but this is so cool! Subscribed.

[A12pilot]

So, from one shop to another! I'm relocating the 507 to the big shop for the next two months while I get the Cuda over here for paint. Man, I'm really happy so far seeing it out in the daylight at different angles! While it sits in waiting I'll be collecting more parts including the donor suspension and chassis along with the engine/ trans combo. Love it! :laugh:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[TimG]

It is looking great, Dave. I'm enjoying following your progress.

[markinnaples]

Love the progress Dave.

Have you made any final decisions on drivetrain? I know you were considering several BMW power plants. I'm guessing you'll source one from a junkyard?

[A12pilot]

Thanks, Tim. I’m glad you’re enjoying the progress!:headbang: I’m extremely pleased and can not wait to have a body formed up and move onto the next phase!

Mark, the overall chassis will be from the Mercedes SL unibody like I had previously mentioned, and the engine/trans combo will be a SBC with a 2x2 intake, front mounted distributor kit from Summers Brothers, custom valve covers, and exhaust manifolds all to mimic on first glance, that you’re looking at at the factory BMW V8. The transmission will more than likely be a T5.

The Mercedes donor unibody will give me the 2dr structure I need along with a functioning top. My plan is to make the car functional too with a factory top that actually seals all around the joints. In other words, I don’t want to go through all this and not have correct trim, weather stripping, stainless mouldings, etc. Both front and rear suspension will be torsion bar. The front will be from a Mopar (64-70 style) and the rear will be my own design and use an 8.75 Mopar rear too:biggthumpup:

Maybe the next car I do will be a Z8 for a sister ship! At least I can still buy parts for that one !:worship:

Cheers
Dave

[markinnaples]

Thanks for the update. I must have missed the SL Mercedes as a chassis basis I guess. Makes sense since they're similar layouts under the body. Which generation SL are you going with? The R230? That seems like the most readily available modern SL chassis and the new and used parts supply is probably almost endless.

Love how it's coming along.

[A12pilot]

Headlight buckets are in along with stainless trim rings for fitment. Now I can cut the holes out and know where to end the mounting flange. :biggthumpup:

The guy that provides pest spraying services for the house was out today. He's a former parts manager at a BMW dealership and his jaw dropped when he saw my creation! I think that's a compliment! :hmmm::biggthumpup:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[A12pilot]

I was able to score a carbon fiber dash molded off of a real 507 dash. It should be here in a few weeks, and this well help fine tune the measurements of the interior based on what I’ve calculated so far. WOOHOO!!! The gauge pod is easily fabricated and I’ve already talked to a place that can make the gauges for me.

I already have a factory Becker Mexico radio, speaker, amp, as well as the throttle, choke, wiper and vent knobs. Moving right along! Time to do a video recap to show how I’ve got to where I’m at since a few BMW aficionados somehow got wind of this project and are pretty intrigued to say the least!:scholar::eek2:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[big gear head]

So are you going to stop flying and start production of 507s? Could be a lot of money in it.

[JKZ27]

So are you going to stop flying and start production of 507s? Could be a lot of money in it.

Or, write a book titled "How to build anything awesome in 6 months or less" by Super Dave.

Nice work, exciting build.

[A12pilot]

Or, write a book titled "How to build anything awesome in 6 months or less" by Super Dave.

Nice work, exciting build.

BWAHAHAHA!!!:haha::haha::haha: OK, now that’s hysterical right there!:worship: Thanks for the encouragement, my friend! It’s comments like that which keep me moving forward!:worship::biggthumpup:

Well, if I somehow find myself on the unemployment line, I might just do that Freddie! But nah, I think there’s probably a bunch of copyright issues and such on doing that. This will be a one-off creation for myself. Although I may possibly build another for a “Herr und Frauline” pair. Although I may donate one to Ashton since a man of his magnitude and elevation needs a pimp-daddy ride like this!:biggthumpup:

I’m not sure of the copyright on the body, but the BMW marque and Roundel sure are. A fellow did this with the Mercedes 300SL Gullwing but he advertised it for sale under the Mercedes name, I believe. He shortly found himself in a world of hurt by Mercedes. Not only did they come down hard on him, they seized the body and crushed it. And last I checked, you don’t want to mess around with the Germans!goggles

Hmmmmmm, although I could create a new automobile manufacturing company and create my own logos and trademarks!:hmmm: I could call it Jammerlich Und Nachgewiesen Kabrio, which is German too!:shocked: I can shorten that to JUNK Cars, Inc. Yes, it may translate to “Miserable and Proven, Convertible”, but heck, that could really catch on! I’d set the world on FIRE with State of the Art options like dual 2bbl carburetor efficiency, 2-Speed wipers, smooth and sound bias ply tire technology, and a dual band radio featuring booth Amplitude Modulation and Frequency Modulation channels!!!:headbang:

Cheers:beers:
SuperDave
CEO/CFO/NORDO
JUNK Cars, Inc.

[TimG]

Dave, here's a link to the front drive unit that is on my Scarab. Their website is pretty cool, also.

https://www.scarabmotors.com/front-drive-unit

They also sell the Hilborn Fuel Injection unit that I have on my car. The combination is amazing with a 383 Chevy in a 1900 LB car.

https://www.scarabmotors.com/efi-vintage-hilborne

[markinnaples]

This story brought your 507 build to my mind when I read it Dave:

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2020/04/14/norman-timbs-streamliner-to-literally-rise-from-the-ashes-after-malibu-wildfire-that-destroyed-it?refer=news&utm_source=edaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2020-04-14

[A12pilot]

Wow, that front drive setup is interesting, Tim. I'll have to look closer at that.

Mark, wow! That's awesome! Thanks for posting that. Inspiring for sure!

Front turn signals are in. More soon.....

Cheers:beers:
Dave

PS; thanks for the thread title change Steve!

[A12pilot]

I placed a turn signal under the headlight just to see if the spacing was correct and it looks pretty close. These at the bullet turn signals from a 60s Karmann Ghia. They’re just about identical to the 507s. The angle under the headlight needs to be trimmed down more and I have a bunch of hi-res photos of two 507s under restoration along with several of the bare body painted alone on a body dolly for comparison.:scholar: I’m planning on mounting the headlight buckets and turn signals over the weekend iffin’ I don’t have to fly.

More to come!!!:biggthumpup:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[giiiujd]

Thanks Mike. Of course, something like this won't affect the latest build thread comin' in hot in another section here shortly.

[Xplantdad]

Hey Dave..I thought you'd get a kick out of these pics I found on the web of the Daytona...getting mocked up :) :headbang:






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[marxjunk]

You would like this page on facebook..they are doing a 250 GTO...click on the album
https://www.facebook.com/1990245694418556/posts/2752244244885360/

[SPEEDYB]

Those pictures of the Daytona coupe mockup were taken just a few blocks away from our home in Marina Del Rey, now the back side Bartels Harley Davidson dealer.

[olredalert]

----The pic of Ken Miles sitting in the mock-up is really special. Thanks!...….Bill S

[A12pilot]

Now that’s just classic, Bruce!:3gears: Thanks for posting that!!:biggthumpup:

Very inspirational when I start on a metal body!

Cheers
Dave

[Woj]

Now that’s just classic, Bruce!:3gears: Thanks for posting that!!:biggthumpup:

Very inspirational when I start on a metal body!

Cheers
Dave


Dave,

Looks like all you need is a T-square, a race car driver and some sheet metal... done!

Great photos Bruce. I'm sure Dave will impress and entertain us along the way. Looking forward to it.

Phil

[A12pilot]

It’s killing me to not have done anything on the 507 these past few weeks! :confused2: Right now I’m moving my folks from Florida to Texas, so this week is shot. Back in the shop next week with more updates! Oh, and with help from Ian Ashton, my new video cam arrived so you’ll all be treated to The “SuperDave-a-tron 5000 Video camology” soooon!:eek2::rolleyes::rolleyes::eek:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[mssl72]

Dave, will we have control of the camera so we can follow you around the shop and zoom in on stuff? :wink:

[A12pilot]

That could be a possibility, Mark. The SuperDave-a-tron 5000 with "SD Vision".:headbang:

I'll set up multiple ones so every angle of the disaster can be replayed and analyzed! :cool2:

Cheers
Dave

[A12pilot]

It’s 5-07 Day!!!!:headbang:

Cheers:beers:

Dave

[A12pilot]

A few more!:headbang:

Cheers:beers:

Dave

[Woj]

Happy 507 day Dave. The 507 car grows on me more each time I see a picture of one. I'm really diggin that wall art (race track) next the the first photo on today's post. Would love that in my garage.
Phil

[bergy]

stunningly gorgeous car!

[TimG]

Such beautiful cars.

[jbtech]

Now THOSE are curves!

[A12pilot]

Woohoo! After an exhaustive search, a windshield has been boughtened! That's the last missing piece!:burnout:

Originally, I had planned on making one from a hotrod glass company but now all I need to worry about is making a window frame. I think for that I'll be using a C2 Vette frame and cutting/ bending the channel to fit.

Work resumes this month on the body!:laugh:

The clock is ticking for MCACN 2021!:scholar:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[A12pilot]

Spent a few hours each day this week in between primer coats drying on the Cuda to get the rest of the foam on the 507. Started sculpting too! Getting to look like a car in a Pinky, foamy, non-metallic way! :confused2:

I'm on the hunt for the donor car now! :smile:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[A12pilot]

After getting the Cuda blocked out and primed, I jumped back on the 507 and got the rest of the foam sculpted. A couple areas I need to go back over some more since I'm not happy with the lines, but overall, the shape is there!

Up next will be the bodywork. I'm thinking a may glass this with one layer just to hold everything together, then start the bodywork on top of that.

More to come as it takes shape!:3gears:

Cheers :beers:
Dave

[Ryan1969Chevelle]

Please tell me you are going to keep this car forever!!!

I have to get to Texas to see how this much work can be completed in so little time by a single human!!!

Ryan W31

[A12pilot]

Oh yeah, Ryan. This car ain’t going nowhere! I’m now planning on making two, but still, no way either will leave!

Yes, I keep telling you to come down here and when I get a YYZ overnight I’m calling ya!

Cheers
Dave

[A12pilot]

This rear is getting more work done to it than a farmer's daughter in an adult film! :eek2:

Tail light positioning and I'm liking the lines back here more and more. I'm going to massage a template for the edges of the rear quarter to make sure they are symmetrical. Right now, it looks pretty good. License plate relief and trunk opening are there too.

I'm hoping by the end of next month the car will be filled and primed. I need to make a steel frame with rollers to position this on since the weight of this thing is more than I thought!

I'm closing in on buying the donor car too!

More to come....

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[A12pilot]

Headlight bucket time! In studying the whole front end, I needed to recess those headlight buckets and also extend the cap a little bit further. This added the extra lip I needed as well as the angle now being correct.

Every little step is a big move forward. This took a good day to get it right. I'm describe it more in detail once I get it fitted up. More to come! :headbang:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[TimG]

Great work, Dave. I enjoy your updates.

[A12pilot]

Thanks, Tim. That means a lot! Hopefully you’ll see it in person one day!:biggthumpup:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[markinnaples]

Saw these pics on FB Dave so I thought I would share them for motivation (which is moot I guess when I'm talking to you, lol).

[A12pilot]

Thanks for posting those, Mark! Yes, motivation is lacking around here for sure:eek2::wink:

I’m not sure of the show, but they have the BIGGEST show ID passes I’ve ever seen!:eek2:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[olredalert]

----Not sure either, but the backround looks like Amelia Island! Beautiful Beemer too!!!...……...Bill S

[A12pilot]

Windshield is in! Woohoo! Very pleased with the look and it's a quality piece. I'm in talks with a company that may make the bumpers for the car too. Right now, they do make 503 bumpers and I'd have to alter the rear to make it fit. The 507 was based off the 503 so the dimensions are quite similar.

Moving forward! :laugh:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[A12pilot]

Finally back making some progress and with that, the dash arrived from Stuttgart. I believe that's where the ball bearing plant usually got bombed in Hogan's Heros, but that may be Heidelberg. :hmmm:

This was molded off a real 507 dash so it's true to form and scale. The gauge pod needs to be fabricated (what doesn't? :tongue:) and for ease, I created a mock up of that part so I could fasten the dash together.

I removed the windshield frame and continued filling the body. Next step is to sand smooth then lay one 6oz fiberglass mat on top to hold it all together. After that, I'll use more filler to get the final body shape. Right now, I need to sure up the structure so it doesn't shift or crack when moving, and the mat will do that. But I need to cover the foam with filler since the resin will melt the foam. It's melting the foam a little since I'm not using epoxy resin. For this, the cheaper is better. :biggthumpup:

More to come...

Cheers
Dave

[TimG]

I'm glad your back on the 507, Dave. It looks great.

[A12pilot]

Thanks Tim. I have a meeting next week with a company that makes Fiberglass molds and they're very interested in helping me when I get to that stage. I think late next week I'll be headed towards Houston to pick up one of the donor vehicles I'll need for the project! Woohoo!

Cheers
Dave

[njsteve]

So what did you find as a donor? An E36 M3 perhaps?

[A12pilot]

Steve,

I’m using a Mercedes R107 as the base body for the cockpit, interior door shells, jambs, and top mechanism. That gives me a functioning convertible top with everything matching and complimenting each other and will look factory. The top will be redone to match the curve of the windshield, however. The front and rear suspension will be torsion bar like the rear car with our beloved Mopars donating parts for that. Oh, did I mention the Cuda front end wasn’t included with the car?:biggthumpup::hmmm:

Cheers
Dave

[Lee Stewart]

How The BMW 507 Went From Zero To Hero

https://www.motorious.com/articles/news/bmw-507-went-zero-to-hero/

[A12pilot]

Back in the workshop, and the sculpting continues. The back end is starting to look like a car sgs the curves are matching up nicely!

More to come....

Cheers
Dave

[A12pilot]

More refinement of the body plug. I'm back on the kick to make the body out of metal, but still think I should make a fiberglass one for the fun of it!

I'm hoping today to spray the first round of primer on.

Cheers:beers:

Dave

[m22mike]

That looks like a job for some polyester fill primer ? It works well and sands easy. Smells good too :>)
Mike

[A12pilot]

...well funny you say that, Mikey! I just got done spraying the first round! Still massive depressions to fill, but now I'll see all the low spots. You can really see the curves now. Spent a few hours with my 1000 photos on the ipad and walked around the car comparing angles. I see a couple stand out variances I'll take care of this week and also start on the body relief lines from the wheel lips outwards down the side.

Getting closer!

Cheers
Dave

[A12pilot]

Today was headlight abs turn signal day! One turn signal was a tad lower than the other, so some adjustment was needed. Sort of like me with one eye set lower than the other. My optometrist told me about that when I was about 15. I asked if that was a problem, and he assured me I was fine and that he just wanted me to be self conscious of myself for the rest my life.:eek2:

Dash is also mounted up and next up is the windshield frame and placement.

I've decided I'm going all in and going to make the body out of metal. I still need to finish this body so it's identical to the completed one for reference.

Going to be quite a journey!

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[TimG]

Dave, I’m fired up about you doing the body in metal. I can’t wait to see your progress. If I had any metal skills, I’d head your way with my English wheel and hammer. This is going to be great.

[A12pilot]

Thanks, Tim! Although intimidated, I’m excited to learn the art of metal shaping. When it comes right down to it, metal is just way easier to work with and the fact of the matter is, fiberglass is a lot more messy that you realize!!! I have only done a few parts so far and it seems my clothes, hands, floor, the neighbors....all covered with more fiberglass than the part I was working on!:frown: So, decision made; METAL!!!!:scholar:

I think they’ll be a lot of ways around areas that might give me a really hard time by either using donor metal from various cars, or creating the parts by using strips of metal to form the curve. Either way, I’m really looking forward to starting to fabricate this thing!!!

Now, time to find a sheet metal supply house...:confused2:

Cheers:beers:
Dave

[Lynn]

+++ on going metal.

[mssl72]

Just install some wheels, pedals and a chain. Pedal it as is!!

[Lee Stewart]

Dave:

What about acquiring an English wheel? That's what all the "metal men" use to create body panels and such.

[A12pilot]

Yes, I’ll be buying an English wheel, metal brake, a pair of electric sheers, and a couple other things (mallets, bags) to start the shaping!:biggthumpup:

More next week!

Cheers
Dave

[Charley Lillard]

This is probably the most amazing build thread ever on this site. I wish I had 1/3rd your talent.

[big gear head]

Will you be using silicon or aluminum killed steel or just normal steel for the body?

[A12pilot]

Wow, thanks Charley! That’s quite a compliment......Thank you!

Freddie, just regular steel. Right now the car is covered in fairing compound (boat stuff) which is a lot lighter, and cheaper, than body filler for the final sculpting. I can load the low areas up!

Cheers
Dave

[A12pilot]

Round one of blocking is complete, and another coating of fairing compound is hardening as we speak. This needs to set a day before I can sand it down, which will be no problem since I'm headed up for my annual recurrent training for three days.

Meanwhile, I got some steel to start fabricating up the windshield frame. Next week I'll be buying steel to start forming panels and hope to have the body buck at the final stages. Also, going to look at a couple R107s for my donor chassis. :biggthumpup:

Cheers
Dave

[mssl72]

Man that's gonna be cool!!!

[A12pilot]

The sculpting is complete, and since I'm headed down the metal body fabricating road, no need to paint it. A mix of various leftover DP colors created this battleship gray which doesn't look too bad!

Time to get some metal and metal tools to start shaping!

Cheers
Dave

[Postsedan]

Super Dave Michelangelo!

Stunning. Well Done!

What color will she be? Silver?

Dan

[TimG]

That is beautiful, Dave. What a gorgeous car.

[A12pilot]

Thanks, guys!

Dan, my plan is Dolomitengrau or Steingrau/Graphit Metallic (basically, a dark charcoal metallic) with a red interior. Kinda like this color combo.

I’ll probably have to put the major work on hold until the airlines figure out what size they’re going to be due to this cough, but meanwhile, I’ll start on the grille, side vents, and other small items I can fabricate.

Cheers
Dave

[Lynn]

Looking good Dave.

[mssl72]

Looks great Dave!! Hey, have you ever watched Seinfelds Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee? I watched an episode recently where he's driving a 507. He's driving around with Christoph Waltz. Very fun episode.

[Xplantdad]

Amazing stuff Dave. Hope everything works out-job related...

[A12pilot]

Thanks Guys! Yes, I’ve seen that episode Mark, and not sure the chassis number he’s driving, but yeah, funny show!

We’ll see what happens Bruce. I’m going to start forming the body regardless but will hold off on the donor chassis for now. I found another owner of a 507 and have hundreds of photos of his being restored which is really helpful. Friday I’m headed up to get the steel!!!!

Cheers
Dave

[Postsedan]

That color combo will be Righteous :)

Dan