| A long-nose roadster
idea came to my mind as I was rotating the body in my hands.
I've turned the car the other way round, I used the rear of the kit as the front. What I will make is a front engine-rear drive roadster with some power. So I want a long nose and with the hood's end being close to a V-shape, like the Old Beetle. That's why I turned the car around, because the rear part is closer to what I want. I bought a die-cast BMW Z3, which unbelievably very finely fitted the VW body with the wheelbase, track, chassis, engine (though not detailed), windshield and seats. I would prefer to buy a Tamiya kit for the BMW, but no chance! Out of stock... And also no engine! Anyhow, I am after a new body concept so I really don't bother too much with the underbody. |
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| June 05, 2004:
I took the templates of the hood opening and the windshield bottom part, on cardboards. |
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| Some final touch was missing at the very front of the car and I put a PT Cruiser's front bumper in, to be blended with the body later. |
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| June 06, 2004:
I tailored the firewall in place. |
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| I trimmed the chassis of the Z3 to fit the VW contours. Measurements showed that the rear axle was 1.5 mm backwards. |
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| I enlarged the positioning holes of the rear axle to slots, to take the rear axle 1.5 mm forward. |
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| June 07, 2004:
I put 2 mm dia. styrene rods to hold the windshield in place. This also serves for keeping the windshield in when needed during construction and taking it away when not needed. |
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| June 08, 2004:
I cut the raw styrene hood and bent it roughly to shape. |
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| June 09, 2004:
I put a brass wire reinforcement under the hood for keeping the shape of the hood permenantly. I used epoxy glue for fixing. |
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| To be a bit more nostalgic in the looks, I cut out the famous hood contour of the VW. |
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| I glued the parts of the hood together to have the well-known form of the hood. |
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| I applied automotive putty to the recess at the front, which was once the place for the rear licence plate. |
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