19-02-2019, 08:22 PM (This post was last modified: 19-02-2019, 08:23 PM by Martin Prior.)
Getting back to the original thread, we found a bit of time during the day to play around (with help from grandson Henry) with modelling our planned hardtop body.
As I mentioned before, the idea is to use as much standard, or only lightly modified A7 woodwork as possible from our stock range. The working plan is that the scuttle, A-posts and windscreen frame, doors and much of the roof will be based on the RK saloon, and the tail on Nippy components.
We've been sorting out clearances and proportions, making sure that Dave, the tallest member of the family, has adequate headroom. We've also been trying to decide on how long the tail should be.
Following on from yesterday's experiments I spent some time yesterday evening sketching a preliminary design for our hard-top coupe body.
This is the short wheelbase version. I'd anticipate using the same body for a long wheelbase chassis, simply moving the rear wheel arch and the door cutout back by six inches.
I've drawn it on a chassis with lowered suspension and a 1920s low radiator, as that's what we'll be using for a prototype.
I'd be very grateful for any suggestions and honest opinions.
Thanks, Mike. The bottom of the door is narrower than the standard RK item, although on a long wheelbase chassis it wouldn't be. The upper part of the door is the same width as the RK. We're aiming for something a good deal lower than the "B", with a raked steering column. This will move the driver back and down by several inches and the feeling from our exercise yesterday was that the B-posts shouldn't be any further forward. We'll build a working mock-up to test the relationship of the seat and door and see whether it works.
I like that, especially the rear end. A slightly lower roof line might look nice, but I imagine that would increase costs as the windscreen and doors would no longer fit. Also, I imagine that there may not be enough headroom to do so.
If it is lower and has a Nippy rear end - ie. a little later in date of origin that the coupe in the previous photo - couldn't the screen have a bit of rake?
Makes it more in keeping with the design, not harking back to the earlier style?
