F40LM

Ok, so while realizing I may get the crap kicked out of me by the die hard OEM is always better looking folks.....

Many of you know I have stated I kind of like the euro hatch look. Though to be honest it makes the car look like it is trying to look like a Ferrari. And while I like Ferraris (as my ID name indicates, been building a replica F40LM for last few years ) the 944 is a great car on its own and does not have to try to look lke a Ferrari.

Someone on my car thread mentioned they thought a replacement hatch that looked like the cabrio rear deck and small window would be great.

I am going to buy the 'build your own' euro hatch dvd from Porsche Palace and see what its like.

But am open to other ideas, so here is your chance guys.....

For those of you who LOVE the rear window, hey great. I am not saying there is anything really WRONG with it. But this thread is not for you, by all means feel free to post your opinions on why any replacement of the rear window is stupid. Its a free country, but I ask that you remember the thread is primarily to share ideas for a replacement piece not to argue about the looks of the original.

So for those of you who wish the 55 lb rear window was replaced by some kind of new hatch design here is your chance to post some ideas, upload some drawings, etc etc. I am playing around with a GT looking design.

I am not an artist so anything you do and post here would be better than I could do so don't be shy. I will throw some pics on here just to get the creative juices going.

So the question proposed by this thread is this:

Could we design a 'new' hatch replacement for the 944 that would look good? By 'good' I would mean this: looks great, is functional, and looks Porsche.

Ideas welcome.

michael

86 951 Driver

I like the idea. What I would try and do is get rid of those two bumps on the side and make them more flat. So the car overall would look like a coupe more than a hatchback. I have always thought what would look good.

CyCloNe!

ooo wat fiberglass kit is that? Kinda looks like the new 918 spyder... anyway I think its a great idea.. Personally I still like the first hatch fiberglass pic, I know that's the original design (strosek or wateva) for our cars but I think if you took that and then maybe made it so you would retain a little more trunk, maybe put a 968 spoiler it would be nice.

Hotshoe

The only problem with this is that the most important design aspect about cars is their proportion and profile. I've yet to see a solution to this that looks anything even remotely factory.

Not saying you shouldn't try and just saying that as a designer it will be really tough to do well.

Plus, you should never have any completely flat surface as the pegboard deck above. When a car surface is dead flat it actually will look slightly concave to the eye. Every design studio will put a very, very subtle crown to seemingly flat surfaces to help them appear taut and have better surface reflections.

BeerBurner

I'm not a huge fan of the euro hatch idea but there is one design feature I'd like to throw into the mix.

Have it be an easily removable hatch (I think the Pulsar NXs used to have something like that) so you can pull it off for better airflow on nice days. I thought about this while I had my hatch off to reseal the glass and figured this would be a nifty feature.

Plus, it'll give the die hard OEM types the opportunity to say "I like the idea to make it easy to remove the ugly hatch!" Not that I'm endorsing that attitude... I just know they'll say it.

BB.

F40LM

The grey body is a pic of a kit car body, it copies a Carrera GT onto a Boxster or Fiero. I like the original hatch ok, but would do away with the 'built in spoiler' that copies the foam one on our glass. Another pic for more ideas....

dykaar

I like the pegboard. You could hang tools back there. Unfortunately, anything beyond ~30 degrees down from horizontal will result in airflow separation and drag.

Even Ferrari abandoned the flat rear window after the 355. The best aerodynamic solution is a lighter rear window.

<--OOOO! my 100th post!

Regards,

doug
Waterloo, Ontario Canada, eh


86 951 (http://www.pcaucr.org/index.php/visu...egory&catid=61)
01 E320 (W210) 4matic Wagon (http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w210...body-do-2.html)
00 540i-6 (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...3&d=1283457963)
94 855 turbo Wagon (sold in 09)
85 535i-5 (sold in 07)
76 300D (sold in 92)
83 944 (sold in 86)
I apparently only buy cars designated by numbers

F40LM

I admit that I have considered the idea of a hatch with a removable small rear window, like the early '70 Vettes could do. In the south its either AC or open EVERY WINDOW U CAN FOR CIRCULATION!!!!

michael

ZR8ED

Hey if you want to mod YOUR car, go right ahead. It is your car afterall.

I kind of like this "euro" hatch. In other car groups, I have heard it called a "Pantera" hatch as you may or may not know Panteras came with this style of "hatch" although it was actually an engine cover, and it is much nicer sounding than saying it is a Fiero GT style hatch!

To start, you should definately try some 3d drawings. Even take a few pics of the car, then trace the outline if you can't draw very well. Stay away from direct side or rear shots, as it can help get the general body lines, buy it doesn't show how it all looks as a "package"

Making a "one off" hatch should not be that difficult if you are familiar with fibreglass, and have some patience, and an eye for details. There are lots of videos on youtube on how to make fibreglass moulds etc. I have made custom airdams, bellypans, flares, wings and such. All "one off" custom stuff, and had a lot of fun making the car "my own"


Good luck with the project.

F40LM

Doug,

If you get a chance PM me about your wheel/tire set up. Me likes.

michael

t3rra

What about some thing that followed the lines off were the hacth meet the body. And then silghty mirrored the front, like a slight hip after the fender. It could finsh low, but would mean removing all boot space, and top spoiler which was an extntion off the roof line, 2 keep water off the rear glass,.

Sort off like the red picture but without the high sides? Bit like turning the glass up side down.

944Ross

I've thought about a hatch replacement (sorry, but I kinda like the pickup conversions ). Looking at it, the sheet metal has to change all around the hatch seat. The lines flow upwards, which the hatch continues. They'd need to be changed to a tighter radius inwards. Closest car I can think of for inspiration is a Fiero; look at the coupe and the GT.

86 951 Driver

Ya the fiero hatch would look decent on our car I think.

rickb20

A combination of the curved, sloped rear window of the miata, with a more curved version of the Pulsar deck/trunklind. The window and deck would lift in one piece like the Pulsar. I'd like to see it with a curved glass that follows the contours of the hatch opening on the sides though.

Gages 944

If they even made a louver for these cars I think it would help.