Progress is slow.

Thaddeus

 

Just an idea, maybe of no use, but how about getting an old hatch frame, less glass, from a dismantler to use a a base for this project? Or am I reinventing the part of the wheel you already made?

Anyway, hang in there. Inspiration will likely strike in the middle of the night...

Jim, gone back to the lab... sharp object are waiting to be played with!

 

One issue of special concern is how to make the point at which the vertical glass meets the horizontal deck strong enough to take the strain of opening and closing. And because one edge of the glass will seal there, it may leak. Wondering how to incorporate a metal reinforcer in the fibreglas. Hm.

Jim, your idea of a cannibalized frame is a good one but I don't want to spend the money. Also, I want the profile of this part to be lower than this frame would permit. The haunches on this car are too big as it is. The finished lid will cap the gasket with no more than 1/4 inch of material.

Thaddeus

 

you can laminate a peice of metal in between layers of fiberglass for extra structual support or as an anchor for a screw or bolt. it should be possible to design your frame so that the circumference gives it it's rigidity... thus the flat deck part only has to support the weight of the glass.

just throw down a few sheets of glass with a nice coating of resin, place your metal, then lay a few more sheets. I think this might work better if you are vacuum bagging everything while it seals, but i bet it would work with wet-lay as well.

have you thought about using carbon fiber instead of fiberglass? I'm not sure how it costs relative to glass, but it sure is a lot cooler!

good luck getting everything to fit... i have been involved with an attempt at manufacturing a carbon fiber hood, and i can say from experience that getting hinges and latches all lined up so that things close easily is no simple task at all.

 

Thaddeus, what are you buildingg a trunk lid for?? what kind of modifications/look are you going for? do you have pic's ? just curious
Mark

 

There was a LONG thread on this a while back, Thaddeus is going for the sedan look.

Thaddeus, Don't forget to leave the glass far enough back for headroom, if the backseat is ever to be used.

 

The reason I'm worried about the stress is, the piece I'm building is going to function just like the hatch: hinged at top, latched at bottom. I'll use existing hardware, then I can swap between stock and modded (relatively) easily. However, that means the whole shebang will be opening up, and the point where the glass meets the deck will be stressed. Probably also stressed by the lift tubes, though I'm not sure exactly where they will attach.

As far as the look goes, I have the jpg that some kind soul worked up in Photoshop when I first had this idea months ago. I can't remember who made this up, but I want to thank them again. I really think it's going to look sweet. The pic:



I am not going to do the little lip off the back, instead I want to do a wing, a la a 959 or something. I am even going to try to do some wind testing with a big fan and some smoke to try to tune the angle of the wing so it does something useful. Also, my glass will not be inset as in the photo, but rather lay more-or-less flush to the roof pillars.

I will probably do a little more work tomorrow.

Thaddeus


PS: NOT going for the Sedan look. Sedan = 4 doors. Coupe: 2 doors.

Though a Porsche sedan would certainly be a step up from a %$#@! Porsche SUV.

 

Do you have any pictures besides the concept that you can show us...

 

looks like a neat project keep us posted with fotos

 

Looks like a 914/6. Good luck.

 

What about a two piece hatch?

Hatch piece #1 the glass and frame;
would be stationary,

Hatch piece #2 the deck;
would hinge ~at the line shown in the pic.

Good idea?

You wouldn't be able to use the lifts to open the hatch/trunk anymore, but I don't know if the shocks will have enough clearance with the deck comming down so low the way it does in the pic. I think you will have to ditch the concept of the lifts opening it anyway. I don't know, thats Just my .02 at 2:30 in the am. Post us some pics on the progress, good luck

 

No pictures yet Cobbs, just a lot of pieces of wood in weird shapes, lots of sawdust and dirty saws, rasps, and grinders.

Little known tip: a metal grinder can really shape pine...

When the wooden form is done, I'll post pics.

Oh, question for all: any reason I can't put resin/fiberglas in a Plaster of Paris mold?

Thaddeus

 

Thaddeus, I'll chip in a big "I second that!" on Roberto's very excellent idea. Be a _lot_ easier to do structurally (no need to transmit opening / closing stress around a sharp corner) and fab-wise (two smaller pieces). Also eliminates flexing the part with glass & seal so much, so leaks are less likely to develop.

And the "Aw, s^#t!" factor goes down if you just have to re-do one smaller part instead of the whole thing.

As far as using plaster of paris, I dunno. Probably OK with the right release agent. Maybe make a small test mold & try it?

Jim, finishing up the semester...YEE-HAWWW!!!

 

Thad - you should do your mock up out of blue styrofoam - real time saver and easier to shape...

 

I think I will go with the 2 smaller pieces.
Trying to do something very difficult, right out of the starting gate... well, who do I think I am, anyway... F. Porsche?

I am going with wood instead of blue styrofoam for one reason only: I am intimately familiar with wood, totally unfamiliar with foam. No learning curve-- I'm saving that up for the fiberglass part of the project...

Thanks for the input guys...

Thaddeus