188 replies to this topic

[smiley]

It's NOT going to have a flippin Audi Grill !  

 

 

Too bad my paint.net skills are not so good to easily change the brown to orange.

Edited by smiley, 29 August 2018 - 07:23 PM.

[The Batman]

Buy a grill without the logo on it

[MAXR]

I'm
Glad you said that max

I'm only keeping the lower 2/3rds of the grill. The top is being lopped off, so too is the horizontal bars.

Joe, I may put a Vauxhall V back on the front? I guess everyone will say 'what's the car mate' it'll get annoying. I will keep the badges on the rear too! I won't add a Toyota, Audi & seat (wing mirrors) badges though.



Smiley, thanks for the photochopping!

[The Batman]

i have some honeycomb mesh (looks a bit like rs4) somewhere in the garage. could look quite good instead of the grill?

[MAXR]

That's what I'd like to use. When I drop off the car, I'll have a chat and also about the seats...cheers!

[MAXR]

Guy's I've made a mock up of the bonnet where it meets the grill. Not sure if I like it though! 

 

Perhaps it would look better if I retained the slightly pointed front, like the standard VX bonnet? Or even, which may be my favourite option, is to overhang the front bonnet slightly & with a point? Any thoughts? it's not a good representation of the bonnet curvature at the moment, so ignore that.

 

 

 

[siztenboots]

is there enough clearance between the rear of the lights and the front tyre?

[MAXR]

is there enough clearance between the rear of the lights and the front tyre?

Yep, plenty

[SteveA]

Looks a bit Lotus Europa

[tommobot]

Seeing a hint of salleen S7 as well..

For the new front end won't you have to restart the slope from the edge of the bonnet, otherwise you'll have an awkward step?

[MAXR]

Seeing a hint of salleen S7 as well..

For the new front end won't you have to restart the slope from the edge of the bonnet, otherwise you'll have an awkward step?

 

 

The front 250mm of the bonnet is to be cut off completely & binned. Then the main bonnet will be cut along the black line shown in one of the photos (down each wing) & down to the headlight and then the centre area raised very slightly. The area between the existing bonnet crease where it meets the headlight & my new black line will be cut out & removed. The wing will then be blended to the edge of the new black line cut. I could reuse the front bonnet edge, but just move it forward & a new curve blended back into the old bonnet. It will not be an awkward curve, I hope! I'm confident it will be a nice compound curvature on both wings & the main bonnet areas. 

 

I'm not sure whether anyone will understand what I'm babbling on about. Wait till I cut it all out, it will be clearer then, I think?

 

Mind you, by then it'll be too later!

 

 

........​

[MAXR]

is there enough clearance between the rear of the lights and the front tyre?

 

Steve, I had to re-check space after your comment. I thought I had 40mm clearance, but it's only 30mm after I have adjusted the headlight to where I think it should be positioned. I also failed to take into account the front end ride height & tyre widths that people maybe running. My car's currently geo'd at 115mm front ride height with 205 tyres.

 

How much travel /deflection should I allow for?

 

So, where I had my lights located originally ie for track use with daytime running lights only, there was plenty of room as the lights were angled for looks & not beam focus. However, since re-aligning the lights, they are more upright & the rear case has travelled closer to the wheel as a result. One option is to move the whole front forward to give more space? This would create a longer front bonnet, which I don't think will look out of place as the VX's front is a little stubby anyway.  Or use another front bumper/light unit or move the light higher, but personally, I like it where it is now...

 

...Bugger! My first amateur cockup! I'm sure it won't be the last!

 

So to re-cap, how much should I allow for wheel travel from rest? What ride height? tyre width? minimum gap?

 

The headlight will be held in place using a couple of bent stainless metal brackets which I will have custom made & bonded to the bodywork in a similar way to the original VX lights. The headlight housing will fit straight to the bracket using bolts & also supported by the radiator surround.

[siztenboots]

the light thing is a common problem on the elise for the tyre to rub during bump travel, its not just you

[MAXR]

Steve,

Thanks! But I should have spotted it! I'm glad you asked the question & that I checked again.

I've finished for the day, so I'm heading back home soon. I will probably move the bumper forward & plastic weld back the portion of the bumper I cut off. Thank goodness for plastic! I think the proportions with a longer snout will look better & make the compound curve an easier blend and I could also use the crash box for a easy headlight fixing point a to the front.

I'm even contemplating changing the grill opening by making it wider. I guess it's good to learn from your mistakes!

Next time you see the front it will be radically different. I've ordered some 2mm sheet fibreglass, vudu glue, stainless steel mesh for sinking into the back of the plastic welds, fibreglass matting, resin, a small pot of filler (....maybe a big one!) and metal for brackets. All I need is to check, check again and check my check.

...I'm getting bored of the front already! Looking forward to the rear.

On another matter, I'm looking to fit 2017 Seat Leon door mirrors mounted on the door, rather than the frame, as I think they will look rather fetching on the AudiVX. They actually weigh less too? I'd like to connect & utilise the electric mirrors as its one thing that hacks me right off when I'm strapped in the car and someone has either knocked a mirror or someone I've let drive the car has adjusted them or Ive knocked them when I'm unloading the car from my trailer.

Would it be as straightforward as I'm thinking it will be? I.e. Get the interior drivers switch, connect indicator light & power?

Any replies on the matter would be grateful.

[ayresyy]

 Some amazing and very bold work there, watching this with interest to see what you end up with!

 

   You have to call it Vaudix surely?

[Doctor Ed]

too stubby in MHO
from direct front on the pics look half ok, but the one oblique shot shows it. id make it all 100-200mm longer

i assume you're then going to mould and remake it? track car yeah?

[MAXR]

Some amazing and very bold work there, watching this with interest to see what you end up with!

You have to call it Vaudix surely?

Honestly, it's nothing special that I'm doing. However, I must confess that it was well thought out and planned, with lots of measuring done on a friends A4 before I felt comfortable in attempting it or telling anyone that I was attempting it.

As I said, I've never carried out any bodywork mods or have any experience in this area, but I have a few ideas about how to get the results I want, without much technical or dirty work.

most automotive plastic body parts such as side skirts, rear/front bumpers are cheap to buy, easy to adapt and easy to alter. You can patch together various surfaces into one seamless part, fill holes or gaps by melting cable ties & alter curvatures with a hot air gun & spray it with cold water to get it to hold its shape. Sand it on a low speed & fill it with flexible body filler.

If I had a load of clay, I'd attempt to sculpt & make the bonnet revisions with it then heat a sheet of plastic over it with a hot air gun. Job done for the mould. However, Ive dreamt up other ways to do the same thing, which I'll post once I've attempted them.

Max

[christhegasman]

With that Audi front end isn’t there a danger of you beginning to drive like a complete dick 😂😂

[The Batman]

he learnt that skill a long time ago

[MAXR]

he learnt that skill a long time ago

Ha ha ha....didn’t you have an Audi???????