BODY SWAP Modern Chassis + Classic/Retro Body. UK/EURO Body?

[brachunky]

Very enlightening thread and answering many questions buzzing around in my noggin!!

[kevfromwales]

it's the way of the future IMO

I'm trying to Sellotape at least 4 different cars into some semblance of 'making sense' using this method.

If anyone is seriously up for doing this, I have a 2001 ford ranger 2wd truck with 90% of the tinwork to convert it into a '54 ford f100, as Dez has been doing with his jailbar pickup. Too many projects as usual, and too many things I want to get done first haha.

cheers! kfw

*I also need a semi solid, cheap as chips late 60's flat screen bug shell for some chassis swappage!!

*also also doesn't have to be a modern chassis

[Dez]

Oct 15, 2019 16:33:56 GMT kevfromwales said:

*also also doesn't have to be a modern chassis

Very much so.
My Hudson/Rover I pictured on the first page is on a 1946 chassis.

[neilsdavies]

I suspect the reason for so many Beetle-chassis'd cars is because the floorpan is completely self contained. I know of a Citroen Dyane, an Ford 100E, an Allegro estate, a mk2 Jetta, more than a couple of Golf's (mk1, 2 and 3),a Caddy pickup, a K70, a couple of Renault Dauphines, a T4 van, that E-type Jag, a '32 Ford roadster pickup...

Not all of them fully comply with the rebody rules (although not all of them are UK-based) as they've removed the floorpan halves, relocated the handbrake or gearstick etc. The wheelbase is an issue too, more so if it needs to be shortened - a beam extender can be used to lengthen it.

I got as far as sourcing a donor floorpan, a body to go on it and all the running gear, but I think it'd be too much of a compromise for what I want to do, so I'm more likely to go IVA if it ever does get built.

[grizz]

Oct 20, 2019 19:23:23 GMT neilsdavies said:

I suspect the reason for so many Beetle-chassis'd cars is because the floorpan is completely self contained. I know of a Citroen Dyane, an Ford 100E, an Allegro estate, a mk2 Jetta, more than a couple of Golf's (mk1, 2 and 3),a Caddy pickup, a K70, a couple of Renault Dauphines, a T4 van, that E-type Jag, a '32 Ford roadster pickup...

Not all of them fully comply with the rebody rules (although not all of them are UK-based) as they've removed the floorpan halves, relocated the handbrake or gearstick etc. The wheelbase is an issue too, more so if it needs to be shortened - a beam extender can be used to lengthen it.

I got as far as sourcing a donor floorpan, a body to go on it and all the running gear, but I think it'd be too much of a compromise for what I want to do, so I'm more likely to go IVA if it ever does get built.

Agreed,mother’s is a lot of stuff being done, but what else is out there to use?


I was wondering about UK and European bodies or shells that are chassis mounted that could be transplanted onto more modern chassis.

Thing is, some stuff Is monocoque and you never realise, and some will be chassis mount but not look like it.

I like different, weird-ish looking stuff, and I like American stuff too......

So what Body donors are out there that one could consider?

I know bodies often melt away faster than the rest, but it’s worth thinking about it.

Older, unloved Brit steel, Commercial stuff, Eastern Bloc ??

[neilsdavies]

Grizz, I think you might be overthinking it a bit. It doesn't really matter if the new body is monocoque or not - it's the chassis that's going under that needs to be a frame. You can mount a monocoque body over a separate frame, even if it needs great big holes cutting in it. Think of the lifted RX8 shown earlier!

The body I was planning on using was a monocoque, but I was going to cut a floorpan shaped hole in the floor, drop it over the floorpan and the build up some box section rails in the shape of the heater channels that would weld into the body.

[grizz]

Oct 21, 2019 14:58:15 GMT neilsdavies said:

Grizz, I think you might be overthinking it a bit. It doesn't really matter if the new body is monocoque or not - it's the chassis that's going under that needs to be a frame. You can mount a monocoque body over a separate frame, even if it needs great big holes cutting in it. Think of the lifted RX8 shown earlier!

The body I was planning on using was a monocoque, but I was going to cut a floorpan shaped hole in the floor, drop it over the floorpan and the build up some box section rails in the shape of the heater channels that would weld into the body.

I get you....

And it’s cool, I am hoping to see more older stuff mentioned here.

However, I also know many of the guys on here, like @mercdan and some of the other regular posters in the Abandoned and Spotted threads know where weird stuff lives.