UK based Fastback development thread

[vindi49]

Cheers for the comments, keep them coming... although I think it's fair to say almost everyone agrees with what needs to be changed!

To clear up a few points, this is a project for a friend of mine because he wants some for his own cars (he has 3 Mk1s). As he will have to make a mould in order to make them, he might sell a few at some point down the road which is why he has asked me to get feedback.
I had already thought the scallops and side windows would be an issue, but wanted to confirm that, and also gain any other thoughts ... which I'll now feed back to Andrew. I also just think it's an interesting project ... love it or hate it I think it's cool that he's making what he wants rather than just talking about it!

The version he has made was to meet his own preference, which is to be easily removable and retain access to the boot. There is no reason for it to damage the car any more than any other hardtop does, and he intends to have it off the car more than on. That's the reason it retains the standard boot ... nothing needs to be done to return the car to soft top other than undoing the 4 interior clasps, and the 2 rear clasps. Exactly the same as a standard hard top.

Thanks for the pics of the Garage Vary one ... interesting, but it's only about 4 inches longer than the standard hardtop, so not really relevant. It appears to be a copy of the Alterna Racing hardtop which I quite like, wonder if there is a link ...

Russell.

[vindi49]

So where next? No idea, I'll have a chat with Andrew tomorrow and I guess he'll come up with a plan.

My thoughts ...

I know he wants to retain the soft top aspect of the car, and if you know anything about the UK you'll know it rains ... a lot, pretty much at random in the summer almost as much in the winter. He won't want to compromise on the top being removable very quickly, so the separate boot will stay.

The scallops are not getting a lot of love, and although I know exactly why they are there I'm not keen either. If you bring the line of the fastback in to avoid the fuel filler and aerial, it comes in too far and goes onto the boot ... which would mean you couldn't open it.
If you don't mind changing a few bits on the car, there is a way round it ... my preferred option. The aerial can be ditched and if you need one then an internal one can be attached to the inside of the front windscreen or similar. The petrol filler can be swung round and relocated to inside the boot. You don't even need to change the pipes, just loosen the clamps, swing it round and attach it to a frame at the edge of the boot and tighten the clamps.
The thing is, that means changing bits on the car and Andrew doesn't want to do that ... so unless anyone can come up with a clever solution the scallops will stay.

The side windows I think will be changed regardless, to clear up where the shape came from, they are a headlight cover off an old Ferrari! I'm guessing something not far off the look of the Mk2 coupe will be used, makes sense and runs with the lines of the car a lot better.

I'm wondering if Andrew can make some infill pieces to flatten the sides off. That way he could attach them to the mould when needed, and have the shape either with or without scallops, depending on what was preferred.

As the boot section is a separate mould, I'm thinking a second boot could be made so it's a larger item that goes right to the back and replaces the standard boot completely. With that and the flat sides I think it would look a lot better.

Edit - almost forgot, the rear end. I hadn't really noticed before but the top does kind of end in the wrong place. I'll mention it, ideally it gets extended by a few inches to sit right on the back of the car, where the curve starts.

Lots of thinking for Andrew to do anyway, I'll keep you posted on what he decides.

Russell.

[HarryB]

What looks better than all fatback hardtops AND the NB Roadster Coupe, is the 1996 NA coupe concept.













So elegant and nice-flowing, a bit RX7ish if you may... I LOVE it, albeit I get that the compound curved glass would be an issue of its' own.

[vindi49]

Thanks HarryB, that NA concept car does look good. I'm pretty certain Andrew will have seen most of these before as we've been talking about this for ages and he has done a lot of digging around but I don't think he has mentioned that one.

Russell

[vindi49]

Time for an update, I passed all the feedback to Andrew and he has had a think about what he wants personally vs what has been suggested. He's decided to go ahead with the changes to the side window as suggested, to ditch the curved one that's currently in there and go with something flat that follows the lines more. He's done a photoshop to give an idea



He's going to have a play with the rear window as well, and then take a new mould off it to see where it's up to. I have a feeling he'll be happy with it like that, but that will free up the first version to become a test mule for new ideas ... so hopefully that one will come my way and I can fill in the scallops at the sides and extend the back out slightly to end at the very back rather than a couple of inches in.

If I can work out how to do it, I'll remove the bootlid, then extend it right down and have it attach in using the boot latch.

Russell.

[— Phatmiata —]

The way it curves around the antenna looks unfinished. Or like it was in a car accident. You'd have to fix that to win my dollars. Just my opinion.

[Mazdabp26]

He should eliminate the curve on the antenna and has tank and just relocate the filler hole behind the plate number at the back

[vindi49]

The way it curves around the antenna looks unfinished. Or like it was in a car accident. You'd have to fix that to win my dollars. Just my opinion.

Cheers, I think this is where his idea of what he wants and my idea of what looks good differs a bit. Bottom line is, although he's open to ideas he won't compromise what he wants ... and you have to respect that! Once he's made his version, I'll have a play with the one in the pictures as it'll be spare. I think I can make some infill pieces for the mould so it would be possible to make it either way with minimal messing about. That should keep both of us happy, as I'm hoping I can get it nice enough that I'm happy to buy a Carbon / Kevlar version when we're done.

Russell.