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arrocuda
United Kingdom
501 Posts |
 Posted - 07 May 2010 : 21:58:03
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Thanks for all the positive feedback everybody.... just making a start on a template for the new boot lid and finding the compound curves to be mind boggling. The existing lid curves in 4 dimensions  ....add to that the re-shaped rear wings and I refuse to use a flat piece of metal for the new lid as I'm worried it will look too 'kitcar' and spoil the finish. This may take some time. :-/
Building the '2nd series' fastback Rapier ('Arrocuda'). |
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Holbay120
United Kingdom
177 Posts |
Posted - 07 May 2010 : 15:28:58
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I saw this on Google a couple of weeks ago and I think what you are doing is very clever - a mark 2 fastback? ingenious- and your fabrication skills are very impressive. Sometimes in the 70's you would see customised rapiers with flared wheelarches 3 foot wide wheels and bonnet scoops etc and I thought they were abominations but your what if? idea is excellent. I know what you mean about pulling up in a 70's coupe' someone always talks to me, what I enjoy even more is when these people who must get past you at all costs pull out to overtake and then you just pull the old overdrive trick (without speeding of course because that would be against the law!) and see their seepish or downright embarrased faces when they pull back in behind you, not that I would do it often because I'm in my 50's and sensible now!. Anyway I think this will be wonderful when finished and I hope you use a 1725 powerplant in whichever guise and can only wish you the best of luck Best Regards
David McKenna |
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1922
United Kingdom
549 Posts |
Posted - 07 May 2010 : 13:53:41
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Hmmm - I think I like it, a baby Barracuda.
I've often wondered if a Mopar 318 would fit in a Rapier (it's been done with Ford 289) - a lot of work but immense amounts of tyre smoking fun
From youngsters I've had "is that a Mustang?", "my Dad used to have one of those", and worse "grandad had one of those".
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arrocuda
United Kingdom
501 Posts |
Posted - 06 May 2010 : 13:38:39
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Thanks Tony... is my first attempt at a custom build but had plenty of practice restoring rusty ones. Mostly Mantas really. Had several A series's in the past and still got one ('72 model), but I might sell it as this car is THE one. Planning on using it as a daily driver as I've always done with all my cars. Looking forward to confusing people that recognise it as a Rapier as it approaches, but don't as it comes alongside and from the rear!  If you get my meaning!
It's amazing how driving around in a '70's coupe attracts so much interest... especially from youngsters funnily enough! Then you get the tales from older folks who used to have one and wished they had never sold it etc etc. With the Manta's you would get more interest and admiration down the local filling station than someone pulling up in a Ferrari! not sure why I'm telling you this as I'm sure you forumites have experienced this phenomena first hand and don't need me to tell you.  |
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Tony Fearn
United Kingdom
60 Posts |
Posted - 05 May 2010 : 00:00:48
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Looks good Tim. I'm impressed, not having such skills myself. Will love to see the finished article.
Tony.
Tony Fearn |
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arrocuda
United Kingdom
501 Posts |
Posted - 04 May 2010 : 11:12:06
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As I said earlier I'd post a thread with some pics I have taken of my Rapier Fastback custom build. Unfortunately I didn't take any pics before I started, but to give you an idea, I bought the car on the 'bay' for £280. The guy I bought it off had started to restore it but because of work commitments hadn't found the time to continue and like so many of these projects had decided to sell the car on.
So... all the usual problems to rectify, mostly involving Iron Oxide in undesireable places, I started remedial work. Once I'd completed I had the 'idea' and decided that if I was going to do it then now was the time whilst I had a good sound body to work with but hadn't wasted the time or expense of doing the final paintwork and finishing jobs. Purists... please be warned that the images you are about to see might cause some distress.
Anyway.... for those who have never seen or can't remember what a '67 Plymouth Barracuda looks like... here's a pic.
As you can see the rear section of the car is much more extended than the Rapier's, giving the car a gentle slope down to the rear panel. I considered trying to reproduce this but after spending a few hours with my 'Gimp' program (photoshop if your using windows), decided to just modify the existing panel work as it wasn't as effective on a short wheelbase car as it is on its american cousin.
Anyway.... phase one.... remodel the rear wings and plate over the rear quarter windows to reproduce the basic look of the '67. Here... are the pics.
Apologies for the 'shonky' phone pics but still not got around to buying a proper digital camera. At the time I took them the lock up was absolutely chokka cos I'd lost some storage space I was using for parts for my other cars. Things have freed up a little now as I had a massive ebay sale... even sold a couple of cars in the end. Also, I couldn't move the car cos I had removed the front struts for new springs (Sierra lowering type)
Upside down in the pic, but they are 'progressive' so I'm hoping that they will improve the handling of the car. They fitted the keeps perfectly but despite only being 40mm lower than standard Sierra springs, they have dropped the rapier by about 80mm!! So..... future camber adjustments will most likely be required. Personally.... I love it and helps to give the car a similar stance to the '67 in the pic above. Whilst I had the struts out I painted them and replaced everything with new parts but didn't take a pic, but is something that I'm sure most of you will have seen before. Is just nice to know that I won't have to do any work on the suspension or brakes for a while as it's all been replaced with new components.
Once the struts were replaced I could roll the car out for a better shot. Lost the other pics I took at the time but it gives you an idea of the overall side view.
I gave the car a flash over of paint so I could see the imperfections for when I do the final finish and also to get a better idea of how the car will look completed, so I can make any necessary changes before it's too late.
You can see that the roofline is not as the '67 where it meets the 'C' panel so I decided to do this.....
Re-radiusing the rear windows helped to soften the roofline perfectly so I was really pleased with the effect. Here's some pics that demonstrate my point.
I am on with welding the new pillar panels in at the moment and then it's on to the final stage of refabricating the new boot lid. Here's a pic of the rear end on the car as it is at the moment. I have repositioned the spoiler off of the H120 lid I bought on the bay to give an idea how it would look when it has the filler piece welded underneath and the lid welded to the top. Purists can relax at this point... and breathe a sigh of relief, safe in the knowledge that the car wasn't an H120 and I'm really not that crazy I'd cut up a Holbay model!!
So there you have it.... comments good or bad are welcomed whilst I retire to my bunker to take cover! Back with more as the project develops!
Building the '2nd series' fastback Rapier ('Arrocuda'). |
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The 'Arrocuda' build.
