bodykit designing

[MC FARMER_D]

hi i want to start designing bodykits and making them.. does anyone know of any courses/training (i.e. college) that i could go on to help me, i have loadsa phat ideas but jus wanna do sumink bout it.. cheers peeps for any help..

[Chris LR]

http://www.novaload.net/forums/album_see.php?id=444

Like that kinda thing?

[djp_y2k]

I would have thought any designing course would have been wot u need to look at.

[mikeoxford]

thought about an aprenticeship doing car design at say rover or summat?

[whitey]

You are probably best off going to a body-shop/garage and asking! If you only want to do designing and not fitting, then designing bumpers wont be a big enough field! Go for designing in general and then look at working with cars!

If you wanna design and fit them then look for a job at a good bodyshop which does custom ones!

[mikeoxford]

rj automotive is an example of this

there a bodyshop

yet they design there own bumpers toooooooooo

[ade]

I've actually done a course in exterior trim design as part of my 2 yr Uni degree in model making/special effects! Had a months release to a car design college in Middlesbrough years ago - looking back the methods are still pretty much the same.

:D

And its not as easy as it sounds!

:x

And its not as cheap as it sounds either - not if you wanna do it correctly! An average front & rear bumper, 2xside skirts and rear spoiler (not including man hours) will set you back anywhere in the region of ?1000 in materials (depending on the kits complexity, numper of parts to the mold etc) unless you buy materials in bulk.

:?

Having ideas is one thing, making them in 3D and making a mirror image on each side so the kit balances is very difficult.

:o

However if you have the skills at sculpting, design and can market your ideas, go for it.

You'll need to know how to make masters and forms (vac forming), handle synthetic clay, wood, plastics , rubber and other materials to make the masters of the kit.

you'll then need to know how to make a mold (up to 4 part) either using Silicone rubber, latex or gelflex/vynamould and plaster aswell as how to handle release agents.

you'll need experience in fibreglass layering and fibreglass molding methods, use of gel coats, colour pigments aswell as know how to finish the kit to a high standard.

You'll need some capital, a business plan to get a loan for the capital (unless your loaded!) and a workshop to make the kits in (please done use yer bedroom!) and store the materials in bulk aswell as having the design specs or a test panels/bumpers from the cars you intend to use as the base models (existing bumpers - take a cast and build on it).

And last but not least, you need to supply fitting instructions and most of the pros out there cant even do that let alone build kits that actually fit!

Breakdown - you'll need -
a front and rear bumper, skirts and a spoiler as a guide from your intended car or at least a tech drawing of them (I'm still waiting to hear from Vauxhall for my tech drawings - given up). This will give you an idea of dimensions, fitting, angles of joins etc (?1 - ?600 depending on car and scrappy deals)
materials to make the kit - synthetic clay (doesnt crack but is bery hard when dry - moulded using heat and patience), wood, foam etc up to ?300 for a big project
Mould making materials - Silicone rubber gives incredible detail but costs. ?400 + for enough to make full molds (theyre deep remember more if you have undercuts and comlex sections as you'll need to make the mold in parts) Other materials are cheaper but moilds will only make about 10 casts before they lose detail.
plaster of paris to give the mold regidity - stops it bending out of shape whilst the fibreglass sets - ?200-?300 for enough for both bumpers and skirts (you'll prob need to build a crate to hold it all in place)
Fibreglass matting and resin to make the basic cast - 3mm-4mm thick, gel coat to give a fine finish and if colour coded colour pigment to aid in future spray top coats (optional) - up to and over ?200?

However once the kit is made, you can usually make your money back once youve sold about 5-8 kits depending on price - you need to prioce yourself in the market and too keep you head above water need to look at the newer cars also (whos parts you will be lucky to get from a scrappy!)

Add the marketting and advertising costs (one of the many ads in the back of car mags!) - hiring a blonde bimbp to salivate over the kit on a project car etc etc etc

:roll:

I'm looking at setting up a similar venture later this year however I'm currently putting together a business plan and testing the market.

If you have loads of ideas I suggest you make a mini scale model of the kits in question onto 1:18 scale models of the cars (dont use the metal diecast ones - build the model yerself - that way you get to 1st test your detail sculpting skills and also whether your kit will actually work in 3 dimensions) and maybe approach some kit design places - see if trheyll buy your design off ya.
I'm considering this option aswell...

Ade

[whitey]

:o CALM DOWN Ade! Dont wanna be giving all your secrets away!

[ade]

lol - friendly advice no probs with but you need to know how to use it to make it work.

I have several tricks and plans up my sleeve

:twisted:

watch out for project nova 2 coming soon...

[Nova Modder]

yeah... youre gonna need some phat 3d skillz to be designing em an stuff... like this :p

http://www.hyper.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/phatskillz.jpg

[ade]

that's very cool - however I'm a traditionalist 3d moddeller - you cannae beat making an actual physical 3d model to look at - computer model os good but you dont get a real sense of depth.

Unless its linked up to a resin casting / cerec machine or similar that can carve the model in lasers out of liquid resin!

Now thats cool (but bloody expensive!)

8)

[Nova Modder]

**pulls change out of back pocket**

Great!! ill get one in the morning!!!

LOL

[Tazzy]

lol, due to me being mad about Novas, my mate has become keen on them as well now (another added to the tribe, my work is done! lol) and so he is looking round for a Nova, but as i know a bit more about cars than he does (even though i know jack sh!te!) he wants make his bodykit for him!

ive never done it before, i currently have a astra gte boot spoiler of which i intend to mod for my own car, dunno where to start though!

the bumpers i rekcon are easy, just cut the bottom off the standard, and add a section off another bumper onto it, how hard can it be? lol!

prolly harder than i think...

[whitey]

Lots of fibreglass and filler and time! But to be honest yeah it aint HARD, just gotta be done well otherwise it may break, crack and so on!
There is a fair few sites around on the net which will tell you how to cut and shut a bumper if no one does on here!

You dont need to learn with nova bumpers remember!

[ade]

the bumpers i rekcon are easy, just cut the bottom off the standard, and add a section off another bumper onto it, how hard can it be? lol!

LOL - if only it were that easy!

The standard bumpes are made from ABS plastic - high impact (to a degree) and flexible however theyre a bitch to join with standard glass fibre - prob is that ABS is flexible and fibreglass/bodty filler is (to all extent and purposes) rigid - so jioning the two will crack if you even so much as put a slight kink in it! It may not show up straight away but once sprayed say hellow to Mr crack! you can get bumper filler for scratches and dings which is good but its ot a joining adhesive and (as I've experienced when cutting and shutting a Nova GTE rear soplitter to a Nova gsi back bumper) does crack after a fe months (subtle but enough for me to see! :evil: )

And if you plan on lowering car/adding front splitter etc then it wont last long on impact with raised bits/speed bumps etc.

Its not impossible mind - and can be done - you just need to know how to use flexitave glues/epoxy resins - even heat to melt them together - clean it up with wet n dry - filler primer, etc etc etc...

IMO buy a standard "plain" kit and bod that - theyre usually fibreglass and
threfore can be cut and shut with some care and a bit of knowledge.

However before taking jigsaw to 2 good bumpers, I strongly recommend you get a couple of smashed up ones and practice 1st with various methods. Also experiment with fibreglass so you know how long youve got to before it sets, how hard it is to sand back, stickiness mixing resin etc...

If you need help - shout!

Enjoy!