Hmmmmm....What body is FFR showing on the 818 Frame Gallery?

[FFR-ADV]

Hey,

I noticed some potential hints on the FFR website.

A frame picture includes a silhouette of a roadster design over the frame in the "Project 818 Gallery."

FFR 818 Frame.jpg

Also noticed that Xabier's design is the cover for the "Project 818 Design Contest Winners" and in that folder it is both the First and Last photo in the sequence. Others designs appear only once. Also Xabier's track car is on the Project 818 kit page.

I am looking forward to seeing the CAD pictures. A SolidWorks e-drawing which we could all view with the free viewer from SolidWorks would sure be nice. Also could highlight your wonderful CAD partner.

Regards....

[EvilJack]

Very interesting photo. Notice that there are two different tire set-ups represented.

[riptide motorsport]

Hmm

[Benji]

The only clue really would be in the headlights.

[EvilJack]

This photo also gives you a good look at the interior dimensions. Some people were discussing in another thread the possibility of a center console. From this photo it looks to be a little to tight for that. Might be able to work in a small arm rest. If I were ever to take this thing on a road trip I would probably just remove the passenger seat and turn it into a cargo area.

[BipDBo]

I think that what we are looking at is Jim's body. I see headlights that are very similar to Jims, but slightly tweeked to look less Camry-ish. I see what might be the hood vents, the same front and rear fenders, the same winshield frame, and the humps behind the seat headrests.

Jim4c.jpg

Very interesting photo. Notice that there are two different tire set-ups represented.

This most likely represents the minimum and maximum wheel/tire sizes offered on the various Impreza 2.5 and WRX models from 2002 to 2007. There's another possibility, though. It looks as if the front and rear wheel well arches are actually different sizes. Might they actually be planning on the rear tire being larger than the front?

[olpro]

The difference is wheel/tire sizes is what I would expect to see from front to rear but maybe they represent a size range instead.
The seats seem to indicate room for a narrow console at least which is good for interior design possibilities.
The only early body that would have met the size requirements would have been Jim’s, thus it would be natural to show those lines. This doesn’t mean that the final body would be that design, at least hopefully not.

[PhyrraM]

I think the two outlines are front and rear tires, not a range.

Also, Jim's original headlights were actual Camry lights. I suspect that IF this picture is the current/production body then these headlights are also a production light from something. Should be pretty easy to figure out with a better pic.

[vozproto]

You can see in the other picture (the isometric one) that the tires are indeed staggered.

I wonder if this means that we will be seeing something more solid soon.
I know this takes a while but with all the hype and fanfare we had built up toward the end of last year/beginning of this year... I'm feeling a little blue balled.

[BipDBo]

I think the two outlines are front and rear tires, not a range.

Also, Jim's original headlights were actual Camry lights. I suspect that IF this picture is the current/production body then these headlights are also a production light from something. Should be pretty easy to figure out with a better pic.

I think that it's more likely that they will design around having the same wheels front and back because that will fit with the budget better. The Impreza and WRX models all have the same wheels front to back. It wouldn't be easy to find used wheels of different sizes that matched, and to get new would be expensive. Although one could argue that larger tiresin the rear would be optimal, it may not be. The Ariel Atom has the same size feet all all 4 corners.

As for the headlights, I first thought "Corolla," but I don't think that's quite right. They might not be going with a factory headlight assembly at all. I hope they don't. Whenever I see a motorhome, I immediately see if I can recognize where all of the lights came from. On kit cars, it looks even more tacky, IMO to see components that you can recognize from everyday cars. Tail lights I don't mind so much, especially if they are just round, making them look more generic. I hope the 818 will have individual round lights under a plastic cover like the GTM.

Anyway, this image probably means nothing in regards to the body. I agree with olpro that they are probably just using Jim's design as a placeholder for any pre-reveal images they post.

[kach22i]

"Project 818 Gallery."

Link to the above: click on "Chassis" image lower part of page and to the right.
http://www.factoryfive.com/galleries/project-818/

These images have been talked about before, but some very good observations are being made now.

I still had a heck of a time finding the gallery, a link is worth a thousands words.

One note of encouragement, side head room seems to be okay and yet provides enough side body flesh to get some depth or sense of muscle. This typically means avoiding flat sides which tends to weaken "the stance".

Good stance? I'm hopeful.

EDIT: I'm pretty sure this Audi body will fit over it....................what do you think?
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-t...pics-2160.html
2551335452546.jpg


This was my Audi inspired effort, not very similar, very much trying to combine too many ideas at once.
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x...pare-11x17.jpg

[NonProfit]

Have any other images been posted since the October UStream Factory Five Racing Project 818 Update?

Edit: Found these
5a.jpg 1c.jpg 3b.jpg 4b.jpg 2.jpg

[keys2heaven]

I think we're in a holding pattern and one day the design will be revealed on FFR's site.

[Sultan]

Yea and I check everyday in hopes that today is the day.

[EvilJack]

I think the two outlines are front and rear tires, not a range.

.

Now that I can see the image better (computer not phone) I can see that its the rear tires. Especially with the front and rear suspension drawn in.
Still not a fan of that silver body style shown in the photos above. I hope they go with something on the aggressive side.

[Smitty911]

That body is very, very nice. It looks good in Silver as well.

But we shall see what we shall see.

Smitty

[Flamshackle]

Yea and I check everyday in hopes that today is the day.

sigh... same... DAVE SMITH PLEASE THROW US A BONE???!!!

[slopoke]

Sorry ... not a big fan of the siver car. For me, it woud be a deal breaker.

[EvilJack]

Sorry ... not a big fan of the siver car. For me, it woud be a deal breaker.

Same for me.

[Silvertop]

Sorry ... not a big fan of the siver car. For me, it woud be a deal breaker.

Dave Smith did not appear to be a big fan of the silver car either, so I'm thinking that it won't be the one.

During my recent visit to Factory Five, I picked up a sense that the shape picked for launch #1 will be "none of the above" -- that is, it will not look precisely like any of the four cars modeled.

My personal gut feeling (though this may be just wishful thinking) is that the final design released in Launch #1 will most closely resemble the Xabier car, perhaps with a scaled down set of front openings........

Like other posters above -- I too check the forum every day hoping for the design reveal.............

[mekeys]

I too check every day in vain ????..If they had taken my suggestion about a video camera live shot we wouldn't be going through this every day..

Mel

[BipDBo]

[QUOTE=Silvertop;57783]My personal gut feeling (though this may be just wishful thinking) is that the final design released in Launch #1 will most closely resemble the Xabier car, perhaps with a scaled down set of front openings........
QUOTE]

I think what end up with is Jim's silver car.

[Oppenheimer]

During my recent visit to Factory Five, I picked up a sense that the shape picked for launch #1 will be "none of the above" -- that is, it will not look precisely like any of the four cars modeled.

I see wisdom in that approach. Go with one of the popular models that have been discussed at length, risk alienating those that liked one of the others. Go with the Jim model, even if its been totally revamped, it will still have residual dislike associated, and alienate a lot more. Go with something all new, that one has seen yet, and you distance yourself from all previous discussion. Sure, there will still be some dissent, but it leaves behind all the bad feelings about which design is better like so much discarded baggage.

If its an RISD makeover of the Xabier, I'm cool with that. X was always my fav.

[PhyrraM]

You forgot the other part...

Go with a revamped Jim's car, but don't call it Jim's car. Call it all new. Call it influenced by 'contest entries'. Call it HoF.

Most will prolly bite, some won't. Almost everyone will sooner or later admit it's cool, because that's how the sheeple work.

[kach22i]

Go with a revamped Jim's car..........

They could do worse, but have to go back far enough, and stick to their roots.

http://s184.photobucket.com/albums/x...%20and%20Ends/

[FFR-ADV]

Hi Kach,

I like your other version. Would like to see that as a targa. Nice work!

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x...turn-blurr.jpg

Cheers!

[RM1SepEx]

You forgot the other part...

Go with a revamped Jim's car, but don't call it Jim's car. Call it all new. Call it influenced by 'contest entries'. Call it HoF.

Most will prolly bite, some won't. Almost everyone will sooner or later admit it's cool, because that's how the sheeple work.

Dave flushed the Silver car... It's done

why are we repeating what has been on other threads... They are tweaking something that we have seen and provided inputs on to make it so that it can be MFG with the no paint process... so it won't be anything we have seen but the influence of the design contest models will be there. We have given them tons of feedback that they can use and "fit" into the end product... we can't expect to be able to design it for them, we have given tons of very valuable, passionate input.

Off my soap box and back to my other projects... I need at least one free bay to start tearing apart and reconditioning my 05 WRX donor... :-)

[kach22i]

Nice work!

Thanks, but I think it takes about 10,000 sketches to get this one right. And I've only done about a thousand.

The front transparent view does open up thought on an old issue. The issue of elbow room or the possible conflict with the center support. This may be resolved though a combination of several things. Moving the diagonal support to a lower point. Putting a downward curve in the bar like a girls bike frame. My favorite may be raising the shifter, something similar to a Carrera GT.

http://www.europeancarweb.com/firstl.../photo_10.html
0401_EPCP_04_z+porsche_carrera_gt+interior.jpg

[NonProfit]

My favorite may be raising the shifter, something similar to a Carrera GT.

I like that a lot.

For those of us who are considering RHD, I wonder how difficult it would be to relocate the shifter all together; a la GT40.

1076d.jpg

[EvilJack]

My favorite may be raising the shifter, something similar to a Carrera GT.

The shifter in my Scion sits up high like that. Takes bit to get used to but once you do you love it.

[Kalstar]

Just stiring the pot.....There were some (what looks like older spy Pics) posted in thr GTM forum today. Not sure what to make of them. Maybe Dave is just trying to throw us off the trail. He is a smart dude, smarter than me. Can't wait for the vail to lift though. I think it is a decoy.

[16g-95gsx]

Just stiring the pot.....There were some (what looks like older spy Pics) posted in thr GTM forum today. Not sure what to make of them. Maybe Dave is just trying to throw us off the trail. He is a smart dude, smarter than me. Can't wait for the vail to lift though. I think it is a decoy.

That is an old picture from when they were scanning in Jim's full scale model to solidworks.

[BrandonDrums]

I like that a lot.

For those of us who are considering RHD, I wonder how difficult it would be to relocate the shifter all together; a la GT40.

1076d.jpg

I'd want to take it one step further and have the race chassis be center drive like the McLaren F1. Not going to happen on it's own to say the least but doubling the center brace and putting one on each side of the driver seat and having the shifter be either right or left hand mountable would be SWEET.

[NonProfit]

doubling the center brace and putting one on each side of the driver seat and having the shifter be either right or left hand mountable would be SWEET.

OK, you got me, the only thing cooler than a RHD sill-mount shifter is a central driver's position! The 1965 Ferrari 365 P also utilized this layout.

1965_ferrari_365p_interior.jpg

The problem is both of these cars are significantly wider than the 818. Besides, moving the selector (I believe) is simply rerouting the cable. Centrally locating the steering assembly is way out of my league.

But I'd sure like for you to build one!

[BipDBo]

Center seating position would be very cool, I think, for a track model. No passenger seat, just a driver's seat in the center, with a more narrow roll bar, no windshield and no doors. In addition to giving the driver a better vantage point, the car would be lighter, more aerodynamic and safer.

The 818 chassis has a diagonal bar going right through the center of the cockpit, but I doubt that would be too hard to reconfigure.

[kach22i]

From an aerodynamic viewpoint I think it makes more sense to have two up front, one in the back. At least that's what I did in this little exercise of mine.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ept-20793.html


Reminds me, I need to pick up some fresh golf balls soon.

[NonProfit]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I've been stuck on RHD for awhile now. One thing that eludes me is side mirrors...

In a typical North American car, the right mirror is slightly convex. This provides a greater focal width but slightly distorts the image prompting the familiar "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear" warning. But if I'm sitting on that side, I'm going to need these to be reversed. If the donor mirrors are symmetrical, it is possible the glass surfaces could be exchanged between housings. However, everywhere they sell RHD cars they certainly have the mirrors to match. Ideally I'd like to find an authentic set. I did a quick search for "JDM mirrors" but didn't find much helpful info. Anybody have any clue what these are called or where to get them?

Edit: www.ebay.com.au/, www.ebay.com.hk/, www.ebay.in/, www.id.ebay.com/, www.ebay.co.jp/, www.ebay.com.my/, www.ebay.com.sg, www.ebay.co.uk, a.k.a.: most vendors from the 74 countries who drive on the left.

[LS1RX7owen]

you can get mirror replacement glass/reflectors from a forum member in a country with RHD cars, that may be your best bet.
I know a lot of the guys who thought it was cool to buy JDM carbon fiber mirrors or JDM yellow tinted mirrors for their Civics were shocked to learn they were designed for RHD and were useless on the street in the US. but they looked cool!