Project Pistachio - (scratch-built) '64 Fiat 500

[toddshotrods]

I've been wrestling with the fact that Schism, while being a great teaching tool for our interns and volunteers, doesn't quite feel like it's "mine". When I am not working with the Team, I have little interest in it, other than designing new parts to create more tasks for them. They're always the focus, not the car. Logic has been telling me to donate it back into the company, and find something I am more passionate about, but what I would do next has been the big question.

I finally made a decision. One of the Team members kept sending me videos of microcars with bike engines, and eventually I caught the bug. I settled on a Fiat 500 (the old kind), but never one to take the easy way out or do what's "normal", I also decided to just build the whole thing from scratch, body included. '64 is an arbitrary number, chosen because I always thought it would be cool to have a hot rod that was born in the same year I was. :rolleyes: It's based on our G-bucket platform, with Fiero suspension front and rear (because it's sitting on the shelf), a 900 Ninja engine, and a small AC electric motor for Prius-like hybrid drive and reverse. I have four huge blocks of foam that will become the body plug, as soon as I finish the model. I'm aiming for well under 1000lbs; like 750 of 'em, if possible.

Without further ado, I give you project "Pistachio":
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/pistachio/forums/buildpics/001.jpg
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/pistachio/forums/buildpics/002.jpg
The CAD renderings are rough because I am using a free (Google SketchUp) 3D model of the body to sort out the layout and forms. When I am happy with it, I will model the whole thing over, using this mesh mess as a guide. I could make the meshes render smoother but that just bogs my computer down, with no real benefit. To date: I have rolled the front and rear fascias, scaled the flares up to VW fender sizes, and shaved a bunch of crap. Those are 345-section width rear tires, compliments of our chassis and the relatively narrow bike engine! :unibrow:




The Ninja's gauge cluster looks like it was made to fit over the Honda Accord steering column. I plan to make paddle shifters which will pull cables attached to a lever on the Ninja's shifter shaft.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/pistachio/forums/buildpics/003.jpg
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/pistachio/forums/buildpics/004.jpg


http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/pistachio/forums/buildpics/005.jpg
Hopefully, you can find Pistachio's chassis in the clutter. We're in the midst of reorganizing and all that stuff in the background is stacked and hung on the back wall, awaiting reassignment to a permanent home.

[legend]

http://picasaweb.google.com/101783613621763105026/NieuwProjectTheDuc?gsessionid=REhcZXhtRspFde1VtKvY Vw#

some great ideas in this build :thumbsup:

[toddshotrods]

http://picasaweb.google.com/101783613621763105026/NieuwProjectTheDuc?gsessionid=REhcZXhtRspFde1VtKvY Vw#

some great ideas in this build :thumbsup:

Thanks for sharing that legend! :thumbsup: It was good to be able to compare what I'm doing to a similar idea that sticks closer to the original.

It also reinforced why I chose to do a composite body from scratch - there wouldn't be anything left, except maybe the roof shell (probably because I just haven't made it up that high in CAD yet). :willy: I've read quite a few times on major builds where very little of the original vehicle survived, and I know how far I have to go to have peace with it, so I usually just start modeling. If I had the skills, or time to learn them, I'd roll and hammer this body out of aluminum sheet, but I don't so it will be composite.

I see he has an engine start button too. I am using a Honda S2000 button, which will be mounted where the key tumbler was in the Accord column. One of the biggest design ideas that pushed me towards building this was the thought of pushing that button, hearing the little four come to life, and then pulling the paddles at 11K - like a microexotic! :woot: I am going to try a Flowmaster (original 40-series) and hope it doesn't sound like a ricer fart can. Hopefully, Flowmaster's technology will cancel the right frequencies and bounce the good ones out the back. I had a pipe on my old KZ1000 that had a warm, deep, rich, exhaust note. I ran an open pipe (no baffle) and that pipe was 4-2-1, with a very unique can shape. This is 4-1, but hopefully the Flowmaster will do the trick...

[legend]

The McLaren F1 stylist built some and did the shell as a clay model from scratch, I'll go look it up

http://www.simod.co.uk/barchetta_595.htm

here ya go
http://www.simod.co.uk/barcgirls.jpg

and these guys too it a stage further
http://www.simod.co.uk/xlr8.htm

http://www.simod.co.uk/xlr8%20chassis%20grey.jpg

http://www.simod.co.uk/xlr8%20chassis%20rear.jpg

chassis looks up to the job, but I'd want a cage in something so light and fast

[toddshotrods]

That's pretty cool. I like the tube chassis, but agree with you - a little more cage would be nice. I insist on it in something this small.

[Al Moreno]

http://www.simod.co.uk/barcgirls.jpg

Are those girls sitting on the grass? Oh, wait....... there's a car in that picture!

[OLDFLM]

I still have a 1960 Austin Healey Bugeye at my parents in NW Ohio that would make a great project like this! It started out as a father/son project but then I found my Firebird. Love the idea of this build!! :thumbsup:

[toddshotrods]

I still have a 1960 Austin Healey Bugeye at my parents in NW Ohio that would make a great project like this! It started out as a father/son project but then I found my Firebird. Love the idea of this build!! :thumbsup:
Thanks! :) I think it's going to be a lot of fun. I was thinking this morning that something like this has to be a blast to rip around autocross and short road courses in. IIRC, the original Mini was a formidable competition and I'll have a little more power, a little more tire... :unibrow: :yes:

[legend]

sorry to be spamming your thread with stuff, but DPcars.net schemed up a bike engined mini on their DP1 chassis, looks like loads of fun

http://www.dpcars.net/dp1test/dj.htm

[toddshotrods]

sorry to be spamming your thread with stuff, but DPcars.net schemed up a bike engined mini on their DP1 chassis, looks like loads of fun

http://www.dpcars.net/dp1test/dj.htm

No problem. That's actually pretty interesting, pretty cool. That would be one helluva an old Mini. :yes:

[toddshotrods]

One of the main issues I had with Schism for a Todd Perkins Design company project was, to satisfy the immediate needs of the Inhaler Project, it became heavily biased towards hand fabrication. While that's great for marketing the Inhaler Project's ability to mentor and develop incredibly skilled individuals, it was kind of crippling for my (typically CAD based) design work. I do develop a lot of the patterns for Schism in CAD, but that's not the ultimate expression of my work I was seeking to showcase with the project.

To make sure that doesn't happen again, I am basing everything on design with Pistachio. The actual car is a tangible expression of creative design, and this is not a case of design work merely being a support mechanism for a physical car. This art rendering will evolve and grow with the project, but the most important thing was to set the tone for the project, to try and maintain my focus.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/pistachio/forums/buildpics/009.jpg
"Abarth-Ninja" and "old meets new" are the key themes in the concept. I replaced the Italian flag colors with U.S. colors in the badge's banner section, then replaced the scorpion with a Ninja "action figure" silhouette, over the upholstery and paint colors; narrowed the lower band of the ralleye stripe, and added the Ninja script. The second step in setting the tone for the body (and project) was to incorporate the new style rag top. Now I start to smooth out and detail the body to guide my CAD work.

[HWY Nova]

Todd,

What CAD software are you using?



--Eric

[toddshotrods]

Todd,

What CAD software are you using?



--Eric
Hey Eric,

The stuff in this thread was done in Rhino. I use it for surface modeling, and "sketching". It is capable of pretty good precision though. I have done quite a few engineering type parts in Rhino (still surfaces) that machined and worked perfectly.

For more conventional, engineering tolerance, stuff I use Pro/E. Here's an example: the motor mount for my electric motorcycle project, modeled in Pro/E.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/scrape/forums/buildpics/023.jpg

[HWY Nova]

I use Pro/E.




Todd,

Thanks for the response. I had used Pro/E for about 10 years, but switched to SolidWorks in 2000.


--Eric

[toddshotrods]

Todd,

Thanks for the response. I had used Pro/E for about 10 years, but switched to SolidWorks in 2000.


--Eric

I've been thinking about switching; honestly, just because everyone and their mother uses SolidWorks. Which one do you like best? I remember reading in another thread here about someone that had used Pro/E for a long time and switched but hasn't used Wildfire - was that you? The complex I'm located in has SolidWorks on some of their public computers, so I am going to give it a test drive one day.

[HWY Nova]

Todd,

I like SolidWorks so much better. Wildfire was coming out right as I was switching over. I have not seen the latest Wildfire run.

I'll send you a PM later.




--Eric

[rustomatic]

What happened?

[toddshotrods]

What happened?

All of my projects were training tools for a non-profit program I tried to establish. It gave high school and college students hands on experience building this stuff, under my direction. Unfortunately we failed to fund the program, or get any real cooperation from the schools. All of the projects were cancelled, and sold off; mostly as parts. Sorry.

I am still building my electric motorcycle, but it's beyond the scope of this forum, so I haven't been very active here.

[rustomatic]

Well, there's another strike against young people having cool skills. There's always the minimum wage route after high school...

I'm guessing that we'll see some cool stuff from you outside the scope of non-profiteering, however...

[toddshotrods]

Well, there's another strike against young people having cool skills. There's always the minimum wage route after high school...

I'm guessing that we'll see some cool stuff from you outside the scope of non-profiteering, however...

Most of these kids were on their way to make good money, as most were engineering students from universities. The mechanical engineering and industrial design kids ate this stuff up, and were thrilled to get the opportunity to actually touch the materials, rather than just doing simulations on computers. They were in the shop working on 90-100+ degree, humid-Ohio, summer days - because they wanted to be there...

The schools all said things like, "this is awesome", and "just what we need/are looking for." When it came time to put their money and time where their mouths were though, they went with the typical software-oriented programs; I think mainly because it's easier to get through the bureaucracy, and actually get them approved.:rolleyes:



As for me, other than my bike, I don't really have any plans for new projects. I have been putting all that drive into my (design) client's projects (mostly non-automotive). I would love to be contracted to design a major hot rod project someday, but most of the big builders seem to keep that part of the process in-house, other than art. Maybe I'll develop a relationship with an owner/collector someday, that likes my work and can convince his favorite builder to...

[toddshotrods]

You know, now that I think about it, it's funny that you revived this thread, and said this:
...I'm guessing that we'll see some cool stuff from you outside the scope of non-profiteering, however...

Thank you. :cheers:

I stuffed all my remaining stuff in storage back in January, and committed myself to focusing on client's projects, instead of my own. I was just sitting here mentally taking inventory of what I have left, and where I might go in the future.

Out of all my former projects, this one is the actually the most likely to be revived; or something very similar to it. I have front and rear suspension systems, my go-kart quick Appleton rack, some power/drive train parts, etc. I also remember seeing Smart cars running around, and thinking that I would love to stuff a couple 345s under the back of one, with an ungodly amount of power twisting them, rockers about three inches off the pavement...:stirthepot: :rockin:


It would take an aligning of the stars, but it is possible, someday...