Prototyping a speedster body w/cardboard

[RansomEli]

Am going to fabricate/prototype a speedster body for my car. Planning to use derogated cardboard. Is there anything special I should use instead? I also want to mock up a gas tank, so need something that will bend into a curve easily.

 

What do you guys use?

[jan arnett (2)]

I would not use cardboard, as it is to stiff.  I prefer roofing paper.  It is stiff but still flexible and cheap.  Get chalk and use it for marking.  Styrofoam building material works great for bucks.

[alsancle]

To get really nice bends you should use small width strips of wood like what we used when building soap box derbys 40 years ago.  You can get some really nice curves depending on how good you are making the inner bulkheads.

[RansomEli]

Thanks for the advice. I was wondering on how to bends and curves.

[alsancle]

Use varying widths but of course uniform thickness.  The key is the interior bulkheads.  If you look at any picture of 1950s Italian body builders you can see the body bucks lined up down the chassis.

 

This is a soapbox derby built 100% with strips of wood and the fiberglassed.

[jan arnett (2)]

There is a facebook group dedicated to building speedsters which you need to join.  It is very active and post several articles a day on designing and building speedsters. There are articles on building bucks, using alum., wood strip building, fibergrass, brakes, ect.   Here is the link. It is a members only group but that should not be a problem.   https://www.facebook.com/search/str/ford%2Bmodel%2Bt%2C%2Bmodel%2Ba%2Bspeedsters%2C%2Bcyclecars%2Band%2Bother%2Bmarques/keywords_search?filters_rp_author=groups(me)

[RansomEli]

Jan Arnett, 

 

I joined the Facebook Speedster group and you're right - it does have lots of helpful tips and pictures. 

 

Thanks.