Can't stand wordy, nebulous idea posts? Don't like looking up strange words? Do you prefer/need lots of chopping and cutting and sparks and welding? Run away now and avoid the rush. Here is the deal. I am crazy, anyone here will vouch for that. I am not concerned about my condition, its either a bug or a feature. I write many sentences and use many words, pictures are going to be few and far between. Thank you for your time up to now, depart or stay as you will; there is no bravery medal, cookies and milk or tequila shots for having suffered through my posting. You continue beyond this point at your own risk.
Here is the meat of the idea. I have a inexpensive, 2 door, "office" that has a set ride height and wheel base. It is currently a mid engine configuration. In actual fact it is a cut up Chevy Cobalt with the power lump relocated to the rear axle position. Removing much of the front sheet metal and cutting away the rear panels through it's quarter windows, leaving the uni-body frame in tact. On the cheap, it has the same suspension front and rear.
This unit is the first prototype of my creature GOB-BALT. It has suffered many mods, leaving me with "a Hooman Compartment" that rolls and the rest of the body is meh. So the "middle" of this project/creation is finished, it just needs a clam shell front and rear sections designed and built to become a car again. One of my inspirations is the deTomaso, Vallelunga, 1964.
I am thinking minimal welded tubular extensions off the existing unit frame. Adding fiberglass or even repurposed kit car body bits. Front would pivot like a Spitfire and rear would articulate opposite. W/B is currently 103.3" Most all measurements are stock Cobalt.
Posting likely look alike possibilities is a great start. Terrify us all with your drawing sKillz! Show off! It Is still a free country. This IS the Internet after all, annonimity is the name of the game here! Put on your Bertone' Ital Design goggles, induldge in some pure Ethanol courage(if that is your thing) and get a little WILD! Or don't, as you desire.
Saw this and thought Id have a bit of fun with it, did a few taking inspiration from gruppe 5 using mk3 ford 'scort lights but I didnt like how the square 80's styling went with the rounded cobalt so I did the digital drawings and ended with the one in the top right that uses honda S2000 lights, a few are also from another project.
Fun, don't forget the clamshell seam.
In reply to AhBNormal :
" Run away now and avoid the rush."
Here we go AGAIN ! ! ! !
In reply to MuSTANK :
No Medals, No cookies and milk, no Tequila shots! No rewards of any type is promised or inferred!
In reply to Mugglesworth :
Dang Muggs! You are in the hot zone! 
Anxious to see what happens after you've slept on it!!
Muggs, did you look up the Valleunga? That tail treatment is either fully inspired by?, or an amazing coincidence!
In reply to Mndsm :
Yes, I shall. If this is too much of a tribulation for any reader, feel free... etc.
In reply to AhBNormal :
I did have a glance at it and its a good looking car, but i did that drawing quite a while ago actually, ive always liked the 60's-70's italian car rear ends so its inspired by a few of those
Look into the story of the Vallelunga. There were plenty of rear engines road cars in the early 60's but mid engine road cars was an empty class.
The "Kamm tail" on the Vallelunga is appealing to me. A clam shell rear would help engine access. Many of your drawings favoring the original front were great!
Modding the rear of the frame to lengthen the wheelbase is the easier end to change IMO as the entire front structure is intact after the engine move. From the B pillar back could be all tube frame and clam shell. (Maybe a cross between the 60's Lotus Europa and the Opel GT?)
If you could go through your drawings and group them and give them "names" or even just "group numbers" that would aid discussing individual "models".
I am amazed by your response and humbled to receive your efforts! Thank You!
I really hope you are having fun with this exercise, I know I'm enjoying it!
In reply to Mugglesworth :
Looking closely at your computer drawings it appears from the wheels drawn in those images I am using the same found image. I am in an area with little internet and my phone doesn't want to move pix from my phone onto the forum.
(I am old and not very computer savvy.) My life will probably keep me on the road for the next 2 years. So progress will be very slow at best!
For this one i decided to go with more of a modern revival of the vallelunga and heavily base the design on it, the problem with that is the cobalt is quite a tall car with a very raked belt line (the exact opposite of the vallelunga), but i did the best i could with it, i would recommend getting the subframes as high into the body as possible to retain some decent roll centre height and use large diameter wheels, perhaps 19x9's to make the car seem better proportioned.
Headlights this time are from a Porsche 987 boxster.
In reply to Mugglesworth :
Wow! I am amazed. I wasn't expecting a reissue of the Valleunga, more along the lines of "inspired by". Your take is impressive! but, as you mentioned, this "cab" is too tall to do it's design justice,{origi1,080 mm (42.5 in)} a point I noted as well. As I mentioned earlier, if a tube sub-frame is constructed in the rear(and even the front), the wheelbase is fungible(within reason). The floor's the limit! haha.(Your clam shell separation lines look good! But I am aiming to reduce glass area and thus cost.)
Me actually building this unit seems remote from where I sit. My major motivation for discussing all of this is to get others to take a long hard look at what vehicles ARE available and to re-imagine THEM! The current market trend is away from coupe bodies and the inexpensive coupe donors list is growing ever shorter. To most folks, cutting away the front and the rear of a body appears near sacrilege! But cars have a lifespan and become old and near worthless in 10 years here! Plus here in the States we have so many people that their "old cars" just stack up. Which I see as opportunity/new raw material. I am saddened when I wander the auto jumbles, seeing the wonderful designs and tech consigned to the scrapper. To my imagination there is much wasted potential awaiting the motivated, creative and brave of heart.
Please post pix of your toys in your garage space here! I sent you a direct message as well.
Muggs?, are you out there?? My wife and I really will be in NZ in November. We'll be driving all over both islands for a month. Would be cool to have lunch and hash out a little more flavor of a design. Cheers!
