looking for input on new build possibility

Hello Everyone,  Most of you know me from my Cheetah inspired build.  A friend of mine wanted my "Wildcat" and I agreed to sell it to him. It was essentially a prototype with used engine, used wheels, gel coat finish.  It's a very nice driving car, but, I wanted to build one to a high standard with new LS3 and Tremec TKX transmission, and a great paint job.  My friend, is a professional body man and a great painter.  He will paint what I build.  

I've built a few cars over the years.  After shaping the body I have to pull molds so that I can lay up a usable fiberglass copy.  Years ago I did a car I called the Dragon 2.  I ended up selling the molds to a  brother in law and he sold a few kits for it.  Unfortunately he is not well.  I have acquired the molds back.  I love both cars but can only build one this winter.  

Both cars use my dedicated frame. (93 inch wheel base for the Wildcat. 98 inch for the Dragon.  Both use C4 Corvette suspension.  

I'm interested in opinions as to which cars looks is liked more.  I understand that my cars are unique and that not everyone will either of them. :).  I'm OK with that.

Dragon

I prefer the Cheetah-inspired car. Love that rear 3/4 view especially.

Wildcat every day.

Twice on Sunday.

When porn doesn't do it for me, I look at the Wildcat.

Cheetah.

Not the dragon.  The top one is about as perfect as it gets 

Wildcat. 

Man that ass looks good. 

Top one - I see the Cheetah......

I have my answer!  Thank you very much.

When shaping the car I agonized over the rear end.  I tried several different looks until I settled on the one see in the pictures.  Even now I wonder if the rear deck  is little plain.  

Man, if you could put that Wildcat body out as a kit for a Miata...  The wheelbase is off a smidge, though. 

stroker said:

Man, if you could put that Wildcat body out as a kit for a Miata...  The wheelbase is off a smidge, though. 

The wheelbase, width, cowl, and seating position are all off to fit a Miata.  I've been toying with the idea of fitting it to a C4 Corvette.  It requires a 3 inch lengthening of the cockpit. It also requires stripping the Vette down to the bare frame. From there a drop in, then weld in substructure would be required to support the body and and stiffen the frame torsionally.  Ideally the engine would be moved rearward by about 12 inches.  It would be quite a bit of work.  I'm not sure how many, if anyone would want to do it.  

C4 frame

Test fitting the body to the C4 frame

Having Fun!

The frame I recently put together for the Cheetah.  Test fitting an LS engine/TKX and shocks. (not the shocks that I will be using)

Better picture of the Dragon.  I drove this the day after finishing it from NH to Southern CA.  No top. No heater. Left NH in 34 degree weather.  Then drove it back to NH.  Had fun. 

Not to run against the grain here, but the Dragon is stunning in my opinion. I love how impossibly low it is.

Both look great, but I'm definitely partial to the Wildcat.

Might be a dumb question, but for the Wildcat, have you ever considered hinged doors and/or a small trunk?  Understood it would add complexity (and given the lines, I'm not even sure where you could begin/end doors), but both of those things would hugely increase the spousal approval factor.  :D

I'm loving the Dragon! It looks like it can work well as a coupe too!

Rotaryracer said:

Both look great, but I'm definitely partial to the Wildcat.

Might be a dumb question, but for the Wildcat, have you ever considered hinged doors and/or a small trunk?  Understood it would add complexity (and given the lines, I'm not even sure where you could begin/end doors), but both of those things would hugely increase the spousal approval factor.  :D

I agree about doors and trunk.  The Dragon has a trunk and could have doors incorporated.  If I remember correctly it's 24 inches from the ground to the top of body where you step into the cockpit.  An opening door could reduce that to 18 inches.

The Cheetah that I'm building now has storage on top of the frame to the bottom of the body behind the seats.  It will take soft things easily but no good for groceries. :). A trunk can be incorporated.

Doors on the Cheetah are more problematic.  The Cheetah coupe used Gull Wing doors.  The seating position is so far rearward and the cockpit so short that swinging doors wouldn't really provide much ingress/egress ease.  The side of the body that you step over is about 29 inches.  Once your in the car you are held snuggly in place.

Because you sit so far rearward in the Cheetah the sensation is that the car rotates around your hips when cornering.  I find it a unique and pretty cool feeling.