www.spyderclub.com

lancelot link · Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 6:42 am Post subject: 550 measurements...

Hi,
I recently acquired a B*nham body to build a Spyder replica.....These bodies were stretched to 94.5'' wheelbase to fit the Skoda underpinnings ! NOT THE BEST !

I am going to shorten the previously stretched thing to get her a bit more in perspective....

I have had some info before about correct measurements but am looking for a bit more....please ?

I understand the doors are meant to be 30'' long ...is that the standard , slightly stretched cockpit on the replica's or the original 550 measurement ?

Also the rear bulkhead measurement is 3.5'' - 4.5'' long , I believe ?...can someone give me the top dead centre true measurement for that length ?

Having looked at pics and measured the Banham , I can see that he stretched the doors to 33.75'' and the rear bulkhead is around 8.5-9'' long from cockpit to clam section , T.D.C. I'm looking for another 1.75'' somewhere ...roughly...
Looking at the front door edge to front arch area , it appears to be longer here on the Banham than original. The bulkhead/scuttle area where the screen fits is about right but the fender looks wrong. I think I need to cut a section from the hood area back and along into the rear section of the fender to close this area down without affecting the scuttle....

Could somebody please give me the measurement from the rear edge of the fender ( where it forms a point on the A pillar at the meeting point of the front inner edge of the door , down to the front edge of the fender immediately at the point the headlamp rim meets the body in the centre ?
Also , a hood length would help me workout things here as well...please ?

Also a confirmed rocker height would be cool.....The banham looks a bit slimmer there as well ....9'' from bottom to door shut edge , The measurement 11'' rings a bell from previously but not sure...

ANY HELP GREATLY APPRECIATED.....I'm not looking to create perfection , just get back some of the perspective of the original bodies from this stretched out thing !!

Heres a pic of the 550 limo !! to illustrate what I mean...

THANK YOU

beck688 · Old Timer Joined: 08 Feb 2009 Posts: 617 Location:

Go here

http://www.pelicanparts.com/literature/550blueprint/550_large.JPG

lancelot link · Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 9:01 am Post subject:

Thank you Beck668 , I have already been working with that set of drawings......unfortunately , it doesn't give me the dimensions I'm looking for....

Larry Jowdy · Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 10:26 am Post subject:

I think it would work if you determine what scale they are using. Once you know the scale, any measurements you're seeking should be relatively easy to calculate

lancelot link · Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 10:36 am Post subject:

Yes ...you are right Larry ...good call. I can do some math and get close...

If anyone could spare the time to run a tape over their car , I would be very greatful as well...

THANKS

Bart · Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 10:47 am Post subject:

If you have someone able to use a CAD program it could be worked out to scale pretty easily and then dimensioned.

beck688 · Old Timer Joined: 08 Feb 2009 Posts: 617 Location:

just print it out. the distance between the taillights is 42.12 inches -- that is all you need to know, if that distance on paper or on the screen is 4 inches than you are close to 1 inch equals 10 inches -- 1/2 inch equals 5 inches 1/4 inch equals 2.5 inches 1/8 inch equals 1.25 inches etc. A caliper helps but a good ruler is all than is required. (learned this when a cad was just a lounge lizard).

lancelot link · Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 7:59 am Post subject:

Worked it out thank you guys ....managed to work backwards and get the 85'' wheelbase and think I sussed the 82.7'' as well...my guess is stock doors are about 38mm ( 1.5'') shorter than the repops and the rear of the cockpit looks to have been stretched back from the B pillar about 20mm (0.8'') ...

I read that the stock 82.7'' was stretched on the repops to 85'' to get taller drivers in easier....Can anyone advise me if there was any other advantages and also any reason why I shouldn't go back to 82.7'' whilst I'm at it ? !!

Sorry for the newbie type questions , but I'm thinking of moulding this body before I use it and can't help but think that 82.7'' would be of more interest....

danstern · Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 10:26 am Post subject:

Porsche went to 86.6" for the RS 60, so it was a matter of evolution, handling, and rules. Depends how accurate you're trying to be, as you'll be the only one who knows the difference.
Dan

daVinci 550 · Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 6:05 pm Post subject:

lancelot,

See if you can take a straight-on side photo of your shell for comparison with these two. The bottom is the most side-on photo of an original I could find, however, you will see it does not line up exactly with the blueprint. There were a few variations on the early Spyders. The one in the blueprint appears to be a slightly different variation than the ones our Spyders and the original below came from.

gotowo · Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 7:54 pm Post subject:

In the next few days I will be getting my hands on a heap of the original 550 blueprints with everything from dimensions to wiring harnesses. I will post up anything that will help

daVinci 550 · Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 5:04 am Post subject:

I realize there is a slight angle difference and perhaps is shot w/a wide angle lense, but even when I lined up the front and back ends the axles did not line up.

John Jennings · Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 11:02 am Post subject:

Also bear in mind that the fibreglass cars are longer than the original cars - I believe they were stretched about 4" overall to accomodate taller drivers. The correct wheelbase is 2100mm as noted on the blueprints.

daVinci 550 · Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 4:57 pm Post subject:

The blue car is an original Porsche...

gotowo · Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 2:42 pm Post subject:

Don't ya love it - even the rear jack points have blueprints Wink