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arrocuda
United Kingdom
501 Posts |
 Posted - 05 Feb 2015 : 07:53:30
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Hi all.....
Decided to offer a complete Rapier shell for anyone who may be looking to fix up a 'basket case' but can't find the time. Is generally sound with good front wings, floors ok. Needs a little welding around the front scuttle. Only dodgy panel is the rear valance but can be fabricated fairly easily. Is too good to break and I know someone's gonna come on here asking us if we know of one for sale if I do.
Getting on with the project car this year so could use the space. Probably enough spares here to build another car and some, so can throw in extras if required. Still got some Holbay bits if anyone's looking out for them.
Give me a knock on here if anyone's interested. Was thinking of mounting it on to a Kia Sportage chassis if nobody's interested and having it as a 4 x 4 'winter car' as this Audi GT coupe isn't as good as I thought it might be in snowy conditions. Feel it could be a bit of a waste of a good Rapier shell though.
Tim.
Building the 'Mark II' fastback Rapier ('Arrocuda'). |
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bigt80
United Kingdom
1052 Posts |
Posted - 05 Feb 2015 : 11:43:20
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That sounds like a good starting point for someone. I've got a couple of projects on the go, but I hope the shells will have survived well enough; although stored outside.
I hope you get some enquiries.
Being a bit of an Audi B2 fan also, I know what you mean about the FWD's in the snow & ice. Just sold my 90 Quattro, but down south the weather has been OK, so 80 GTE's are fine to get about in 
Cheers. G. |
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arrocuda
United Kingdom
501 Posts |
Posted - 06 Feb 2015 : 09:26:05
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Hi Glen..... Sorry about the postings. I first posted it in 'Parts Wanted'... realised (the next day), it should have been "Parts For Sale' so cut 'n pasted it. Then thought perhaps I've completely goofed and should have put it in 'Cars For Sale'.... so pasted it there too.  .... Losing the plot completely here.
Yep I considered buying a Quattro coupe, but if I had one I'd be reluctant to take it out in bad conditions as there's an awful lot of clueless drivers around here, so even if I'm careful, there's a fair chance of it getting damaged. GT coupes are for nothing by comparison so they are 'expendable' to a far greater degree.
TBH a Rapier would be a poor choice for this as the heater and venting system are next to useless and they are prone to condensation when left parked up. Probably make more sense to buy a more modern car and cut the front off to fit it to the chassis, that way wheelbase isn't a problem. Then you could have all the creature comforts in a package you could hoon around in without worrying if it got damaged. Maybe a PT cruiser could be the answer cos then you could just put mud splashers on the front wheels, maybe some steel channel for a fender and to mount some lights on, so as to make it legal.
Got me thinking now! 
Building the 'Mark II' fastback Rapier ('Arrocuda'). |
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bigt80
United Kingdom
1052 Posts |
Posted - 07 Feb 2015 : 16:50:57
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Hi again arrocuda,
No worries on the postings, just tidying up :-). I sort of know what you mean about the bit below, but I have to say for an old system, I find the air-blending Rapier heater much more controllable than the Audi's Water valve one and it warms up quicker too; esp compared to my 5 cylinder ones. Agree back window is reluctant to shed water - both inside and out, but if car is watertight then I don't find it too much of a problem. Have been using the Rapier this winter from time to time
Look forward to your thoughts on a way forward if you'd like to share them on here . Cheers! G.
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Originally posted by arrocuda
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TBH a Rapier would be a poor choice for this as the heater and venting system are next to useless and they are prone to condensation when left parked up.
Got me thinking now!
Building the 'Mark II' fastback Rapier ('Arrocuda').
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arrocuda
United Kingdom
501 Posts |
Posted - 07 Feb 2015 : 21:28:36
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[quote]Originally posted by bigt80
Look forward to your thoughts on a way forward if you'd like to share them on here . Cheers! G.
You're making it look like I've got some kind of plan Glen. I was just looking at it a few weeks back and thought that I really need to do something with it (the Rapier), and it occurred to me a couple of weeks back that a 4 x 4 would be a handy thing to have. Don't want a 'jeep' though, so this could be a solution.
If I were going to use the Rapier I'd probably cut the front off and keep the wings as spares for the project car cos they are getting hard to find. Then I'd use everything right down to the wiring loom from the kia. That way it would keep it pretty simple. Probably even swap the dash and the heater/vent system cos the screen vents are so tiny on the Rapier. Swapping the dash out solves all the instrumentation incompatibility problems.
Not sure the body would look right with a hotrod open front, so I'd probably put some fins on the back to keep it in character. One thing about that car is that the seals were working perfectly, so it shouldn't be too difficult to make it water tight.
I've still got a fair amount to do on the project car, so is no point making any hasty decisions. Might as well just leave it on here for now, but if there are no takers for it, I might just give it a shot. Might just try a 'photo-chop' first to get a feel for how it would look. Be a shame to waste a good shell on something I didn't care for in the end.
Tim.
Building the 'Mark II' fastback Rapier ('Arrocuda'). |
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arrocuda
United Kingdom
501 Posts |
Posted - 10 Feb 2015 : 10:18:33
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Hey Glen....... are you thinking what I'm thinking?
Building the 'Mark II' fastback Rapier ('Arrocuda'). |
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bigt80
United Kingdom
1052 Posts |
Posted - 11 Feb 2015 : 21:47:46
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Well you know it has been done before!
Just found some documents which I passed to our Archivist, but can't find a pic just now. I will post one up when I do. Unfortunately despite best efforts to save it, it was scrapped some 8 - 10 years ago. Reg Guy our ex President was the one that did the conversion with help from a mate. Nice one it made too .
Cheers. G. |
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arrocuda
United Kingdom
501 Posts |
Posted - 12 Feb 2015 : 09:55:12
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Be interested to see the pic when you find it. The thing to bear in mind regarding monococque pickup conversions is that over here, DVLA rules will not allow for the re-registration of a saloon or coupe that has been converted to a 'commercial' vehicle. So you can't even take it for a BIVA test. Hence the reason as to why you see an awful lot of them 'floating' around the bay with descriptions that say things like.... 'just needs tidying up for MOT', when what they really mean is they couldn't find a licensed MOT man to say that the vehicle, (as registered), has no structural infringements of the MOT examination specifications.
Only way you can legally register it is to mount it on a chassis and then inform the DVLA and they will reclassify it as an xxxxxx 'special', where xxxxxx is the original vehicle that was registered on the same chassis. Only reason we are afforded this 'loophole' is because it harks back to the days when all vehicles were chassis built and coach builders such as Park Royal made 'one offs' for extremely wealthy people.
I suspect that the one in the pic I found is maybe Eastern European as it is LHD and Western European countries fitness to run rules are generally far more stricter than ours when it comes to modified vehicles. There recently was a proposal to put forward an EU directive stating that modifications outside the OEM specifications would be 'outlawed', but so far the DOT's response has been favourable to modders in that they believe that such a system would be unworkable and have no plans to change the rules here. Upsetting a few 'redneck modders' is one thing but if Lord Chumley can't drive his unique Rolls Royce Balmoral shooting brake to the Henley Regatta anymore there will be hell to pay!
Having already exempted pre1960 cars from MOT altogether it strikes me that they think that for a relatively small proportion of vehicles on the road, way under 1%, going to such lengths would be a waste of departmental resources especially when they are trying to cut governmental admin' costs.
Tim
Building the 'Mark II' fastback Rapier ('Arrocuda'). |
Edited by - arrocuda on 12 Feb 2015 10:09:51 |
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arrocuda
United Kingdom
501 Posts |
Posted - 15 Feb 2015 : 20:32:51
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Hey Glen.... The Audi might be 'reprieved' after all. I was down at the local supermarket today when I spotted a Kia Sportage being parked up. I managed to get out of going in, which wasn't difficult cos my partner usually prefers to go alone. She's not into 'speed shopping' and I'm not much of a browser. Anyway... I took the opportunity to measure it up with a tape measure I'd left in the car.
The ride height is about 8" and with closer inspection and measuring the sills on the Rapier when I got back, I calculated that the best I could hope for is around 7" sill to floor. That's over 2" higher than standard. Thinking it would end up looking more like a 60's gasser than a hotrod I was disappointed. Then... whilst explaining what it was all about on the way home, it occurred to me that maybe a gasser is the way to go cos it would afford me the chance to resolve the front end problem by fitting a glass fibre flip bonnet. (Standard mod' on gassers of the time).... so as to lighten the front end whilst making access to the engine bay easier.
This way I could remove all the panels beyond the bulkhead, bolt it down to the chassis, and then install the flip on to hinges mounted on the forward end of the chassis. Like this....
Only tough parts to construct are the wings, but I've already got one glass fibre wing so finding another shouldn't be too difficult. Would probably work best if I gave the flip a more 60's look, so might have to steal a radiator grille off of a 300c or something. There's a glass fibre works that do one offs about 10 miles from here, so I might drop by and ask them to give me a price.
Could always save a few quid and chuck one off a Triumph Vitesse on, don't think a Spitfire one would be big enough!
Building the 'Mark II' fastback Rapier ('Arrocuda'). |
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arrocuda
United Kingdom
501 Posts |
Posted - 23 Mar 2015 : 20:27:05
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Hi Glen.... I just thought I'd let you know that I went round the glass fibre works today and was told that the guy that started the company doing car wings and panels had retired a few years back and since then they had diversified into supplying 'street furniture', mostly waste bins from what I saw inside his unit, to local councils.
Anyways.... I'm ditching the pickup idea too cos its not like I'm a builder and could really use a pickup, so driving around in one for half the year seems a bit pointless. Probably never get around to it but if I do I might just chop the front off a PT croozer and bolt the body down to the chassis. Put some splashers over the front wheels and a couple of pieces of steel channel with a radiator grill on the front and annoy the neighbours for a while.
Thing is if your not careful you can end up with another lengthy project on your hands and right now I want to finish off the current 'project' car and do a 'Moosey' for a while and enjoy it.
Building the 'Mark II' fastback Rapier ('Arrocuda'). |
Edited by - arrocuda on 23 Mar 2015 20:28:55 |
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chazr
United Kingdom
72 Posts |
Posted - 30 Mar 2015 : 11:05:19
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| hi tim how much you looking for the shell and where are you based. charley |
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bigt80
United Kingdom
1052 Posts |
Posted - 30 Mar 2015 : 12:01:16
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Hi accocuda: sorry I'd missed your posts previously, on the thoughts on a flip-up bonnet: sounded very interesting, but as you've subsequently said - a lot of work. Too many projects! Like me & you'll see on here that I've just acquired another.  . Cheers. G. |
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arrocuda
United Kingdom
501 Posts |
Posted - 31 Mar 2015 : 08:59:47
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Hi Glen.... You're the man who knows no fear, taking on another project with two already on the go and your existing car to maintain. Right now for me, I'm missing having a 70's coupe that's actually road legal, so I need to stay focused. Screwing around with a 4 x 4 chassis would probably be a bit of fun if I'm not feeling guilty that I'm wasting time that could be better spent on the project car.
What is this 'mystery' project anyway?
Building the 'Mark II' fastback Rapier ('Arrocuda'). |
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arrocuda
United Kingdom
501 Posts |
Posted - 31 Mar 2015 : 09:21:32
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Hi Chaz... Don't have a price in mind as such, but I'm not looking for silly money. All depends how much you need really. Is enough here to build a complete car, although some things like the seats would be very ropey. Also the shell, although generally pretty sound will need a few hours TLC with a Mig to make it ready for paintwork and rebuilding, but you should be able sort this using your donor car as the bits needed are not in areas that normally rust.
I live in Burnley and your welcome to come and give it a looking over or I could probably send some pics of the local areas that need attention. Are you reshelling a basket case or looking for a complete body with doors, bonnet, boot etc?
Tim
Building the 'Mark II' fastback Rapier ('Arrocuda'). |
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chazr
United Kingdom
72 Posts |
Posted - 04 Apr 2015 : 11:16:04
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| Hi tim it ain't quite a basket case most of the welding is on the back end all though a bit round the corner of the back windscreen is needed some photos would be great thanks charley |
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onefunkyman
United Kingdom
60 Posts |
Posted - 07 Apr 2015 : 08:52:24
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Is that shell still available?
i've just bought a convertable H120, and yes i do mean that! (i can coll the floor back and sweep the car into the garage! |
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F/b Rapier shell for sale
