TRIBUTE A352 Hardtop
 

We have been giving the hardtop option for the A352 a little more thought. We will be using a Morris 1000 rear window and part roof section to make a start on the shape to mould from, we just need to pop down the road when it's not raining and cut it of the scrap car that we have found locally.

The mock up photoshop image below, which was posted before, shows the roof line being very low and not overly easy to access (damn my hot rod taste! :icon_twisted:) but in reality the roof will need to be a bit taller.

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...352HARDTOP.jpg

We tried an MX250 roof, but that just doesn't work!!:puke:

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...hardtopNOT.jpg

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...ardtopNOT2.jpg

More ideas and pictures soon.

Some inspiration?
 

Hi Guys, Good luck with the hardtop, heres some inspiration for you.
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=250...9,r:0,s:0,i:68
250 TR replica
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=250...9,r:2,s:0,i:74
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=alf...77&tx=50&ty=67
http://barchetta.mediacenter.studioline.net/?i=1748641
Alfa Romeo Disco Volante
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=alf...9,r:2,s:0,i:74
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=alf...77&tx=50&ty=67

More inspiration
 

http://www.1950sspecials.com/Falcon_..._hardtop_2.JPG

I think this is closer to how it should look

Thanks for the links guys. I think we will just do the whole 250TR! The alfa looks like a little E-type at the rear!

The Falcon is awesome, if a little tall in the screen! :biggrin:

Hello
Here are some further design references for your consideration.
The 356 hardtop seems to be similar to your original idea.

This may be a stupid question but can you make the doors bigger ( see Silver Bullett images ) to simplify access? The roof design could then remain lower also.


Porsche 356 Speedster hardtop:
http://www.sportscardigest.com/wp-co...er-620x297.jpg
http://www.heroncay.com/WEB-MD/0-0-S...G_7768-800.jpg
http://static.auto-online.ch/car_pic...457227-1-1.jpg
http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/3208/pic336zi0.jpg

1955 Porsche 356 A 'Silver Bullett':
http://www.autosketch.ru/C9/l-1.jpg
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/uploa...he/2120618.jpg
http://993c4s.com/wp-content/uploads...frontview1.jpg
http://www.finecars.cc/typo3temp/GB/f48c71b381.jpg

Regards

Thanks for the links, absolutely love the "Silver Bullet", my kind of car :party:

A very nice man gave me this screen to try on the A352:

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...e/IMG_1921.jpg

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...e/IMG_1922.jpg

Can anyone guess it's original application?

Is it American?

No it's not American. It does look a bit Corvette doesn't it.

A rear window... looks old, I hope you can get a few? Not a speedboat?

It looks very much Jag XKSS with that shape screen, Is it from a spitfire mk3 hardtop? How does the original spitfire front screen look?
What you have mocked up looks good, but I agree it also needs to be attainable, if its not laminated a stone will give you a face full of glass!
I believe some MX5 hardtops are very similar in shape and not all are heated. I presume they are laminated aswell?

Screen from a Vauxhall Cresta, rear window??

Or a 58ish Victor front screen?

Getting close! It's old and it's a rear screen.........

58 ish Sunbeam Rapier

Almost. It's Rootes Group. Actually it probably is the same glass as the Hillman Minx :eusa_clap: :eusa_clap: :eusa_clap: :

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...otive/minx.jpg

I don't think this is likely to be an option in any large number, as these must be hard to find now.

Finally got around to cutting the roof off the Morris, to use as the starting point for the A352 hardtop. It's the first "roof chop" I have done for years.

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/.../minorroof.jpg

An important part of creating the hardtop for the A352 is to have glass that is both cheap and easy to obtain, this is why I have chosen the Morris 1000 roof and glass as a starting point. I Propped up the glass on the A352 today to check fit and head room.

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...352HTglass.jpg

A quick "infill" in Photoshop shows how the finished item may look.

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...A352HTrear.jpg

The roof will be split along the top of the windscreen and hinged at the rear for access.

So is that rear screen the Morris screen, rear, upside down?
It looks good from over here! Will the radius of the door apperture mimic the wheel arches?
Your a clever sod aren't you!

Yes, yes and maybe! :icon_biggrin:

Saw this on another forum and thought of you...

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k2...g/IMG_0338.jpg

Gold Wing Photos by hpbugeye | Photobucket

Enjoy, Paul. :)

Surely a hardtop should be based on the competition lightweight e-type item?

Look at the rear deck...

http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/y...psd14dcfae.jpg

Craig

Any advances on this?

A hardtop inspired by the lightweight e-type and with doors inspired by the sl300.
I think that's a perfect combination for the a352.

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/230...krebro1600.jpg

Now what does the e-type boot flap remind me of?


It is like the baby brother version
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-H...117_161135.jpg

Oddly enough this is what it reminds ME of!
[IMG]http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps4c25e0f4.jpg[/IMG]

Do Tribute Automotive do "turn-key" cars?

I believe they do , yes

Mine (the red one above) is a partial turn-key example. There is a TVR based 250 which is a much better example.

Chris is a very helpful person to talk to to discuss your requirements. i needed him to do the skilled stuff while I just did the finishing off and he obliged.

Okay. I don’t have the facilities (or the skills...) to even finish a kit-car project.
I just love the design of the a352.

Btw how much extra did you (WorldClassAccident) have to pay for a partial turn-key version over a basic kit model?

And how was the quality of the work made on the partial turn-key car?

My thread is here : http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...ead.php?t=4253

The price is kind of irrelevant as I had very specific needs and Chris was creating my car from scratch rather than using an existining kit - in fact he used several existing kits, cut them up, glued them back together, added extra bits, took a mold from it and then created the end result you see. I am guessing yours will be more straight forward but talk to Chris about what you want, what your budget is and work out how close you can get to either of them.

The quality I am really pleased with. What I had agreed with Chris originally was to receive the car in a road legal state ready for primer and paint. As the project evolved we agreed that we should show the car in Exeter so Chris splashed some paint over it. Please do not judge the paint job, it was a quick fix and will be resprayed properly as all of Chris's cars are.

The panels are all good, straight and smooth. All of the bits fit. All of the openings and closing bits open and close correctly. Everything mechanical and electrical works, even the modified bonnet release.

Where are you based? If it is near Southampton I am happy to meet up one weekend. If it is near Stevenage I am up there one evening a week for most weeks this side of Christmas and possibly into January.

Your best bet is to talk with Chris, or go and meet him if possible, to discuss what you want. If it is an 'off the shelf' A352 it can probably be done via the phone initially with further details agreed when the car is delivered.

PM me if you want more details or a set of wire wheels.

I think as long as you keep a turnkry build pretty stratforward and don't complicate the build with asking for any custom featurs ,then chris will be able to acomadate you most satisfactorily .
I do recommend that you start with the best spitfire you can find within your budget. it will make the build faster and possibly cheaper as any restoraton work done to the car will have to be charged for. your name on here makes me feel you may be from Germany. if I an right it is worth noting these types of cars are commanding high money in Germany at the moment , so it is very possible that even having a car built for you professionaly will give you a profit on resale or at the very least make it a sound investment.

WorldClaasAccident
Sound like it should be called "Tribute Coachbuild" in stead of Tribute Automotive. Actually wouldn't sound that bad. ;)

Looks like yours are coming along nicely. Definitely some potential in that build. Look forward to see it finished.
Glad to hear the quality is satisfying.

I live in Stoke-on-Trent. So not nearby. But thanks for the offer!

I'm waiting to see what Chris comes up with on the hardtop part, as i'm only interested in closed cabin version. I'm one of those crazy persons that plans to drive it all-year (did it once with an old Porsche 944. No ABS, or assisted steering. Great fun in winter! :P). Then I will contact him and find out more, if I like what is see. - So far though I like what I see.

The shadow
I am hoping to base it on a Triumph GT6 drivetrain and chassis with a Spitfire body underneath the A352 design, since the Spitfire's gastank is located on top of the rear axle and not behind it where it would be sensitive to a rear-end crash.
Close, - i'm from Denmark. I study car design at Staffordshire University. The insurance on a classic car with a small 2 liter engine fits my budget perfectly, and it’s so much more exciting than to drive around in a newer grey Ford Fiesta for the same money.

Although the Ford is much more reliable than a Triumph… But that’s the charm isn’t it? ;)

Thank you to everyone who has added information on this subject, some very kind words too.

Yes we do provide a "turnkey service", but like to discuss each and every project in detail before quoting a price or taking on the build.

A straight forward build, for say an unfinished MX250, is easy to price (from £950) and achieve in a set time (1 week). A "one off" build, on the other hand, can (always does) take far longer than originally quoted.

Please give me a call on 07901 544241 to talk about your requirements and see if we can help you.

I'm one of those crazy persons that plans to drive it all-year

Me too. I have my 600hp Merc with 2 seat an no roof as a daily driver and the Z300S as my 2 seats no roof toy

What is the other option?

Hi Tribute Automotive (Chris?)

Sounds good. I'm not yet that good over the phone with my English, so I would prefer to keep it in text for now.
I don’t know if my idea of a Triumph GT6 based A352 with a fixed-hardtop and roll-bar is what falls under "one off's". But I’m excited to see how your hardtop concept turns out, and if it’s possible to build on that design to make it less time consuming.

Surprised that you can make a turn-key mx250 in just one week. How many men are you in manufacturing of the cars/kits?

WorldClassAccident

My other option? Non. :)





By the way, I havn't found a donor car yet. It's all in my head so far.

Something with a more modern donor?

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-x.../z300Coupe.png

You need to recheck your translation, Chris says he can fit the body in a week. A turnkey will take much longer.

Totally correct, thank you.

7 to 10 days was the quote for mine when it was fitting the kit.

June to October was the reality when it became a bespoke kit build.

The change in timescales were largely agreed. I wasn't left wondering what was happening and Chris kept me (mostly) informed of progress.

I am a happy customer