Double bubble mounting & other fixtures

[HF Stinger]

I have been pondering some ideas for a while and wanted to toss them out there with some of the other discussions of originality going on around here. Those discussions are doing fine on their own. Im interested in a car for me - not the masses.

There are a couple of things that I would consider doing but wanted to hear some BTDT's or justifications of do-it or don't-do-it.

First would be to permanently mounting / bonding the 037 roof to our open top Scorpion. Does anyone know if it's been attempted or accomplished before? Any suggestions if I take on the project? Even with all the sunshine in the Silver State, I still lust for a true hard-top look.

The other would be a rear engine cover that hinges forward instead of to the side - like the 037. In case you haven't guessed Im going for sort of a 037 "tribute" theme. Morenhout sells a rear cover like this, but it has an opening for the stock rear window. I would like a clear shroud over the engine like the 037 and many of the modern italian cars. The hinges would be my curiosity, where to mount, what style to use, etc. My first thought was to look towards the boating industry as they have some heavy duty yet attractive hinges available.

[1,6 HF]

Fiberglass 037 double bubbles have been successfully glued to more than one Scorpion already. Can't you give you any tips, nor comment on the rear deck issues, but the roof's been done.

[Darren]

Hi Sean,

Interesting project! Are you talking about a full hinged rear body like the 037 or just the engine cover - ie from the side trim at the base of the sail panels upwards?

If whole bodywork, then you could try chasing down Roger Grantham who I think had the mould to a complete rear. I do know that his other moulds went to Jason Greenwood - but I don't remeber seeing the rear deck. Anyway, that job will require a lot of fabrication to work, even if you're not going to go the spaceframe route.

If just the engine cover upwards, then I think the deck that Guy did was part of the Fiat 030 project and possibly includes the rear sail panels as well. Is this it? http://www.abarth-gmr.be/new/newsshow.php?img=partsphoto/237.jpg&opis=race%20engine%20bonnet&kat=237

From the look of it, you'd need to do some pretty serious work around the top of the roof to get it to fit or hinge properly.

The other option - and I have no idea if it's viable - but John Lambert (I think that was his name) produced a 'replica' of the 037 and used some form of hinged rear, although I've never seen pics of it with the rear deck up and not sure if he or the kit are still around - not heard anything of him for a while. I think he was looking to pitch up at the Consortium End of Term Bash, but he wasn't there. Pic below from Arnoud's excellent site

http://www.lanciabetamontecarlo.nl/037Repl-RrShow07.jpg

hope this helps!

[HF Stinger]

That's good news for the roof, if anyone has pics of the processes please share.

Darren, that is indeed the rear piece I was referring to. Looking at the pic of the red replica I can see that the Guy Morenhout piece may be adapted to accept a plexiglass cover and I could open up a portion of the fiberglass to let the engine show through.

I think once the roof is bonded there will be sufficient access to the area under where the original soft roof would reside to mount some hinges.

[sprintcarfan]

The other would be a rear engine cover that hinges forward instead of to the side - like the 037. In case you haven't guessed Im going for sort of a 037 "tribute" theme. Morenhout sells a rear cover like this, but it has an opening for the stock rear window. I would like a clear shroud over the engine like the 037 and many of the modern italian cars.

I don't know if you've seen pictures of this car (http://montecarlo.heim.at/duckhamsmonte.htm). They simply placed a big piece of perspex/acrylic/whatever in the engine compartment opening. I can't tell exactly what they did around the trailing edge to make it look right, probably not much 'cause it was a race car. If you hinge only the clear lid it looks easy to do. If you hinge the Moerenhout part it looks to be much more difficult to design/fabricate hinges.

[Jim Keller]

Can't help on the rear deck hinges, but the top is easy.

Rodger doesn't produce the parts anymore as he became too busy with his buisness, but prior to that, I had two of his bubble tops, one was a one piece top, the other a two piece. If you go into the photo albums and look at "Kellers" Scorpions, you can see good pictures of the two piece I highly recomend, I don't think I ever got any good pictures of the one piece, The one piece on my silver Scorp I pop riveted at the rear and used the corner bolts at front, but I also used a GM seal/glue they use on their plastic and Corvettes you can get at your local body shop supply store and did the edges so it was permenently mounted and was going to blend the seams to the body.
The two piece on my gold Scorp I pop rivited and screwed the rear bar permenently, the the front section which is small enough to fit under the bonnet to take with, had two pins that slid into the rear bar and the two factory bolts towards the outer edge using a normal rubber type glue down seal beneath for water/wind, this one could be taken out to enjoy the sun when you wanted to.
So I recomend the two piece if the guy Rodger sold the molds to is making them

[HF Stinger]

Jim, I remember buying one of your extra roofs for my last car many years ago. One of my buddy's picked it up from you while they were down there for a track day. Do you remember which roof that was? Rawling's, Rodger's? I currently have a roof that I got from Rodger and it seems a little different from the one I had gotten from you.

Also, it wasn't until I saw your photo gallery that I realized the car Lanny bought was one of yours. I haven't seen him or the car in a long time, but the last time I was in his area he was on the was to having the SHO engine mounted.

Im Leaning towards permanently fixing the roof this time around after the suggestions I got from you guys. I never trusted the latch mechanism on my car since the time it lifted after a harsh bump at about 80mph.

John, thanks for that link. I hadn't seen that car before but it actually doesn't look bad at all. I think there is some potential there if I put my mind to it - there would be a great cost savings if I went that direction too.

[Jim Keller]

I honestly do not remember which roof you got, (was that your Audi friend I actually met up with at the track in the wagon?, or did he come to my old house?), but it was probably Rodgers one piece, his are the only ones I ever ordered/bought myself, but seems I got one in a parts lot one time from a guy in Detroit, maybe that is the one you got and it could be a Rawlins?????? it's been a while! LOL

Lanny sent me pictures once he got the SHO motor mounted in the car and mated to the Lancia tranny, it fit very well, but that was the last time I have seen or heard anything from him. I would like to know where it's at though, maybe when I am bored some day, I'll try and track him down and see if I can find out. My personal impression/feelings were, it probably wasn't ever going to get finished! he had more irons in the fire than anyone I know! LOL

[Scott H]

Sean,

I have thought about different ideas regarding the engine cover too. Here is a mockup of a louver that I was considering.

http://lancisti.net/forum/picture.php?albumid=54&pictureid=448

http://lancisti.net/forum/picture.php?albumid=54&pictureid=447

The body would need to have hinges added at the forward edge and a latch or pins added at the trailing. This was not functional. If you wanted to attach the sail panels I could see where that could work too.

I am not sure I will ever do this but I liked the way it looked.

>Scott

[Jim Keller]

Hey! I like that louverd look! I could work with that!

[Andrew S]

Me too! That looks bloody awesome! I think it will obviously only work with the solid buttresses so I doubt I'll try it on my own project but nice job Scott!

Andrew.

[HF Stinger]

WoW! Scott I had forgotten about that project. I really liked that setup, how were you going to build it out? ie what materials were you thinking? I think you have shared those pics once before - while on the v6 transplant.

[Scott H]

WoW! Scott I had forgotten about that project. I really liked that setup, how were you going to build it out? ie what materials were you thinking? I think you have shared those pics once before - while on the v6 transplant.

The pics have been floating around for a while now. I built it about 5-6 years ago. You can see the Eaton supercharger if you look close.

The vertical end rails were to be 1/4" aluminum with the horizontal slats carbon fiber. There are two vertical supports that are in the center of the mock up but I don't know if I would need one or two with the lighter and stiffer CF. They could be CF or Al. The mock up used pretty flimsy masonite hardboard for the horizontal slats.

I still have the mockup tucked away.

>Scott