So I found myself browsing photos of this beautiful car, along other classics. I started wondering about what a contemporary, higher-end true grand tourer would look like. Because the Bertone styling is so gorgeous, I wouldn't really want to mess with that, just make it longer to accept a straight six or v12 under the hood. And so, I went and grabbed an image of the car from the side and worked my quite terrible GIMP skills upon it. (attached are both the original image and the lengthened version) I decided to stretch it just behind the front wheel arch and just in front of the windshield cowl, because in order to modify an existing car cutting there would make shaping the new metal easiest. My theory is that with a rust repair panel from alfaholics, it would be possible to fill the gap with little actual shaping. With some body filler to smooth the body lines, all that needs doing is extending the hood.
If I were to actually do this, I'd pick up a shell that's nearly gone to rust anyways, I'd feel bad about cutting up a perfectly good body otherwise. Considering I want to space-frame the front and build a new trans tunnel and floor (for an S2000 transmission, if I'm using a new engine might as well get the best trans I can) I don't mind dealing with a bit of rust - especially because to do this properly I need to go down to bare metal anyways. Regardless, I would weld levels onto both sides of the cut so to make aligning it afterwards much easier.
The biggest question I have, really, is do any of your think this looks good? And, if the length looks good, do the front wheel arches now look a tad too far forward? Should they move an inch backwards? If so, that complicates the whole project massively and I'd likely end up with a fiberglass or carbon front clip instead of just adding sheet metal.
So, thoughts? Other than this being blasphemous, though. Trust me, I know that already.
If I were to actually do this, I'd pick up a shell that's nearly gone to rust anyways, I'd feel bad about cutting up a perfectly good body otherwise. Considering I want to space-frame the front and build a new trans tunnel and floor (for an S2000 transmission, if I'm using a new engine might as well get the best trans I can) I don't mind dealing with a bit of rust - especially because to do this properly I need to go down to bare metal anyways. Regardless, I would weld levels onto both sides of the cut so to make aligning it afterwards much easier.
The biggest question I have, really, is do any of your think this looks good? And, if the length looks good, do the front wheel arches now look a tad too far forward? Should they move an inch backwards? If so, that complicates the whole project massively and I'd likely end up with a fiberglass or carbon front clip instead of just adding sheet metal.
So, thoughts? Other than this being blasphemous, though. Trust me, I know that already.