How to Build a Fiberglass Lamborghini Body
Building a Lamborghini body is not a simple task. You must replicate all the body parts of the car, and attach them to the frame. Each one needs to be built separately, which requires building several fiberglass casts, then applying the fiberglass and removing the molds. If you have experience working with fiberglass molds, this task is not as difficult, but if you don't, you will have to learn how to build molds and how to work with fiberglass first. Then you can start building your side panels, grill, hood and other parts of the Lamborghini body.
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Things You'll Need
- Fiberglass molds (foam or plywood)
- Lamborghini blueprints
- Fiberglass compound
- Mold release compound
Instructions
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Building the Fiberglass Molds for a Lamborghini Body
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1
Locate plans or blueprints for your Lamborghini body. They need to be to scale, including all the measurements in three dimensions.
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Determine where the lines of the body are, and then decide how many pieces you are going to make the body from. Then, cut the blueprints into pieces for your molds using a 3-D computer drawing program like PSD or 3-D AutoCad.
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3
Scale-up your drawings from the computer program, taking the measurements right from the blueprints and applying the appropriate scale. You can also transfer the to plastic sheets and display them on an overhead projector. Once on the projector screen (be sure it is exact to scale by measuring right on the screen), you can trace the form pieces onto large sheet paper.
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Cut blanks for the body pieces out of sheet metal. Sheet metal is a very handy blank material, because it can be shaped any way you like, and it is rigid. Once you have the blanks shaped the way you want them, apply a thin layer of foam to finish your mold.
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Sculpt the foam corners to match the rounded corners of the side panels and hood, as well as the curve near the windshield along the edges. Constantly refer to your drawing plans, and pictures of the Lamborghini body, as you work. Getting a good feel for the shapes that make up the body is going to give you a big advantage.
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Secure each piece of you body form using wood and screws and glue. Build and entire form for each section that is defined by a line on the real Lamborghini. On the Countach this means each side panel, up the doors, to the edge of the hood, and over the headlights, the entire rear, hood and roof.
Laying Your Glass
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Once all the forms are complete, assemble them one last time by laying them on the actual chassis, or a jig which you have built yourself. All the lines and angles need to match exactly. If one side is not angled correctly, add foam, remove foam, or reshape the underlying sheet metal structure to make them fit.
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Apply your mold release compound to the forms.
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Layer your fiberglass on your first form. Apply a layer of glass with resin and let dry, and then apply another layer. Repeat until you are satisfied.
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Release the fiberglass from the forms by popping off one end and then pulling the fiberglass body part up and away from the form itself.
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Attach your body parts to the frame. You can build this frame from metal piping to support the Lamborghini body parts.
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Tips & Warnings
You can have one that is longer or wider than another, because you can cut the panel down to size after you are done, but you can not reshape them once the forms are made.
You will be able to cut sections of the fiberglass away, however the lines need to match, and there can be no gaps.
