Personal Project: The Bugster Coupe- PART II

 I wanted a light grey/silver version with a bright red interior to see the design in a lighter shade.

 This tipped up view shows off the red/black combo that was typical in early VW and Porches of the era.

 Had to try the 'rootbeer' color on this one too, I have seen this color on a 54 VW.

 This ambient render shows the panel seeas better so you can see how I have adjusted the door tops and rear cowl area. Still deciding on rear louver placement, then I finish the tin work up.

 The side view as an Ambient Render,  reveals the decklid is a bit wide and overhangs the rear fender beading, this will be addressed in ROUND 2.0 once I have time to put into her design.

Personal Project

The Bugster Coupe

PART II

So here is Part II, as a follow up to Mondays posting, with some additional images of my Bugster custom VW coupe project I just started this past weekend. As a Transportation design graduate, a project like this is something that I have always wanted to do since a 3D representation of a design is so helpful to do before any metal is cut, and 3D software is the tool to do this as the changes are very fast to implement and see finished the same day, this is a great strength of 3D design.

The model is a work in progress still[ WIP], as I have not welded the big panels into the body yet so I can adjust the overall curves and proportions before it is all one piece. I have some tweaking left to do as well as some design decisions needed to continue, so this is next up.

In the following weeks I have some plans to finish this out, and do the Volksrod alternate version as well, a fender-less I-Beam front ended hot rod version of the Bugster too. I plan to put the uncovered bomber seats from a Speedster in there[ covers on for this one], the Speeedster top and tonneau covers, and I plan to do the entire engine compartment design too showing the huge tray behind the motor now which is about 75% done from when it was going to be used for Herbie[ that portion of the MGFX was scrapped- a motor fly out anim].

Look for more posts as I continue with this personal project in the months ahead.

You can view PART I here.

Cheers, THOM

Personal Project: The Bugster Coupe PART I

 My last render of the Bugster, a Personal Design of a Chop Top Custom VW in black with red rims and red interior.

 Beehive tail lights from a 55' Porsche, with body colored bumper blades per the 356 look.

 For now I have a scoop up top on the hood converted to a long decklid, but this is still in progress as I may do a louvered type 38 look.

 I also put beehives up at the horn grills from a 356 Porsche as well on this Bugster Coupe.

 The rear cowl is still not attached, and you can see a line near the door where this meets, but this render helps me evaluate the proportions of the new decklid before I virtually weld this up.

 My 2nd favorite shot reminds me of the old advertisement paintings from the 50's[ note the lip doors from a pre 56' in there]

Personal Project

The Bugster Coupe

PART I

Today I have posted the first images on a new personal project that I just started this Thanksgiving weekend 2011, a custom Volkswagen coupe that is a combination of the VW type 1 bug and a Porsche Speedster and highly influenced by the Hebmuller coachbuilts from the era.

I have been a bug fan since I was about 13 and bought my first car at 14, a 1961ish, VW bug, so I have been 'bitten by the bug" and over the years I have owned well over a dozen.

I also am a huge Speedster fan, as my father owned a 1958', bought new from Hoffmans out of NYC, he got me into VW by teaching me engine work etc as the two cars are so similar. I also have owned 3 Porsche replicas so I am very familiar with the two cars.

I have thought for years what would it look like to combing the top and windscreen from a Speedster onto a Coupe bug, with a big decklid like a Hebmuller, so this weekend Herbie, got virtually chopped!

Today I have posted this Work In Progress[ WIP], with the main proportions in there, though I have not 'welded' the metal yet, so I can adjust proportions in color. This alone is the great advantage of chopping a car in 3D, as you can play with the results before you weld it all togeter to make sure you like all lines and proportions.

Look for more posts as I continue with this personal project work in automotive styling.

Cheers, THOM

Personal Project: Volksrod- Vintage VW Bug Hot Rod Project - Work In Progress 3D Modeling PART I

 Volksrod Work in Progress 

3/4 Front shot shows the custom extended headlight buckets with 60's Peanut signal light on top.

Plan View directly from above shows the overall proportion of the chop. About 7" chop so quite a "Mail Slot" look, as I want that Bonneville Flats feel the Volksrod.

  Low Side View on the Cyclorama background stage gives a nice grounding to the blocking model with a simple dark surface with a lightly blurred reflective shader from Cebas Final Renders SE product.

  This underside view shows that the majority of parts have been blocked out. I recently rebuilt the rear trailing arms to be from an early 1957 VW, so all parts were modified from the Herbie blocking used earlier.

  Low Front view is one of my favorites I rebuilt the hood to add in the 54 louvers as well as adding a Safari windshield.

 

 Low Angle 3/4 Rear shot showcasing the newly built Early form 18" front , and 20" rear 30's styled Raw Steel Wire wheels and Pie Crust tires I plan to use.

 A High Birds Eye view a bit over the front louvered hood and Early Ford I-Beam front end.[taken from this model here]

Note: I will use a second set of doors to get the quarter windows to roll down using all stock mechanics, though they will be a 1-piece widow conversion and not have chopped vent wings like in the doors.

 A Birds Eye elevated Side view. Remember this is still a WIP[Work In Progress] so there is massaging of the virtual metal work to remove flat spots[ tops of door frames] and fix up the panel gaps[ Hood to front cowl] etc.

 A 3/4 view of the Side and Back showing the newly grafted in Split Window section and louvered Deck-lid. 

NOTE: the stock single 40HP engine in there is a placeholder for now , as I figure out the mill specs: Dual 48 IDA's , or maybe a DLI Supercharger, etc.

Personal Project

Volksrod

Vintage VW Bug Hot Rod Project 

PART I - Work In Progress 3D Modeling

     I have a few automotive personal projects I have tinkered with over the years along with many Business Automotive work. Being a Gear Head, and graduate from Art Center in the Transportation Design program I thoroughly love all things automotive, especially old cars and Hot Rods. Those who know me , know my passion for Vintage VW's as well. Having owned many cars with over a dozen being vintage VW's the subject matter is one that is very easy to get onboard with.

Link to Super Sized Image above is here on CG Society.

     Recently with the Covid-19 shutting down so much business, I have had too much free time , so when not looking for work, I am tinkering on my ongoing Volksrod project. A bit of history; I built a 3D VW bug [ 1963 Type 1]for the Herbie film 'Herbie Fully Loaded" while I was working as 3D Design Director at The Cimarron Group in Hollywood back in 2004. This was the first full model with interior and exterior as well as undercarriage and suspension I built. Since this model was rendered with cartoon shaders and used for both Print Posters , and 3D Animations in the TV Commercial spots it needed to have more than just the exterior skin built. 

 My 3D Herbie Fully Loaded work from a while back.

     I have since used this 3D VW model for two custom automotive projects, the first being my Bugster, which is a combination of a Porsche Speedster [ which I have also built in 3D here ] , and a Chop Top similar to the coach-built  Volkswagen Type 14A (commonly known as the Hebmüller Cabriolet of the late 40's. You can view PART I here , and PART II here.  The second is what I have posted today, the Volksrod.

 3D 356 Porsche Speedster [WIP]

 

 Bugster Custom VW
Hebmüller'esque with 356 Porsche parts.

     For those unfamiliar, Volksrods are a branch of the custom VW world that take their queues from the traditional Hot Rod world of the 1950's and onward. Similar to a Deuce Coupe, the cars are stripped of fenders customized with a Chop Top, or a Channeled Frame, and a sectioned body or a combo thereof. As with Hot Rods , you can find some are are High End customs , all the way to Garage "Rat Rods" some unfinished for life.

    This post is a WIP [ Work in Progress], so the work has many hours left on it. A few years back , I uploaded a short introduction video showing progress,and since then I have doubled my time into this personal project. 

     The purpose is to virtually build out the car prior to building one in real life , so I can work out the details before cutting begins. Think of this like a 3D Blueprint for the builder.

     If interested , I run a Vintage VW's Chop Top group on Facebook for all types of VW chop Top cars, there is a permanent link on the side bar, and you can click here as well.

Look for more posts as I continue with this personal project.

 

     If you have a 3D Design , Modeling, or Animation need Freelance, Part Time or Full-Time I am set up and and ready to go as I have been a remote studio for over a decade. All referrals are highly appreciated!

        Cheers, THOM