I WISH TO NOMINATE TOBYT FOR THE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITISISM AWARD

[toddt]

This is near perfection, and easily achievable. Note the curved "jawhole", the color on the seats, the change in the rear treatment, and the ride-height/rake change. wow.

DC, are you paying attention??

Good work, TobyT

 

[Mike Brunton]

How about a little lowered with different wheels?

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I REALLY wish they would put non-Corvette wheels on the car. These ones look exactly like Z06 rims. Even if the Viper had them first (with the GTS/R concept), we still need to change 'em.

 

[MES]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>I REALLY wish they would put non-Corvette wheels on the car. These ones look exactly like Z06 rims.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

now, now, now

no whining for you

 

[Mike Brunton]

Aww crap, did I just get banned?

P.S. Mes, I dunno what that last smiley is man, but it just looks SO wrong in so many ways... make it go away!

 

[onerareviper]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>
I REALLY wish they would put non-Corvette wheels on the car. These ones look exactly like Z06 rims.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Mike,

I posted this about a month ago (new rims looking like Z06), and everyone said I was insane. Glad I have some company at the mental ward.

Later

 

[Toby]

why thank you.

I have thought about going to design school as a career change in a few years but the money right now is too good where I am. I have a strong motorsports background before my white collar career so this stuff is in my blood.

These are the total changes I made to the car:

opened rear end at bumper, shortened turn/reverse lights at rear,
added color to roll bars, adjusted ride height, reshaped door and wheel well at rear wheel (makes a huge difference I think in the way the car feels), reshaped opening behind front wheel (obviously needed that change),darkened the rear tail lights and added the gts gas cap.

I did think about adding a double side exit exhaust. About 3 or 4 inch pipe would look nice. I think the current singe exit is nice but not aggressive enough and too small. I will repost the car when finished early next week.

Here are the two cars... my design on top and the stock version on the bottom.

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can someone post the side view in stock form from Mike Brunton's above post, I will photoshop that car too.

 

[toddt]

As I said, Toby--those little changes produce an awesome look...

 

[Viperrick]

How do plan on getting this thing to go over a set of rail road tracks or the unexpected speed bump? Could never get it loaded on a trailer unless the the ramps extend out to the next county. Nice touch to the roll hoops though. Suspension travel must equal 1/8" before wheels come in contact with bodywork.

Amazing what you can do with some computer programs. Takes the fine art of scibbling on your school notebook to a differant level. Nice to dream about being a designer when you don't have to live with the restrictions of the real world.

 

[Jay Herbert]

Very constructive! I like the softened "swoosh"... easily doable by someone like Autoform for those wanting a different look. Since it is only the fenders affected (they could do doors too), I would guess It would be a very affordable thing. Or maybe V-Mania could be talked into this? I really think the body color roll bars (?) and opening up of the rear diffuser add to the look. Again, both easily doable in the aftermarket

 

[toddt]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Viperrick:
Nice to dream about being a designer when you don't have to live with the restrictions of the real world.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

HARSHNESS viperrick!

Those gaps don't look ANY smaller than those in a stock 2001 BMW M3.

Now ground clearance on the other hand....

 

[toddt]

TobyT--

Could you please leave ride-height the same and just grow the wheel's tires enough to fill the wells?

 

[Toby]

todd, when I get back in the office monday I will work on it for you. A note on ground clearance. If a designer can dream it...an engineer can built it. Heavier springs and about 4 inches of clearance is all you need to achieve a look such as that. Fender to wheel is not a problem either if engineered properly. The stock srt looks more like a 4x4 compared to the modified picture.

Originally posted by Viperrick:
Nice to dream about being a designer when you don't have to live with the restrictions of the real world.

Good point...but...I do not see anything with my modified srt that an engineer could not work into the design.

Also, I do not need to dream...I have plenty of experience modifying and reengineering cars for performance. No I don't do it for a living or work for a team currently, but I have in the past...from grass roots to the highest levels of motorsports.

 

[CAS]

I wish MORE people would see your pic Toby, it is BEAUTIFUL!! I LOVE the body colored roll-hoops, that adds so much in the exotic department. And the softened side extractor and the lowering job look incredible too..
I hope Autoform/Vmania catch on, like Jay said..
Again, congrats on that beautiful design, it really brings out the lines of the car, and since I'm not a big SRT fan style wise, I really love this concept..
P.S. Can you do anything with the front, maybe do a mock front splitter or play with the lowering job from the front of the car? I think that would be awesome.

Regards,
Clint

 

[jwwiii]

Hello;

It is fun to see what you came up with! Very constructive, positive, and fairly reasonable with the exception of perhaps impossible real world ground clearance.

I have a thought. I think that what the SRT could really benefit from is flared outer wheel well bulges. I am thinking of my original dreamcar; the Porsche Turbo circa 78-80. The Porsche I am referring to I remember in Silver color; it had those voluptuous fenders, black guards on the front side of the rear wheel flares. It was a 911 on steroids! Yes, it had the black lipped whale-tail and the outrageous "Lobster" interior.

I think enlargening the flares would look very tough and curvaceous on the SRT. No, I don't think we should have a whale-tale or Lobster interior.

Would you please do some photoshop on the original SRT, and do these "Turbo" flares? I think this would give the visual we want and trick the eye into believing the SRT is lowered more than it really is.

Nice work!

Jim

 

[Viperrick]

I have to agree that the engineers within DC could re-engineer the car to meet your expectations but, I am sure they have to take into account many views not just one individuals. What I see on the board is a lot of negative comments from a few vocal individuals. When in reality the car is being designed for thousands of potential customers. I think that all these negative comments regarding packaging can be easily solved. My recommendation is that you place your order for a 2004 SRT-10 and commission someone like Metalcrafters to create the envelope you want. They will be happy to do whatever YOU want as long as YOU flip the bill. I am willing to bet that Steve at Autoform would love to have you as a client as well. When the company does't give you exactly what YOU want than it's time to go out and do it yourself. Heck if there are a number of people who like what you have done you will then be able to then market, produce and warranty your great idea. It's the American Dream "Free Enterprise".

Regarding the ground clearance, you stated that 4" is all you need. True. I am willing to bet that this is what they have provided. Your rendition looks mean and aggressive but, I think it is closer to 2" behind the front wheels. The 4" clearance is just ahead of the rear wheels in your rendition. Not very streetable.

I do agree that all BMW's have a great design around the wheels. No one else seams to come close in this dept. I too have often wondered why can't other manufacturers do this. Having so much clearance around the tire is a major design flaw. Is a very stiff ride the by-product of this design? If so, than that might explain the clearance in other cars but the Viper is not known for it plush ride.

Regarding the softened look at the strake... I feel the curve makes it very Corvette like. I prefer the DC design as it is more in keeping with the rest of the lines. My opinion.

 

[Mike Brunton]

I think Toby'd design is GREAT... however, a few (constructive) comments.

First, Viperrick has an excellent point - one man's trash is another man's treasure. I don't care for the changes made to the rear of the car - i.e. the removal of the 'ducting' - I prefer the original.

Second, the lowered look will easily be accomplished by any owner with a lowering kit like Vipers have had available for years.

I don't mean this as criticicism, but rather to say that we don't really need DC to make all these changes. I would think at this point it's too late to change anything on the car, but I still wish the wheels would be changed.

Regarding the 'look' of BMW's with the wheels filling up the wells, I have a sport-suspension 3-series and the tires actually go up into the wells 1/2" or so. There is just as much suspension travel as any other car, and my 325i rides smoother than my mom's old Honda Accord, it's just that the travel of the wheel is covered by the fender. This is an engineering and design feature of BMW and is NOT something that can be replicated by lowering a car - it must be engineered in right from the start.

My 325 will go over potholes and rocks with no problems, and has that tucked in look, whereas my Viper would scrape on a cigarette butt even though the wheelwells had huuuuge openings in them.

 

[toddt]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Mike Brunton:
There is just as much suspension travel as any other car, and my 325i rides smoother than my mom's old Honda Accord, it's just that the travel of the wheel is covered by the fender. This is an engineering and design feature of BMW and is NOT something that can be replicated by lowering a car - it must be engineered in right from the start.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

You get it, baby!

I'm not saying the viper does a poor job in this category--just that if BMW can do it, everyone can.