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Old 06-13-2006, 02:35 PM   #1
sgraber
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
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Talking Do you like my scratch-built, tube-frame, mid-engine sports car

Hey guys, just a short introduction of myself and my project as I have never posted over here in this section of automotive forums.

My name is Steve Graber and I am building a scratch-built, tube-frame, mid-engine sportscar that uses a MKI MR2 donor and weighs just under 1,200Lbs. I built it starting with a crashed MR2 and a pile of steel tubes. And it was a LOT cheaper than you would ever imagine. but you have to do everything yourself.. That's the trick.


I spent the last couple of years working up the bodywork on la Bala. last year about this time it looked like this: That is a plug - an intermediate step to making molds.


I spent over 6 months laying up the molds. And it was freaking difficult! Just last week I pulled the molds off the plug. Here is a photo of the plug just before laying up the molds. Considering I made it out of particle board, foam and drywall plaster with some paint on top... It turned out exceptionally well:


I had to destroy the plug to get back my chassis... That really was difficult, mentally... It was easy to use the sledgehammer! LOL


Now I am just finishing off the mold surfaces in preparation for laying up the first actual finished parts: (The molds are attached to rotisserie's to make it easier to lay up the nose and tail sections.) Making the molds turned out the be the most expensive and difficult part of the project. BIG Dollars! Don't ask me how much. I am not prepared to say. The wife might find out!


Anyways, after tearing down the plug, I couldn't resist cleaning up the chassis, starting the engine and taking it for a spin, so we fired her up one evening and raced around the neighborhood raising some hell: Jason had a video recorder and took the following video of me pulling out of the garage for the first time in over 2 years: Check it out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqUC2sXZxI8

I wanna know what you think, so please leave feedback (good or bad) as it really motivates me to keep going!

And you can visit my website at http://www.grabercars.com - lots of photos and videos of the entire build from almost day one!
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I'm building the car of my dreams...
La Bala - A Lightweight Sports Car for Street and Track
http://www.grabercars.com/
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