Lincspeed Body

C & D sports Racer

Background

Clark Lincoln has worked on several sports racer bodies, from design concept to production of fiberglass. One example is the body for the LSR Prince.

February 17, 2005

Clark's latest project, as of February 2005, is a body for his DSR which is a Ralt RT5 Honda conversion, with 98 in wheelbase.

Clark said, "After about 300 man hours of work, here is the plug or model as of today [February 17, 2005]."

Method

"This body model was built right over my chassis (yes, it's still under there) using wood, Masonite, fiberglass, foam, and 3 gallons on Bondo.

I saved tons of time (and Bondo) by using LSR Prince fiberglass wheel arches on all four corners. The fronts were shortened at the front edge, and the rears were used pretty much intact. Most of the rest of the surfaces are Masonite, with simple curvature and Bondo fillets. For the other compound curved surfaces, I used foam covered with Bondo. I also used part of the air intake on and behind the roll bar off of my old Ralt RT5 Honda conversion body."

"Hours and hours of sanding on the Bondo and wood over which is sprayed 3 gallons on Duratech primer. Then more hours and hours of sanding, from 120 grit to 600 to 1000 to 1200 to 2000 - where it stands now. It looks like polished granite.

Next step - buff it out, put on seal coat, and then several wax coats. Then start the molds..."

This has taken more than "a couple of guys in a garage for a couple of weekends" to do."

Adaptability

"The front and rear wheel wells will be open. we made the plug like this [with covered wheel wells] for ease of pulling the mold. It will also allow me to slightly vary the wheel openings should someone want to fit this body to another car.

This body is intentionally simple and easy to mold, while still having most of the latest thinking in aero. I wanted to have an efficient shape that was inexpensive to produce."

"This body should fit any RT5 based sports racer - unless the conversion greatly altered the original wheelbase (99"). Mine is 98". There is flexibility in where the rear wheel cut out can be located. The roll hoop to front axel center should be the same as the original RT5, as is the body.

The only limitation is in the width. This body fits over DSR size tires on the standard Ralt front suspension (not the wide variant) with the outside of body width at 62.5". At the rear, the overall width is 59.8". So if you have wider suspension, or are running CSR rubber, you would have to widen the body or the wheel arches. Not a big problem - we can do it for you if necessary.

The body mold will be in two pieces - front and rear, with the split at the roll hoop. No matching flanges - just cut off edges. This is to keep it simple and inexpensive to make parts."

Cost

"Not counting my hours, I would estimate I have about $3500 - $4000 in the model to the point of being ready to make molds. This includes materials, fiberglass and paying shop rate time at Designs 2 - were all my fiberglass work is done - and where the finishing touches were done to the model (2 weeks worth with both of us literally working our fingers to the bone)."

Thanks

"At Designs 2, Gerry Schiavelli's expertise and experience (and tools) saved me lots of time.

I would also mention that for the first 3 months of the project, my good friend Mike Devins let me work in his heated shop - very important here in Michigan this time of year!"