"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 16 Oct 2019 13:55:09 -0700, wrote:

So when I retire in a few years I want to build a sports car from
scratch. I have the equipment and knowhow except for the bodywork.
Which means I would get to butyand learn how to use an English
wheel.

Sounds like fun, Eric. Suggestion: Make friends with a local
bodyman
and offer to help him out a few hours/day, a day or 2 a week, in
return for him teaching you how to wheel. They're likely to know
where to find flat sheet for bodywork, too.


I don't know which engine to use though. So I'm looking for
opinions. I want to use a 4 cylinder engine. The engine needs to be
fairly common and parts must be available for hopping it up a bit
and
for general rebuilding.
Very important the engine needs to look great. So I'm looking for
opinions here. A great looking engine that's fairly common, can be
hopped up some, and won't break the bank to work on.

Your best bet is to find a blingable drive train you like and then
build what you want around it. Have you read all the sheet metal
and
fab books yet? A few:

Paint & Body Handbook by Don Taylor and Larry Hofer

Ultimate Sheet Metal Fabrication: Build from scratch with aluminum
and
steel. by Timothy Remus (English wheel info)

Sheet Metal Handbook: How to form and shape sheet metal for
competition, custom, and restoration use. by Ron & Sue Fournier

Let us know what you settle on. I'd love to follow your build,
having
had the same hankering long ago.


I did too, until I helped build a batch of prototype electric cars and
saw how many little things had to be just right. I still don't
understand the subtleties of caster and camber and kingpin
inclination. Fortunately [a racing chassis expert] was on the team.