Author: Mark Laporte
A 1937 Riley Sprite and 2 Extended Learning Students
Currently I have two students working/learning at the shop – Brian from Ohio and Londun, from Georgia. Brian will be here for about 30 days total, and Londun will be here till the 30th. Londun is a total beginner he is only 19, he drove … Continue readingA 1937 Riley Sprite and 2 Extended Learning Students
SHEETMETAL SHAPING WITH WRAY
SHEETMETAL SHAPING WITH WRAY SCHELIN AT PROSHAPER PART 1 Story and photos by Ron Smith A small crowd of guys waits outside a shop in the crisp morning Massachusetts air, sharing experiences and aspirations in the field of sheetmetal shaping while awaiting our mentor, Wray … Continue readingSHEETMETAL SHAPING WITH WRAY
Scratch-Build Gmund Porsche SL
Ken Wells from NH was at the shop today working on his scratch-built Gmund Porsche SL First thing he is making is the floor pan chassis which was made entirely out of 18 gauge steel sheet bent up and spot welded. Ken has made full … Continue readingScratch-Build Gmund Porsche SL
Frank Curtis inspired Sports Racer
My friend and student Sean Colsen from RI just sent me a progress picture of his all aluminum body, tube frame, scratch-built, Frank Kurtis inspired Sports racer he is building for fair weather driving. It is powered by a Pontiac supercharged SoIstice four cylinder. I … Continue readingFrank Curtis inspired Sports Racer
1933 Packard “Macauley Special”
These are a few of the pictures we have of the Macauley Speedster it was built in the early 1930’s by Packard Motor Co. for the president of Packard Motors and the car disappeared in the midst of time and all that remains is just … Continue reading1933 Packard “Macauley Special”
The Craft of Coachbuilding
Insert from Lars Anderson Auto Mueseum demonstration by Wray Schelin Working sheet metal (gold and silver first- later copper, bronze, and steel) was one of the first human crafts developed. All of the skill sets required to make sheet metal conform to a craftsman’s desired … Continue readingThe Craft of Coachbuilding
Scratch-building a Hotrod
Building a Hot Rod from Scratch! This week three students started their one month plus Extended Learning Class at my shop. Jim wanted to build a Hot Rod from scratch, Lou is converting a 1967 Maserati Mistral fastback coupe into a Spyder, Harvey is building … Continue readingScratch-building a Hotrod
December 2017 Class
The December four day coachbuilding class starts tomorrow at 9:00am. We finished the class project wireform at midnight. 1948 Virgil Exner designed futuristic Studebaker. Day one progress at the Pro Shaper Sheet Metal four day coachbuilding class. Day two progress at the Pro Shaper Sheet … Continue readingDecember 2017 Class
Sportscar Influence Original Hot Rod Design
For our November Coachbuilding / Metal Shaping Class most of my students focused on a hot rod wire form design I had made. [youtube height=”HEIGHT” width=”WIDTH”]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFwZqtm1_Po[/youtube] First day for the hands on portion of my four day coachbuilding class. Two more full days … Continue readingSportscar Influence Original Hot Rod Design