New chassis? New chassis! Hype?

[decryphe]

(10-24-2024 08:28 AM)r.ave Wrote:  In the UK they go through quite some shells in rally.
I believe Frank Kelly has been in need for a few new shells in the past few years.
Not sure if his come from the UK of China

I did find this company that seems very legit, building beautiful Escorts: https://mst-cars.com/

I wonder if they get their base shells from China and then assemble the rest of the car using those, or if they create all the bodypanels themselves.

[decryphe]

Okay, from a rather lengthy question written via Alibaba:

Quote:Dear Mr or Mrs

This item popped up on my news feeds recently, and there's lots of speculation about availability, detailed specs and quality. Most have never heard about full car body replacements/reproductions like this. To be able to get information out there (and possibly customers for you), I'd like to know more about these reproductions. Here's some questions that may help car enthusiasts (individuals, not companies) to know if they might want a reproduction body:
- Have you created moulds for this, or do you use 3D-printing/CNC machining or similar methods?
- Individuals will have trouble reaching MOQ of 5 - are there any other options, like organized group buys, or similar?
- Is it possible to acquire sections like floors, firewalls, roofs?
- What steel/alloy do you use? Can this potentially be specified differently from OEM? (for example a race car may be built from slightly thicker steel to increase rigidity)
- What are the options for treatment, e.g. zinc plating, KTL plating/painting, or fully painting in a color (RAL-colors, metallics, color shift effect paint, ...)? Can the bodies be treated differently within the same order?

Also, would you be willing to make a sample of two front fenders (left and right), so I can measure them and document as a 3rd party for the community to judge the quality? I would pay for the parts, they would be spares for the AE86 that I own myself.

Best Regards

I got the following response:

Quote:We are in developing the carbody of AE86

So, wait and see, I guess...

[banpei]

That answer says more than enough.

[decryphe]

(10-25-2024 09:58 PM)banpei Wrote:  That answer says more than enough.

I did get a small extra sentence on asking for more info:

Quote:We will finish next year,maybe in August

So until then, nothing to report.

[banpei]

Now there is some other news on the topic of shells: TOM's Classics announced at TAS they are going to restore existing shells and make them as if they're new:


At first many people (including me) misunderstood this news that they were going to create new shells, but on the contrary: they will only rebuild existing shells. The question is whether TOM's will source the shells themselves or you can bring your own shell and have that restored...

You can also order your new shell with a completely rebuilt TOM's engine:


And Nori Yaro already posted this to Instagram:

[decryphe]

A bit like that one specialty shop that fully restores Skylines. They have some sheet metal like the strut towers remanufactured, and will even galvanize the chassis for you (which is better than factory, with Nissan being cheap).

Maybe TOMs will do that too, if you ask?

[Blaze0010]

In some other photos i've seen, look like TOM's will also completely stitch weld the chassis.
Really curious what will be the price range for this service, most likely insanely high

[decryphe]

(01-13-2025 01:46 PM)Blaze0010 Wrote:  In some other photos i've seen, look like TOM's will also completely stitch weld the chassis.
Really curious what will be the price range for this service, most likely insanely high

That sounds like you'll end up with a car in the 100k price region, like the MST Evo cars (Escort 1 and 2 replicas/restomods).

[Blaze0010]

Some close up photos and an extract from hayashi86 facebook page:

"TOM'S Classic Restoration Service
One of the most exciting highlights in AE86 news at TAS2025 is TOM'S Racing's announcement of their new "TOM'S CLASSIC" restoration service. This initiative offers comprehensive body and engine restoration for AE86 enthusiasts.
Rather than selling or producing new body panels, TOM'S focuses on restoring your AE86 body to its original factory condition. They will strip your car’s body frame to bare metal, repair all signs of deterioration, and bring it back to life. Alternatively, customers can purchase a fully restored AE86 body frame (complete with legal documentation) directly from TOM'S, intended for race use, as confirmed by a TOM'S representative. Pricing for these services is still under evaluation as they gauge market demand.
From the showcased images, it's evident that extensive spot welding is performed to close gaps caused by aging, stretching, or twisting of the AE86 chassis. This process not only strengthens the body for street use but also makes it race-ready.
When it comes to engines, TOM'S offers restoration for iconic models such as the 4A-GE (16V/20V), 3S-GE, and 2JZ-GTE. With advanced technology, step correction, weight balance optimization, and specialized parts, these engines are revived to suit both spirited street driving and circuit racing. Performance tuning also ensures improved accelerator responsiveness and peak performance.
Three engine specification options are available:
A Spec: Standard Overhaul. Ideal for preserving the original factory condition, recommended for street use and restorations.
B Spec: High-Performance Engine. Built on A Spec with selected performance parts for enhanced capabilities, suitable for street driving and spirited handling.
C Spec: Custom Order Engine. Tailored to the user’s specific requirements, whether for show cars, rally, drift, supercharged/turbocharged builds, or even NOS setups.
With TOM'S Racing's decades of expertise, strong ties to Toyota, and unmatched reputation in customization, this service is a dream come true for anyone looking to build the ultimate AE86."

Maybe there will be different degrees of restoration (street or race use) whit different prices

[banpei]

Thank you for sharing this Blaze0010!


I wonder why they chose to keep it original here: we all know the fender arch mouldings are evil rust traps!