Restomods using 3D scanning technology

What is a Restomod

Restomods started out as a small trend in the late 1980’s. You may have spotted it way back when Car Craft created the original Real Street Eliminator. While most hot rodders were still entrenched in drag racing, pro-billet street rodding, and the pro street wave, a few pioneers at the grass-roots level quietly began the restomod movement. The evolution of the restomod movement in the muscle car world was a natural outgrowth of the improvement of factory production cars, which began to incorporate more powerful engines, electronic fuel injection, disc brakes, better radial performance tire technology, computer-designed suspensions, and overdrive transmissions.

What is a HotRod

HOT ROD magazine defined the term as an early American car that has been modified by for improved looks and performance. In the early days, the term was applied almost exclusively to stripped-down roadsters built for acceleration. The definition has broadened to cover just about any kind of motorized vehicle modified in those ways for the street or for racing.

All of our projects are vastly different and we have done projects that merge data sets to make new parts, we have made FRP Patterns, Tooling, Castings, Mirrored parts and direct 3d printed replacement airboxes, CNC machined Rims… Nothing we can not do!

Car Hoods

For this project we used the #Kscan system from SCANTECH 3D to capture the data of a classic Camaro. The actual scanning took less than 5 minutes. We then compiled the scan data from the Camaro with a model of a #Corvette C7 using Geomagic DesignX software and overlaid the two sets of data to create our new hood. The C7 scan data had to be stretched and widened to fit over the area we needed to cover before modelling. In Design X this was super easy! The perimeter of the Camaro hood never changed, just the center so we are assured of a seamless fit once we cut the tooling. The final model can be seen here.

Custom Dash Panels

In this case we scanned a Classic 1969 Firebird dash panel and generated a new Dash Panel with a new Gauge cluster and integrated GPS unit. With this project we had to ensure the new gauges fit in the proper location. We also had to move the buttons for the headlights and canopy down slightly and move the ashtray ove. Once Once the part is printed, it will be painted and look like new.

This dash panel was 3d printed in a single piece.

Broken parts that require a mirror part

Sometimes you have a broken part or only a left side and you need a right side to complete the pair. In this case we scanned this visor and fixed the defect as it was cracked. Then the data was slightly edited and mirrored and both parts were 3d printed in MJM to get a nice paint ready part ready to install.

Custom Automotive curved glass Windshields

One of our customers has been working on This classic Porsche 904 for years. We helped by scanning and generating a new Windshield cad file. These files are used to make tooling to form new automotive grade glass which can take up to 3 days to form in the oven, its a slow process. However with the manufacturer we have developed a new process to assist in making these parts faster. 

Restoration of a 1916 Welch Motor car

Brothers Fred and A.R. Welch built their first automobile in 1901 and entered production in 1903 in Chelsea, Michigan. The company moved to Pontiac, Michigan in 1904 and in 1909 they spun off a subsidiary producing a small car called the Welch-Detroit. General Motors acquired Welch in 1910 and quickly phased it out.

In this case we did a restoration of a cast aluminum Welch Gearbox from 1908. The part was scanned and modeled as built with a few small changes for due to new materials and processes. The pattern was CNC machined and some areas were 3d printed for the sand casting and a new casting will be made for installation and restoration.

If you find yourself in the middle of a restoration, restomod or classic cars upgrade and need 3D expertise to complete your project – connect with us. We have used 3D scanning technology to create windshields, dashboard panels, bumpers, spoilers, swingarms, and a wide variety of other automotive parts.

Call us at 604-910-0165, email us at info@3dre.ca to learn more.