IMSA Body Work, Is it still availiable? Options

[Tomcelica2]

Hi Guys:

I wondered if anyone knows if you can still get Topper (not sure about spelling) body work that was popular in the early 1980's?

Like this pictured in the link below:

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/1984...4-04-29-036.jpg

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Rob

[Jetsetsurfshop]

Check out what member fourblades is up too. PM him, he'd know.
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=91937

[gms]

Hi Guys:

I wondered if anyone knows if you can still get Topper (not sure about spelling) body work that was popular in the early 1980's?

Like this pictured in the link below:

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/1984...4-04-29-036.jpg

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Rob

Rob,
That is actually a nose developed by Wayne Baker. If you are not worried about it being exact you can use the Sheridan body kitultimate914.com

[stownsen914]

Give Steve Limbert at Aircooled Racing (aircooledracing.com) a call. Last I knew he had molds for various 914 racing parts. If he doesn't have the Baker/Topper molds, he may know who does. Or check with Tangerine Racing (Racer Chris on this board).

Scott

[Tomcelica2]

Hi Guys:

I wondered if anyone knows if you can still get Topper (not sure about spelling) body work that was popular in the early 1980's?

Like this pictured in the link below:

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/1984...4-04-29-036.jpg

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Rob

Rob,
That is actually a nose developed by Wayne Baker. If you are not worried about it being exact you can use the Sheridan body kitultimate914.com

Thanks Glen. I will see what options Sheridan has available.

Rob

[Tomcelica2]

Give Steve Limbert at Aircooled Racing (aircooledracing.com) a call. Last I knew he had molds for various 914 racing parts. If he doesn't have the Baker/Topper molds, he may know who does. Or check with Tangerine Racing (Racer Chris on this board).

Scott

Thanks for the tip Scott. I will contact him.

Rob

[FourBlades]

Also check with gt racing. I got my rear flares from them.

I agree about the Sheridan front end.

my car has normal 914 front flares.

John

[jmmotorsports]

try, AIR

jerry

[madmax914]

Check with JRust here on World, he was recently selling an IMSA front bumper/spoiler.

[Jeff Hail]

That exact deck with whale tail from Topper Chasse's 914 is located in Pasadena. They used two variants (long and short) I have the rocker moldings and a few NOS spares from that same car.

I miss Topper and Bob Kirby.

[naro914]

+1 for AIR
http://www.americaninternationalracing.com...246&page=20
That's where we got the body kit for Papa Smurf - the SCCA listed one, but they have different kits.

[Mugs914]

Hi Rob,

Glen is right, that bodywork was developed by Wayne Baker for his GTU car back in 1980 or so.

If you are interested in running that bodywork drop me a PM or give me a call at the shop (Number below). The original molds are still around and new parts can be made. The rear deck and whale tail were different on Wayne's car (his whale tail was actually fabbed from sheet aluminum), but the front clip and rear fenders are the same ones pictured.

Jeff, do you know if the molds for Topper's rear deck and/or whale tail are still around? I have one that I got from a swap meet or something years ago, but I sure would like for those to be available again.

Cheers!

Mike

[Mugs914]

Just for fun, here's a pic of the original Baker car.



That is the aluminum tail. Looks pretty good at this distance!

Cheers!

Mike

[Jeff Hail]

Hi Rob,

Glen is right, that bodywork was developed by Wayne Baker for his GTU car back in 1980 or so.

If you are interested in running that bodywork drop me a PM or give me a call at the shop (Number below). The original molds are still around and new parts can be made. The rear deck and whale tail were different on Wayne's car (his whale tail was actually fabbed from sheet aluminum), but the front clip and rear fenders are the same ones pictured.

Jeff, do you know if the molds for Topper's rear deck and/or whale tail are still around? I have one that I got from a swap meet or something years ago, but I sure would like for those to be available again.

Cheers!

Mike

Mike,

Here is my pm to Rob.

Hi Rob,

The IMSA kits were pretty abundant when 914s were young. Many styles were available depending on which group they were running in. The wilder ones were when the formula specified a "silhouette" was required but width and wings were less regulated.

Anyway. I have the rocker moldings and rear bumper from Maurices race car. These are spares that are basically new and unmounted. I bought a bunch of parts from the estate just after he passed away.

Topper had a few 914's that ran different bodywork. The rockers I have are full length for when he ran the wider quarter panels for 11 inch rear wheels. The Chasse/ Kirby car used the narrower quarters which are similar to Sheridan narrow body panels. The long nose front bumper helped with aerodynamics since the 914 is as swoopy as a brick and would lift at high speed.

Not to many people making any glass panels for 914s anymore. If you can find the originals used in IMSA during the 70's and 80's you struck gold for period correct.

The decklid with whale tale was actually a factory steel deck with a tail grafted on in fiberglass. He had two versions he used. The spare deck was pretty beat up and I passed on it because it wasn't even worth the $150 they were asking. It was built for down force and not meant to be pretty. Up close it was pretty rough held together with rivets.

[Mugs914]

Mike,

Here is my pm to Rob.

Hi Rob,

Not to many people making any glass panels for 914s anymore. If you can find the originals used in IMSA during the 70's and 80's you struck gold for period correct.

The decklid with whale tale was actually a factory steel deck with a tail grafted on in fiberglass. He had two versions he used. The spare deck was pretty beat up and I passed on it because it wasn't even worth the $150 they were asking. It was built for down force and not meant to be pretty. Up close it was pretty rough held together with rivets.

Thanks Jeff! Interesting info.

The molds I mentioned are the originals from back in the day. The molds are still around and still in decent shape.

The rear fenders will cover 10" rubber. More if you space the rear of the fender out a bit like Topper did. They are full fenders that go from the door all the way back and around the corner by the tail light, but they were cut a bit shorter in the pics above. They are "full depth" in that they include the rocker portion. The rocker part extends forward under the door about 8" (Again, check the pics of the Baker car).

The front is a one-piece clip that includes the fenders from the door forward and the bumper/air dam. The turn signal housings have the lens area molded in and there is no provision for installing functioning signals. The shape of the turn signal housings has also been "massaged" a bit so an actual lens wouldn't really fit. When installing the nose on a street legal car we cut off the molded in turn signals and bond the fenders to the existing steel.

As far as the rear deck that Topper made, the fiberglass repros are apparently still available from Rich Bontempi at High Performance House:

http://www.highperformancehouse.com/

Go to Porsche/used parts/914/performance and scroll down. He also has some rear fenders that are very similar to the Baker car.

[gms]

Thought the research I have done for my book about IMSA/FIA 914 race cars I found the nose first used (by Wayne) in July of 1980.

I had a couple extras included in my purchase (from Hendrick) but they all need a little work.