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The ALTAiR Car!

This section is about my (Erik's) personal automotive project. I am rebuilding a 1985 Toyota Supra into the ALTAiR car. When I am done, it will be a cross between Back to the Future and Mad Max. A firm handshake goes to Kurt Harland for beating me to the idea! Keep checking back for updates!

Ok. There's way too much stuff for one page, so I made a separate page for some of it:
History and Progress

Recent changes:

December, 2005: It's too cold out to get anything useful done, so I'm gathering info and materials to continue work in the spring.

August 01: The top half of the front end is finished, and the hood is now cut to the same size as the framework.

Stats

It seems that everyone is interested in this kind of stuff, so I put it here for you to read. The information will be updated as I replace parts.

5-speed manual transmission, rear wheel drive (both very fun to drive). I find RWD to be more controllable than front wheel drive. It drives more solidly. Plus the weight is balanced better, with everything being distributed more evenly. The real obvious advantage comes when you decide to work on the engine or drivetrain. I have absolutely no problem getting at every single part. I've worked on a lot of transverse engines, and they all suck to repair/modify, because eveything is all piled up in the engine compartment.

Plans

Here is a basic list of the modification plans I have for the car.

  • Sand and paint body flat black [done]
  • Remove front bumper and replace with custom frame design [done]
  • Replace tires with bigger truck-style tires
  • Add a hood intake for future engine mods
  • Add side scoops over corner windows
  • Replace several components with stainless steel versions (like the exhaust)
  • Run lengths of tubing across body
  • Weld a variety of useless but cool-looking stuff to the body
  • Reupholster the interior with black vinyl
  • Build a new dash display, completely digital [working on it]
  • Build new headlight brackets which will replace the flipup ones. I like flipup headlights, but they just won't work in this design
  • Build a new dashboard [done]
  • Gut the back seat area and replace with storage compartments
  • Cover floor with diamond-plate [half done]
  • Modify doors to open by rotating forward using pneumatic cylinders [very challenging]
  • Install an air compressor for the doors and other accessories
  • Convert the car to run on propane. This is in response to last years emissions failing. I think the people at the testing place wanted to try to keep me off the road or something.

Purpose

Although I think the purpose of this kind of project should be fairly obvious, some people don't see it that way. Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to have a car that looked really mean. I'm not saying "mean" like the Viper. I am referring to the industrial construction vehicle look. I wanted a car that scared people. A car that was dangerous, literally. Of course, when I was a kid, I had no understanding of DOT regulations, so I wanted lasers, smoke screens, knife guns, huge blades, and all that sort of stuff that makes cops not like you. Now I must remain within the boundaries of friendly society. So I plan to make the car mostly mean looking, not a road hazard.

You see, everyone seems to want a sleek, rounded car that runs quiet. I want exactly the opposite. My goal is to build this car into an angular nightmare of steel tubing and hoses. The kind of car you don't want to cut off on the road, because you know it can just rip right through you. The kind of car Satan might take out on a sunday stroll. Yeah, basically a real bastard of a car.

Why a Supra? Well, partly because that's the car I own, partly because the Supra is easy to modify. The whole car is extremely well built, using thick gauge metal throughout. Plus, I like the design of the car. It has a certain Lotus/Lamborghini look to it. There's a lot of straight lines that lend themselves well to change, not like today's cars that are all bubbly and round. I guess I want to show people that there's more to cars than chrome and clearcoat.