The Phantom Of City Sadar Road

[Demonoid]

Sir, i salute you for your effort, really love your monster truck! Its extreme "WEHSHI" love it! MA SHA ALLAH

[Demonoid]

And i wud also like to share some pics of truck which a spotted in car show! I dream about have this monster!

[fouadhafeez]

Sorta seems like the situation where on new years eve yer staring at the clock an waiting to start the party! Bhai jan, mutating a quote from Spiderman " With great projects, comes great responsibility" The eyes of many are waiting for those shots.............

Goodness gracious...the pressure to perform!

Pics on their way, brother.

(sorry, I didn't snap too many)

[fouadhafeez]

Sir, i salute you for your effort, really love your monster truck! Its extreme "WEHSHI" love it! MA SHA ALLAH

Thank you for the good wishes.

[fouadhafeez]

When you have a vehicle that stands so high, there is a dire need to enable people to actually MOUNT the monster (personally, standing at 6'3", I find it IMPOSSIBLE to do so, unaided). At the same time, however, it's ALSO a Catch-22 situation, because if you have permanent steps, it lowers the ground clearance of the vehicle, dramatically. Which, in turn, renders all the exercises you've done on ride height, and under-body modifications, and stance...quite meaningless.

As a result, a lot of time today was spent on such a seemingly innocuous problem as catering for a stowaway, step-down ladder for the Phantom. Much brain-storming (by myself, Jamil Ustaad, and some friends from PW who happened to chance upon the vehicle) followed. We left somewhat undecided, as to how to tackle this problem adequately. Afterwards, though, I had the opportunity to reflect on the desired mechanical design...and I think I may have found what needs to be done. I'll be posting the solution in a few hours, after I've made the proper design blueprints for the step, and have scanned the drawings.

Meanwhile, work on the body continues at a brisk pace. The doors have been scraped down to beautiful, bare sheet-metal and have been covered with a thin film of anti-rust / WD40 to prevent corrosion. I must say...a part of me has this desire to leave the Phantom WITHOUT any colour at all...just bare metal; covered in several layers of clear overbase!

Some pictures telling the story of today...

[fouadhafeez]

Another topic which came up for discussion was roll cage design, and rock sliders.

We're considering a quad bar solution (the windscreen's top edge, and three laterally positioned roll bars at the A, B, and C pillars). These will be interlinked via three cross-members. For additional strength, another lateral cross-member That connects the central roll bar, whilst passing behind the seats is also being considered (which, truthfully, will only be approved / disapproved after the seats are fitted properly. For the roll cage heavy-gauge-with-small-dia pipe is likely to be used.

For the rock-sliders / belly-sliders, a heavy-gauge-with-large-dia pipe is going to be used (at least 4 inches dia). In the (admittedly unlikely) eventuality that the Phantom DOES get bellied, these sliders should be instrumental in saving the undercarriage from getting damaged, AND provide a skid surface for the beast to shimmy over such an obstacle. At least theoretically speaking.

Bumper design will be absolutely simple. A plain girder that does NOT hamper the wheels being the first part of the vehicle to encounter any object. The bumper will, of course, also provide a housing for the beautiful Series 100 TLC winch for the Phantom. Depending upon how things turn out, perhaps a forward inclined nudge bar will be added to the front bumper (as pointed out by fihsak, earlier in the thread), to allow greater manoeuvreability down sharp-gradient descents. We will keep this pending, until later.

[dms664]

When you have a vehicle that stands so high, there is a dire need to enable people to actually MOUNT the monster (personally, standing at 6'3", I find it IMPOSSIBLE to do so, unaided). At the same time, however, it's ALSO a Catch-22 situation, because if you have permanent steps, it lowers the ground clearance of the vehicle, dramatically. Which, in turn, renders all the exercises you've done on ride height, and under-body modifications, and stance...quite meaningless.

As a result, a lot of time today was spent on such a seemingly innocuous problem as catering for a stowaway, step-down ladder for the Phantom. Much brain-storming (by myself, Jamil Ustaad, and some friends from PW who happened to chance upon the vehicle) followed. We left somewhat undecided, as to how to tackle this problem adequately. Afterwards, though, I had the opportunity to reflect on the desired design...and I think I may have found what needs to be done. I'll be posting the solution in a few hours, after I've made the proper design blueprints for the step, and have scanned the pictures.

Meanwhile, work on the body continues at a brisk pace. The doors have been scraped down to bare sheet-metal and have been covered with a thin film of anti-rust / WD40 to prevent corrosion. I must say...a part of me has this desire to leave the Phantom WITHOUT any colour at all...just bare metal; covered in several layers of clear overbase!

Some pictures telling the story of today...

[fouadhafeez]

When I was talking about keeping the monster bare to the sheet metal...the source for inspiration was a completely unique "naked" 1965 Impala commissioned by the Flat12 Art Gallery to showcase automotive design and art.

An "outside" and "inside" photo each, of this beautiful car, are shown below...

P.S. Those '65 Impalas sure look hot! LUCKY ME!

[fouadhafeez]

@dms664

Thanks for the input, brother. However, this solution you've posted seems to require lifting the step manually. The design that I have in mind, will incorporate a set of gas shock absorbers (like we use for hatchbacks, and rear windows, and bonnet hoods), to pull the step back up, once you release a switch. The lowered step, will simply slide upwards on its own, thereby eliminating the need to do it manually.

[dms664]

@dms664

Thanks for the input, brother. However, this solution you've posted seems to require lifting the step manually. The design that I have in mind, will incorporate a set of gas shock absorbers, to pull the step back up, once you release a switch. The lowered step, will simply slide upwards on its own, thereby eliminating the need to do it manually.

Nice idea you have perceived sir.
If the switch turn out to be an electric one , it can be connected with the keyless entry circuit, ie on pressing the unlock button the steps get lowered down and after the vehicle starts moving and the keyless entry system automatically locks the door's locks the steps should get retracted. After the vehicle comes to a halt and the switch is turned off the doors get unlocked by the keyless entry system and the steps lowering system should be wired to that command.
That is a raw idea as I am not an electronics expert but a person from electronics background can materialize this idea.

[fouadhafeez]

Nice idea you have perceived sir.
If the switch turn out to be an electric one , it can be connected with the keyless entry circuit, ie on pressing the unlock button the steps get lowered down and after the vehicle starts moving and the keyless entry system automatically locks the door's locks the steps should get retracted. After the vehicle comes to a halt and the switch is turned off the doors get unlocked by the keyless entry system and the steps lowering system should be wired to that command.
That is a raw idea as I am not an electronics expert but a person from electronics background can materialize this idea.

I HAD considered an electronic option...but owing to the nature of the beast, I think we'll stick to a manual / mechanical solution, instead. After all...we DON'T want passengers to think that we're looking to make them be TOO COMFORTABLE...do we?

[dms664]

I HAD considered an electronic option...but owing to the nature of the beast, I think we'll stick to a manual / mechanical solution, instead. After all...we DON'T want passengers to think that we're looking to make them be TOO COMFORTABLE...do we?

not at all but they would have felt like this (pic attached) with the electronic fold down ladder

[fouadhafeez]

Agreed. But whilst the plane's steps fold upwards to become a part of the body...we have to keep something that is unobtrusive, not too bulky, and does not compromise on the looks of the vehicle.

At the same time, there is a need for it to be sturdy, robust, and simplistic. Something that can withstand the rigors of harsh off-road activity through water, mud, and over rocks and dirt.

I'm traveling from Pindi right now. In a couple of hours, I should have the drawings ready!

[fouadhafeez]

In theory, the electronic system should not be too difficult. You use the modified motors of a power windows system to move the step up and down vertically. Indeed, this switch can be activated using the keyless entry, or you can even have separate buttons for it, inside the vehicle. Yet another alternative is to use the remote switch of the central locking to activate the motors. An interesting theory. It would require experimentation, and also being made foolproof to withstand water, grime, muck and mud!

[fouadhafeez]

This is why I LOVE Pakwheels. The ideas you get here, are simply magnificent!

Thank you, dms664!

[dms664]

This is why I LOVE Pakwheels. The ideas you get here, are simply magnificent!

Thank you, dms664!

pleasure is all mine sir
Had I been into electronics I would have drawn the circuit diagrams for you but still its not that complicated and can be materialized easily in sha Allah

[fouadhafeez]

As a counter-argument to going "naked"...here're some other pictures.

A graffiti-laden Lamborghini Gallardo!

I'm picturing a hand-painted, silver/gold over black Phantom, coated with layer after layer of clear overbase, rubbed to a glistening-gleaming-gorgeous shine. I'm liking the idea, personally speaking. Now...where do we find the artists who will actually DO this for me?

[fouadhafeez]

I was wondering where this clip had vanished.

My apologies for the lack of focus, and the lack of light. It was dark...and I'm NOT the best photographer in the world!

<iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/x-AYCniLttg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[vague_one]

As a counter-argument to going "naked"...here're some other pictures.

A graffiti-laden Lamborghini Gallardo!

I'm picturing a hand-painted, silver/gold over black Phantom, coated with layer after layer of clear overbase, rubbed to a glistening-gleaming-gorgeous shine. I'm liking the idea, personally speaking. Now...where do we find the artists who will actually DO this for me?

The artist is always within....well I really for one havent seen many expert airbrushing people around.....though the only option I can give you is wrap.....get this graffiti printed onto a wrap sheet an roll it all around the phantom....on the other hand, this sorta art work tends to hide the vehicles cuts an curves.......sorta kills the fusion you`ve done.

[fouadhafeez]

The artist is always within....well I really for one havent seen many expert airbrushing people around.....though the only option I can give you is wrap.....get this graffiti printed onto a wrap sheet an roll it all around the phantom....on the other hand, this sorta art work tends to hide the vehicles cuts an curves.......sorta kills the fusion you`ve done.

Agreed. We spoke about this.

Also, please pardon the late reply...but apparently, there was something fundamentally wrong with the site for a few days...and it was impossible to log onto this page, in particular.

As for the "artwork" on the Phantom, there's a little experiment I plan to conduct over the weekend (I've already done some asking around regarding it).

Why can't the monster have proper artwork painted onto the body? If not with an airbrush...why not with a paintbrush?! There is no abundance of local artistic talent out there. I'm willing to bet that there'd be more than a few struggling artists, who'd actually relish both the challenge, and the financial compensation.

Perhaps a collage / mural on the side panels...depicting the various beautiful types of outdoors we have. The mountains of the North and North West, the rugged deserts of Sind and Balochistan, the rivers of the Punjab, in brilliant acrylic colours. Some pinstriping maybe. Or colour layering. And finally, several coats of clear overbase.

And the nationalistic theme is just one. There are so many options to fill up those side panels, bonnet, daala, etc.

Wrap is good...but it's kind of well...common. This technique (if technically feasible) would certainly make the vehicle a piece of rolling art. I have a few ideas in my head. Now all I need is to find someone who can implement it for me. This weekend is going to be spent, doing exactly that!