Virtual Vette - Racing Simulator Built From Wrecked Corvette
This project started because I was looking for a way to encourage and reward my son, Daniel, for earning his Eagle Scout rank. Daniel had purchased a steering wheel, gear shift and pedal set-up to play games on his computer and had made some sketches of sim-rigs he wanted to build. His designs were very similar to the ones you find online in that they are just frames with a seat and mounting brackets for the components. I don’t recall which one of us actually said it, but one of said, “What if we built this into an actual car?” Thus, our journey began and it turned out to be one of the best father son projects ever.
I should note at this point that in order to keep this guide manageable and fun, we will skip over many sub-process that are not particularly unique to this project. Explaining how to build a gaming computer, how to upholster automotive seats, lay fiberglass, welding, paint and body work are complete tutorials all their own and there are plenty of them out there.
Our first task was to select a car. Daniel’s first suggestion was a Lamborghini Countach but we figured the parts would be hard to find and probably a little on the expensive side. Our next discussion centered around the Mazda Miata. They are certainly not rare and they are compact little convertibles which on the surface seems pretty ideal, however they are not particularly distinctive cars. We knew the main part of the car you would see is the door the Miata door is somewhat generic in its shape. After some deliberation, we had narrowed it down multiple generations of Ford Mustangs and the third generation Chevrolet Corvettes (AKA C3 Corvettes). Both have parts readily available not only in salvage yards but also in aftermarket reproductions. Both also have very distinctive doors and taillights. The Mustang has the scalloped vent impression in the door and the three vertical bar taillights. The corvette has the flowing curves and hips leading to the classic double round taillights. Though we both love the Mustang and it would have been a fine choice, we ultimately settled on the Corvette.
