Breadvan_update_014: Introduction to our coachbuilder

Making a car body by hand

We showed the installation of the steel, compound curve framework two weeks ago. Bas van Roomen made this substructure. He is our coachbuilder for the Breadvan Hommage project. In the workshop Bas van Roomen usually builds and restores handmade, highly exclusive Italian sports cars, in the very tradition of the great Italian coachbuilders of the 50’s. Bas: “Making a car body by hand is the most beautiful craft in existence. Being able to make all those curves and shapes out of a flat piece of metal is truly fantastic!“

Automotive clay

Next to installing the frame, Van Roomen will also be responsible for the complex job of making the full scale clay model on top of the steel profiles. We are using industrial plasticine for this. This is mainly used by automotive design studios as a modeling material. The frame work is equipped with a backplate. Firstly to attach the clay to the car. It will hold the clay in place. Secondly it will also provide stability to apply the clay on the car. In a later stage when its shape will change again and again the backplate provides stiffness.

Fine-tuning the design ideas on paper

We’re closely following the clay modelling stage of our design work. For instance, we monitor the coachbuilding through photos, videos, calls and visits to the workshop. The focus of the team is on fine-tuning the design ideas on paper initially. We translate the ideas into a shape which works on the car under real, natural light. The design decisions will receive endless changes and amendments. Bas will later create a paper tape mould, once the styled clay model on the base vehicle has been finished. This mould will follow the shape of the clay exactly. The driver side of the car will be shaped in aluminium through this mould.

Coachbuilding the aluminium body

The mammoth task of coachbuilding the newly designed, aluminium body of the Breadvan Hommage will also be on the capable shoulders of Van Roomen. The fact that coachbuilding is labour intensive and will be done completely by hand. As a result Bas will be in close contact with our design studio to fine tune the design. We will together iron out any possible technical challenges. The exact same instruments used in the golden era of coachbuilding are applied by Bas to build the Breadvan Hommage. He has extensive knowledge on the subject and many years of experience building Italian vintage cars. We will ensure the Breadvan Hommage will be made to the highest standards, the finest of coachbuilding traditions will be applied to our design work.