Hi everyone! I’m a big fan of Shapr3D and could really use some guidance from those of you who are skilled in the software, design, car schematics, and automotive modelling.
My project goal is to build a fully detailed CAD model of a Land Rover Defender 110 or 90 – every part included! I also want to render the final model directly in Shapr3D. Does anyone know where I could find existing blueprints, CAD files, or scanned exploded views of a Defender to help me get started?
For the experts here – how would you approach this task?
I’d love to complete the entire project within Shapr3D, including the rendering. Any advice or resources would be greatly appreciated!
Hi Daniel! I’m not a car expert but would love to help out if I may? I have a growing interest in designing steering wheels and this would be a great exercise for me to contribute. Also, I live in Sweden so communication would be pretty straightforward Let us know if you’re on a solo mission or if this could be a group effort! BR
Thank you for the feedback! I haven’t tried working on a shared file or collaborating digitally via Shapr before, but I’m more than willing to give it a go and see how far we can get by pooling our efforts. I think it could be an exciting way to push this project forward together.
I think small steps are key. But to avoid being overwhelmed by the sheer number of parts, maybe we should focus on the larger stuff first? I think the following covers most of what I perceive as a “car”:
Chassi
Body
Lights
Grill + bumpers
Wheels
Forward seats
Rear seats
Dash console
Shift console
Steering wheel
I don’t think order is important, but rather interest. It would be nice to see it come together, but it never will if we set a high standard to begin with. It’s better to draft it and then improve.
I have little to no interest in modeling a car chassi or body, but I’ve already started drafting the steering wheel, as I want to learn this part.
Writing in English to ensure the entire forum can participate in this thread.
I completely agree with your point about where to start. Your approach makes perfect sense.
As for working with Shapr, I am not familiar with how files are stored and shared through the platform. However, I have sufficient storage space on my computer to handle the volume of files and data. That said, I am unsure how Shapr integrates with Dropbox in this regard.
The files showcased by BKE are precisely the type we should gather to begin working effectively in Shapr.
As a suggestion, we could start by sketching a Land Rover Defender Series III 1973 2-door pickup.
I’m planning to cautiously start my project of drafting a Series 3 from 1972. The reason is that I’m looking for a tax-exempt Land Rover, which currently includes models from 1972 to 1974/75. If I’ve understood correctly, the chassis and design didn’t change significantly until the introduction of the V8 engine, which I believe happened in the late 1970s or early 1980s.
My ambition is to first draft the car from the ground up, “nuts and bolts,” and then experiment with various levels of restomod solutions to make the car better suited to modern needs and practical use.
I’ve set up a Dropbox and can create a shared solution in Sharper. Send me a PM if you’re interested. Please include your email for Sharper and Dropbox, as well as which parts you’re interested in.
I’ve started drafting a part of the chassis, and let’s just say the original drawing I’m working from leaves quite a bit to be desired. While the level of detail is, shall we say, minimalist at best, one would expect certain measurements to at least add up when consulting the table. This has led me to the rather straightforward question: have I misread something, or is the acceptable margin of error actually between the original drawing’s 166.9 inches and my calculated 166.955 inches—a discrepancy of 0.055 inches? Clearly, precision wasn’t a priority for the original draftsman. Or perhaps they just fancied keeping things… approximate?
On a related note, does anyone happen to have a drawing with better measurements for both the chassis and all the other parts? Asking for a friend.
Hi, my name is René and I live in the Netherlands. I have done a lot of welding, building and sheetworking on cars. You are talking about a discrepancy of 1,5 mm. That is an accuracy they could not achieve back in the days. On top of that, the Landy’s where build by hand. So no car is the same. Hope this helps.
I am trying to draw a Porsche Cayman in Shapr. I just managed to draw the roof sheet this weekend. It took me days. I understand in the mean time that Shapr3d is not the easiest to do this kind things. This why your project drew my attention.
Maybe I join an do some drawing.
At present I am doing some fenderwork on a Honda S2000.
I would be interested in helping with this.
I’ve done some mechanical/vehicle stuff in Shapr3D and posted results on the forum previously. Shapr isn’t the easiest to use for panels in particular, but it can be done.
No need to worry—it won’t take too long as long as we can agree on a few key parameters regarding the chassis and other critical dimensions. I happen to own a 1972 Land Rover Series 3 that’s been quietly hibernating in a barn at my summer place. My plan? First, sketch out the original in all its charming, utilitarian glory. Then comes the fun bit—upgrading parts without losing the car’s delightful blend of aesthetics and ironic character.
Welcome to the team. We all have our own unique interests and areas of focus for different parts of the project, so feel free to dive right in. I’ve personally set my own 1972 Land Rover Series 3 109 as the reference point. I’ve started sketching out the chassis, and from there, we’ll chip away at all the components—but most importantly, we’ll have a bit of fun and dream up some clever solutions along the way.
so communication would be pretty straightforward 
Let us know if you’re on a solo mission or if this could be a group effort! BR
It will take years…
