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Prototyp : News
News Archive
2004-2010, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000

16 FEB 10
BMW LMR cad development is wrapping up. Work continues on refining the cad model for clean Pepakura parts output. Ultimately, though, Pepa's output is just an interim step; raw parts material for the final Illustrator production work. Hoping to hit an alpha test build soon, with aim to have parts design done by the end of the month (February... yes, of this year)
16 JAN 10
Cad: First steps taken on a major shift in Prototyp model development - started a new project from scratch to re-design my development process around 3d CAD and Pepakura. Metasequoia is pretty straightforward, though my list of wishes for Illustrator-like Smart Guides and copy-paste of flat vector forms would make things much faster. Also a surprising hiccup is the complete lack of control over actual scale between screengrabs from Illustrator placed in Mqo and the eventual model export in Pepa.
30 DEC 07
The NISMO NP35 is available to order now in the Prototyp Shop. The Japanese NISMO development of the P35 has many differences from the American NPTi version... The kit captures all the nuanced details, from bodywork changes on up to the two-tier rear wing and special RAYS wheels on Bridgestone tires.

Work is progressing on the mighty Nissan GTPZX-T. Bodywork parts are nearly complete, watch for an alpha test-build gallery soon. I expect a kit release by Spring 2008 (the first completely-new Prototyp kit in nearly four years!).
18 NOV 07
I am happy to announce the NISMO NP35 is ready for printing. The kit available for shipping soon... place your order now in the Prototyp Shop.

Next project could be a continuing of work on the mighty Nissan GTPZX-T, resurrecting the elaborate Bentley Speed 8, or finishing the Courage C60.
20 OCT 07
Restart. Shop is (re)open! New models in progress. The move is done... We're in a rather pastoral and inspiring place, surrounded by hills at the foot of a mountain, yet just a quick train ride away from the full Bay Area circus. Of course the challenges of parenthood are a constant no matter where we are.

I've re-started work on two Nissan P35 variations - the Japanese NISMO car as well as the stark-white NPTi development car - and am eying the Courage LMP car circa 2001 that is mostly completed. These could well be the next set of releases, I hope (though can't promise) in time for this Winter season.
18 JUL 07
We're moving! While Prototyp work has been at a stand-still for some time now, family and professional life has been raging forward. This summer my family and I will be moving to an entirely new place and embracing entirely new kind of life together. As Jeremy Clarkson would say, "it's epic."

As I will be fully absorbed in the move over the next few weeks, I've temporarily closed the Prototyp store until we're up and running again with all our technolgies and workspaces set up.

As far as Prototyp-related projects, I have been working on some technical illustrations to appear in a book entitled "Prototype Experience" by Michael Fuller of Mulsanne's Corner in collaboration with Motorbooks International. Car models are on hold though so many were tantalizingly close to completion I hope to find some regular time to reindulge working on them.

Lastly, the Prototyp's web host has suffered some terminal issues in their email support, so until they're back up and running or I find an alternative solution, contact me at prototyp@comcast.net
01 JAN 06
Looking forward into Prototyp's 2006... First priority is to move model development out of the laborious Illustrator 2-d relm and into a 3-d CAD environment. Ultimately CAD should drastically reduce design-time, as well as provide a means to more rapidaly document the models for building instructions. I've aquired a copy of Autocad Inventor and a massive book which explains how to use it. While promising at first glance, I suspect the learning curve will be trying as my graphic-design background contains very little true 3d CAD work.

An update on existing projects: rough builds of the Nissan GTP-ZXT nose area look great, its distinctive nostrils formed perfectly. Further development of the Nissan, though, is on hold until I move into working in CAD. The Bentley needs some part revisions around the front fenders, and then of course completion of the remaining bodywork. There is also progress toward a Springtime release of models comprised of an 'Endurance' MkIII variation (1993 Daytona winner) and two Nissan P35's (Test and the Japanese Nismo).
12 AUG 05
Another lengthy gap in work progress and website updates... Life is full these days. My second daughter was born recently, and in the couple weeks I took off for the occasion, I managed some further development of the Nissan GTP-ZXT. Theorizing the architecture of the model in sketches went very quickly, and moved with confidence into pulling parts together. Most of the nose is done, likely the trickiest part of the model, as is the inner structure. Expect some alpha/white-paper test-builds very soon.
16 APR 05
While the Bentley project creeps along, I thought I'd return to an old Prototyp project and personal favorite car, the Nissan GTP-ZXT. The Nissan's form is very simple compared to the Bentley, and combined with abundant reference should be a pretty quick project. Construction sketches were started a couple years ago, and the working illustrations are already underway.

30 APR 05 - Looks like we got a little mention in this Japanese 3d paper-modeling book: http://www.3dpapermodel.com.tw/report/show.asp?num=181&page=1

13 FEB 05
Glacial progress on the Bentley project. Front-half of the car (nose through firewall) has been put through a plain-paper test-build. The multitude of curving panels is more difficult to build properly than the more rectilinear shapes of the previous Prototyp models, so I am designing in some hidden pieces to help things line up. The new front fender parts might need some tweeking, but the third-generation chassis, splitter, cowl, roof, and windscreen all fit together beautifully...
05 JUN 04
Leapfrogging a massive gap now... some three and half months and I don't have terribly much to show. Life-wise, I bought a car, which gets me to a full-time job in the City. My daughter is happy and talking constantly, wife is happy... The Bentley project's got a complete tub monocoque and many subtle alterations to the full-bodied version based on some simple CAD drawings of the actual car. Ran into some major issues as I progressed in building the model... some parts were nearly impossible to put into place (how do you put something inside a box, once the box is sealed?). So I made some changes to the way the kit builds up, added some details, and now major hurdles scaled so we move on...
04 JAN 04
Back from two-weeks off for the holidays. Lots of family gatherings, a brilliant day skiing with my wife, and a week in San Diego attending to the every wish of a two-year-old girl. Bentley is sort of the slow pet project for Prototyp at the moment. Windscreen and sunshade are done, working now on the roof and doors using techniques sorted out for the Nissan P35 design. Tricky stuff but it will look impressive when done. New Virtual PC out soon, then we go kick around in CAD for a while. Started a dossier for the Intrepid GTP, again a collaboration with Mike Fuller from Mulsanne's Corner
2004-2010, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000