Motorsports · Nov 2023
Trophy Truck Chassis Designed Around a 3D-Scanned Cab
An extra-cab pickup cab and front clip were 3D scanned, then a full tube chassis, cage and long-travel suspension were designed around the mesh in CAD.
Motorsports
3D scanning for motorsports, from engineers who design race vehicles
Race vehicles are built one at a time, changed between events and packaged tighter than anything on the street. We scan bodies, axles, differentials and cages, then design the chassis, suspension and parts around them in SolidWorks. Our background is trophy trucks and high-performance off-road vehicles, so your scan goes to someone who knows what the vehicle has to survive.
The problem
What slows teams down
Packaging with no room to spare
Shocks, axles, steering racks and cage tubes compete for the same space and move through full travel. A clearance missed with a tape measure means cutting tubes after they are welded.
Parts that only exist on the car
Hand-built brackets, modified housings and one-off bodywork rarely have drawings. When one breaks, or you want a spare, the geometry has to come from the part itself.
Limited time with the vehicle
Between events the vehicle is torn down, repaired and tested. Scan it once and the design work can carry on at a desk while the car goes back to work.
Production bodies on custom chassis
Trophy trucks and race UTVs put a production cab or body on a purpose-built chassis. Irregular stamped panels are hard to measure by hand and easy to get wrong.
Applications
How motorsports teams use our scans
Chassis design around a scanned body
We scanned a pickup cab and designed a full tube-chassis trophy truck around it, so the cage, body mounts and suspension all reference the real cab.
Suspension packaging around scanned axles and differentials
Scanned axles anchored the design of a two-seat solid-axle race car, and a long-travel front suspension was designed around a scanned differential and steering rack.
Roll cages and interiors
A stripped cab scanned inside and out becomes the reference for cage tubes, seat mounts, dash panels and switch layouts.
UTV bumpers, skids and mounts
Front and rear UTV bumpers have been designed directly over body scans, with the mounting points taken from the scan.
One-off and spare parts
Scan a hand-built or damaged part, rebuild it as CAD, and you have a file to cut, machine or print the spare from.
Cage and chassis checks on the fixture
Scanning tube assemblies on the fixture table shows whether hoops and joints match the design before final welding.
Why Revv
Engineers who scan, not just scanner operators
We design race vehicles
Our founder, Joshua Frey, has a design background in trophy trucks and high-performance off-road vehicles. The person handling your scan understands travel, packaging and what breaks.
Scan and design in one place
The same team scans, models and designs, so nothing gets lost between a scanning bureau and a chassis designer.
Drop off or we come to you
Bring the vehicle or part to Reno, or we bring portable scanners to your race shop anywhere in the US.
Proof
Motorsports projects
Motorsports · Sep 2024
Off-Road Race Car Designed Around Scanned Axles
A two-seat, solid-axle tube-chassis race car designed in CAD around 3D-scanned axle housings, so the links, shocks and skids fit the real parts.
Motorsports · Mar 2026
Long-Travel Suspension Designed Around a Scanned Diff
A long-travel front suspension designed in CAD around a 3D-scanned differential, steering rack and CV boots, from the A-arms to the uprights and brakes.
FAQ
Motorsports scanning questions
Can you 3D scan a race car or trophy truck?
Yes, the whole vehicle or just the area you're changing, like a cab, front clip or rear axle. Scanning only what the design needs saves time on both the scan and the processing.
Can you design a chassis around a 3D scan?
Yes, that's our background. We've designed a trophy-truck tube chassis around a scanned cab and race-car suspension around scanned axles.
Can you scan axles and differentials for suspension design?
Yes. Axle housings, differentials and steering racks scan well, and fitting cylinders and planes to the scan gives exact tube diameters and mounting locations to design links and brackets from.
Will you keep our car and design confidential?
Yes. We'll sign your NDA, and we don't show your vehicle, team name or parts publicly without written permission.
Can you scan between races on a tight schedule?
Tell us your race date when you book. Same-day scanning can be arranged for drop-offs in Reno, and we'll be straight with you about how long the CAD or design work will take.
Guides
Further reading
Industry · 5 min read
3D Scanning for Motorsports and Race Car Builds
How race teams and builders use 3D scanning to design tube chassis, package suspension around scanned axles, fit parts and check fabrication against CAD.
Reverse Engineering · 6 min read
Scan-to-CAD Reverse Engineering, Explained
How scan-to-CAD reverse engineering works: point cloud to mesh to SolidWorks model, design intent vs. as-built, output formats, and when a mesh is enough.
Technology · 5 min read
Blue Laser vs. Structured Light 3D Scanning
Blue laser vs. structured light 3D scanners: how each captures data, where each works best, what accuracy and resolution specs mean, and how we pick per job.
Services
Services for motorsports
Start a project
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