Right, first draft. I'd really appreciate any comments and critisims. I've tried to triangulate everything, and have based the design on the locost, borrowing much from here: http://www.qsl.net/vk4ir/clubman/clubman.htm

Go easy on me - it's my first time! But any ideas, suggestions, or correction more than welcome!

Looks pretty good
Any engine ideas?

Oh, I should add, if it's not clear, in the rear elevation, and the plan, for ease of viewing, ins ome places only one half is shown.

The idea is that the design is solid without the roll cage, with the cage adding stiffness and safety.

Attached are pictures with a half cage and no cage.

No cage:

quote:

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Originally posted by speedyxjs
Looks pretty good
Any engine ideas?

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Nice
Look forward to seeing that progress

Dick Lukoszek and Lex Luthor (Adventures of Superman)

Making use of your resources is the way to go. Lexus/Toyota V8 are supposed to be sweet motors, should be nice.

I get the impression your trying to re-invent the wheel. the site you give is using the rear subframe from the donor car. things have moved on a little and there are plenty of plans for an IRS setup and modifcation to the book chasis.

Book chassis plans

[Edited on 1-1-2008 by onzarob]

quote:

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Originally posted by onzarob
I get the impression your trying to re-invent the wheel. the site you give is using the rear subframe from the donor car. things have moved on a little and there are plenty of plans for an IRS setup and modifcation to the book chasis.

Book chassis plans

[Edited on 1-1-2008 by onzarob]

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Heh Jesus - nice pic - get that in your avatar!!!

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Originally posted by trextr7monkey
Heh Jesus - nice pic - get that in your avatar!!!

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I get in now, you want to spaceframe your current car, sorry I missed that

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Originally posted by onzarob
I get in now, you want to spaceframe your current car, sorry I missed that

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From the diagrams, it looks as if you've taken the personal weight reduction a little far

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Originally posted by Macbeast
From the diagrams, it looks as if you've taken the personal weight reduction a little far

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As you are after wieght reduction it would make sense to lose the heavy struts and make up some decent IRS with new shocks.

If you are trying to keep brakes etc then you should be able to carry this lot over, Its only an extra £200-£300 which you may be able to recoup.

The wheels and tyres may not get up to heat if you lose enough weight, so maybe look at selling the rolling shell and just keep the engine..... Just a thought

Well, i don't think it's ever going to be super light. If the finished vehicle is less than 900kgs I'll be happy.

The main priority is the flexibility to put things where I want them, and not be limited by the current monocoque.

Having said that, another very big driver is to get it onto an SVA. Modification of stock vehicles is getting so difficult now that at MOT time it's hard to convince the MOT man that it's a track car that needs to go on the road now and again.

I have "umm-ed and ahh-ed" about how far to go with this. Where to draw the line between what I change and what I "clone" or transfer from the original setup. And I'm wary of changing everything. I can understand that it probably sounds like more work to do things this way, but I don't want to open a can of worms by changing too much and ending up with something I don't like. I also don't want to open my wallet too much either! If all I have to purchase is the steel for the frame, then I'll be pleased!

So, any takers for an assessment of the design so far, in terms of structure? Given what I'm trying to do, are there any design issues? ie bit's that are going to fall to pieces?!



[Edited on 2/1/08 by Jesus-Ninja]

Sorry to be a bit of a downer, but in my opinion if you change the wieght, the location of the centre of gravity of the car and the stiffness of the chassis then the chances are that the new car will handle completey differently to the the old despite keeping the suspension as original - in other words you might just as well get a properly designed kit car that is known to handle well and transfer your engine and drivetrain to it and sell the rest.

One thing for sure, the current suspension is designed to work in it's current environment and is unlikely to work as well as other alternatives in the environment you plan to put it.

It's a good point well made

Having said that, the weight distribution has been significantly altered from stock already. As standard the engine straddles the front axle, and this hasn't changed, but everywhere else, weight has been removed. As a result (at the last weighing), the weight distribution was 58 front 42 rear. The plan is for the movement of the engine to correct this.

As said, it's not solely about weight saving. Correcting the distibution is a factor, as is torsional rigidity.

[Edited on 2/1/08 by Jesus-Ninja]

[Edited on 2/1/08 by Jesus-Ninja]

So no coments on the structural integrity of the design?

[Edited on 3/1/08 by Jesus-Ninja]

Why not skip the idea of using the hole rear subframe from your donor, and only use the suspension arms. A member on here “Matty dog” did something the same with his build. See here: http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=71397&page=&contribmessage=none

Or make the existing subframe lighter en a part of your chassis, welding it in. I did that with my build when using the rear subframe from a sierra (drawings in my archive).

Yeah, I've picked up a scrap rear subby for tinkering with, and I'm starting to think about welding it in, as to two foremost mounting poihts are on outiggers, and could be removed.

I do like the idea too of building the existing arm pickup points into the frame. I could make a jig from the subframe.

I've certainly looking very seriously at a double wishbone set up for the front now, potentially using the existing hubs and lower arms, and fabricating a bracket with a ball joint in the line of where the strut used to be.

That's the thing I'm really loving at the moment is the design. Everytime I think "yeah, that's the way it'll work", I mull it all over, get a few more suggestions, take the bits that work, ditch the bits that don't. Think some more, and then th thing evolves.

I've been doing about 3 hours driving for work each day recently, it's a great opourtunity to turn the radio off and really get the brain cells working!

Thanks for all the suggestions so far

Structurally, am I on the right track though?