DorsetStrider
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| posted on 8/1/05 at 12:09 AM |
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Just a thought but surely it'd be safest up front anyway? I mean if you are in a frontal collision any fuel spillage will be in a forward
direction due to the enertia of the fuel... AWAY from the occupants and with little to no chance of is splashing onto a hot engine which could ignite
it.
Who the f**K tightened this up!
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kb58
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| posted on 8/1/05 at 12:39 AM |
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I agree with the upfront part (or rather rear of the front axle.) I don't agree about the direction of fuel spray though.
You and your car are traveling forward, and so is the gas tank, and then you hit something. The front of your car stops, gas tank stops, but you keep
moving for a couple feet, gas tank gets squished, spraying gas in air. Worst case, Boom.
In my mid-engine Mini, I put it just forward of the shifter, it's a long narrow cell, 10x10x24", oriented north/south. The thinking is
that if there's a minor collision, nothing happens. If it's more major, meaning the car get's crushed in more then two feet (the
front of the cell), it'll then begin pushing the fuel cell back into the car. It's just narrow enough that *theoretically*, it'll
go between the seats without getting completely squished. And finally, using a proper *real* fuel-cell means if it does get squished, it'll
minimize fuel spray, the source of explosions. The thought is that if the cell ever gets pushed back that far, it's "game over" for
the occupants anyway...
Of course none of my theories have been tested yet, thank God, but then again the car's not done yet...
[Edited on 1/8/05 by kb58]
Mid-engine Locost - http://www.midlana.com
And the book - http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/midlana/paperback/product-21330662.html
Kimini - a tube-frame, carbon shell, Honda Prelude VTEC mid-engine Mini: http://www.kimini.com
And its book -
http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/kimini-how-to-design-and-build-a-mid-engine-sports-car-from-scratch/paperback/product-4858803.html
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