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2 seater or 3 seater
stuleah - 15/11/15 at 03:33 PM

I am designing a new car and was wondering what peoples opinions are. 1st idea is single seater centre steering ie race car driving position. 2nd is 2 seater 1 behind the other and 3rd 3 seats mclaren f1 road car style.

tilly819 - 15/11/15 at 03:58 PM

What is the purpose of the vehicle?
Racecar, Trackdays, Sunday drives etc

Tilly

stuleah - 15/11/15 at 04:17 PM

Road car with possible trackdays. Think x-bow, bac mono.

tilly819 - 15/11/15 at 05:01 PM

ok, engine in front or behind the driver?

Sam_68 - 15/11/15 at 05:02 PM

All other things being equal, smaller = lighter, faster, cheaper.

The fewer seats you have, the smaller, lighter, faster and cheaper you can make the design.

I can see the benefits of having two seats, unless you're completely anti-social, but unless you have a specific requirement for 3 seats (for instance wife and child), it's difficult to see why you would want to go that route in anything so focussed. If anything, one-and-a-half seats (as per the Yamaha OX-99 or LCC Rocket) would seem more logical?

But it's your car - design what you want!

stuleah - 15/11/15 at 05:09 PM

1 And a half seats looks good. Would the passangers legs wrap round the drivers seat?

Sam_68 - 15/11/15 at 05:18 PM

quote:
Originally posted by stuleah
1 And a half seats looks good. Would the passangers legs wrap round the drivers seat?


Depends on your configuration - either you do it tandem, like the LCC Rocket (in which case, yes, they do):



...or you do it with a cramped second seat, staggered backwards from the driver's seat, sort of like 2/3rds of a McLaren F1 (which is how the Yamaha OX-99 did it):

stuleah - 15/11/15 at 05:31 PM

1 behind the other looks doable. I think if I was going to go with the off set idea I may aswell go for 3 seats. I like symmetry.

Sam_68 - 15/11/15 at 05:44 PM

Depends on your drivetrain package, then. Main disadvantage of tandem is that it dictates a longer wheelbase; but of course side-by-side imposes constraints on width and, if you're mid-engined, potentially front suspension arrangement/available space around the pedal box area.

You pays yer money, and you takes yer choice...

stuleah - 15/11/15 at 05:49 PM

Yeah, gonna have to do some designs and go from there.

Andi - 15/11/15 at 06:44 PM

One in the front 2 at the back
SDR V storm pulls it off nicely

http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/images/imgtxt/608/1211840418-sdr-vstorm-stoneleigh08-005-id304.jpg

http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/crop/201001/sdr-sportscars-wr3-v-12_600x0w.jpg

[Edited on 15/11/15 by Andi]

Neville Jones - 16/11/15 at 11:13 AM

Some airfield/track days specifically exclude single seaters. I've seen a tandem 'one behind the other' get told to not come back.

As these track days become more insurance oriented, they seem to look at the MSA book for guidance. A recent day at an airfield they had a Blue Book there, and were referring to it, despite not mentioning so in their own rules for the day.

Make the cockpit 800mm wide internally, with the driver to one side, and you won't end up with troubles.

Cheers,
Nev.

stuleah - 16/11/15 at 06:34 PM

I do like the layout of the sdr and steering towards that way.

Thanks for the info on the single seaters, that's decided on that then. Not worth doing something that cant be used and also if the tandem design is going to end up the same I think I will rule that out aswell.

Cheers