OK in spite of what's written on the left, the 'kitten' project has been sidelined while I do a much more interesting one.... I'm making an electric landspeed record car. Design is largely done, chassis steel bought, motors under test etc. I need help with the bodywork. A local school is helping me with the nosecone, another in cumbria with the windscreen. The remaining bodywork: the sides will be thickish flat panels used as heatsinks for a failsafe electric braking system, other panels will not deviate far from single curvature & I'm thinking make them from ally too.
I'm looking for a partner who will take on this part of the project & essentially work for nothing for the sheer hell of it, I'd supply materials.
The current plan is to get the chassis moving this year & get the body on for the UK record next year. If it performs to spec I'll ship it abroad to max it out - CFD analysis suggests a top whack just over 300mph but I still have a fair bit of aero work to do, the front is already getting a bit light at 250....
I'm based in the north west but it will be easy enough to transport the rolling chassis (c/w nose & sides) to anywhere in UK.
BTW aerodynamics is the key to this project - & the body has to be strong - aerodynamic forces at over 200mph are very significant.
Please U2U me if you have Al body forming experience & would like to get involved!
Bob

Sounds like a great project, hope it all goes well for you!

Any pics of what its going to look like?

Alloy?

Woldnt a carbon body be lighted and potentially stiffer?


You can model that in foam..... test in a DIY wind tunnel.... and then make the mold from it..

Any pics so far? Sounds fastincating!

How much power do you need to get to 300MPH???

Looks like an excellent opportunity for someone. Good luck with the project, and post updates please

Sounds like a fun project.

Current record of 315mph??? Rather you than me!

adrian

I'll post some pics when I get home.
Power wise it will have 60kW to 70kW per wheel; I expect all up weight to be just under a ton. UK record today is 137mph but I expect that to be higher bythe time I have a go - say 150 ish. I'm thinking elvington or pendine - neither a particularly ideal venue, but we should get over 160. Problem with elvington is stopping..... you'd leave the measured mile at 200mph with just 0.4miles of runway left...... some buttock clenching in order there.......
I need ally for the sides for heatsinking the braking resistors - may as well make top & bottom out of it too; the alternative would be a really big composite moulding - not really my cup of tea.
World record at 315 is too much to expect from this car but if it all goes to plan I might carry on & go for it, with a UK record under my belt I'll have a bit more cred asking for sponsorship (& lets face it, over 300 everything is going to be really expensive....) I'm making the car myself with some help from friends & don't want to spend too much (yes it's a junkyard special ;^)

I had wondered if there was any progress on the kitten but this sounds brilliant, pics definitely required!

Guys run 200mph at bruntingthorpe and manage to stop on a reasonably regular basis but the alternative it crashing through a carpark

Awesome project! If you do it in Pendine I'll come an wave a flag or help in anyway

Sounds a great project.

Once you get the design for the body finalised, could you divide it up into individual panels? Rather like a patch work quilt, we could make 1 each! Baggsy a flat panel with no curves.....

As promised I downloaded a couple of CAD renders to my picture archive on here.
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/photos.php?action=showphoto&photo=carpic.jpg
They're in the folder "blackbird" (yeah that's the name of the project - but it'll be painted white in case we try it at bonneville.....)
The motors are radio controlled model plane motors, outrunners - you get 5kW in a <1kg lump for $50 - you just need to combine a LOT of them... The motors in the design shown are no longer available so that part has had to be modified. There's more gumf (bit of a build diary) on my website
http://freespace.virgin.net/bob.carter/blackbird.htm
No panel bashers out there want a piece of the action????

[Edited on 24/3/10 by Bob C]

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Originally posted by Bob C
As promised I downloaded a couple of CAD renders to my picture archive on here.
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/photos.php?action=showphoto&photo=carpic.jpg
They're in the folder "blackbird" (yeah that's the name of the project - but it'll be painted white in case we try it at bonneville.....)

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do you need a test pilot???