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Yeah just an update I changed my mind to the monocoque CF. The Fiberglass will be plenty tough as a cloth composite instead of as a fiber reinforced composite(I accidently hit a rabbit at 70 with my fiberglass particle reinforced bumper and it did no damage). This will be much stronger and only slightly heavier than fiber reinforced(regular fiberglass for most applications thefibers are sprayed in and not in any kind of pattern, whereas this has some small strength without the matrix to bind it.)
I know I wouldn't need an "suv" tank to get all the mileage I need. . .but my dad has been considering a road trip to Alaska and I'm feeling two of these. There are a few good stretches of the plotted trip that would have to be altered strictly for fuel(to go out of the way to grab some between destinations). So I was looking to alleviate that problem and be able to drive from one stopping point to the other. I'm hoping with either the charger off, or if I can reliably get the engines to burn lean with no risks then one and lean, to conquer 50 mpg.
I'm not sure if thats a low bench mark or a high one. The 4A-GE was in the Corrolla and they got alright FE and this ought to be at least half a ton lighter than that. The aero is probably going to be very simple geometric pointy nose but I haven't quite decided.
I'm not terribly interested in the body for aero other than avoiding a cd of .5 or anything and am putting alot more time into finding the lightest weight pistons, rods and shafts that can stand being juiced to alot more horsepower(rotational mass in the engine creates much greater drag than weight mass on the frame so if I can shave a few pounds off the rods cylinders and shaft I can shave lots effective weight).
I think if I can get the lean burn to keep from eating the pistons and valves I should be able to compete with an old insight, considering I'll be able to do much higher AFRs and have alot less mass and need less power. . .So a 10 gallon tank(or a 12 like My Del Sol has) would cover 700 miles.
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