Otto -- Thanks for taking the time.*
...but, I've thought about all that, like you, and I'm trying to move beyond that. For instance:
•the frame. A central spine and a few crossmembers, one doubled up to make an axle inside the shell, incorporating a water tank and step/bumper. It's a sub-frame inside a monocoque shell. Added windows would be like in Burt Rutan's airplanes.
•aerodynamics of the wheels? I choose to reduce the frontal area of the wheel/tire and create a low frontal area dual-use fender. The tandem wheels could have a connecting fillet and Moon disks.
•Coroplast. I was intentionally vague. Alumacorr is aluminum skinned coroplast, but it still doesn't take abrasion as well as PolyMetal, for similar weight. Grimco MaxMetal has thicker skins. (Links on request)
Hey, plywood ribs, stringers and cedar shingles laid longitudinally and lapped vertically, with the ends bandsawed like fish scales.
In coroplast's favor, the stiffen ribs could also pin the curved sections together. Welding rod tack welded end to end 12' long and bent twice.
If/when I get back to model #2 it will be 3-3.5' tall with a 'trolley top' of 8-10" to get away from that horse-trailer look.
*Had I gotten vanity plates for my Notchback Type III, they would have read OTTOBON.
