Its interesting what lights people up with an open topic like this, and I see many looking toward not only innovative drive packages but the body design as well, I guess Im no exception. Where the job would be so much shorter a journey if more use was made of existing resources.
I remember the period before there were many electric cars about, designers renditions came up with many odd and fantastic shapes, where in reality a production car wouldn't really be ostensibly that much different from existing cars, and for all the same reasons. Method and cost of production, expected run length, application of safety etc. And the cars revealed over the last 5-10 years prove this to be right.
I remember the Africar, which was a plywood car with 2CV like (or donor) suspension. There's a somewhat similar flat pac project right now called the OX. Although these are utility vehicles, open or roadster cars are really so much easier and quicker to put together, perhaps something like an old Can Am car, Lola body or duplicate which could be built foam fiberglass vacuum bag infused panels made on a flat table.
Indeed, in so many ways the music for your song is already out there, so theres less need to recreate your sand cast magnesium aluminum wheel.
My message is, if you wanted to build the entire car body, you would be wise to think about how you would go about that. I think you will find that the akin technologies for amateur boat builders and aeroplane construction would offer some useful lessons.
Stewarts Lola T260 sports car
