Designing and Building my own High MPG Car

[GoGogebic]

blog at
http://gogebicxp.blogspot.com/

[freebeard]

I just found the thread. You promised a surprise. What—the neon underbody lighting?

The body will be all aluminum. Laser cut and seam MIG welded. Every part of the car I can make at work except the canopy, but I know where I can get it made. The entire car has been designed around the tools I have available to me.

Castings? Forging? CNC? 3D printer?

If you need to go in snow wouldn't it be better to leave off the pontoon fenders, and run open wheels, like a Lakester? The front pontoon is open on the inside and out. Does it not turn with the wheel? If it doesn't, what holds it up? Why the wide track; do you need >1g cornering forces?

For defrosting you could have a flat on the front of the bubble, like a jet fighter plane and make that out of the glass they used in Ford Taurus windshields. It had lead in it so it would conduct electricity. It would melt caked on ice.

Here are some examples. That wide track look, the Tucker:


One of my favorites, the Mangusta:


Not open wheeled for less interference drag, the Messerschmitt:


Here is a reasonable package. You can get in and out of it. It has bumpers. The thickness of the windshield post shows it has some impact resistance. It isn't built for massive cornering side forces, and the fenders have minimal frontal area; although they could have little individual boattails, There's no need for the massive knife edges in front.

The VW Nils:

[Frank Lee]

I missed the May '12 proto roll-out. :/

[freebeard]

Well, you see it there on the shop floor last December. It didn't slip much.

GoGogebic -- Wheelbase? Track? Tire size? How tall is that driver figure?

Any details on the drive train?

[Frank Lee]

I think he's aiming for a conventional track cuz he's concerned about following ruts.

[GoGogebic]

Well, you see it there on the shop floor last December. It didn't slip much.

GoGogebic -- Wheelbase? Track? Tire size? How tall is that driver figure?

Any details on the drive train?

Wheel base is 110in, Track 84 ins-will be narrowed slightly (The track is wide for a couple of reasons. the aero reason is to prevent the wheel fairing from interfering with the airflow around the body)

The driver in the car is a 90% percent male.

The car is 42" tall. all bumper and safety regulations for sale in wisconsin are met. Headlights,bumpers,license plates are at the lower height limits.

The seat will move up 10 ins to help the driver get in. The canopy moves up and forward to let the driver in.

it weights ~845lbs

the engine is a 250cc twin 6speed with a lsd, I'm working a turbo and a automated pulse and glide system.

[HydroJim]

an 84 inch track is wayyy too wide in my opinion. people have enough trouble staying on the road as it is. I'd say a 72 inch track is more reasonable. even then, in the winter it will be hard to stay in the tracks of other cars.

[NeilBlanchard]

Eighty four inches is way too wide - driving into an 8' wide garage door would only have 6" per side for clearance.

If you want wide, the make the out-to-out dimension 68"-72".

The leading edges on the wheel fairings don't need to extend as far ahead of the wheels. And the overall vehicle length is probably longer than it needs to be; in the front in particular. The driver's head is right about the halfway point, which means the nose is about 6'-4" in front of the driver's eyes. That's a long way.

Smaller = lighter. You mention a required bumper - front and back?

This earlier revision is much better in all the areas I mentioned:


I like your modeling program - it is SolidWorks or something else?

[pete c]

Nice work. Very VLCish other than the suspension.

Still think a similar vehicle in a trike form has enough benefits to warrant someone building it.

You give up a little stability and foul weather capability, but I think these are a worthwhile trade for the gains in simplicity and weight.

[pete c]

There is actually a way to deal with the foul weather issues in a trike. Make it a mild hybrid with very lightweight low power, maybe a few horsepower, hub motors up front.

This gives you some regen capabilities, low speed AWD and can be used for reverse which allows you to use a standard MC drivetrain. I would also use a freewheel type rear hub which would allow for EOCing with the motorcycle drivetrain.

I guess I need to get off my butt, buy a welder and get busy!!!!