Linner Strømlinet Vogn (Now with 3D model!)

[Quasimoto]

It also bears a strong resemblance to the 1966 Citroen.

[Sven7]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

I do think that having a "proper" taper on the back should keep the air underneath the car from being drawn/pulled out.

The red model above looks quite similar to Dave Cloud's Dolphin:

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...hin-13142.html

Hopefully the taper works. I think Dave Cloud went for the same thing I'm going for

Originally Posted by kach22i

The tail looks heavy in the red rendering.

1. Make a smaller rear window, it's adding too much visual weight.

2. Use semi transparent materials in the tail, frit glass plexi? See the Dolphin.

3. I know people complained about the original high nose, but I miss it now. Perhaps adding the inlet for the radiator and other details will allow a more bulbous nose look.

4. The car has it own look, sort of luxury liner, I like it in general, it's more sensual than tech-onic.

The renderings are at 35mm so it is a wider angle than you'd see in real life (we see things at about 50mm). I agree it looks a little heavy but I think I can remedy this by lowering the horizon line on the body side. I'm pretty sure Cloud used the plexi because he wanted to continue the boattail to a point and needed the tail lights and license plate visible. There should not be a problem like that with the size of the Kamm style cut off rear end, but I will make the rear window smaller or better shaped. The graphics are just roughed in so it would look moderately realistic in the renderings.

Again, this setup is not going to stay. I took an old model and rounded that off because the current state of the model does not have any body sides. I'm rebuilding them to 1) better control the horizon line and 2) make a better looking form that goes around the rear wheels cleanly and elegantly.

I'm glad you think it looks rather luxurious. Maybe it's the Tatra influence? The thing I do not want it to look like is a tree hugger green liberal car. People are already prejudiced toward that look.

Anyway, I'm going to go try to revise the belly pan on my real life car... later gators!

[kach22i]

The "Frit plexiglass" idea stems out of a concept I once saw for a skyscraper which looked like it was disappearing into the clouds. The architect intended to use stainless steel mesh at the top part, of less density at the tip. It had a good fade away effect, much like that of Frit glass, but without reflection issues.

Maybe your tail could be translucent by use of thin unpainted fiberglass.

I did not mean for you to copy the Dolphin in any way, think beyond that concrete example.

Below is the closest image I could find with a light skin effect, ugly as sin, but you should get the idea.

Architects float prison-in-the-sky idea | Crave - CNET

[Sven7]

Still wondering why the transparent stuff. Is it the proportions?

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by Sven7

Still wondering why the transparent stuff. Is it the proportions?

Yea, I guess.

It just looks tail heavy.

Might look completely different in model form. I have to try and keep an open mind.

[Sven7]

I'll mess around with it and see what looks right

[El Rayo]

Sven, are you familiar with Neil's project?
Neil Blanchard Designs: CarBEN EV Open Source Project part 4 [Updated 10 May 11]

[kach22i]

More windshield ideas, but I think we passed this point already.
MIL-P-5425 ACRYLIC - (Mil-P-5425) Sheet - Order Online

Mil-P-5425 Sheet (aka Heat-resistant Acrylite GMS) is certified to meet or exceed Military Specification MIL-P-5425E. The sheet is preshrunk and undergoes an optical inspection which is among the most critical in the industry. Its optical qualities make it applicable to aviation windshields,

And as far as "light" looking, this is hard to beat.
Oriens Glider « SuperForest


Or this.......................
Fish Blimp: Biologically inspired flying vehicle

[autogyro]

For those of us living in the US, at least, I would think an important consideration is whether the vehicle can be registerable: i.e. whether it conforms with state safety regulations, justifiable or not.
My impression is that most states require D.O.T. safety glass.
That aside, Methacrylate plastics are amazingly strong, (and flexible!). Somewhere I saw a clip of huge projectiles being fired at bubble canopies at high speed. They simply bounced off. I'll try to dig it up

[autogyro]

Oh...here it is...
FIA tests fighter-jet canopy for use in Formula 1