open planning new car

[elhigh]

I'll second your statement that the 22R is rock solid. If you don't need high revs it's about as dependable as gravity.

Which is not to say that it sucks.

I'm not too familiar with the hot rod side of the 22R but I know LC Engineering spends an awful lot of time building go-fast 22Rs so it isn't incapable. But if your rig's weight is low, then the 22R's abundant torque for its size down low in the revs will make it a big grin in the twisties.

[ksa8907]

Originally Posted by cosmick

They're a hindrance to MPG and to handling, lots of unsprung weight. I had an S-10 loaded, the front rotors were glowing orange at the bottom of the mountain, and those were stock 10.5" x 1" single-piston floating-caliper brakes. Not the stuff of Ferraris, but I didn't lose them.
However, I also rode one of my '78 Camaros ( I've had 3 of the '78s so far )
down a more moderate canyon, and totally lost all the braking power by the time I got to the bottom. Same brakes as the S-10, except 11". And any car can lock any size brakes, once, when they're around 70 defrees F.
I've experienced both ends of the spectrum, but neither of those were capable of use on a fast racetrack, where this single-seater may well see repeated 2g decel from over 190 MPH.
Now that I've found affordable Brembo 4-piston calipers, and discovered how to find matching rotor choices, I see no reason to surrender the peace of mind. That's how it seems to me. Building adapter brackets to mount the Brembos is easy. Brembos aren't the only best brakes, but they're better than anything cheaper.

Sorry, must have missed it where you plan to race it. By all means go for the big brakes!

[sgtlethargic]

Check out the classic Indy roadsters thread on the H.A.M.B. Open wheels are a drag, though.
History - Classic Indy roadsters: Most beautiful oval racers ever? | The H.A.M.B.

[kach22i]

My thoughts on canopy width, if you plan to get your shoulders in go wider, plus wider more to include wearing a coat when you have to.

Side impact of your skull against the canopy is heightened the narrower it is.

Do you plan on wearing a helmet on the street? More room could help there as well.

All that said, keeping the weight down should help the physics of it all (acceleration, braking, handling), measure in safety and decide on how much or how little you can get by with.

A more upright seating position will help make you be seen, it's best not to get hit in the first place, right?

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by freebeard

I know, right? Here ya go:



This is Thee Holy Template, rendered as a open-wheel 4-wheeled car with minimal drag. I also have a design with enclosed wheels that could be scaled down:



What is the tire size again?

Those are awesome.

I have not seen that top one before.

What are the legalities of going with a four wheel car? It's more than using an automotive glass windshield, right?

[cosmick]

If you get a Jones for something, and sit on it for years, eventually you gotta have it. Even so, reality never fails, so I may have to start with a propane 2 seater I don't love to afford the insane single seater I do love. Plus having not yet found the right lady to be my companion through the rest of my life is affecting this. If I'd found such a person, I might actually prefer a 2 seater.

[freebeard]

Originally Posted by kach22i

What are the legalities of going with a four wheel car? It's more than using an automotive glass windshield, right?

I haven't thought it through. This was done to fit class racing rules. The motorhome could have the two hexagons facing front as six-sided cones with a twirling windshield wiper like Luigi Colani uses on his trucks.

If I'd found such a person, I might actually prefer a 2 seater.

Well, there goes your tandem seating. Here's a Colani micro-car with side-by-side seating and the spinning 3-blades wiper:

[cosmick]

I guess the next step is to stop at Lowe's for some 2" x 2" wood for a living room mockup, with the most reclined racing seat I can find, and one of Todd's canopies.
Meanwhile I've been sketching some ideas for altering the front suspension.
And even if I had a lady, I'd still go inline, or she's not the one for me.

[cosmick]

I have an option on an early-'90s 1.9L Ford, and I know they were better than average for MPG, plus they're a non-interference design. This may be what gets this build started.
And I found a good source for steel for the frame, around $40 per 10' length.

[freebeard]

???

• Cross-section of the steel?
• How are you fixed for shop space?
• When will the canopy show up?
• Single seat or tandem?