Slow progress but progress (DIY two seater tadpole trike, 9hp Honda diesel)

[user removed]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

The closest parallel to this vehicle that I can think of is the original VW L1 prototype - it had an 8.5HP single cylinder diesel and a teardrop shape. It was built using virtually every bit of unobtainium, though and it was *not* very quick; in fact I'm sure that it was quite slow.

I think that gearing is going to be your challenge, and weight. Your aero looks damn good, and it seems to be very robust, and carefully constructed.

LOL, Neil. you posted this reply while I was typing the one above. We're thinking alike. I saw the first write ups on the VW 1liter and wish they had built that version, but it would have cost a bundle with all the higher tech materials. My design is basically something a decent body shop could repair in the event of a collsion, without having to fly engineers from Germany to advise the shop of how they should repair the VW model.

Anything built from scratch is going to be expensive, unless like yourself, you spend a lot of time and effort on your own as you have done with your design.

I see this vehicle as a rolling billboard for my ideas and designs. It should certainly draw attention!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I need to get an ecomodder sticker .

regards
Mech

[mikeyjd]

Originally Posted by Old Mechanic

Pictures.

regards
Mech

I want one.

[Diesel_Dave]

Sweet project! Subscribed.

[sael]

Amazing, posting to get subscribed.
Thanks for share!

[Big Dave]

Excellent work.

Watching like a hawk.

Reverse gear?

[Christ]

Old mech - Since it looks like the 'cage' of your design will be, ultimately, it's structure, could you save some weight using thin fiber-plastic [FRP] paneling for a body? Or even some non-structural fiberglass...

Might help cut down on road noise if you used PVC panels, since PVC is acoustically inert... and sort of temperature inert as well, which could also save on heating/cooling load.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by Big Dave

Excellent work.

Watching like a hawk.

Reverse gear?

Donut.

[aerohead]

I think it would be quite remarkable if you didn't realize 0.15.
She's a more proper half-body than the Cd 0.14 B'o'chum University solar car and has the effective fineness ratio more like Cambridge University's Eco Racer CUER,which Tokai University is reporting at Cd 0.11.
Hucho reproduced Buchheim et al's Volkswagen research of 1981 publication which represented a bevy of Cd 0.15-0.16 shapes measured in the climatic tunnel.If you throw in Buchheim's 'Flow-body' long-tail version reported in Hucho's 1978 SAE paper,they got Cd 0.14.
And Hucho says that with further integration of the wheels into the body,that Cds on the order of 0.09 to 0.07 can be approached (as with NUNA-3).
If I were a gambling man,I'd say 0.15 is in the bag.
If every member here at the Aero Forum put a few bucks in a magic hat,we could underwrite a trip to the the A-2 Tunnel for a measurement.

[user removed]

Originally Posted by Christ

Old mech - Since it looks like the 'cage' of your design will be, ultimately, it's structure, could you save some weight using thin fiber-plastic [FRP] paneling for a body? Or even some non-structural fiberglass...

Might help cut down on road noise if you used PVC panels, since PVC is acoustically inert... and sort of temperature inert as well, which could also save on heating/cooling load.

It will have sheet metal on the sides of the passengers compartment, welded to the frame for side collision protection. Every thing else will be aluminum. That's the choice of the owner of the machine shop and I tend to agree with him. Don't think there would be much room for weight savings unless you used something like mylar. He and I think alike, I told him that what HE has built is as close to my visualization as anything I have ever done in my life.

I just don't see a real benefit in taking them out of their race car building experience, since it is their comfort zone. I might paint the steel parts silver and just polish the aluminium. For insulation I plan on using panels and or spray type insulation, but it needs to be fire resistant.

As far as reverse, it could be anything from a motor that would engage the drive chain, to floor flaps and my feet. It certainly is a valid point but for now I can always just push it backwards inititally.

regards
Mech

[elhigh]

RE what Neil was saying about the original VW 1L - I remember reading the article where they described the prototype and how the chairman of VW drove it over 100km to a meeting. He didn't baby it, said it plugged right along at 110-120kph. That's about 75mph, not bad at all.

Of course he was probably getting buzzed big time by enormous BMWs tearing by on the German highways, but there's only so much you can accomplish when you're going to make this many sacrifices to economy.