Vehicle Development Project - Interests

[schumiGO]

MAtes check this)))

http://www.engr.colostate.edu/~allan/engines.html

[riff_raff]

SchumiGO,

Here is a link to an excellent engine simulation program from Lotus Engineering, and it's free to download! Be forewarned though, it's very powerful but it takes a lot of processing time to run a simulation. I modeled a fairly simple 1 cylinder engine, just for practice, and it took several hours to produce a result for two steady-state conditions.

The freeware version only does single cylinder models, but it analyses combustion, friction, airflow, scavenging, intake and exhaust effects and heat transfer. Very cool and lots of fun for you gearheads!

Go to this link, and click on freeware: http://www.lesoft.co.uk/

Regards,
Terry

[CFDruss]

Hey all,

Thanks for all the interest, it great that there are so many that are willing to be part of this global team.

I have private messaged everyone who has currently posted, so if you have not recieved one yet then please let me know.

Thanks all

Russ

[Scuderia_Russ]

I would like to be able to participate in this project.
I would like to offer a suggestion though. This can be major project, and in the interests of not biting off more than can be digested, a kit car, or something of that nature may be more realistic. To design and put into implimentation a powertrain is very difficult, it would be much much easier to base the projected design on a powertrain already in production, and readily available. Personally, I would like to see the Toyota Prius powerplant and drivetrain used. It is as modern and forward thinking as is possible today, since it is a hybrid powerplant.

I have been researching car building for a while now on and off and can second that it is quite a task! I am about to start building a Lotus 7 replica from scratch starting with a 25mmX25mm mild steel box section space frame chassis. I have a MIG welder and have been building up my tools over the last few months. This is a basic but effective, tried and tested (not to mention cost effective) use of materials (compared to the extensive use of carbon fibre I have seen anyway)
Thinking about what would be involved in building my own competitive powerplant makes my head hurt... but the number of high power car and bike engines out there that still have plenty of scope for increased power for small £££ should surely make this a viable option. (my 7 replica is using a Ford Sierra 'Sapphire LX' engine, five speed 'box, rear drum brakes (discs will overbrake a car of this size and weight), differential, driveshafts and collapsable steering column. It will sport independant rear suspension (maybe utilising the diff' as a stressed item) and inboard front suspension.
The chassis should look like this when first welded up: (this one is aluminium but by the time i've increased the wall thickness of the tube i had might as well stick with mild steel as it will have to be the same weight)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/ ... ogress.jpg

Other things being scratch built with metal include:
My mates single seater for hillclimbing.-Bike engine power-(work in progress)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/ ... 04_IMG.jpg

Unique trike -Also bike engined-

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/ ... 68_IMG.jpg

Here's its inboard suspension:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/ ... 82_IMG.jpg

Monocoque initial stages:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/ ... 2f_1_b.jpg


A novel paddle gearshift (again bike engined)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/ ... hift_1.jpg

Are you guys are after is examples like this? More inline with the Radical prototype.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/ ... ddock2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/ ... res301.jpg

This is the modest 95h.p. engine that i will be using seeing as it is a road car (power to weight and the handling will be excellent) It's a Ford 1.8 CVH. Still sitting untuned and untampered with at this moment in time in my back garden.)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/ ... 010011.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/ ... 010006.jpg

Ford wiring is a work of art!!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/ ... 010022.jpg

If it looks like this when finished i will be a very happy man!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/ ... lmod22.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/ ... 976214.jpg


What i'm saying in my rediculously long winded post is that i agree with Dave, it would be a hell of a lot easier utilising an existing powerplant, but you guys might know different as i am an amateur builder with no engineering qualifications whatsoever (although i'm working on 'em)

[Scuderia_Russ]

Have just found this:
http://www.hilmersson-racing.com/bilder ... msning.mpg

It's a self built two litre four cylinder. Video quality isn't great.

[yzfr7]

Russ,

I've just found the site, and I'm enjoying. About your project, I don't have much experience with racing suspension, I'm more into passenger cars. But if you need any help with suspension project/simulation, just tell me. And good luck for you, for some dreams are to be lived!

yzfr7

[Scuderia_Russ]

Thanks!... it's costing a bloody fortune! Hopefully Santa will bring me two kevlar seats, a snap off steering whel and about £500 worth of aluminium.

[Mikey_s]

Russ,

interesting project - I have no qualifications, but have a background in product development and project management. Happy to contribute whatever I can.

[Scuderia_Russ]

Thankyou for the offers of help. What I was originally having trouble with was adapting an outboard damper, double wishbone suspension to an inboard design with a pushrod and the original wishbone design lenghened by two inches in total. I seem to have overlooked a fundamental issue that reared its ugly head after the first trial engine fit. Because of the size of my Ford lump I'm gonna strugle to fit shocks and rockers inoard. Here is a pic of another one with the same engine I have used.



Whereas this would be my ideal inboard set up.



Or this from a Lotus 11 replica.



Gonna have to go outboard now like so.

[manchild]

Why use square cross section tubes? They are usually made from iron plates that are bended into square cross section shaped tube with longitudinal stitch on one side. That makes them much worse option than no-stitch steel cylindrical tubes/pipes (I’m not familiar with correct English terms for types of pipes/tubes).

For a long time I am thinking on building something similar (not Lotus 7) and I’m sure if I do I’ll be using cylindrical steel pipes used for gas installation (they come in various dimensions). They are made from same material and in a same way as steel pipes for go-kart chassis or roll-cage. They are more difficult to cut and weld but can’t be compared with square cross section pipes.

The ones I’m thinking of are those used for upper wishbone on this pic http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/ ... ialfit.jpg

Also, forget electric welding and get it done with gas.

[Scuderia_Russ]

You are right in thinking that cylindrical steel is stronger than RHS steel. (it's called round hollow section) The main chassis tubes are 25X25 mm with a 1.6mm wall thickness. The smaller box section is 19X19 mm. Round tube is used in parts, mainly for extra side impact protection (which is sparse enough as it is) The reason for box section is because it is easier to rivet aluminium panels to then steel tube is. and there is a fair bit of aluminium used. I use what is called over here a MIG welder. Metal Inert Gas. It is much easier / convenient to use in the back yard than TIG welding which is what you mean Manchild, especially for an amateur welder such as myself! It's a simple wire feed that arcs with the metal in question by completeing a circuit. Very cheap and reliable and you can learn to do it yourself proficiently with a couple of days practice and some half decent scrap metal. It does use a gas for shielding the weld though to stop any impurities entering the weld. I use a 50/50 argon and CO2 mix.

More info here if anyone is interested.

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/

[Scuderia_Russ]

Where is CFD Russ these days anyway?

[Steven]

Where is CFD Russ these days anyway?

Well last time I heard he was just decorating a house to live there together with his girlfriend, and I think he doesn't have too much time these days.

[manchild]

... Very cheap and reliable and you can learn to do it yourself proficiently with a couple of days practice and some half decent scrap metal.

I have been welding for years with electric one (even the thin exhaust pipes) but I get pissed off quickly because I always seam to check why isn't it picking up at the very moment it picks up!

BTW, MIG welding scares the sh** out of me...

[Cyco]

manchild; What is so scary about mig welding? A skilled practioner can make solid consistant welds quicly.

Personally I like tig as it is clean, quiet and requires little clean up.