Some interesting engineering - like the wishbones!

http://www.joeharmondesign.com/index.html#

I thought about this years ago having worked on wooden boats and planes plus loads of models. Wood is a great material far stronger than most people give it credit especially plywood but the weakness is always the joints especially in a crash. I'm sure a safe wooden car could be made perhaps out of pressed formed ply panels with very large areas for glue bonding. But it would be very expensive.

love the wheels!

Some of the older wooden framed cars really are pretty tough....mind you they are built like tanks.

My uncle had one into repair a while back after being in an accident with a modern car. There was was only really superficial bodywork damage to it; the modern car on the other hand was evidently a real mess.

But then i think the old girl was 2 tonnes or so..........

I wooden trust it...

I wood'nt have believed it until i read the link.

Very very interesting. Love the wheels. I hope they manage to build a fully working car. With correct marketing it will go down a storm.

wood it float?

thay wood have probably taken inspiration from the locust didn’t that have ply panels and floor?

"We researched the way longbows are made for the leaf spring"

Innovative stuff and a pioneering project indeed - I hope it works

Seems daft to me.....I only have one question ....WHY??????????

4 branch manifold?? Sorry......I'll get my coat.

original Marcos was a plywood monocoque with a plastic body there are a fair number still around and it is dead easy to repair any wood rot!

Caber

Isn't there a company in Malvern who have been making a car with a structural ash frame for a few years now Nothing that new really! Actually, I think it is a very interesting project, just not sure about how it would handle certain impacts, but used well wood can give good strength/weight compromise.

[Edited on 21/2/08 by andyps]

They haven't got an oak in hells chance, though yew know, there ash to be a way.

Will it need spruce ing up every couple of years?

I think the root of the problem will be strength, though it they leaf the glue long enough maybe it willow be ok.

Maybe they could do an offroad version that'll be at home on the beech.

Maybe it will turn out rosey for them, might be a thorn in their side

ATB

Simon

Joking aside, there were McLaren cars in F1 that used mallite for monocoque, way back in late sixties, IIRC... Mallite being a plywood between two aluminium sheets.