kaizokuace
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| posted on 17/7/06 at 02:12 AM |
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body paneling idea
ok so i was thinking about saving weight and also being lazy at the same time. What about instead of using aluminum riveted for the side panels
(external panels only since this wouldnt be too safe for the driver area) to use monokote, which is the heat activated adhesive covering used for
radio control plane skins. Its thin, light and pretty sturdy and the cool thing is that if your chassis welding job doesnt look ugly u can use
transparent colored skinning which could be pretty cool. Whats do you guys think? even if you say that it will rip so easy u can just repar it
quickly and its easy to use.
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donut
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| posted on 17/7/06 at 06:28 AM |
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I can't see that as a problem but you would have to have the exhaust come over the side rail to keep it away from the film or the film would
shrink ant split. Not sure if the front edges could take the buffeting either.
Andy
When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andywest1/
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kaizokuace
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| posted on 17/7/06 at 08:38 AM |
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well the film can handle the air flow no matter what. since normally its put on planes that fly much faster than a car drives and its attached to
spars that are much smaller in surface area. lasting against the air is not an issue. Heat is not an issue so much. It wont continually shrink from
heat, the shrinking is only enuff to keep it taught around what it is attached to. Direct contact with the headers might be the only problem, that
can be fixed by using exhaust wrap. the film can handle pretty high heat before it fails. I am mostly worried about safety issues to the driver. so
protection of the legs and sides of the driver is needed i think. Unless that doesnt matter too much in the way its ok for a go-kart driver to have
the whole body exposed.
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donut
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| posted on 17/7/06 at 09:17 AM |
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I'm just thinking of the film that will be between the top and bottom rail just behind the wishbones. It will be verticle and it would flap
about in the wind and probably rip itself off in time unless you glue / iron it onto a verticle peice of ally or something which would be ok.
I have built more R/C planes than i have had hot dinners so i do know a bit about them. It would work but i don't think it would last very long.
It would be good for a racer as the weight saving would give the car the edge over the others.
Andy
When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andywest1/
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ayoungman
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| posted on 17/7/06 at 09:20 AM |
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The nylon fabric textured material is much harder wearing than the smooth plastic material.
"just like that !"
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kaizokuace
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| posted on 17/7/06 at 10:25 AM |
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hmm yes, the part around the wishbones. I think i might make that area from aluminum and then attach the monokote to that.
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BKLOCO
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| posted on 17/7/06 at 10:52 AM |
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You also have to remember that the distances between the supporting ribs/spars on a model aircraft is a lot less than than spacing on a car...
I think you may have problems...
Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want!!! 
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kaizokuace
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| posted on 17/7/06 at 10:57 AM |
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maybe i can add some smaller supporting bars. thin ones, probably wont add to the rigitity of the chassis too much though. also unlike on an rc
plane wing this will be on flat areas so they arent weighed down like against ribs on a plane wing. i dunno i really want this to work out. it seems
to me to be the most cost effective solution to saving tons of weight. and since this is going to be a track only car i wouldnt encounter too much of
a problem with road crap.
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iank
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| posted on 17/7/06 at 11:06 AM |
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In that case why not try with no sides at all, like the ariel atom.
http://www.arielmotor.co.uk/04/profile.htm
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Alan_Thomas
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| posted on 17/7/06 at 01:14 PM |
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I think you are underestimating the strength that the ally skin gives to the chassis. I know someone will quote me the aerial atom but that was
designed without a skin and the tubing is massive.
Even the Locust with its plywood skin gives a lot of rigidity to the structure.
Covering the chassis in a high tech 'cling film' would certainly test your welding!
- Alan
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iank
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| posted on 17/7/06 at 01:29 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Alan_Thomas
I think you are underestimating the strength that the ally skin gives to the chassis. I know someone will quote me the aerial atom but that was
designed without a skin and the tubing is massive.
Even the Locust with its plywood skin gives a lot of rigidity to the structure.
Covering the chassis in a high tech 'cling film' would certainly test your welding!
- Alan
I might be wrong, but I don't think Cymtriks included the ally panels while doing his stiffness calculations. If the panels aren't stuck
on with structural adhesive or use decent (i.e. not pop) rivets they won't contribute much strength.
Locust is a ladderframe not a spaceframe and uses the plywood panels structurally so isn't really comparable.
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andylancaster3000
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| posted on 17/7/06 at 04:12 PM |
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IMO, The locost chassis relies on the fact that it is panelled to get a lot of its stiffness. Especially along areas such as the trans' tunnel
where there is normally very little triangulation. If the panels are bonded and rivetted properly then it should give a substantial amount of
stiffness. To get the proper advantage of the panels they should all really be rivetted/bonded on the same face. I.e. all on the outside face for the
side panels to load. Again this is only my opinion and i'd rather not spark another one of the repeated 'heated discussions'! 
Andy
[Edited on 17/7/06 by andylancaster3000]
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C10CoryM
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| posted on 17/7/06 at 04:35 PM |
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Have a look at the FSAE guys. They often use aircraft fabric for body work. Very light and very easy to do.
As others have mentioned, you would need to have things properly triangulated as fabric isnt a good shear panel 
"Our watchword evermore shall be: The Maple Leaf Forever!"
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