Chazzmanbm
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| posted on 16/8/26 at 10:32 AM |
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Aluminium or Composite Body Panels
Hi Folks,
What are your thoughts on alloy vs composite body panels? I've been looking at how the kit car manufacturers here in the UK make their cars and
Caterham GBS use aluminium panels while MK and Westfield use composite body panels.
My simple brain says the metal body panels, when attached correctly could add rigidity to the chassis (composite could too probably), but would a
Locost/Voudou chassis need it? For context, I am planning to this kind of build for my own project.
That brings up another question, bonding or riveting (or riv-nuts)? I imagine bonding would add the most in terms of stiffness but once
everything's bonded on, it would be a ball-ache to remove the bonded panels.
Anyway, I am probably over-thinking this so what do most people choose, and why?
Thanks.
Chazz.
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Slimy38
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| posted on 16/8/26 at 11:46 AM |
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I'm not a structural engineer, but I got the impression that a nice strong floor and transmission tunnel gives the most rigidity. The side panels
are already triangulated so the panels are less important for strength.
I went for welded steel footwells with aluminium sides and floor. For the aluminium I bonded and rivetted panels. The top of the transmission tunnel
was the only exception, I used rivnuts there so I could get to the tunnel from above and below.
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Sanzomat
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| posted on 16/8/26 at 12:11 PM |
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Also worth considering galvanic (might be spelt wrong) corrosion. Ali panel next to steel chassis can lead to electrolysis when water gets between
them. Paint on the chassis and the separation of the bonding material should stop this but even a small amount of exposed metal can start this off.
On my locost the ali panels are bonded on the sides (so no visible rivets) and pop riveted top and bottom with a thick layer of bonding goo to keep
them separated but there are a few bits of ali that have developed white powder where water has gotten stuck there
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jacko
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| posted on 16/8/26 at 03:59 PM |
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One of the main things is to have plenty of paint on the chassis to protect it against galvanic happening
On my old car I used sikaflex glue and rivets on the top and bottom of the sides
I used the same on the aluminium to chassis floor
After 10 years I had no problems
G
555
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nick205
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| posted on 20/8/26 at 12:02 PM |
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Bonded car windscreens significantly stiffen monocoques. In modern vehicle construction, the windshield is not merely a transparent barrier but a
critical structural component that contributes to the overall torsional rigidity of the chassis.
Notably, we're building with spaceframe chassis, not monocoques. However, I'd have thought properly bonded/welded panels would still
contribute to the rigidity.
That said, I am not an engineer in that field!
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Sam_68
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| posted on 20/8/26 at 01:44 PM |
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Google the Wesley Linton chassis analysis: it analyses various improvements.
It concluded that whilst panelling the chassis overall contributed considerably to the stiffness, the side panels were a negligible element of that
contribution.
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