F1 Inspired Concept Design

[Tachus]

Fresh off my drawing board is my new conceptual F1 design for the road, and I am trying to see what people think, as this is the first car that ive taken all the way in the design aspect. The pictures included in this post are specifically of the body and wheels even though i've designed a frame for the car. The engine designed to fit for the frame is a honda k20 series engine mounted in the rear. Suspension is pushrod in design and independent front and rear. Ive also positioned the passenger seat directly behind the driver as to maximize handling properties while giving more freedom than a one seater. Ive tried to keep true to the F1 feel and performance while giving some functionality, but i thought id see what everyone thought so please leave your opinion.

[IMG::]http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/6168/new1qx4.th.jpg[/img]

[IMG::]http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/16/new3ko3.th.jpg[/img]

[IMG::]http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/1091/new4sa5.th.jpg[/img]

[IMG::]http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/424/back1mw0.th.jpg[/img]

[IMG::]http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/940/framebb5.th.jpg[/img]

[tomislavp4]

OK, to be honest I don´t really see simularities between your design and f1 design so why do you call it f1 design for the road???
Take a look at the caparo t1 and you´ll see how close to f1 car it is....

[Spyker MF1]

Good work but like tomislavp4 said how does it relate to an f1 car?

Looiks very bussy if you ask me

[Tachus]

Much like the T1 it uses the same suspension setup as F1 and has a closed wheel back. It also has some of the same downforce characteristics toned down. The center seat design is also to give the f1 feel. My whole point was to balance a list of criteria such as price, functionality, performance and looks, to be able to have an actual tangible vehicle that the average person could afford and still get an F1 feel. The projected total material cost of the vehicle is somewhere around 30k (USD). Although that largely depends on various items like a cockpit adjustable rear sway bar and whether you would want to make it out of carbon fiber or fiber glass, ect. The suspension design i incorporated along with the rigid frame should let the car handle well, and the power to weight ratio should be around 1HP:6LB depending on how much the engine would be modified. As i said before, this is a concept design and it can change.

[Tachus]

maybe a better name for the title of the post would be (F1 inspired concept design). Ill also try to post more pictures of the frame and interior as they become available.

[dp35]

K20 engine, pushrod suspension, etc., sounds a lot like an Ariel Atom, except with a roof.

If the passenger is behind the driver, why is the cockpit area so wide?

[Carlos]

Superb work; despite our gibbles and grumbles - I'm really looking forward to seeing the chassis and suspension details . If you should be interested in a book on the techniques of body design; find a copy of " How to Design Cars Like A Pro" by Tony Lewin. Several professional design sites have used the tutorials - never imagine this is a criticism of your effort - all I can do is lick a pencil and sketch on a napkin

[Carlos]

Some of those tutorials are at :

http://www.cardesignnews.com

At the site: - Process > Tutorials > Archives

RE: Maya, 3D Max and Rhino. Your school system or university may have some of these profesional packages for your use at no cost, or at reasonable "student copy" prices.

[Tachus]

thanks for the link to the site, thats a great resource for design. Also posted a picture of the frame less suspension, as the suspension is designed on paper, just havent transfered it over to solidworks. Total weight of frame is 532 lbs, 4130 stainless is the material. Wanted to give as much rigidity as possible along with some safety.

[Carlos]

Tachus - May I say that spaceframe design is a lost art. Most of the current racing and productiion spaceframes and all reference materials including design software of the last 20 years are derived from the book Racing and Sports Car Chassis Design by M Costin ( as in Cosworth ) It is valued from $20USD (to $2100USD for a pristine copy.) Use:

http://www.abebooks.com

I can see a few design flaws. A weight reduction is possible You will find the Appendix 1-2 invaluable: Chassis Stress Calculations & Materials This book is written by the absolute authority on spaceframe design and construction.

[Tachus]

Thanks carlos, I definetly appreciate your input. Ill look into getting that book. As this is the first car ive attempted to design theres bound to be flaws . I was just trying to get something out there so i could get feedback and see what needs to be done.

[pompelmo]

the uglyest thing I ever seen!

[slick]

Slovinia is that good looking either. I havn't seen all your work. From what I can see in this thread, it appears that you are trying to cover too much of the 'project'. Defining the bodywork, chasis, suspension, engine modifications etc etc. This is too much for one engineer, and makes the deliverable look weak. Concentrate on what your good at, or enjoy most. The rest can be outlined in a concise technical specification. Therefore you can do a great job in producing a high quality design project, and detailed design that justifies the quantity of work that you've put in.

Keep up the good work, and look forward to seeing how the design progresses.......

[Ciro Pabón]

@Carlos: thank you, thank you, thank you.

@Tachus: great design effort. I guess you have a "persistent soul" to complet the design from scratch. You ask for feedback: the proportions of the cockpit in relation to the rest of bodywork are strange.