Custon Build - FS Style Track Car
Discussion
Hi
Been designing and building a car for 8 months now - a friend recommended that i post some info and pictures of my project up here so:
The car is based on "Formula Student" style of design. Formula student is a worldwide competition to design and build light weight, one seater racing cars - they tend to be around 250kg and will outstrip BWM M5's and AMG's in a standing drag race. There are various youtube videos of just the above.
My car has a Honda CBR 600 engine - race plugs, single screw carbs w/fuel pump configuration - around 100bhp (might be a bit higher since the exhaust and the intake were removed). The frame is a mild steel space frame, custom design and assembly - measures 400mm deep, and 600mm wide - aiming for lowest possible CoG. Suspension will be a push rod system to mountain bike shocks (Really cheap ones at this stage - if the thing works really well, I might upgrade). The car will make use of fully independent suspension system and (hopefully) nearly perfect 50-50 weight distribution.
Planned are a equal length stainless exhaust system - possibly 'pulse tuned' - depends how many bends i can fit in the very limited space near the exhaust ports. roll bars (like my head where it is). differential fitted rear axel w/discs (or rotors if you're American) all tied to a machined double aluminum bulkhead that will mount to the bike engine. there will eventually be a full fiber glass body fitted, and all the protruding wishbones etc will have aerofoil, low drag, profiles fitted.
Got any tips or questions - lemme know.
Few more pics from today's efforts: installed the front left upright (Custom Design and Manufacture) - has a 3 degree camber and 5 degree Castor angle. The bearings are missing in the shots, as is the disc - but you'll get the idea from the pics.
Cheers, Mike
Been designing and building a car for 8 months now - a friend recommended that i post some info and pictures of my project up here so:
The car is based on "Formula Student" style of design. Formula student is a worldwide competition to design and build light weight, one seater racing cars - they tend to be around 250kg and will outstrip BWM M5's and AMG's in a standing drag race. There are various youtube videos of just the above.
My car has a Honda CBR 600 engine - race plugs, single screw carbs w/fuel pump configuration - around 100bhp (might be a bit higher since the exhaust and the intake were removed). The frame is a mild steel space frame, custom design and assembly - measures 400mm deep, and 600mm wide - aiming for lowest possible CoG. Suspension will be a push rod system to mountain bike shocks (Really cheap ones at this stage - if the thing works really well, I might upgrade). The car will make use of fully independent suspension system and (hopefully) nearly perfect 50-50 weight distribution.
Planned are a equal length stainless exhaust system - possibly 'pulse tuned' - depends how many bends i can fit in the very limited space near the exhaust ports. roll bars (like my head where it is). differential fitted rear axel w/discs (or rotors if you're American) all tied to a machined double aluminum bulkhead that will mount to the bike engine. there will eventually be a full fiber glass body fitted, and all the protruding wishbones etc will have aerofoil, low drag, profiles fitted.
Got any tips or questions - lemme know.
Few more pics from today's efforts: installed the front left upright (Custom Design and Manufacture) - has a 3 degree camber and 5 degree Castor angle. The bearings are missing in the shots, as is the disc - but you'll get the idea from the pics.
Cheers, Mike
Edited by StudentMike on Monday 18th April 22:24
Edited by StudentMike on Monday 18th April 22:25
wackojacko said:
The welding looks pretty spot on !
Haha - Cheers, but that's only because the photo isn't high enough resolution - i bought the mig welder two weeks before starting the frame having never even seen anyone weld - had had about 3 hours practice before i began it - got more fingers crossed hoping this thing doesn't fall to bits when i start running it than i care to admit.if posts stop shortly after completion, there was probably a big crash, with a lot of flames - and you'll know why. (girlfriend literally won't look at it - she's convinced i'm going to kill myself). Watch this space for funeral details...
militantmandy said:
Great work! What kind of mountain bike shocks you going to use?
At the moment I've got some brand x 750 lbs/inch generic springs - £12 each from the far east - there's two problems with these - 1. there's no damping (not great for handling) and 2. They look rubbish.When/If the car is running and feels like it could benefit from better shocks, with damping, i'll get hold of some Fox Vanilla shocks - Fox actually make a version for FS applications: They modify the rebound; use different thickness oils in the damper as well as providing better spring options: linear, progressive, twin coil.- but they're over £200 each - so I'm going to wait and make sure i actually NEED them.
might be able to change out parts on the push-rod system to make the current springs 'feel' better.
StudentMike said:
At the moment I've got some brand x 750 lbs/inch generic springs - £12 each from the far east - there's two problems with these - 1. there's no damping (not great for handling) and 2. They look rubbish.
When/If the car is running and feels like it could benefit from better shocks, with damping, i'll get hold of some Fox Vanilla shocks - Fox actually make a version for FS applications: They modify the rebound; use different thickness oils in the damper as well as providing better spring options: linear, progressive, twin coil.- but they're over £200 each - so I'm going to wait and make sure i actually NEED them.
might be able to change out parts on the push-rod system to make the current springs 'feel' better.
might be able to pick up something cheaper second hand and modify? maybe that's too complicated...When/If the car is running and feels like it could benefit from better shocks, with damping, i'll get hold of some Fox Vanilla shocks - Fox actually make a version for FS applications: They modify the rebound; use different thickness oils in the damper as well as providing better spring options: linear, progressive, twin coil.- but they're over £200 each - so I'm going to wait and make sure i actually NEED them.
might be able to change out parts on the push-rod system to make the current springs 'feel' better.
Fantastic project though. Great to just decided "right i'm going to build my own car". Said in many's a pub I'm sure but not often achieved! Good luck to you!
think it might well have been conceived in a pub now you mention it...
Secondhand shocks are great - just getting four the same is a b***h. They never have the same coils / oil / travel length etc - and even if they do, they'll be different year's models - they look the same, but somehow you know they're not: fox will have changed some small detail that probably makes no difference, but there's that niggle in you mind saying that it will. b*****ds.
Secondhand shocks are great - just getting four the same is a b***h. They never have the same coils / oil / travel length etc - and even if they do, they'll be different year's models - they look the same, but somehow you know they're not: fox will have changed some small detail that probably makes no difference, but there's that niggle in you mind saying that it will. b*****ds.
Or888t said:
Shocked at the use of pedal bike shocks but with it being so light...
Formula Student cars have been using bike shock absorbers for years so it's a tried and tested solution.Looks very interesting and fair play to you for having a go! Looking forward to seeing more updates.
escort90 said:
I take it your going to ignore the 20mm air restrictor rule?
Yeah, definitely - The engine has a rather large filter for an intake, and that's it - no ducting. although I'm thinking about possibly making a compression duct, might squeeze a few extra bhp from the engine - that said, had a ride on a 90bhp Yamaha 900 today, which was frightening fast, so possibly add the ducting as an after thought; my 600 engine currently churns out 110bhp and I've since removed the exhaust and intake (!).Might well pester you for details about parts - spent a lot of time with the Swansea uni team, although i wasn't officially on it (didn't have time to commit properly), so i got a lot of details from them about various bits.
Don't have a spare Drexler FS diff lying about that you don't need by any chance? haha...
StudentMike - you would be very welcome in the kit car forum and also on another site (you may already frequent it) http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/forum/
I would be interested to see and hear about your design process and any influences that you drew information from. Designing my own car is on the to do list.
(Why did I do Physics at Uni and not an Engineering course I will never know...)
I would be interested to see and hear about your design process and any influences that you drew information from. Designing my own car is on the to do list.
(Why did I do Physics at Uni and not an Engineering course I will never know...)
Edited by dtmpower on Sunday 17th April 01:16
StudentMike said:
Yeah, definitely - The engine has a rather large filter for an intake, and that's it - no ducting. although I'm thinking about possibly making a compression duct, might squeeze a few extra bhp from the engine - that said, had a ride on a 90bhp Yamaha 900 today, which was frightening fast, so possibly add the ducting as an after thought; my 600 engine currently churns out 110bhp and I've since removed the exhaust and intake (!).
Might well pester you for details about parts - spent a lot of time with the Swansea uni team, although i wasn't officially on it (didn't have time to commit properly), so i got a lot of details from them about various bits.
Don't have a spare Drexler FS diff lying about that you don't need by any chance? haha...
Yeah will be pretty swift without a restrictor.Might well pester you for details about parts - spent a lot of time with the Swansea uni team, although i wasn't officially on it (didn't have time to commit properly), so i got a lot of details from them about various bits.
Don't have a spare Drexler FS diff lying about that you don't need by any chance? haha...
Have you thought about your brake layout?
Haha nah i don't! Even my uni cannot afford one! We found one which is twice the weight for about £200, it can take 5 times more torque than the drexler one.
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