Wood in chassis rail - Bentley Blower

[threespires]

I saw this car in build at Bicester and am curious about the wood inside the chassis rails.
Can anybody explain? I can't remember seeing this before.

[Turbobanana]

It's not a real one, it a continuation - built by a splinter group.

[Carsie]

Turbobanana said:

It's not a real one, it a continuation - built by a splinter group.

Quick! ..

[williamp]

Not a continuation but a replica. Becomming very Poplar, too.. i think I saw one at the Beech

Running rich though- there was Ash in the exhaust..

[tapkaJohnD]

No idea about the Bentley, but the engineering is good.

You may recall 'honeycomb' construction, two thin surface plates separated by a thin honeycomb of metal. This works in all metal, or in GRP, when a PAPER honeycomb can provide extreme lightness, great strength and rigidity. I know because I've made car panels by that method, making then a quarter the weight and many times stiffer, such as this Triumph roof panel:



The wood between metal rails would do the same, provide great strength and be lighter that boxing the rail in on four sides.
John

[Roy C]

Here's a different view of the same car in the Kingsbury Racing Shop at Bicester Heritage.

[Pica-Pica]

Quite simply, wood was a major part of cart and carriage construction. Thus, when motorised vehicles were starting to be built in low volumes, the skills and materials were readily available and thus incorporated. Later, mass production was needed with less labour intensive methods and materials, so forging, casting, and other metalworking techniques were enhanced to take the place of wood. I believe Morgan used wood into the 1950/60s and beyond.

[RichB]

williamp said:

Not a continuation but a replica. Becomming very Poplar, too.. i think I saw one at the Beech
Running rich though- there was Ash in the exhaust..

I've only just twigged that.

[Turbobanana]

RichB said:

williamp said:

Not a continuation but a replica. Becomming very Poplar, too.. i think I saw one at the Beech
Running rich though- there was Ash in the exhaust..

I've only just twigged that.

It's also running leaf springs and a three branch exhaust. And is that a roots type blower?

[threespires]

Roy C said:

Here's a different view of the same car in the Kingsbury Racing Shop at Bicester Heritage.

Thanks for that.
This is the original Birkin car.

[RichB]

Turbobanana said:

RichB said:

williamp said:

Not a continuation but a replica. Becoming very Poplar, too.. i think I saw one at the Beech
Running rich though- there was Ash in the exhaust..

I've only just twigged that.

It's also running leaf springs and a three branch exhaust. And is that a roots type blower?

Don't know but it probably would have a trunk on the back for luggage.

[aeropilot]

RichB said:

Turbobanana said:

RichB said:

williamp said:

Not a continuation but a replica. Becoming very Poplar, too.. i think I saw one at the Beech
Running rich though- there was Ash in the exhaust..

I've only just twigged that.

It's also running leaf springs and a three branch exhaust. And is that a roots type blower?

Don't know but it probably would have a trunk on the back for luggage.

I bet the exhaust note has a lovely bark to it.

[threespires]

threespires said:

Roy C said:

Here's a different view of the same car in the Kingsbury Racing Shop at Bicester Heritage.

Thanks for that.
This is the original Birkin car.

This is from the builder:-
"The wood was fitted to the Works cars, I imagine to support the headlamp mounts."