Coram LMP - official pictures!!

Coram LMP - official pictures!!

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CoramLMP

Original Poster:

163 posts

264 months

Saturday 16th November 2002
quotequote all
Please check out our web-site for the first official pics of the LMP...

www.coram-automotive.com/html/news.htm

Steve.

CoramLMP

Original Poster:

163 posts

264 months

Saturday 16th November 2002
quotequote all
It sure will!

The rear wing is still undergoing the design and analysis stage - it should make it to the show car for Autosport.

Steve.

CoramLMP

Original Poster:

163 posts

264 months

Sunday 17th November 2002
quotequote all
Guys,

I have to apologise about the web-site - I suspect we're having major server problems again as I can't even download my e-mail now! It's not something I'm very happy about and I'm trying my best to get it sorted out asap.

I also suspect that our 'hit monitor' is slowing things condiderably because every time the site loads it has to load some kind of monitoring program to log hits. This procedure is taking a while and compounding the slow loading process.

We're not trying to have a 'fancy' web-site with all the bells and whistles. At the outset we were determined to have a site that was straightforward and easy to load - that was the criteria set out to our designer. The fact that it's causing problems for our site visitors is a major disappointment to me. Please bear with us while we sort it out.

There WERE pictures on the site on Saturday afternoon, where they've gone now I have no idea! (smeagol saw them!!)

I must also say that the styling sketches can't be taken to literally - they were produced to give some hints as to the form of the LMP. As is the norm with these things, some proportions are exaggerated (e.g. the wheels) to give a more dynamic impression. The actual car has 100mm ground clearance as standard and a 13° approach angle to clear speed humps, etc.

Please bear with us in the meantime - our web-site should be back to normal by Monday morning...

Steve.

CoramLMP

Original Poster:

163 posts

264 months

Sunday 17th November 2002
quotequote all
Guys,

The Racecar.co.uk web-site is carrying the story and has pics:

www.racecar.co.uk/motorsportmain.htm

Click on the 'Coram LMP - official pictures' link!

Steve :happy:

CoramLMP

Original Poster:

163 posts

264 months

Sunday 17th November 2002
quotequote all
Top marks to Smeagol for alertness!

Meerkat, I didn't take any offence at your comments - I see where you're coming from and it is exactly the same place as I am, so they were most welcome! However I was keen to let everyone know that it's not our intention to have a fancy site, just something that's straightforward and easy to interact with.

I promise the car won't be as slow as the site!!!

Steve.

CoramLMP

Original Poster:

163 posts

264 months

Monday 18th November 2002
quotequote all
OK - web-site sorted now. New pics are on there under the 'News' section and hopefully no-one will have problems with the loading speed... *crosses fingers*



Steve.

CoramLMP

Original Poster:

163 posts

264 months

Tuesday 19th November 2002
quotequote all
Glad you like it!

Keep an eye on the site for finalised costs - they'll be appearing soon...

The site should be working OK now - we managed to fix the bugs. We'll have actual pictures on there in a few weeks.

Steve.
www.coram-automotive.com

CoramLMP

Original Poster:

163 posts

264 months

Wednesday 20th November 2002
quotequote all
Thanks Smeagol! I'll pass your suggestions directly to our web-designer - sounds like you know a bit about this...

Paul - I don't know if you remember, but our old site carried guide prices. We're trying not to stray too much from these, but they were based on Sierra donor components which we've ditched now as they wouldn't allow us to produce a lightweight car that handles! The advantage of these components was that they were cheap and readily available in the UK. It's a different story in other parts of the world, though.

The Sierra wasn't available (or it's variants) in a lot of the countries that we're now targeting. It could be had in the USA, but it bombed there and they're now like hens teeth - those that can be had are collectors items, so their owners would be reluctant to break them to provide donor bits!

We were also compromising our suspension geometry and unsprung weight by using these components. It became quickly apparent that we had to do our own suspension component design if we were going to produce a car that would provide the dynamic performance that its looks promise. In this sense, we've got to hit the ground running, and not playing catch-up to our competitors.

Steve.
www.coram-automotive.com

CoramLMP

Original Poster:

163 posts

264 months

Saturday 23rd November 2002
quotequote all
The V6 engine (and V8 if it gets built) will use a transaxle. There are a number of considerations we have to analyse before making a final decision on which transaxle to use.

Bike-engined cars will drive via a propshaft and differential unit.

The gearchange will be placed in the middle of the car, near the steering wheel to facilitate rapid gear changes; it will be cable operated. A later and more advanced option will allow for a steering wheel mounted, electronic shift mechanism.

Steve.

CoramLMP

Original Poster:

163 posts

264 months

Saturday 23rd November 2002
quotequote all
Wheel sizes are: 17" front and 18" rear.

Steve.

CoramLMP

Original Poster:

163 posts

264 months

Saturday 23rd November 2002
quotequote all
Our car is roughly 6ft wide, about 12ft long, and almost 4ft high.

I think that most of the answers to your questions can be found in the forum on our web-site at: www.coram-automotive.com

Steve.

CoramLMP

Original Poster:

163 posts

264 months

Sunday 24th November 2002
quotequote all
A couple more answers:

Size-wise, we're in between an Ultima and a Seven, both in wheelbase and width. I think Griffiths have about the same wheelbase as most Sevens but are wider. We also have very little rear overhang. Height is, erm, very low.

We don't forecast quite the same performance from a V6 as a ZX12, because the weight distribution will be less favourable & overall weight higher for the same nominal output at the crank. That's the price of better all-round driveability (higher torque, less revvy, reverse gear on the same lever!) but it may not be so much slower than a ZX12 powered car around a track due to more torque & better acceleration out of corners. That's speculation for now tho'.

A 2.5 litre Zetec V6 can be tuned to 400bhp without a turbo; that could be interesting. To give some longevity to the engine we may look at supercharging and water injection, but are not mad-keen on turbos due to the throttle delay usually found. Get that lag sorted and we would be knocking down Garrett's door

All that said, we're not engine tuners and of course the expertise is out there to tap into. As ever, how deep are your pockets? The bike engines are definitely the budget options; at over 5 grand an engine (new), V6s aren't a cheap alternative. If you want to avoid a Q plate, getting a reconditioned V6 means buying a new gearbox as well as every other component, which is still more expensive than putting in a brand new ZX12 engine and a recon diff.

Then again, if you don't give a stuff about a "Q" or aren't road registering the car, there isn't much cost difference between secondhand parts for the ZX12 and V6 versions. But you'll have to wait until the summer for the V6 - sorry

James (Steve's oppo *gatecrashing*)