Exoskeleton Cars ?

[Sonic7]

With more and more of these cars coming on to the market, granted many inspired by the Aerial Atom, I was wondering just what if any racing series/category they would qualify for ?

Discuss/Advise please.

nigel

[Jungles]

Exoskeleton cars?

So do other cars have endoskeletons?

[Sonic7]

I guess that answers that then, they don't fit into any race series at present ! So its track days only then. Maybe one day they will be allowed to play and compete with all the 7's. Makes me think that the 7 boys are scared of the competition.

nigel

[timbo48]

Think there were a couple in a special class of their own tagged onto the end of the GT3 Championship race that supported the FIA GT1s at Silverstone this year. Can't say that I noticed them though, I was shivering so much.

[Some Gump]

From seeing them at track days I'm not sure an Atom would make the best race car - they appear to be very twitchy, and lethal at the limit. It might just be due to the lower skill level on TD's, but a snappy, rear engined car takes some catching - and during overtaking etc, a lot of inputs are "wrong" from a stability point of view.
It would be interesting to see, but if it was Superlight vs Atom, I'd back the 7 every time!

[PabloTeK]

Allcomers I guess would be the closest, they have literally every kind of car!

[AndyLB]

timbo48 said:

Think there were a couple in a special class of their own tagged onto the end of the GT3 Championship race that supported the FIA GT1s at Silverstone this year. Can't say that I noticed them though, I was shivering so much.

I think these were the KTM X-Bows? Is this classed as an exoskeleton car?

[Mazda Baiter]

AndyLB said:

timbo48 said:

Think there were a couple in a special class of their own tagged onto the end of the GT3 Championship race that supported the FIA GT1s at Silverstone this year. Can't say that I noticed them though, I was shivering so much.

I think these were the KTM X-Bows? Is this classed as an exoskeleton car?

I'm still struggling to think of an endo skeleton car.

Maybe a Lotus Elan with a backbone chassis could be counted as one.

I think that the OP maybe meant exposed chassis.?

[AndyLB]

Mazda Baiter said:

AndyLB said:

timbo48 said:

Think there were a couple in a special class of their own tagged onto the end of the GT3 Championship race that supported the FIA GT1s at Silverstone this year. Can't say that I noticed them though, I was shivering so much.

I think these were the KTM X-Bows? Is this classed as an exoskeleton car?

I'm still struggling to think of an endo skeleton car.

Maybe a Lotus Elan with a backbone chassis could be counted as one.

I think that the OP maybe meant exposed chassis.?

Yeah because aren't all cars with a monocoque technically exoskeleton? I just like saying the word exoskeleton now.

[Mazda Baiter]

AndyLB said:

Mazda Baiter said:

AndyLB said:

timbo48 said:

Think there were a couple in a special class of their own tagged onto the end of the GT3 Championship race that supported the FIA GT1s at Silverstone this year. Can't say that I noticed them though, I was shivering so much.

I think these were the KTM X-Bows? Is this classed as an exoskeleton car?

I'm still struggling to think of an endo skeleton car.

Maybe a Lotus Elan with a backbone chassis could be counted as one.

I think that the OP maybe meant exposed chassis.?

Yeah because aren't all cars with a monocoque technically exoskeleton? I just like saying the word exoskeleton now.

As I understand it yes. If the structure supports and surrounds the running gear/driver etc then it is exoskeleton.

How would you class a modern single seater with the engine and gearbox as a stressed member. I guess the back half would be endoskeleton yet the monocoque at the front, would be exo.?

[AndrewW-G]

Are these not simply just spaceframe cars?

[Mazda Baiter]

AndrewW-G said:

Are these not simply just spaceframe cars?

Dervla Kirwan said:

Not just any spaceframe cars, these are exposed spaceframe cars...

[AndrewW-G]

Mazda Baiter said:

AndrewW-G said:

Are these not simply just spaceframe cars?

Dervla Kirwan said:

Not just any spaceframe cars, these are exposed spaceframe cars...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5AUm_xaE9A

[deemo]

AndrewW-G said:

Mazda Baiter said:

AndrewW-G said:

Are these not simply just spaceframe cars?

Dervla Kirwan said:

Not just any spaceframe cars, these are exposed spaceframe cars...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5AUm_xaE9A

Haha, Made me laugh

Regarding the OP's question.
The Atom and Caterham have spaceframed chassis. Surely when it comes to interpreting a race series rulebook it's largely irrelevant whether the chassis is covered in a couple of mm of ally or GRP or not? The way I see it this is a bodywork issue not a chassis one. These are fairly extreme cars and the series they would most likely be eligible are unlikely to have strict bodywork regulations.
Most open series are based on factors such a engine size, modifications, numbers produced, road legality, drive train layout and basic chassis type (steel monocoque, composite monocoque, composite monocoque with engine/gbox as stressed members, spaceframe, Spaceframe silhouette ect)