Glass fibre monocoque cars? How rare?
Discussion
Unsorted said:
Can only think of Elite and Midas. Must be having brain fade as the list must be much more extensive so throwing out to forum.
Wiki lists carbon composite monocoque cars https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_carbon_fiber... but not glass.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=13...Wiki lists carbon composite monocoque cars https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_carbon_fiber... but not glass.
Any help ?
Vaud said:
Unsorted said:
Can only think of Elite and Midas. Must be having brain fade as the list must be much more extensive so throwing out to forum.
Wiki lists carbon composite monocoque cars https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_carbon_fiber... but not glass.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=13...Wiki lists carbon composite monocoque cars https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_carbon_fiber... but not glass.
Any help ?
Many lotus cars after the original Elite were effectively a glass-fibre monocoque sitting on top of a backbone chassis. These include Elan, Europa, Esprit and Excel. Contemporory photos from the Lotus factory effectively show the construction of a complete fibreglass boat (hull and superstructure) which is then mounted on top of the backbone chassis.
This is particularly noticeable on Esprit and Excel which have a horizontal "join" all the way round the body of the car. The bond line where the two halves of an Esprit are glued together is masked by a black trim strip on Giugiaro wedge cars and a wider, body-coloured overlap on the later Stevens cars.
This is particularly noticeable on Esprit and Excel which have a horizontal "join" all the way round the body of the car. The bond line where the two halves of an Esprit are glued together is masked by a black trim strip on Giugiaro wedge cars and a wider, body-coloured overlap on the later Stevens cars.
rockin said:
Many lotus cars after the original Elite were effectively a glass-fibre monocoque sitting on top of a backbone chassis. These include Elan, Europa, Esprit and Excel. Contemporory photos from the Lotus factory effectively show the construction of a complete fibreglass boat (hull and superstructure) which is then mounted on top of the backbone chassis.
This is particularly noticeable on Esprit and Excel which have a horizontal "join" all the way round the body of the car. The bond line where the two halves of an Esprit are glued together is masked by a black trim strip on Giugiaro wedge cars and a wider, body-coloured overlap on the later Stevens cars.
But not a monocoque. This is particularly noticeable on Esprit and Excel which have a horizontal "join" all the way round the body of the car. The bond line where the two halves of an Esprit are glued together is masked by a black trim strip on Giugiaro wedge cars and a wider, body-coloured overlap on the later Stevens cars.
How about the Bond 875 3 wheeler. They had a bodyshell in glass fibre with hillman imp engine and on the road weight of about 400kg.
https://www.imps4ever.info/specials/bond.html
A 50bhp imp engine would give 125bhp per tonne in 1965 ( John Surtees lapped Brands Hatch in a production 875 and broke the track record)https://classics.honestjohn.co.uk/top-10s/top-10-british-three-wheelers/?image=6
Almost 3400 made, and can be bought from £700 rough to pristine £4000 (a lovely turbo one sold for £4000 recently ! 300bhp per tonne !
https://www.imps4ever.info/specials/bond.html
A 50bhp imp engine would give 125bhp per tonne in 1965 ( John Surtees lapped Brands Hatch in a production 875 and broke the track record)https://classics.honestjohn.co.uk/top-10s/top-10-british-three-wheelers/?image=6
Almost 3400 made, and can be bought from £700 rough to pristine £4000 (a lovely turbo one sold for £4000 recently ! 300bhp per tonne !
carl_w said:
Aren't the Darrian and Davrian the same car, renamed after some sort of bust-up?
Yes, the Darrian is a development of the Davrian, manufactured in the original factory after the rights and name had been sold to Ireland, where it was redeveloped and manufactured as the spectacularly ugly Corry Cultra (which is another name that can be added to the list linked above, I guess):
Equus said:
Yes, the Darrian is a development of the Davrian, manufactured in the original factory after the rights and name had been sold to Ireland, where it was redeveloped and manufactured as the spectacularly ugly Corry Cultra (which is another name that can be added to the list linked above, I guess):
It amazed me at the time just how ugly a car Will Corry could make out of the Davrian. Admittedly not the prettiest Davrian, but still. 
Mk5
Skyedriver said:
Clan Crusader.
All Imp running gear on a fibreglass monocoque with plywood bonded in to strengthen.
Also Costin Amigo IIRC
The clan crusader post its initial incarnation also sold as the irish clan, again imp based, then the clan clover, which used a mid engined alfa romeo engine, then also a mini front engine, fwd version called the McCoy.All Imp running gear on a fibreglass monocoque with plywood bonded in to strengthen.
Also Costin Amigo IIRC
When i was building up my rally clan crusader in stoke on trent, there was a local chap trying to put into production a Peugeot 205 mid engine version also.
The clan i bought had the centre tunnel section chopped out to install a hewland gearbox, dumb idea as it lost its strength, so i spent weeks recreating the original. That put me off fibreglass for life.
Equus said:
carl_w said:
Aren't the Darrian and Davrian the same car, renamed after some sort of bust-up?
Yes, the Darrian is a development of the Davrian, manufactured in the original factory after the rights and name had been sold to Ireland, where it was redeveloped and manufactured as the spectacularly ugly Corry Cultra (which is another name that can be added to the list linked above, I guess):I think, (I'm absolutely not an expert) that the main difference is broadly Davrians are transverse engined. Whereas Darrians (mostly?) are longitudinal
mfmman said:
Why I linked them in my post
I think, (I'm absolutely not an expert) that the main difference is broadly Davrians are transverse engined. Whereas Darrians (mostly?) are longitudinal
Both are longitudinal. I think, (I'm absolutely not an expert) that the main difference is broadly Davrians are transverse engined. Whereas Darrians (mostly?) are longitudinal
The original Davrian was rear engined with box in the middle, the Darrian is mid engined with box at the rear.
jsf said:
mfmman said:
Why I linked them in my post
I think, (I'm absolutely not an expert) that the main difference is broadly Davrians are transverse engined. Whereas Darrians (mostly?) are longitudinal
Both are longitudinal. I think, (I'm absolutely not an expert) that the main difference is broadly Davrians are transverse engined. Whereas Darrians (mostly?) are longitudinal
The original Davrian was rear engined with box in the middle, the Darrian is mid engined with box at the rear.
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