Thanks Ben I'll bear that in mind.
Isn't "multiaxial glass" just chopped strand that went to university...?
You don't have to be clever to be strong Albrecht
I bet you are dying to prove me wrong
Not at all my friend, I don't feel the need to prove anything. However if you are interested I can try and help you understand.
Answering your points.....
No idea on the Scimitar..never worked on one.
If your car was more of a kitcar design i.e. full metal chassis and roll-cage with Datsun 'lookalike' non-stressed body it would be more acceptable to me at the moment
I understand that what you are familiar with makes for a feeling of being comfortable, but it doesn't mean familiarity is the best scenario does it?
We have repaired many TVRS over the years with a similar set up to what you have mentioned....If my car turned out to be built like that I would burn it!
You are doing the right thing and trying it out as a trackday car first. However I'll be honest and say that flat-out on track I'd rather me and my lads were in my metal car with full roll-cage than yours. I need convincing that the shell is strong. I fully understand that my car is not as strong as the day Datsun built it but I'm reassured by the cage being professionaly fitted to metal sills and wheel arches.
That is understandable Rob but you are basing your opinion on having only half the information...the metal half. For racing a car no one with any sense would do so without a cage of some description. If I had to have my kids in a crash and had the choice of your car and mine cageless then I would choose mine. But only because I understand the build of my car compared to yours ( not because I think there is something wrong with your car.
When I said it was a long way off replacing the metal shell I meant from a finished shell that will accept internals and trim etc. So trackday is the way to go for now and prove the concept.
I wont comment to much on this apart from if trying to fit the internal panels ,carpets etc appears daunting then yes it's not for you.
I know you hate the kitcar steel chassis FG body idea but to us 'uninitiated' that is the method we understand. Even the Lotus Elise aluminium bonded chassis and FG body is a difficult one to accept.
I absolutely don't hate a steel chassis the pic of the car you posted was fantastic with it's tubular chassis. I just have an alternative which I am more happy with.
Craig, it's really an opportunity for you to explain how it's constructed and where the strength is 'built-in'.
Rob that is a minefield question....for you.
Have you done any research on the properties of frp and all it's combinations compared to steel?
If you haven't then where do I start??
I can go on about unidirectional glass, biaxial,triaxial.quadaxial, the resin matrix from differing resins involving ion exchange...
• compression strength
• in-plane shear modulus
• inter laminar shear strength
• flexural strength
There is no point going down that route Rob, is there??
The following is a guide simplified to make it understandable.
It will be littered with inaccuracy but hey ho!
Assume a basic steel panel which you bolt on to a car has the same properties as a 900g csm layed up panel . Most of your car is made out of this Rob then double skinned and locally reinforced.
My tub, bodyshell call it what you will has this....
Floorpan and firewall/bulkhead has a 2700g lay up using a 'sandwhich' of csm and various multiaxial materials. This is then 'scarfed or tapered' to the uper body consisting of an 1800g lay up of the same materials.
High load areas ie suspension turret tops etc..5000g lay up.
The sills and rear quarters are then double skinned like the oe car.
The roof perimeter and screen pillars have the steel tube I mentioned incorporated into the laminate.
The subframe is built using 40mm box section with a wall thickness of 3mm, bolted to the bulkhead in various directions along with chassis rails made of the same running beneath the floorpans from front to back along with outriggers along for bolting across the car.
My history in the subject involves obviously many frp car builds along with argueably running the the factory of one of the top 3 racing yacht companies in the world and an invitation to build an Admirals cup boat for Britain (which I declined)
I also have the luck to have a good friend who writes the British Standards on the mathematical/enginnering side of the steel verses FRP comparisons who supplies me with the info I need to build anything to duplicate the steel equivalent.
Anyway Rob yes you need to see the shell.........................
