Apologies for the six-month gravedig, but I promise, I have a reason.
Discovering Local Motors has got me thinking again, and this time...well...
Cross this...
With this...
The idea: a Clubman-style kit car that uses technology and features from high-end homebuilt aircraft like the Lancair Legacy shown above. I haven't drawn much or gotten
too many specs, but here's what I'd like to have:
CHASSIS: Carbon fibre tub, one-piece, ideally, using aircraft construction techniques.
BODY: Partially the tub, partially CFRP bodywork. It's in the basic planform of a Caterham, though with a closed roof, a very aerodynamic design similar to a high-performance aircraft. The nose of the car resembles an aircraft's engine cowling.
ENGINE AND DRIVETRAIN: The engine will be either (a) a VW Dual-port four cylinder (bored and stroked to who knows what), or, (b) a Subaru EJ25 series motor. The main concern with the latter is twofold: Firstly, the tight cowling might not allow a big enough radiator, and second, the extra weight a turbocharged, intercooled engine will warrant. Might get around this by using sidepod radiators and a NACA duct to the 'cooler, or by supplying closeable/openable cowl flaps, as on an actual airplane. A VW motor would be easier to cool in such an application (most aircraft engines are air-cooled, anyway, Particularly as most private aircraft are Cessna 172s) and far lighter, but far less powerful and sophisticated. Depending on if this is a kitcar or factory built (or a factory-assisted kitcar,) the engine choice may be left up to the owner.
The transmission will likely be a Porsche or Corvette transaxle, with a driveshaft coming directly from the engine. This would be done to keep the mass well-balanced.
INTERIOR: borrows strongly from aircraft practice...in fact,
Aircraft Spruce may supply some instruments and switchgear...nothing unnessecary like artificial horizons, just engine gauges and such. The seats will be similar to what you get in a high-end aircraft (and cars), and will feature either three-point or four-point belts, with lightweight racing seats optional. You'll also get an in-dash CD head unit (which may appear to be a flight radio), as well as, possibly, a cowl flap lever and - yes - a spoiler adjustment control based on a Flaps Control.
OTHER THINGS: Yes, this car has a manually adjustable rear spoiler. Possibly two. The teardrop shape I'm envisioning the cabin being doesn't seem to lend itsself to downforce. The car will also likely have a diffuser to prevent the aircraft-inspired design from actually taking off.
I had some trouble thinking of where to place the headlights, when it struck me: on the insides of the Front wheels. It's an open-wheel car, after all, at least in front. Not only will the headlights turn into the curve, no complicated mechanism is needed to do so...AND that's where landing lights are often on aircraft, on the nose gear. Win-win.
Suspension is fully independent all around, no cantilever setup, though, just straight equal-length A-arm for simple adjustability. I thought about replacing the upper arm with a carbon-fibre leaf spring, similar to the (aluminum) main gear on Cessnas, but...eh. that'd detract from the adjustability of the setup.
The name? I was thinking the "Wittman," after Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the home of the Experimental Aircraft Association. I mean, c'mon. Homebuilt-inspired car.
So, thoughts, suggestions, anything?
You realize that will only make it unstable with that much extra power, right? And you'd be losing engine space for that small block. Look around for a company named Mallett, they specialize in throwing anything from LS1s to LS7s in the Kappa twins.
