84 replies to this topic

[Dom]

Interesting project, and I second brave for chopping up a modern car. Looking forward to seeing it done and the final weight value.

[B-shaw]

Theres a guy around Wolverhampton in a yello Lupo! Not sure what engine is in it but i know it isnt what it came out of the factory with. Its got a subaru turbo or supercharger in it. Kicking 280 BHP or something. (cant be 100% as its just what my mate has told me).. but ive seen it move and my god its fast! 50-60 in second gear, and it could have pushed it a bit more lol.

Was in auto trader a week or so back but cant find it now.

[Mincento]

think daz has forgot about the site

but heres the update of CL

Just a little update.
Looking at the pictures it doesnt actually look like much has been done but it has, the back of the shell is now supported and the spaceframe is starting to taking shape. Next will be to cut the remaining floor out, which is ready to be removed, i just need the time to get it done.
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The doors and tailgate are having all of the internal skins cut out, this will leave just the frame itself and the outer skin, i have 3mm perspex window kit for it with small slide holes, so saving on the winding mech's too, its all suprisingly heavy.
As for the bonnet, i have a very light carbonfibre bonnet that will be jumping on to the car, this is light but will be made even lighter with a few extra holes and some sanding to thin out the material.

the engine is sitting on 2 bars that have yet to be put in, they will be fixed bars that extend out from the bottom main hoop. On these bars will be 2 vertical bars that hold the rear of the engine as on the bike aswell as 2 drop bars from the fixed diagonal above to support the front of the engine as they do tend to move around alot in cars and normally crack the gearbox casing then sieze! dont want any of that going on.

[1 litre screamer]

I havent forgotten!!!!! sorry about the rubbish attendance, work is getting very busy. I have 3 race cars to get rebuilt after a weekend of damage at Brands aswell as a new bare shell to have ready for Silverstone in 3 weeks.

Thanks for the posting wayne, where would i be without you as my PA?! Those pictures are very old now, the floor doesnt exist and the rest of the inner skin is now removed. The text is from the Lupo forum, which i am sorry to say Wayne, but has been some what dumbed down for a few on there. they dont have the engineering know how of this forum. Basically the back will be along the lines of a generic rear engine mounted system, the rear suspension mounting point is way up the centre of the car to try and eliminate the squat and wheelie problems that i am expecting. The pivot angle should be too great for the front to come too high anyway. A good strong ARB will sort out the cornering issues of having such long arms. Anyway, i'll try to get my backside in to gear and keep posting on here. Along with some more upto date pictures when i next get a chance to get in the garage.

thanks for the interest guys.

[Mincento]

I havent forgotten!!!!! sorry about the rubbish attendance, work is getting very busy. I have 3 race cars to get rebuilt after a weekend of damage at Brands aswell as a new bare shell to have ready for Silverstone in 3 weeks.

man i wish i had your job

Thanks for the posting wayne, where would i be without you as my PA?!

Those pictures are very old now, the floor doesnt exist and the rest of the inner skin is now removed.

bllody hell daz i have told you before if you cut any more out there will be nothing left

The text is from the Lupo forum, which i am sorry to say Wayne, but has been some what dumbed down for a few on there. they dont have the engineering know how of this forum. Basically the back will be along the lines of a generic rear engine mounted system, the rear suspension mounting point is way up the centre of the car to try and eliminate the squat and wheelie problems that i am expecting. The pivot angle should be too great for the front to come too high anyway. A good strong ARB will sort out the cornering issues of having such long arms. Anyway, i'll try to get my backside in to gear and keep posting on here. Along with some more upto date pictures when i next get a chance to get in the garage.

Yes unfortunately i did it just after getting in from work and was knackered so it was as you say it was a straight copy and paste which means it has lost the interaction from mitch and the others and the associated answers but i tried to make sure it still showed the general progress and theory behind the build

wayne

[1 litre screamer]

look at me, on the forum the very next day! I wondered why the text seemed to not make much sense in places, and i wrote it! I forgot that i was answering a few questions.

As for cutting more out, well theres still more to come out after the floor is removed. The front chassis legs are going to be removed and then replaced with lighter items, made from 55mm od thin wall cds tubing. That leaves alot of bracketry and unused captive fixings to be cut off, then the whole shell will be sent off for acid dipping to get all of the paint and underseal off along with a few microns of steel.

Edited by 1 litre screamer, 27 July 2007 - 06:16 PM.

[howson02]

looking forwards to seeing this completed!

[Mincento]

then the whole shell will be sent off for acid dipping to get all of the paint and underseal off along with a few microns of steel.

and you lot probably think hes joking, he isnt and we all thought R1mini of here was bad for his 'weight saving madness'

one thing i think i may have asked on CL but ill ask here anyway, will removing all the weight especially weight from the front not make the car too light in the fact of lift etc in windy weather? sounds daft but i can think of a number of occasions where having a decent amount of weight up front helps with cornering grip and most of all steering, especially in the wet?

and if you want to go mad why not make a fiberglass shell? that will save you a fair amount of weight and you already have frame to hang it off?

wayne

[_Ad_]

Nice project!! I take it this is just going to be track day only material or is it going to be put back on the road after???

[Mincento]

Nice project!! I take it this is just going to be track day only material or is it going to be put back on the road after???

As far as i know from that last time i asked Daz he still fully intends to use this on the road just as much as the track, the ultimate traffic light grand prix tool

wayne

[1 litre screamer]

Once again, thanks for the posts Wayne,

_Ad_ The car will be fully road legal, I dont see the point in building a car that I cant use unless I take it to a circuit. Plus it allows for more time and fun behind the wheel.

Wayne, taking weight from just the front would cause problems when it came to the handling but I'm taking it from the whole car, so once it comes to the final assembly of the car I'll make sure I get the balance as close to 50/50 as possible. I know the front will always be lighter but I can sort that with spring rates so its not a major worry just yet. I guess the first tight corner at speed will let me know if I have the thing set up!!!

[_Ad_]

_Ad_ The car will be fully road legal, I dont see the point in building a car that I cant use unless I take it to a circuit. Plus it allows for more time and fun behind the wheel.

Will it have to be put through any sort of testing or will it just be a case of informing the DVLA of the changes and re-moting? I really like it, something different!

[1 litre screamer]

_Ad_ The car will be fully road legal, I dont see the point in building a car that I cant use unless I take it to a circuit. Plus it allows for more time and fun behind the wheel.

Will it have to be put through any sort of testing or will it just be a case of informing the DVLA of the changes and re-moting? I really like it, something different!

I have spoken to few MOT and VOSA guys about this, they all say that because i arent changing the external profile of the homologation then i will only need to inform the DVLA of the engine change, seat number change and thats about it. The test guy wasnt too sure about how i stand on the emmisions though. I have to say that i'm stuck on that too. Car or bike?!!!!!

[_Ad_]

The test guy wasnt too sure about how i stand on the emmisions though. I have to say that i'm stuck on that too. Car or bike?!!!!!

I'd say bike myself because of the fact its powered by a bike engine, there must be a difference anyway in the emissions a car emits than a bike?

[1 litre screamer]

I'm hoping thats the case, that way I can fit the ZX12 exhaust for the test.