Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Major Remodeling

I just added some new renders of my current modeling progress.
If you look closely you'll see that I've made a number of changes to the current design.
First, I finally found out that the Lotus Elise MK1 has the same windshield as the current model. This meant that I could use the blueprint from the old Elise to make the windshield the exact same dimensions as the real one.
Same goes for the side windows.

I also just realized that my car was smaller than a Lotus Elise. After thinking about it for a while, I decided that the Lotus was already a small car to fit in. Making mine smaller would not be a very good idea.
The previous wheelbase was about 2000mm. I just finished stretching it to 2265mm Which I think is plenty long enough.

It also allows more room for the engine as well as other things. I still have stubbier front and rear ends of the car, but we'll see how things go from here.

You'll also notice that I've added some baffles over the rear fenders. These are there to diffuse some of the air moving over the fenders that would otherwise produce lift.
I tried to stretch the spoiler across the entire rear of the car, but it didn't look very good at all like that, so I decided that baffles were a good compromise.

That's about all I've managed to do this week.
let me know what you all think.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Dave,

I've just come across your site after reading your post on eng-tips.com. I'm stunned. You've visualised an incredibly coherent form. It looks taut and 'crouched'. You appear to have a very strong understanding of volume and surface. In particular, from the rear, where the c-pillars appear to be holding the valance under tension, like tendons.

I hope you manage to work it through to a prototype. I'd love to see it in the flesh. I'd fly over there to see it.

I'm working on a prototype car at the moment also, have almost a rolling chassis with running engine, transmission, brakes, and am beginning this week to sculpt foam volumes to begin the development of the interior surfaces. I have one somewhat rudimentary rendering, which is now slightly out of date, on my website: www.ramsaydesign.co.uk/protest.html.

I too have realised that I'm designing a tiny car. I drive a classic mini (photo also on the site) and the car I'm building now will be only 100mm longer than it.

If you get in touch (there's contact details on there) I have photos of the up-to-date work if you're interested.

Regards and good luck,

Alan

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