Looks like the back seat will have to be for children.

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

You have chosen a beautiful car to work from and it is an inspired plan. It is a lot of fun to plan and discuss an idea like this but before you commit to building a car please consider your alternatives. For one, get a girlfriend.

You actually make a good point about the cost of exotic cars. Building one might be most people's best chance at ever owning such a thing.

I do intend for it to be relatively small, but still available.

I've got a girlfriend.
I don't intend to slave over this for hours every day, because I know that it will take a long time for my to build, regardless of how I go about it (mostly just because I don't have hours to build it). I want to have a drive-able car in the next five years or so.

Recently I had been thinking about trying to start a business creating cars like the one I am working on, and selling them at a reasonable price (instead of half a million dollars for a car). If I do end up doing this though, it will be several years after I have built the car.

__________________
1984 300D (Turbo)
1949 Dodge B-1-C 3/4 Ton truck
1985 Euro w123.130 300D (Naturally Aspirated)(bad transmission)

I have studied many philosophers and many cats. The wisdom of cats is infinitely superior.--Hippolyte Taine

You mention having a hard time deciding where the engine should go but don't want to bother with a custom radiator.....

I've decided to go with a front engine, rear wheel drive setup, so engine placement will no longer be much of a concern.
The reason I didn't want to do a custom radiator, is that it would be costly to replace a custom radiator in the event of an accident, and I aim to make this car easily maintainable and fixable.
I will probably end up using multiple smaller radiators, in order to maximize cooling without doing a custom shaped radiator.

__________________
1984 300D (Turbo)
1949 Dodge B-1-C 3/4 Ton truck
1985 Euro w123.130 300D (Naturally Aspirated)(bad transmission)

I have studied many philosophers and many cats. The wisdom of cats is infinitely superior.--Hippolyte Taine

And after a little over a year, I've a update! I swear I (mostly) didn't forget about the forums..
Anyway, here are some updates. Lots of things have changed, and I now am thinking of eventually creating a company, that would produce vehicles very similar to this one.

There will be, at a minimum, three versions of the car. I will mainly be focusing on the high performance version of the car, as I find it to be the most interesting, as well as the most complex.

This project has been delayed indefinitely. While I still intend to make it, the production stage will not begin until I have, at the very least, a bachelors degree and a steady flow of income.

That being said, I would still like to toss some ideas around, before resuming development.


I know it is a longshot, but has anyone here ever messed with a Lenco transmission?

I've presented my ideas to a few people engineers, and the general consensus is that I have chosen the right path for my goals with the vehicle.

So now, the plan is a tubular chassis made from chrome moly tubing.
I plan on working with an established company for the independent front and rear suspension. I'm partial to Art Morrison, because they seem to be incredibly knowledgeable, as well as receptive to custom projects.

I am most likely going to be using an large, aluminum, big block Chevrolet motor, because the small blocks have the Siamese exhaust ports, and I believe it is a poor design. I have a power goal of n/a 800-1000BHP, or 1400+ with a forced induction system.
I will likely not go with a forced induction system, because it makes things more complicated, and one of my goals is to keep the system as simple as possible.

I am thinking of using a Lenco transmission for a few reasons. They are very customizable, sturdy, and they look pretty damn cool (shush, looks are important).

I don't think cooling will be much of an issue. I was concerned with space, but instead I have decided that moving the engine rearward by a few inches, and making the radiator as tall as the motor, should provide sufficient cooling.

There will be a concave panel on the bottom of the vehicle, which will cooperate with an electronic wing in the rear, in order to maintain traction at high speeds.

I don't plan on installing power steering, or power brakes, in the first version of the vehicle. If the car is difficult to steer/stop, I will modify it.

There will be no airbags anywhere. Your only safety features will be a roll cage, and a 5 point seatbelt.

Unfortunately, if I am making and selling a vehicle, I am required by law to put some emissions control on there somewhere, unless I sell the vehicle without the engine.

That's all I can think of off the top my head, questions are always welcome!!

__________________
1984 300D (Turbo)
1949 Dodge B-1-C 3/4 Ton truck
1985 Euro w123.130 300D (Naturally Aspirated)(bad transmission)

I have studied many philosophers and many cats. The wisdom of cats is infinitely superior.--Hippolyte Taine

Still sounding misguided and unrealistic. How's it going with that girlfriend?

What tires and how much power can they get to the ground?

Maybe aim for a job building racecars, get a girlfriend. Get outside more with your feet on the ground.

Don't bring the guy down! Just remember that people used to laugh at Preston Tucker...

Past tense? Tucker is still funny.

Street legal race cars suck. Why don't these idiots just get a race car and take it to the track? Because they are wimps who can't handle competition and just want to beat up on commuters and soccer moms.

Other evening I stopped for a red light and it turned green the other way. A pickup passed me going 60 or so with it floored and ran the red light. Lucky day, the other drivers looked before they pulled out and got t-boned and killed.

I still say aggressive drivers should be put in a crash simulator and have a few airbags popped in their faces, or hung in the public square.

Traction will undoubtedly end up being an issue. I am not sure how I intend to address this, however. It just depends on how much width would effect fuel economy.

I am also unsure as to how entertaining ideas of improving on the intentionally flawed designs of modern cars is misguided and unrealistic.


The way I see it, is that the performance would speak for itself. That being said, I am a part of a team of mechanical engineers (at my college) who build race cars every year.

I do understand the sentiment, though. Despite how well a product may be made, people nowadays want to see that little certificate that claims you've been through some sort of higher education.


Naturally, a dedicated race car would be superior to a car that isn't a dedicated race car. I'm not making a dedicated race car.

I'm sure that are other reasons that these people have a street race vehicle as opposed to a dedicated race car.
It could be that they converted their car into a street racer because they don't have enough money to maintain a race car on top of their other expenses. They could prefer driving to the track over loading up a trailer every time they wanted to race.


I've found that people who try and pay attention to what's happening around them on the road aren't typically poor drivers.
The motorcyclists who weave through traffic are the most frightening to me. I guarantee you that if they hit my old Dodge, I won't be the one leaving the scene on a stretcher.

There will be no Kickstarter campaign. I don't like the idea of people paying for a product that hasn't been made or tested.

That, and begging money off of people isn't really my cup of tea.





---------------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATES:
I've done several designs for the frame of the car, however I am wary to continue until I'm in a structural design class.
While I'm sure that the frame designs I have will work, I know that they are overly robust, and I'm sure that I will be able to improve on them. Because of safety I also need to work on the "crumple zone", which will require an understanding of structural design in order to produce the best design.

The initial build for the car will just have whatever inexpensive parts I can find nearby. Probably a sb350 coupled with a TH350, because they are quite common.

The first build will likely also shy away from a composite body in favor of a lightweight steel, because I don't have enough experience with composites yet to do a good job.

The initial build will also have a solid rear axle, as I've one on hand.

It looks like I will start building the car after I finish getting my '49 Dodge truck modernized. This will be the plan unless I become unlucky, and lose my current car somehow.





Most of my time has been consumed by a project my father and I are working on. It is just entering it's final stages now, and is finally road legal. It has been quite educational. If you want to see photos, look at this gallery:
Elvira by hetiticth | Photobucket

__________________
1984 300D (Turbo)
1949 Dodge B-1-C 3/4 Ton truck
1985 Euro w123.130 300D (Naturally Aspirated)(bad transmission)

I have studied many philosophers and many cats. The wisdom of cats is infinitely superior.--Hippolyte Taine

well , being able to make them,, and sell them later down the road,

with a custom fabbed aero body
with a chrome moly tube chassis,
withAart Morrison front and rear suspension
with a lenco transmission
and with a ...... 1000 to 1400 hp aluminum bigblock... ?

where on earth are you going to get any of those?

here is a SERIOUS hint about actual feasibility
(8th digit vin code P) -- that wont get you there but you can pm me for the meaning
all this is a dillusion of grandeur some would say.

better plan on selling to international folks with the kind of money this will end up being

For the final product, I don't plan on scavenging the parts. The body and the frame will be handmade.
You can purchase higher-than-factory displacement crate motors on several websites. I imagine that I'll grab one of these, and put it together myself.
Something like this, for example (after a very short google search): Link
This is just one that is pre-built. If you put together the motor yourself, you have a lot more you can do.

The Lenco transmission is also something that I would purchase.

With the IRS and IFS, I imagine I'll only need to buy one or two of the kits from Art Morrison, and then I can make my own design that is based on theirs.

When I made the initial post, all of the products mentioned were available online.

I intend these to be only in the highest performance model of the car. I will use other parts for the other models.

__________________
1984 300D (Turbo)
1949 Dodge B-1-C 3/4 Ton truck
1985 Euro w123.130 300D (Naturally Aspirated)(bad transmission)

I have studied many philosophers and many cats. The wisdom of cats is infinitely superior.--Hippolyte Taine

Having done projects like this, I have one thing to say to you:

SNAP OUT OF IT!

First off, that car looks like it will be an aerodynamic pig. The big frontal area, sloping rear, tumblehome and pointy tail look slick, but will result in high drag. If you were serious about building a vintage German aerodynamic design, then the car to build would be the BMW Kamm back. It was a milestone with regard to aerodynamics, but not much to look at:

BMW 328 Kamm Coupe (1940)

http://ae-plus.com/milestones/wunibald-kamm-helped-define-modern-day-aerodynamics/page:2

As far as budget, you'll need a kings ransom to build that car and make it work. I would budget $250,000 with no complications. And there will be complications. A Lesco transmission will probably cost your whole allowance, much cheaper and better to use a BW T5, and hunt up a set of straight cut gears.

After you've spend a quarter mill on the body and chassis, do you really want to use an SBC crate motor? At least use an M3 motor. But let me stop here and say again:

SNAP OUT OF IT!

A quarter of a million? Are we talking USD here?
I can't imagine ever having it cost that much.
Let me run up a quick list, if I use all new parts:
Lenco ST1200: $10,000 max
BBC: $15,000 max
Carbon Fiber (body panels): $5,000
Chrome Moly Tubing: $10/foot (the most expensive I saw) @ say.. 200ft.
Chrome Moly Tubing: $2,000
IRS: $5,000
IFS: $5,000
Extra Misc. Goodies: $8,000
Total:$50,000

That is assuming that I don't decide to design and fab up something myself for the suspension, and also that I buy a complete and assembled block.

The sbc350 would only be for a 'proof of concept' type build. It won't be in the final build. The final would have a big block Chevy.
I'm going with Chevy, because I have a lot of experience working on Chevy motors, and the parts are cheap and readily available.


I would argue that the design of the car I'm basing this off of is more aerodynamic than the one by Kamm. Look at this:

This is just a very basic image, but it explains a lot. Fluid dynamics show that the ideal shape is a teardrop.

The tail is quite useful in reducing drag. What Kamm had designed, where the tail is cut off at a certain point, achieves most of the aerodynamic benefits of the tail design. The end was cut off in order to cut off materials and size from the vehicle.

I'll look into your suggestion, I could always be wrong.

I'm not really looking to replicate a car. I'm using the Maybach as a starting point for my own design, though it will likely end up looking very similar.

__________________
1984 300D (Turbo)
1949 Dodge B-1-C 3/4 Ton truck
1985 Euro w123.130 300D (Naturally Aspirated)(bad transmission)

I have studied many philosophers and many cats. The wisdom of cats is infinitely superior.--Hippolyte Taine

It may be just me, but I would not likely be a customer of a company whose owner doesn't have some credibility as qualified to design, manufacture or provide some after sales service of a car.