I've just managed to find a copy, it now been superceded by the new edition, and whilst an interesting report, doesn't say much, and I note they ask the rhetorical question as to what can be done to improve the current 2014 car.
I'm sure we can think of a few things, I'm still beating the drum about saving a bit of weight, what else can fellow Three Wheeler owners think of to help the factory out?
I've just managed to find a copy, it now been superceded by the new edition, and whilst an interesting report, doesn't say much, and I note they ask the rhetorical question as to what can be done to improve the current 2014 car.
I'm sure we can think of a few things, I'm still beating the drum about saving a bit of weight, what else can fellow Three Wheeler owners think of to help the factory out?
Weight reduction would be high up my list too, although I suspect that would need a not insignificant change in the whole design and construction of the car to achieve much of a saving. Certain things are easy - those exhaust pipes weigh a ton and the front mudguards too - but the chassis is pretty difficult to change without a ground up redesign possibly?
I reckon 50kg might be found with use of more lightweight materials, but much less than 460/470kg or so will be a challenge for any manufacturer of a 2 seater. Caterham have done really well, but even their SuperLights are over 450kg. I drove one of the Fireblade engine super super light Se7ens (400kg) once and it felt sooo fragile and insubstantial that it put me off, despite how fast it went. But the prospect of a 132cu.in S&S running in a say 480kg M3W with nice carbon bits (still looking vintage) and a lightweight titanium exhaust would be very tasty indeed...
Blue sky thought: Carbon fiber monocoque, do away with the chassis!
It then becomes 3/4's of a Westfield FW400, which sold 3/4's of naff all unfortunately, despite being a beautiful piece of very modern engineering! My personal view is to keep the vintage appeal, which inevitably means most of the vintage weight too I fear....
Good point, perhaps use of Reynolds 531 tubing would go someway to satisfying both worlds giving weight reduction for equivalent strength(assuming that no exotic tubing is yet being used).
