Project Schism - another offbeat '23 Ford T
 

Here I go again, as the project name suggests, cutting across the grain, doing everything wrong, and lovin every minute of it! :unibrow: A custom vehicle is supposed to be a journey that you get a lot of pleasure from, and for some reason I enjoy traveling different paths, so here goes...
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ms/art/004.jpg
We're in the process of developing a line of "green", "sustainable technology", kit cars, loosely based on the Inhaler. The first prototype is mine, and being green isn't exactly my cup of tea, so it will have an evil twist - a 700hp turbo inline-four, mounted midship driving the rear wheels, and an electric motor driving the fronts; making an AWD, hybrid, car with +/-1000hp. :yes:

14pt NHRA-spec cage, and as low and aggressive of a stance as possible. The idea I am working of is "23 Ferrari Coupe", but (in accordance with the name) I am not worried about anything really looking antique. It'll be Ferrari red, with exposed carbon fiber, black anodizing, black chrome, black powder coating and paint, etc. Exposed SLA suspension front and rear, eventually big disc brakes, big forged wheels, etc. Kind of like a hard-edged, Pro-Touring, hot rod.

I'm here because Pro-Touring is the main influence guiding this build, and I like it here. If it's too far out though, and this thread gets booted, I understand...:_paranoid

As for the build, I am doing my final research and buying stuff now. I should have the steel for the frame and cage this week, and want to have a roller by the end of January. In February, we'll get the motor installed, and as much detail work as possible, because it's supposed to be at an educational summit on the 7th, to promote the kits to Ohio vo-tech schools. My personal number-one goal is to drive it into Goodguys here (Columbus) in July. It won't be so powerful then, but it should be functional; hopefully enough to run through the autocross course.

Merry Christmas!

Looking forward to it. Many times as I have been overwhelmed in my own projects with "boring" details like getting the windows to seal and body panels to line up not to mention weight, I have often fantasized about building some kind of street rod performance car with the "Ariel Atom" mentality. There is nothing lighter than "nothing", except helium lol.

1000 hp AWD sounds nice, but the motor and batteries have to extract a hellacious weight penalty on a minimalist design like that.

Thanks Preston. :) "Ariel Atom" mentality is a good way to sum up what I'm after - pure exhileration, screw practicality, but also useful beyond a race track.

Because I am using the electric drive conservatively (compared to the Inhaler), it won't require a huge battery pack. I can build a 200hp battery pack that would fit under the seats, and weigh between 25 & 50lbs. It would only have a range, on pure electric, of 10-15 miles (at <35mph), sort of like a Prius, but would be capable of providing the AWD traction needed for quick acceleration off the line, and out of corners (when we get the software sorted out) with street tires.

The challenge is going to be finding the right combination of parts. On the lower priced end of the spectrum, I can get a DC motor and controller for a few thousand bucks, plus about the same amount for the battery pack, that would deliver this. The downside is there's no regenerative braking, which would extend battery range a bit, and also also add a lot of "free" braking power to the front wheels. On the other hand, if I go AC I get regen, but would have to pay out the nose for a custom inverter to run the motor, and probably have the motor re-wound to support the extra current. The currently available motor/inverter combinations, that I know if, are only capable of around 100hp, and with much less torque.

The motors, either way, are around 80-100lbs. Only one is needed, so for ~150lbs total, I get AWD and a couple hundred more ponies.

Sorry for rambling... :rolleyes:


EDIT: I forgot, I have a 12:1 rack and pinion coming tomorrow, plus the tubing for the roll cage. I should be ready to order the steel for the frame soon. Cut, grind, and weld, starts next month... :yes:

The Appleton steering rack arrived today, and we mocked up the main section of the cage. Next, I need to make some final decisions on the frame, so we can start building.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/002.jpg
Sorry for the cell phone pic, I keep forgetting to take my camera. :rolleyes:

Ha ha - great photo. You have a long ways to go LOL.

:D It should go together pretty quickly. It's a prototype/development mule so, while I want it to be nice and not a rat rod, it's going to be put together, disassembled, cut and welded, as many times as it takes to find what we're looking for, so it's not like doing a higher end show-oriented build that requires massive investments of time to accomplish small to-do items. Plus, I can't wait to beat the hell out of it! :unibrow:

Nothing major today, I just got the cage main hoop and halo tweaked a little, which makes the cage fit together much better. The bottom of the main hoop tucks in to the width of the (forthcoming) frame rails, and the halo is a bit narrower in back, which lets it hit all the way up on the main hoop.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/003.jpg
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That motor is a Ford Zetec - one of the future options for the kits.

Here's a close-up of my little rack, and the electric drive (front) diff.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/006.jpg

A pause to celebrate the New Year, and next we purchase the rectangular tubing for the frame, and start building...

Happy New Year guys! :cheers:

I'm not going to get too caught up in art with this project, but needed to do a small revision to test something. Most of this build will be decided and worked out in real-world steel and composites. After mocking up the cage, sifting through the frame design, measuring everything, and having a couple of the guys sit in the Inhaler and the mocked up cage, I realized I would need more surface area on the body, to achieve the body-to-roof ratio I desire. Rather than stretch the body vertically, I am going to add rocker panels under it, which are sort of an artistic swipe at the original Model T running boards; that actually rolled out and down. The point is it maintains the shallow T bucket body shape, and kind of props it up over the frame, Model T (Horse and buggy) style. The actual shapes will be determined as the car is built, but this should be close.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ms/art/005.jpg

Drivetrain, wiring, and front suspension, pulled from the donor. Now we're laser focused on getting Schism on all fours. We will clean and detail a bit, but the main focus here is on testing the processes and procedures for manufacturing kits and customer builds. I'll being doing a bit of custom stuff now, and will go back and really go crazy on it after a summer of beating the hell out of it. :yes:
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Cool.

Are you familiar with Midlana ? Another lightweight "mid-engine based on a FWD drivetrain" vehicle. No AWD electric power though. You might also check out dpcars.net, one of his many projects is a street rod based chassis car. I just figure we can all use as many design inputs as possible.

Hey thanks Preston! :thumbsup: I was familiar with DP Cars, but had not heard of the MidLana before. Pretty similar to what we're up to. The AWD electric thing isn't a production feature, at least not yet. That's a custom feature on my car for research purposes.

Now that the donor car is pretty much stripped, we're back to the chassis. We only worked on it for a bit today, but got the main hoop and halo bar fit and tacked. The A-pillar bars, dash and seat brace, and braces down into the front and rear frame rails are next.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/010.jpg
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/011.jpg

If you're wondering what's up with the wooden fixture, it's because we're also developing processes and techniques for educational purposes. The slots for the frame rails are CNC-cut and the fixture is leveled and really stable. The idea actually came from the AME SuperCar chassis kits, and the illustration they show of how it can be done with plywood and pine strips. We're not selling unwelded chassis or wooden fixtures; we just used the technique to demonstrate how modern technology can be combined with old school techniques in manufacturing. We're getting ready for an event with Ohio Department of Education in March and will pitch this as an example.

After this vehicle is on its wheels we plan to start fabricating a monster of a steel frame table for production.

A tiny bit of progress. Things are moving slowly because I am teaching a couple of the team members metal fabrication. They have natural skills, but this is their first time actually working with metal. This shows the quality of the work they're doing. I'm very, very, proud of them. :)
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/012.jpg
When we first started on the chassis, I would step in on the more difficult areas; tonight, I watched in amazement as one of the team members carved out notches like she had been doing it for years. :cool:


The A-pillar bars are cut, and just need a tiny bit of finesse to be perfect.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/013.jpg

A-pillar bars in, and our high-dollar mock-up stool has been retired! :lol: The seat bar and some bracing are next, then a little welding, then suspension...
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/014.jpg

I'm trying to keep the focus on the actual build, and not so much art and design, but will have a little art to guide the way, here and there. The art that the Schism rendering is based on is for the kits. It dawned on me today that I never lowered it from the standard production ride height, to my ride height (3-4", f-r). I did that and also, replaced the side exit exhaust tips with air intakes for the radiator and intercooler, channeled the exhaust out the back, and added the rear cage bars.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ms/art/006.jpg

We're back to work on it next week, after a week off to work on the Model E. The plan is to get the chassis off the fixture soon, and start skinning it with bodywork.

One more: I finally came up with a second roof design I like. It will clean up the aerodynamic nightmare of the rag top style roof, and makes my car a little cleaner, neater...
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ms/art/007.jpg

Back to building next week...

Interesting project. I like the rendering.

Thanks Wayne! I have difficulty doing anything normal. :unibrow:

Now that we have a body, we can start tweaking the cage to match, and hanging parts inside it.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/015.jpg
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We're using the old sectioned track nose to build the new front clip. The hood will be four inches shorter, so a new CAD model has been created (using the old model to start), with new lines to match the shorter span and track nose curves. More CAD/CNC foam soon...
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/017.jpg
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/018.jpg

The frame and main cage bars are welded up, and off the fixture, but I forgot to take my camera so no pics until tonight or tomorrow. It's mocked up on the floor, at ride height, and it's low... :yes:

Until I get pics of that, here is one where I'm working on templates for the roof and turtle deck.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/019.jpg

I like it what ride height are you setting up for?:yes: :yes: :yes:

Thanks Kendall :thumbsup: Three inches between the frame and the ground at the front; four inches at the back, for a little hot rod attitude. That's going to be the actual ride height on coil-overs, no air.

Swing low... :yes:
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Packaging the electric front-drive system will be a challenge. This works (8 or 9" diameter motor) but raises the center of gravity. Probably still much lower than a gas engine would be up there though. Most of the mass is inside the axle center lines, and concentrated on the longitudinal axis.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/023.jpg

I'm going to build a couple over-the-top resonators with these Supertrapp cans, to help tune the sound of the turbo four. Two of them will allow me to use enough baffling but still have the area of a 3-4" pipe that the big turbo will need. I'm looking for a European exhaust note.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/024.jpg

Engine and tranmission in the general vicinity. Once we finalize the location, mounts will be fabricated to lock it down. It's getting solid mounts, to go with an abundance of rod ends in the suspension. Better have good glue on those fillings.
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Gotta catch this thread up! I've been working out the suspension design in CAD. I was originally going to have the lower control arms brackets laser cut, but needed them faster than the local company could get them to me (plus, they would have taken a nice little chunk out of the project budget for such a low quantity). The little notches are position markers, that indicate where the bracket is located on the frame rails (positions 1 through 8 from front to rear, mirror image side-to-side).
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ms/art/010.jpg

So, we decided to hand cut them. We cut poster board patterns on our small laser (it won't cut steel or thick metals), and the process is underway now to make the sixteen brackets. We have the 16 suspension pivot holes measured, marked, and drilled, so far. Tomorrow, we will start cutting the other critical apsect - the right angle corners that actually mount on the frame - and then the outside profiles.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/029.jpg



Later, I will box the tops of the mounts in with hammered steel pieces, like this. The bottom will get a normal boxing plate.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ms/art/011.jpg



I'm also working on component layout, in Rhino. I did the suspension bracket design in Rhino as well, because they're just flat plates, with a couple critical dimensions. I will be doing some, more common, solid modeling in Pro/E soon too.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ms/art/012.jpg
Please excuse the crude shapes - accuracy in modeling them wasn't important, where everything goes is. The stacked dark grey objects under the front diff and motor, and in the floor, are the battery modules. That theoretical pack has 333 volts/1800 amps = 800hp potential, but it wouldn't all be used. The controller I'm thinking about for this project (grey box over motor and diff) is rated for 1000amp max (also continuous power rating) and about 400hp. I'm actually only looking for 200-300hp at the front wheels. The excess in battery, controller and motor capability, is for reliability; and, in the case of electric propulsion, also means more range. It should have the typical hybrid type "all electric" range of 30-40 miles from that little battery pack, because it's small and lightweight. I don't care about that so much, because I can drive until gas stations won't sell me any more fuel.

The yellow boxes are the fuel tanks; about 7 gallons worth - good for 300-ish miles, enough for the solid mounted everything, and cramped quarters, to say get out for a while, anyway.

The chassis design was inspired by the old school underslung hot rods, where (as I understand it) they flipped the frame 180*, hanging it from the axles to get the car lower. In this modern, independent suspension, kit car, version the point was the flat frame. It allows us to easily mount a variety of drivetrains, and hang a lot of componentry on the frame rails, as low as possible. It pushes the engine and transmission up higher than it would normally be, but I am hoping that everything else being mounted so low will counter that. We'll see...

Wow, I didn't realize it had been almost a month since I updated this thread!

Since the last post, I decided to stop wrestling with myself and trying to kill two birds with the same stone. I split the production needs from my personal needs and desires, so this car will be free to go where I want to go.

The first thing is the roof had to go, and the had to get down out of the stratosphere. So, from here on, it's like taking a production car (the kits we're developing) and building a customized hot rod with it. The new plan:
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ms/art/013.jpg

Now to catch the thread up. We cut the sixteen brackets and they're welded on. Worked perfectly.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/030.jpg
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We're in process of machining the front knuckles.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/035.jpg
[IMG]http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/schism/forums/buildpics/036
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And working out the rest of the chassis and suspension.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/037.jpg
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Barely cleared a wimpy little 235 tire - gotta get some dish the other way on the rims later to get some meat back there.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/041.jpg

Finally snipped the cage off, and have been working on the motor mounts - locking it down solid. The point is to make fabricated steel mounts that appear to be vintage castings.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/042.jpg
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Please ignore the lumpy welds, it's all going to be ground down and blended. I was pushing it to the max, on the edge of blowing holes, then building up enough weld to shape it. The camera flash actually hides the actual heat zone - had her nice and cherry red by the time I made it around the tubes.



I've just started scratching out a model for a slightly enhanced "T" grille shell. :yes:
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ms/art/014.jpg

Wow, over a month since an update! First, I decided to push a little closer to the edge of insanity on the design. Back to the earliest, turn of the century, automobiles - when doors, and a lot of the other body panels, weren't so commonplace. Also, I nixed the Ferrari red for exposed carbon fiber. This rendering is the concept art pic, hotlinked from my site, so it will update as I update it - hopefully there won't be any more radical changes to make that description invalid.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...chismart01.jpg

To make the shifter work, with the engine in back, I am going to make a custom mount, with rocker arms that push and pull rods, that push and pull the factory Honda shift cables. No boot, no housing, no cover-up, so this whole assembly has to be a mechanical, performing, art piece.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/048.jpg
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We also started working on the rear upper control arm mounts. Machining holes in the tubing that will accept a fabricated assembly of the factory Honda mounting bushings, and a fabricated countersink for the nut. We broke the collet in the process, so that has been on hold for a bit. I also needed to re-think my plans for how the frame rails run back to them, so the brakes are on this for a bit.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/051.jpg
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The front knuckles have been cut off, machined, drilled, and tapped (.750-16) to allow us to use a .750" rod end in place of the upper balljoint. We can adjust the spindle height with spacers between the rod end and the knuckle. The goal here is to cost-effectively develop the specifications for what's really needed, and eventually machine or cast new knuckles - unless these happen to work well enough as they are.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/055.jpg
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I had to revise a lot of my plans because it was going to take longer to accomplish some of my original goals than I had hoped. The new plans are just about written in stone, and we should be back to work on it next week.

The CAD grille shell is finally ready for some type of CNC process. I haven't decided what that process will be yet. The most elaborate would be to clamp a 6" thick piece of billet in a mill and whittle it down to about 5 pounds - I seriously doubt that's going to happen this time! Too many other things to do to spend that much money on billet, and that much time in front of a mill. The next option is to mill a plug out of wood, wax, or plastic, and have it cast - that's the most feasible plan. A third alternative is to print it in plastic and have it cast. We have a new 3D printer coming that would do a nice job, but it would have to be printed in, maybe four, sections and glued together.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ms/art/017.jpg
The other problem with 3D printing is the transition between the outer rolled edge and the front panel is supposed to be a subtle concave rolled surface. I left the model as is, to save time, because the ball end mill will automatically leave that surface. If it's printed I need to either create that surface, or fill it in by hand after printing.

The little stand on the bottom is for the emblem. Rather than being perched on top, it's going to "float" in a recessed pocket in the grille.

Some suspension parts and composite supplies arrive Monday and Tuesday, and we get back to work on this puppy.

Really enjoy watching your progress and creativeness Todd - Nice Stuff !

What's the planned finish on the grill shell ? Black chrome, black annodize - or painted ? If paint - wondering if you could do it in fiberglass or something non-metallic. Maybe print out paper cross-sections from your cad - spray glue those to plywood - cut them out and build a buck - then fill the openings with foam, sand/sculpt, add a layer of fiberglass and then bodywork like they do speaker surrounds ? Use that as a casting mold - or make a mold and do the finished part outta glass or carbon. Etc.

Maybe mill a mold outta tooling wax and pull a part directly outta that ?

Hope ya figure out a cost effective solution - that's always the challenge for us guys...

We'll be watching. Best of luck !

Jim

Thanks Jim! :thumbsup: Right back at ya, because I l-o-v-e your Porsche! :yes:


Black anodized, that's why it has to be some type of aluminum. We have a casting guy in house, but I'm not sure he's up for it. I will ask him. There are some other casting places in town, that I may try to work with. I'm really trying to do something different to experiment and to give my team a unique experience. I like to see them :)

I considered just cutting a mold and laying-up a composite shell, but that would be too easy! :rolleyes: :unibrow: :D



Yup, it is. We'll figure something out. Thanks again! :thumbsup:

...and with my "Bat-T" logo emblem mounted. I still haven't decided how I'm going to float the "T" in the ring. The choices are a peg stand under the bottom of the T, tabs to the "wings" of the "T", or a clear or smoked resin center. It will most likely be 3D printed and cast in aluminum or bronze, and anodized or plated. Maybe something a little brighter to contrast with the black anodized shell and black grille.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ms/art/018.jpg

I have some CAD/CNC foam bucks to do for Schism, and still have to do a full CAD version of the Model E for CFD aero work, so I decided to hack out a rough draft of Schism's door-less body, from the Inhaler Project T-bucket body model I'm working on, and see what it looks like on the chassis, with the grille. Eventually this body model's kinks and wrinkles will be smoothed out, and the original Model T details incorporated.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ms/art/019.jpg
A little balance will be added with the air intake system for the cooling and induction systems. It will be designed to look like twin luggage trunks, just behind the body. They should bulge out just enough to fill in the gap between the body and the ICE drivetrain, rear suspension, and rear wheels. That's the main foam cores I need.

Finally got the S2 shell laid-up. I like these one-layer skins because I can bend and shape them very easily. When I get it set and braced, I am going to use canned foam to add beads and inner bracing, then make it rigid with more glass lay-up. When it's strong enough the outside with be straightened and detailed, then skinned with a layer of carbon fiber, that will be the final finish (with a satin clear top coat). One day, I hope to pull a mold from it and produce a lighter, stronger, perfect version of it, but for the foreseeable future this prototype will suffice.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/057.jpg
I can't wait to show the details I have planned for this body. :)

My single layer S2 body shell, without any means of support. :_paranoid :lol:
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/058.jpg

The reason I like these thin skins is I can subtly reshape them, without losing the basic identity of the Model T body. Because the skin actually has the compound curves of the original body, it can only be stretched and tweaked so far before it objects. In CAD, or with raw materials, I can make almost anything, and it's easier to lose the basic form. Those original curves reflect light to your eyes in a familiar pattern, that your mind identifies as a so-and-so...

A simple wooden inner structure props it up, and allows the process to begin.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/059.jpg

Then I start sculpting. The main goal was to bow the back of the body, to give it a more upscale feel.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/060.jpg
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/061.jpg

The dash is also going to be very unique, but the details won't be incorporated for a while. The bead that runs around the top edge of the body will seamlessly roll around the door openings, and up over the dash.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/062.jpg
I stopped here to refresh and look at it again before starting the foam and structural reinforcements, because I don't want to do it twice. I can't wait to see it with the seats and dash.

Hmmm, I didn't think it had been this long since I updated this thread.

The upper control arms are getting rod ends, and a little stretch, in place of the upper balljoint.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/067.jpg

Some quick surfacing modeling to work out the shape of, and develop patterns for, the front crossmember.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ms/art/020.jpg

More of the same to develop the electric motor mount. It's going to be "sculpted" out of .250" steel.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ms/art/021.jpg
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Starting on the roll cage. The main hoop will be replaced by retractable twin roll bars, and the cage will be tucked down inside the body. These are the stanchions for the roll bars.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/069.jpg
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Working on the battery pack = 296v/33ah = 9.8kwh, good for about 30 miles all-electric. It'll provide 2145 amps at the conservative discharge rating and theoretically there are 850 horses in the pack, but I'm only looking for 200-300 from the motor. It's overkill that will last longer, because it isn't stressed a lot, but it fits in the floor. :)
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ms/art/023.jpg
The yellow shape is the fuel tank. I'm going to run it on E85 only.


More CAD to develop the rear crossmember/exhaust mount.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ms/art/024.jpg
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ms/art/025.jpg

Then, starting to hash it out in steel.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/074.jpg
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Also working out my plans for the mufflers in CAD. It will normally follow the path of the pink line, through three chambers. The outlet tips are sized for proper flow through the ten of them. The butterfly will be boost activated, and permit straight-through flow via a, composite wrapped, perforated center tube - basically a glasspack.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ms/art/026.jpg


Also getting ready to do the door bars, next week.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/086.jpg

Back to the motor mount. Because of the rather heavy electric motor's sudden, and relentless, torque I wanted to slot the crossmember into the frame rails, rather than it just being welded between them. The girl on the team was the only one that didn't flinch when I described it, and went right after it.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/083.jpg
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/084.jpg

Steel plates all cut and ground close, ready to be hammered to fit the motor, finished up, and assembled.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/085.jpg


The thing I am most proud of with this, is most of the people on my team have never done metal fabrication before, and have never even worked on a serious car project. We are purposely whittling this car of raw steel, by hand, as much as possible, so that they will be able to say "we did that!" :yes:

I've been working on a basic setup for the suspension, so we can get the upper control arm mounts fabricated and installed. So far, I have a 1.88" (static) front roll center height, and 3.42" (static) rear roll center height (IRS). I've been using this free (sample) software just to plot the basic layout. I know, I need to pony up and buy something, so I can dig in deeper and see what it's really going to do. The suspension is based on MII street rod design, using Honda Accord and custom fabricated parts, for AWD capability.

This car is really just a toy. It's a street rod that I just want to be fun to drive and play with. All the big power numbers are just for kicks really, because who doesn't like to unleash hundreds of ponies on a lightweight chassis! :yes: In the end, whatever it does or doesn't do I will accept and be happy, as long as it is fun to play with. I do plan to try it on autocross, road course, drag strip, and maybe even a standing mile, but that's just to have more fun with it - not to be ultra competitive with anyone else. If it does happen to be competitive - it'll just be more fun! :cheers:

For what it's worth, my current specs have less vertical roll center migration than the C5 specs I used to compare... :cool:

The motor mount plates are coming along. A little more clean up, and a little fine-tuning on the fit, and these will be ready to tack together. Then, we start hammering that saddle, and twisting and curling the ends - I cannot wait to do that! :yes: :unibrow: The longitudinal cross brace needs more profile work, but we're waiting for the saddle to do that - it will be much easier to fine tune it to fit the saddle than re-hammer the saddle to fit it.
http://toddperkinsdesign.com/images/...ldpics/087.jpg
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