The Inhaler - All-Electric 23 Model T Autocross/Drag Truck

[toddshotrods]

Looking for feedback, comments, and opinions - good or bad, I can take it. The easy way would be to stick a 6" dropped straight axle under the front and call it a day, but I want to see if I can make it look kind of vintage with IFS for competent autocrossing. My solution is to cover the a-rms with suspension fairings, like an old LSR or dirt track car might have had. I did this quick Photoshop rendering to see if I should pursue the idea in real life, or look for a better plan. What do you think?

The gap lines on either side of the grille are for headlight doors. They're that tall because the lights inside will likely be Woodlites.

[toddshotrods]

I did CAD models for the hood and suspension fairings, then cut them from blue board (polystyrene) foam (from Lowe's). I had already split the models into sections to eliminate undercuts, and the CAM software slices those sections to match the thickness of the material you're using (1.5" in this case). I left these models a little on the rough side because I want to finish them by hand, to fine-tune the shapes. The CAD/CAM process gives me perfect mirror images to work off, from side A to side B, with lower blood pressure.



Next, I have to carve out enough foam to get the fairings in place, then use canned foam to glue them to the hood and track nose, plus fill the voids. The front clip will be a one-piece lift-off deal, with an opening hood panel to display the motor.

[coolwelder62]

Very interesting project. Scott

[toddshotrods]

Originally Posted by coolwelder62

Very interesting project. Scott

Thanks Scott!


One step closer. A little carving and sanding, then some 'glass lay-up, and I will have a one-piece lift-off front clip to hide the IFS.

[toddshotrods]

We were invited to bring the Inhaler (as a work in progress) to a "Green Bag Lunch" Earth Day event at Ohio State's Center for Automotive Research (CAR) facility. After a video presentation and brief talk by the director, they gave a tour of the facility. The Inhaler was just behind the World's Fastest Electric Vehicle, the Buckeye Bullet 2.5 (BB2.5) (320mph/307.666mph int'l record), and we were given the floor to present it directly after BB2.5. It was well-received, and we have an offer of support from CAR.






It does another Earth Day event tomorrow, a tech event called Innovate Columbus Wednesday, and a Science Fair at COSI (Center of Science and Industry) next Saturday. We also just received an email suggesting that we have it on display in the lobby at another tech event on the 5th.

I feel like the parent of a teenager. The little snot rips and runs so much I'm having a hard time finding time to get any work done on it!

[toddshotrods]

Freakin' thing spent so much time going from event to event I couldn't work on it! It's finally been back at the shop, without scheduled appearances looming overhead, and I am getting my gears spinning again. First, I needed to finish the CAD work for the front clip, so I can get it out of foam and into fiberglass soon. This is the grille area.


These pieces are ready for CNC work. The actual nose will be cut in foam and grafted into what's already there. The trim ring will be cast in aluminum, so I am looking into having it printed instead of cut to save time. The "grille" panel will be cut in wood or resin to create a plug to pull a mold for carbon fiber lay-up. The first rendering shows the grille sitting on the surface of the nose because the foam section is modeled undersize for moldless composite lay-up over foam, and the grille and trim ring are to spec for plug construction. I hadn't created the mounting flange for the trim ring yet either. The grille assembly will be recessed into the body about .125" - about the amount it's over the surface at its highest point (in the first rendering, side view).

The hole is the intake for the forced-air system. It will have a black mesh screen with my batwing "T" logo (without text) embossed into the screen. The logo will be cut or cast in some metal, and I will probably do CAD/CNC dies to stamp the screen to fit and accept the logo.

Working on the windshield frame now. It's probably going to be pretty involved, and maybe another candidate for printing. So far, I have about a 30-degree layback, and 20-degree flare-out at the top. Should be pretty wicked.

[Streetwerkz]

Looking good Todd.
I like the nose... however (imo) your may consider reshaping the rear to match that cool new front end

[Bryce]

Awesome CAD work! What program?

[toddshotrods]

Originally Posted by Streetwerkz

Looking good Todd.
I like the nose... however (imo) your may consider reshaping the rear to match that cool new front end

Thanks! I know people always say this, but I really have been meaning to stop by. My schedule has just been so crazy, when I have free time I'm usually vegged out in front of the laptop and TV. How's life treatin' ya?

When you say reshape the rear, do you mean the bed? There are some tricks up my sleeve for every area, eventually.

Originally Posted by Bryce

Awesome CAD work! What program?

Thanks Bryce! I use Rhino for surface modeling (what you're looking at here), and Pro/E for solid modeling. I really love surfacing, and normally just use solid for engineering tolerance precision to back up the "look" (critical mounting points and surfaces). This one was kind of a quickie, to get the front plug wrapped up, I have some neat stuff in the works for this project though. The windshield frame is getting more involved by the minute (still surface modeling in Rhino). I keep reminding myself that it has to actually be produced. Thank goodness for 3D printing.

[GregWeld]

Looks great Todd!