20 replies to this topic

[mariner]

I am not a great fan of the Smart two seater, it seems very complex for a 2 seat city car and,at least in the UK it had a terrible reliability reputation.

 

However one thing that is impressive is that it can meet global crash standards with such a small, short bodyshell.

 

So when I saw this stripped Smart bodyshell on Uk Ebay for $300 or so it made me think what great rear engine sports car central monocoque it could make.

 

http://www.ebay.co.u...=item35db572fef

 

There seem to be enough mounting points for a tubular front sub frame and you could triangulate the rear door opening to stiffen it further and provide points for a rear sub frame.. All the difficult bits for road like screen, wipres , washers and doors can come straight of a crashed Smart and so can the wiring harness etc - just extend each lighting cable etc to the final lights.

 

Just a thought

[BRG]

That would look truly dreadful.  It would make a Daytona Prototype look elegant.

[Greg Locock]

I'm not sure that crash performance is inheritable, but it seems reasonable to suppose that adding more crumple zones to an existing design won't hurt.

[mariner]

Like I say Im not a Smartcar fan but it sems to pass teh crash tests without any extra bits beyond that chasis unit

 

http://www.smartusa.com/safety/

 

When it came out Motor und Sport did a crash betwn an S clas Merc and a Smartcar. The Smart surived but it did get spun round like top. Not sure if that is god for head injuries given teh known danger of rotaing teh skull fast!

[jcbc3]

I'd take the raodster instead

 

 

 

 

[geoffd]

Here's a link to a project using a Smart roadster as a base - its' front engined, but it looks like fun! http://www.locostbui....php?tid=193319

 

Geoff

[mariner]

The roadster looks much more promising height wise but I think it needs a roof to get decent rigidity like the saloon.

 

. That Honda engined project looks neat.An S200 engine with 240 real bhp in 800kg wil be quick.I am very enviuds of that rolling flatplate set up.

 

My selection of a base unit may sem odd but building a road sprts car is hard and getting harder from a legal point of view, certainly in UK.

 

By using a small bodyshell the penalty of a steel frame is minimised and all the safety work is free . Also interiors and instruments are a total pain in doing one off cars so being able to source key bits of the interor, dash saves a lot of time.

 

Similarly the core wiring harness  should be usable which again in this CANBUS world is a big help.

Edited by mariner, 24 November 2014 - 15:26.

[jcbc3]

I can't get my head around using a S2000 drivetrain in a smart roadster, when you could have a perfectly fine S2000 car wrapped around that drive train. Without all the hassle.....

[BRG]

My selection of a base unit may sem odd but building a road sprts car is hard and getting harder from a legal point of view, certainly in UK.

I am not sure that I understand exactly what your purpose is with this.  Aren't there a large selection of kit cars which can get through the SVA test?  Or are you particularly concerned over crashworthiness?

 

One option is one of the body kits based on a the BMW Z3 which has fully removable body panels.  You get the BMW monocoque and running gear, but add a different body style.

[imaginesix]

I can't get my head around using a S2000 drivetrain in a smart roadster, when you could have a perfectly fine S2000 car wrapped around that drive train. Without all the hassle.....

It's not a Smart roadster.

[gruntguru]

 . . and its 1250 kg vs 800 kg.

[Lee Nicolle]

 . . and its 1250 kg vs 800 kg.

Yes but the Honda has some wheel base. Give the Honda a diet of the unneeded items such as AC, trim, sound, and other ancillaries. The Smart is just stupidly short.

[imaginesix]

A stripped S2000 is not the same as this.

 

 

Why are you guys being so weird about this? A guy has a vision for a custom car based in part on components from existing cars. This is hardly the first time in history.

[mariner]

BRG "

I am not sure that I understand exactly what your purpose is with this.  Aren't there a large selection of kit cars which can get through the SVA test?  Or are you particularly concerned over crashworthiness?

 

One option is one of the body kits based on a the BMW Z3 which has fully removable body panels.  You get the BMW monocoque and running gear, but add a different body style."

 

Getting a kit car through the IVA ( replaced the SVA) in the UK is not straightforward by any means as some producers havent really nailed the whole thng down precisely. Also a kit car is somebody else's concept not your own.

 

Also your point about crash worthiness is valid. You can buy a kit chassis but I have very strong doubts as to whether it would ever match the crash design quality of an OEM shell designed usng hundreds of engineers, some serious computing power and real life crash tests.

 

The negative with a production shell is weight hence the thought of using the very small Smart shell.

 

BTW I know somebody who has the original Z1 BMW sportscar, the one with the clever drop down doors. That is a really superb peice of sportscar design, much better IMHO than the floppy Z3 or maybe even the Z4.

Edited by mariner, 25 November 2014 - 11:14.

[BRG]

OK, I see where you are coming from, if you want it to be your concept. Of course, most kitcar manufacturers think the same.

I agree with you on the Z1 - it has always been one of my favourite cars. If only they weren't so rare and pricey....

[Greg Locock]

Ever driven a Z1? slow, rattly, lousy ride. Way cool though.

[Wuzak]

Can't find a video of the segment, but here are some stills from Clarkson's Top Gear Z1 test....

 

[BRG]

I was following a Smart today.  I could help noticing that it was considerably taller than my car - which is a fairly mundane SEAT - and the other traffic.  Checking specs, the Smart is 154cm tall (my SEAT is only 142cm in comparison).  This doesn't seem the best starting place if you are planning a sports car, which are usually lower than regular cars.  How is that going to work?

[imaginesix]

The roof height isn't necessarily a major contributor to the final CofG height.

[BRG]

I wasn't thinking of C of G, I was thinking of a sleek low sports car with a tall passenger compartment.  Hardly sporty, nor very low drag.

[desmo]

A sports car with a relatively high seating position might be fun, you can really see the front corners for apex clipping.