Design and Fabricate Light Weight Sports Car Integration of Components and Parts Weight Distribution

Wong, Kok Fai (2011) Design and Fabricate Light Weight Sports Car Integration of Components and Parts Weight Distribution. Final Year Project (Other), Tunku Abdul Rahman University College.

Text WongKokFaiFT.zip Restricted to Registered users only Download (5MB)

Abstract

LSC are basically a sports car that possesses supercar performance with very low weight. LSC could weight as low as 500kg and engine that could produce 330bhp. That is 660bhp per ton. LSC are basically featureless. It only has a steel chassis frame, wheels and associated brakes, suspension system, engine (together with associated systems), steering system and seats for one or two occupants. Our primary objective in this project is to reduce the cost ofLSC. We aim to produce an LSC with reduced cost and making affordable in the future. The first prototype will have to achieve the objective ofbeing cost effective. One of the methods is to use conventional materials and OEM parts from Japan to achieve this objective. Despite being low cost, the LSC will still have to perform well in terms of performance, handling and body rigidity. The main scope for this project is Integration of Components and Parts. A Mitsubishi VR4 front cut was bought; this is the main source of components and parts. Of course, there are still other components which needed, for example the fuel tank, front suspension, tie rod, steering and seats. There are few major components that will be re- situated in new positions as opposed to the original layout of the car of its origin (Mitsubishi Gallant VR4). The engine, together with the gear box, will be situated behind the driver. It is still within the axles of the LSC because based on the principles told by Costin and Phipps (1974) in their book Racing and Sports Car Chassis Design, there should be no weight beyond the axles of a car. This is a fundamental principle of sports car design. Since the engine is placed behind the driver, many other components have to be re-situated. Vents will be created on the sides of the chassis to allow air flow to the components. The next system which needs to focus on is the piping systems. This includes brake piping, hydraulic clutch piping, exhaust piping, intake and inter-cooling piping, radiator piping, oil cooler piping. The existing piping systems may no longer be used is necessary to create and design a new brake piping system for all 4 brakes. The brake piping system may require specialist to fabricate. The hydraulic piping system is less complicated because it involves one piping. That piping can use flexible hosing, which makes fabrication and integration easier. Weight distribution is important in handling characteristics of a vehicle. This is one of the fundamental principles in designing a sports car. It is preferably to have a rear-biased weight distribution. Our target for the LSC is to achieve 40:60 Front-rear weight distributions. Through this project, we are able to do practical on various mechanical engineering techniques and design in college. There are various parts and components in car where theoretically we studied how they work. In reality, we never have our hands dirty; this project will be the perfect platform to practice what we have learned in these 4 years of study.