190 replies to this topic

[Spitfire Engineering]

What I then said, which I will now expand, was that in the example shown, which is one of at least 30 or so I have seen, mostly all different, was not IMHO carried out correctly for several reasons, the main one being not so much the creep towards the edge but more the fact that tacking the panel on with a few fasteners will not allow the shear panel to take up the load correctly from the main panel when it starts to buckle. I would not start to guess (as I use a stress engineer who doesn't guess either) how many fasteners would be needed but if it was calculated and quadrupled I would not be surprised.

I must point out that I did extend the original hole in my own car to give very good access, it is a little extreme (I don't believe anyone else has made theirs so large) and I have asked the Mods to replace the offending picture with a more suitable (sensible) picture

But this is quote is total bollocks ......

massively compromising the tub

No offence meant on the job matey!

The main thing to remember is for a shear panel to work it has to take up the forces where the original panel has been weakened, this means as the original panel buckles the shear panel must follow and in order to do this clearly the panels should be touching and fastened in such a way as they cannot slide across each other not seperate.

Personally, IMVHO I would not loose much sleep over it. The chassis rail is already formed outwards and well supported and I suspect if you did a full analysis and even asked Lotus it was probably included for chassis stiffness and related to handling rather than a crash impact. I may be wrong though and your car could fall to pieces any minute….

[The Batman]

Edited by joe_589, 12 April 2013 - 12:09 PM.

[smiley]

[siztenboots]

[vocky]

No offence meant on the job matey!

The main thing to remember is for a shear panel to work it has to take up the forces where the original panel has been weakened, this means as the original panel buckles the shear panel must follow and in order to do this clearly the panels should be touching and fastened in such a way as they cannot slide across each other not seperate.

Personally, IMVHO I would not loose much sleep over it. The chassis rail is already formed outwards and well supported and I suspect if you did a full analysis and even asked Lotus it was probably included for chassis stiffness and related to handling rather than a crash impact. I may be wrong though and your car could fall to pieces any minute….

no offence taken

My personal view (which could be total bollocks and might well be) is that the panel is there to cover the fuel tank to prevent fumes entering the cabin in the event of a leak and also as an additional barrier between the fuel and passengers in the event of a fuel leak or fire.

The main cross-members (seat mount, engine mount and rear subframe) do the hard stuff and a larger hole in a 1mm alloy panel isn't going to be massively compromising the tub

Edited by vocky, 12 April 2013 - 12:13 PM.

[Mike (Cliffie)]

Well said Neil, the panel is a firewall in the first instance to separate the cabin from the fuel tank.

[smiley]

You lost something.

edit: nevermind. Just read mike's TA topic. No nore friday afternoon fun

Edited by smiley, 12 April 2013 - 12:29 PM.

[The Batman]

[vocky]

Well said Neil, the panel is a firewall in the first instance to separate the cabin from the fuel tank.

Mr C, I really try and avoid getting involved in certain posts but when I have had ten hours sleep over three days I get a little grumpy

You should also not be concerned if you have had to modify your car to win races, keep trying and whatever it takes

[VXT Tim]

Way off topic and i am in no way belittling the TA championship, but just a thought:- In 5 years, maybe more when you look back at it, what will be more important to you, whether you won or came last, I'm pretty sure it will be how much fun you had doing it with your mates. If i asked Jimmy how much of it was fun and asked Mike the same question in his first year, whatever the % i suspect they would both answer similarly. I wonder how that question would be answered this year.

[Spitfire Engineering]

No offence meant on the job matey!

The main thing to remember is for a shear panel to work it has to take up the forces where the original panel has been weakened, this means as the original panel buckles the shear panel must follow and in order to do this clearly the panels should be touching and fastened in such a way as they cannot slide across each other not seperate.

Personally, IMVHO I would not loose much sleep over it. The chassis rail is already formed outwards and well supported and I suspect if you did a full analysis and even asked Lotus it was probably included for chassis stiffness and related to handling rather than a crash impact. I may be wrong though and your car could fall to pieces any minute….

no offence taken

My personal view (which could be total bollocks and might well be) is that the panel is there to cover the fuel tank to prevent fumes entering the cabin in the event of a leak and also as an additional barrier between the fuel and passengers in the event of a fuel leak or fire.

The main cross-members (seat mount, engine mount and rear subframe) do the hard stuff and a larger hole in a 1mm alloy panel isn't going to be massively compromising the tub

As with any well designed component it has multiple functions, personally it's bit thin for a 100% support panel, if you compare it to the panel underneath it bears no comparison.
I think the claim it will compromise the hub was always a bit uninformed.

[The Batman]

:)/>

You lost something.

edit: nevermind. Just read mike's TA topic. No nore friday afternoon fun :mellow:/>

I think it's more to do with the fact I was challenging him and I was in the team.

[smiley]

:)/>

You lost something.

edit: nevermind. Just read mike's TA topic. No nore friday afternoon fun :mellow:/>

I think it's more to do with the fact I was challenging him and I was in the team.

Today is a very sad day with blackmail on sponsorship winning over year long friendship and love for our plastic toys.
As money seems to do the talk these days, i have spent my last penny at eliseparts.

So Joe; 2014 TA. Will your car be ready?

[chris_uk]

We dont know any facts so please stop speculating.. Fair enough joes been told to keep quiet, but has EP had anything to do with that? Ive no idea.. Joe and mikes friendship hasnt been effected its joes choice to leave the team, which has he has said is nothing to do with mike. Lets just all stop flapping around.

[The Batman]

I got told that If I keep scuffers bashing (sounds rather dodgy!) geary will pull the plug and mike will have no dampers, uprights or brakes.

[chris_uk]

so we don't talk about scuffs and Geary will let us keep all of his dented wishbones, fancy hubs and a braking system that seldom works.. sounds like a great deal to me.

[VXT Tim]

so we don't talk about scuffs and Geary will let us keep all of his dented wishbones, fancy hubs and a braking system that seldom works.. sounds like a great deal to me.

[fezzasus]

I think the best we can do at this point is move on from the situation. any discussion further on the matter will damage Mike's TA entry.

[chris_uk]

your probably right.. can a mod lock this thread please.

[smiley]

all of his dented wishbones.

Were these EP's or oem's?