"Natalee" desgn

[Cramjet]

It's not exactly a help video. It's more like an introduction and question video. It's a more realistic introduction because I did it right off the top of my head and even dropped the car by accident. No retakes here.

Tell me what you think of the "Natalee" design.

I believe this is a fundamental way to stabilize the car and keep it running straight along the rail.

 

[BulldogRacing]

Great video brother! You've been bitten by the bug man, making videos in bed with your wooden car. Nice touch. I like your design, looks great. Only one real way to find out if the theory will work. Scientific method. It'll probably smoke any cub race but the true test is in the deep end. Build her and send it in. if it rocks you'll see a whole bunch more of those type of cars bringing it! Thanks for the introduction, great to putt a face to the name. Can't wait to see how the car does. Welcome to NPWDRL!

 

[Mojo Racing]

cars in bed? We need to think about getting him into the cast for Down For Derby 2

 

[Obsessedderbydad]

I applaud ingenuity, but as bulldog said, without sending it in you'll never know. I will say this, it's the thought processs that you're using that pushes people to the next level. Who knows, maybe this design will take off, maybe it wont. I have my own theory on what this body will do, but none the less, love the thought process and please give it a try!

 

[Obsessedderbydad]

cars in bed? We need to think about getting him into the cast for Down For Derby 2

Notice there's no woman beside him... Probably the same reason I dont sleep by my wife... When you stay up late to work on 11 sets of wheels, the other side of the bed is no longer welcoming. /images/boards/smilies/smile.gif

 

[Mojo Racing]

cars in bed? We need to think about getting him into the cast for Down For Derby 2

Notice there's no woman beside him... Probably the same reason I dont sleep by my wife... When you stay up late to work on 11 sets of wheels, the other side of the bed is no longer welcoming. /images/boards/smilies/smile.gif

Yeahhhhhh... when that happens, I just put my cars there, in my place, so they stay warm at night.

 

[Quicktimederby]

Very cool thought! I'm very interested in the final product. I believe that it has been proven now that aerodynamics at this level of competition can be the difference between 1st. and 10th. Keep you the good work.

 

[B_Regal Racing]

Love the video introduction....Bulldog may have some competion there.

Get the body lighter for weight placement. There is a lot of debate as to how light though. Like QT said, aero is a concern. Even a hollowed out hole on the underside can slow you down. Cover it if you hollow the underside.

Looking forward to seeing it run.

 

[bracketracer]

Cramjet, interesting idea there!
Do you have a track to test it on? If not, I would be happy to run it for you on mine and video it.
I see what you're trying to do there and it might very well work.

 

[HurriCrane Racing]

That is a cool design. Will look pretty awesome with fenders blended in.

 

[Cramjet]

I'm waiting on the GEE Fenders from John. I ordered the block pre-drilled with the shorter wheelbase but I have a tool for drilling straight into the edge and plan to use that to get as close as I can to the front but still fit the fender. I also want to wait for the fender before I sand down the front edges.

You are an enthusiastic group (I already knew that) and appreciate the input. This is something I believe can be done to more and less of a degree, tested, and improved like anything else. Straightening the airflow is on my list but what is troubling me most right now is wheel prep and weight distribution. I know... practice /images/boards/smilies/smile.gif

This design is more of a concept for you top tier guys. /images/boards/smilies/idea.gif

I'm very surprised with how helpful some of you are!

Oh, and sorry Bulldog. You cut up so many of those beautiful quarter inch blocks. If I planted a seed of curiosity in your head and, your enthusiasm might compel you to run out to the workshop and start cutting.

 

[GravityX]

I like your outside of the box design. One just never knows where the next speed development will come from. Can't wait to see the finished product.

...and let's see it on the track!

 

[Cramjet]

Hey Gravity X. You seem like you would be a good one to ask. Do you think the curved top would have more torsional stability? When we remove a lot of material I believe that would become a factor. Would this not, material thickness being equal, also add resistance to flexing and twisting?

 

[GravityX]

I believe the torsional stability will be dependent upon the amount of material removed. 5KidsRacing had a thread talking about torsional stability in body design which you can find here. There was another thread, but the pictures have been removed, that showed a diagonal stiffener to reduce torsional twist. Fumbles was making these. I believe a curved/domed body (as I have it pictured in my head) would be strong, if the forces that acted upon the body, came from above the car. I would like to see more pictures though, I'm not quite seeing what you are describing. I'm a visual and hands on person. I would still make one as you are planning, many things have surprised me in this hobby. Don't let me discourage you in this design.

 

[Cramjet]

I don't know if it's a fair comparison, but take a sheet of paper, cardboard, or whatever and bend it. Then bend it into a half circle and try again.

Also, there is a canoe company a half hour from where I live which makes canoes out of Kevlar. If you kept the rigid rails at the end, I would imagine if you flattened it out, it would be pretty unstable despite having material along the edge to stiffen it up. Now, you shape it in a sort of half circle and make it into a canoe, and I hope it's a lot more stable than that.

Maybe that's not a fair comparison. I think I need to talk to a friend of mine who is an aerospace engineer.

 

[JAG Racing]

The real key I've discovered is thinnest is best. Anything you do to make the cross section any bigger, causes more drag and slows things down. Quarter inch thickness is dictated by the weights.

 

[Cramjet]

You can cut the weight pockets higher along the edges to put more in there further back. I wonder if that will make up for the thickness. It's only about a quarter inch in the middle. I look at ideas like a nothing to lose hail Mary pass. If it doesn't work, eh, back to the drawing board and keep trying I guess.

Bracketracer was nice enough to offer to test it out for me so I am sending the body to him. He will probably experiment with that and a number of other factors like fenders and no fenders as well as how it runs in traffic between two other cars.

I am looking forward to the video!

 

[Cramjet]

Bracketracers test video:

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=NNraNrF_XHg[/video]

 

[Kinser Racing]

The real key I've discovered is thinnest is best. Anything you do to make the cross section any bigger, causes more drag and slows things down. Quarter inch thickness is dictated by the weights.

JAG! Good to see you're still around!

 

[LightninBoy]

Great stuff Bracketracer!!