The Body and Chassis

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JohnBM01

JohnBM01

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JMarine25
This thread is about materials made to car bodies, including the chassis. I'll admit that I do not know as much as I want to about car bodies and the chassis thereof. Some materials I've heard of to make cars are FRP (please tell me what this is), urethane, alumnium, carbon fiber, fiberglass, and all that. I think I've heard steel being used to make cars once. I can understand that if the frames and stuff aren't stable enough, the car may feel rough under handling and may not hold together very well. As educated as M5Power is, we may have some professional views on car bodies and their composition. So with this topic, let's talk about something other than the engine and the tires, the car body and some of the parts used.

I have no real examples to give, so I'll go on the 2002 Mini Cooper in one of my Road and Track magazines (this one is the February 2002 magazine with the front cover boldly saying "Mini! Exciting, Fun, & Affordable"). The body and frame are made from unit steel on the Mini Cooper. I'll admit that I don't know much else about bodies and chassis. For those of you who seen all the commercials for the new Ford F-150, you may know that the body was constructed so that handling is smoother than with other trucks. And of course, it has that "quiet steel" thing going, so you hear very little when behind the wheel or being a passenger. The body was built tough. Ford tough.

So if you want to discuss the body and chassis of certain cars, or why they are so important or special, you are free to discuss the bodies and chassis of cars. Or if you want to educate me on this subject, go right ahead. Because after all, we learn something new every day.
 
depends on the goal of the car..

u want it to be light and fast and handle well?
OR
Do u want a Volvo that can roll down MT everst and u walk away cuz of the Steering wheel airbag the dash airbag the roof airbag the door airbag the knee airbag the Crotch airbag the ass airbag and the 100 other airbags...


If u want light and fast... u go tube frame made of aluminum with lotsa X-braces and cross bars for added rigidity.. and a rollcage in the middle to keep the driver alive incase u hit something oh and a helmet recaro seat and a 4 point harness would be nice...:P

or do it Ferrari/Mclaren styles and build most of the entire car out of Carbon Fiber and Titanium and other light weight alloys.. and then pay enought for the morgate of 3 houses for it for the rest of your life :P
 
Victor Vance
DeLorean had, I think, a thin layer of stainless steel over FRP? :confused:
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actually the whole car exterior was made of brushed aluminum.. no paint on the body at all..... sweeet but $$$$
 
More and more mainstream cars are being produced with alloy bodies. Whilst this does help greatly in keeping the cars weight down, it does make them very expensive to repair.
 
Ottoman
actually the whole car exterior was made of brushed aluminum.. no paint on the body at all..... sweeet but $$$$
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No, actually Vic was right in that it is stainless steel.

Brushed 304 grade stainless steel to be precise.


But it's actually epoxy used in DeLorean body panels, not FRP.
 
Firebird
No, actually Vic was right in that it is stainless steel.

Brushed 304 grade stainless steel to be precise.


But it's actually epoxy used in DeLorean body panels, not FRP.
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OMG

i figured it had to be Al. to be some what light... man that car must weigh a TON.... and it was Still too expensive to survive... Shame really.... :(
 
Remember though, it's a layer of steel over a layer of epoxy. It isn't particularly heavy. About 2800lbs. with all the fluids.

About 500lbs. lighter than a Skyline GT-R. ;)
 
Victor Vance
The Acura NSX started the Aluminum trend, I think, followed by an Audi. (it might be the TT)
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How about the Alfa GTA from 1963? (its also in GT4)

Audi TT is steel, the A8 is alloy
 
Firebird
Remember though, it's a layer of steel over a layer of epoxy. It isn't particularly heavy. About 2800lbs. with all the fluids.

About 500lbs. lighter than a Skyline GT-R. ;)
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ohh that was a cheap shot... under the belt ha? hehehe

but we know which car is faster regardless of it being a little more chubby :dopey: :) :sly:
 
Chasis is like the rolling platform your car's built on. Most chasis' today are unit-body or 'unibody' where hte body and frame are integrated into each other. Old-school designs such as a Jeep or Mercury Marauder are 'body-on-frame' where the body and chasis are joined merely by bolts. Have you ever been in a funnycar pits? Their bodies flip up revealing the chasis. That's an example of body-on-frame. Your elsewhere mentioned Supra is unit-body, where taking off the body would make your car very weak. Today the body and chasis are integrated into most cars, save the Crown Vic/Grand Mar/Town Car/Marauder.
 
Victor Vance
Chasis is like the rolling platform your car's built on. Most chasis' today are unit-body or 'unibody' where hte body and frame are integrated into each other. Old-school designs such as a Jeep or Mercury Marauder are 'body-on-frame' where the body and chasis are joined merely by bolts. Have you ever been in a funnycar pits? Their bodies flip up revealing the chasis. That's an example of body-on-frame. Your elsewhere mentioned Supra is unit-body, where taking off the body would make your car very weak. Today the body and chasis are integrated into most cars, save the Crown Vic/Grand Mar/Town Car/Marauder.
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Hiya! :D :O :lol: Meow! (='.'=)

okie thnxie! :O:O
 
Hiya, McLaren! :):D:O Meow! (=^.^=)

With my big book on sports cars, let me read a little bit about your favorite car, the McLaren F1:

(From: "The Complete Book of Sports Cars," by Bill Reynolds, page 276)

"With that much power and McLaren parentage, how much racing heritage did the engine need? The chassis is of composite Dyneema fiber, and kerb weight came out just over the magic tonne because they could not get carbon fiber brakes to work in a way which they considered acceptable for a road car."

So you kind of have an idea about the chassis of the McLaren F1. Meanwhile, I think I'll be sick looking at "Fifth Gear's" segment on the Aston Martin Lagonda. Carry on.
 

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