Soapbox 5 (Bob-car²)

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Bob-car; The fastest category of soap-boxes with 2 individuals sitting behind each other. Maximum weight of 320kg.

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22-02-2010

I’m a bit shamed for the long interval between updates, but the work at defence is quite time-absorbing, although this isn’t an excuse off course. Meanwhile progress was slow but steady. I worked quite a lot on the body, from which the results are shown below. I also made a rendering in CATIAV5 in order to get a better idea of the final result. The objective for the paint scheme is to duplicate somehow the John Player Special Formula one cars of the late seventies.

The original JSP at Monaco in 2008 and the soapbox render in CATIAV5.

After applying polyester-based filler on the initial body, a lot off sanding and filling was still required to obtain a smooth body. The gray paint is already the basecoat required before applying the thinner based 2 phase system paint. As soon as the weather and temperature is increasing, I will start the actual paintjob. Meanwhile I decided that I will continue at least for the beginning of the season with the ‘old ’ bobcar, on which a lot of experience has been build, and which is far from being outdated. The new chassis and body will continue progressing through the season, but will mainly be spares in case of a serious crash.

 

25-10-2009

Although the website wasn’t updated frequently, I continued working on the new body. Here some photos of the mould prep and lay-up preparation. Also the lower body part and the new chassis where fitted together for the first time which can be seen in the lower picture. I still hope to get the new soapbox ready for the 2010 season, but keeping the old bobcar (nr.4) as alternative in competitive shape is the best way to continue working.

16-8-2009

Due to lack of time and as the body-support dimensions still have to be defined, I changed the approach for creating the body. The usage of outer moulds won’t be required any more as I will apply directly the body layers on the plug. The consequence is that there will be much more sanding work, but the production will speed up while the cost will decrease.
By now, the first major component is finished with the bottom of the body moulded. The next step is preparing the mould for the upper part and making the upper part with hand lay-up. After this both components will be painted, but there is still a long way to go till that point.

Nicolas and I doing the hand lay-up of the fibers on the mould.

The mould and the created bottom part.

9-7-2009

The inner mould a.k.a plug is almost ready; preparation for the sectioning of the outer mould is starting now. MDF plates will be used for making the sections, after which the complete body-outer moulds will be created with chopped glass-fibers.

 

1-7-2009

Progress on the mould is slow but steady.

10-6-2009

Preparing the CNC milled mould at the faculty of Industrial design for the glass/epoxy sealing. On the picture below one can see the bottom side of the new bobcar.

By this I would also like to express thanks to Don at the PMB workshop for the CNC milling of the foam, at Roel for the helping hand during the laminating/sealing process, and to all the other guys for their advises and helping hands.

30-5-2009

Progress on the new bobcar is continuing as the new chassis arrived from the powdercoat-paintshop. The chassis is based on CrNiMo tubes which were mould-welded together at the PMB workshop at the faculty of Industrial Design. Due to the fact of using a mould, accuracy of the suspension pickup-points is in within 1mm.
Also the complete new brake system based on the one developed for the first bobcar came back from the people who can anodize 7075 aluminium. The anodization procedure smoothens and seals the surface of the aluminium while it will also prevent corrosion fretting of the seals in the callipers.

26-5-2009

As the 2nd season with the firs bobcar is in progression, time has come to start realizing a new machine with further improvements and new techniques. Most design and development work was realized during the winter with major improvements in aerodynamics and steering accuracy. A general rendering of the new bobcar realized in Catia results in;