Supercar Chassis - Crowdsource a Supercar

[Ape Fight]

Technic Supercar Chassis - Crowdsource a Supercar?

Hello Eurobrickers. I've had an idea that I was wondering if I could run past you, especially those of a Technical persuasion.

There are some amazing Technic supercars on the 'net from the like of Crowkillers et al, and I think many of us would love to build something comparable.

I think many of us also secretly harbour the ambition to be a car designer or Lego designer.

I'd like to see if this idea would interest anyone who has the above ambitions: Could we build a modular Technic Supercar together, from people based all around the world?

Real cars are designed in a modular method, often with internal competition between design studios and teams to 'win' the right of their design being used in the production model. For example, Mazda's MX-5 design was chosen from a variety of their design studios, with the California studio design selected for production. Toyota's revolutionary Hybrid system was chosen from an internal competition to design a power-train with 50% improved fuel economy.

Do you think we could do the same?

I've designed a modular chassis architecture, featuring independent double wishbone suspension, rack and pinion steering, a 'flat' automatic (D-P-R) gearbox, Power Functions compatibility, modular engine options from an I3 to a V8 and variable front and rear overhangs. Track and wheelbase are fixed.

It requires:

• Engine designs; using any configuration within a 4-cylinder length, turbocharged or supercharged, full hybrid or KERS
  
• Dashboard and instrument designs, including steering wheel adjustment, pedals, centre console etc.
  
• Seat designs for folding and adjustable seats front and rear
  
• Bodywork designs; for a GT, sports, or 2+2, convertible or coupe
  
• Door and other aperture designs; conventional, suicide, scissor or gull-wing
  
• Exterior light designs; fixed, pop-up, LED etc.
  

Each of these would have a range of criteria that must be met (e.g. Weight, Cost, Parts Availability, Functionality etc.), after which the most suitable designs would be selected and built for the Supercar.

If (a very big 'if'!) this were to work at the end of the project we'd have (hopefully) a top-spec Technic Supercar, designed and built by people from all over the world

So, for those on MOCpages and Flickr, do you think this could work, and if so would you be interested in designing elements for the final car?

If it doesn't work I'll just carry on and build the whole thing, and I'm sure I could do a good job. But I think the talents of many builders will result in a great job, not just a good one.

Please add your thoughts below!

Ape

Edited November 30, 2013 by Ape Fight

[Junpei]

Wow, I think this is a great idea! But it will require lots of planning As I have never had the parts to design a full supercar, I'm in!

But I'm not doing the bodywork.

[Ape Fight]

Wow, I think this is a great idea! But it will require lots of planning As I have never had the parts to design a full supercar, I'm in!

But I'm not doing the bodywork.

Great : ) That's what I'm feeling, few builders have all the parts to build the whole thing, but between many builders we could all build a world-class Supercar that we can be proud of, to rival the best builders on the net

[Lipko]

Who would decide what the "interfaces" of the modules would be like? Who would be the project lead: the person to decide what features to give up in favour of what features? Who will be the art lead deciding on the overall design? (studdless, studfull, or both, what parts need to be fully detailed, what parts don't have to be detailed, etc).

Sounds like an awesome idea though, we will see what it turns out. I won't join, since I already have my own supercar ideas.

[piterx]

i think that this idea rocks :D

i''d be in :)

[z3_2drive]

Interesting idea...would a 4-cylinder boxer engine work? (Subaru anyone? ) If we were to base the model off a real-life vehicle, the style of the subaru brz would be a nice sporty platform. I like the idea of bringing out the best in all builders to make the ultimate design! But communication would be key here-making sure all systems fit with eachother and work smoothly.

[Ape Fight]

i think that this idea rocks :D

i''d be in :)

Interesting idea...would a 4-cylinder boxer engine work? (Subaru anyone? ) If we were to base the model off a real-life vehicle, the style of the subaru brz would be a nice sporty platform. I like the idea of bringing out the best in all builders to make the ultimate design! But communication would be key here-making sure all systems fit with eachother and work smoothly.

Awesome!

The joy of Lego is that it should all fit together, and as I'd be building the final designs onto the platform (and anyone else involved could too if they replicated the platform themselves) any tweaking to fit could be done then. That said, I've spent a looong time making the architecture as flexible as possible, so as long as the criteria for each component was set out before any designs were started, it should work no problem.

The most complicated bit will be the bodywork, but again, as the only 'fixed' points are the track width, wheelbase, suspension travel and suspension tower height, it's a pretty free reign in design terms, almost anything goes!

Edited November 30, 2013 by Ape Fight

[Junpei]

Are you planning on manual or RC, and can it have pneumatic or adjustable suspension? I think if there is extra space left over, it would be better than something like an adjustable spoiler.

[Ape Fight]

Are you planning on manual or RC, and can it have pneumatic or adjustable suspension? I think if there is extra space left over, it would be better than something like an adjustable spoiler.

It's a manual platform at present, but designed with the capability to be RC. If people are interested in this project, one of the 'nice to have' criteria of the bodywork designs will be to retain RC capability (which will be set out in the minimum overhangs, boot-lid height etc.).

The suspension is independent double wishbone, with no flexibility for pneumatics. However, all the extra stuff (like adjustable spoilers etc) are completely within the design allowances for those who would be designing other aspects of the vehicle. E.g. Someone designing a convertible may decide to include a working roof, someone designing a 2+2 may decide to include an opening hatch. As long as the designs meet the architecture hard-points (wheelbase, track, suspension towers) anything is allowed. All these would be set out in the criteria for each element should this project 'go'

[tibivi]

I think it is a good idea and i would like it to help where necessary :p ,

With this, the best of everyone comes into 1 moc,so it has to be great

tibivi

[cgg199]

I really like the sound of this, and I'm happy to give it a go!

Edited November 30, 2013 by cgg199

[fresko]

I like this idea!

[Alasdair Ryan]

I would defiantly take part,to make this work and to make it more assessable I think it would be a good idea if you designed a chassis in lego cad.Then have rough templates that would fit to the main module that showed the builder size restraints for the other parts of the car.

Edited November 30, 2013 by Alasdair Ryan

[Jurgen Krooshoop]

Sheepo's Modular Platfor System for Lego-technic cars:

http://www.sheepo.es/2012/02/modular-platform-system-mps.html

[Ape Fight]

I would defiantly take part,to make this work and to make it more assessable I think it would be a good idea if you designed a chassis in lego cad.Then have rough templates that would fit to the main module that showed the builder size restraints for the other parts of the car.

Great This is getting a very positive response! I agree the parameters need to be very well defined. I don't use CAD so I plan to annotate pictures of the actual platform, showing stud distances and mounting points. However, if anyone would like to then recreate this digitally in order to assist with their designs they are very welcome to.

Sheepo's Modular Platfor System for Lego-technic cars:

http://www.sheepo.es...system-mps.html

Sheepo's work is superb, and a real benchmark for Lego Supercars. It's also far more thoroughly designed than anything I can do. However, it's also a 'Lego' Chassis for a 'Lego' car, and doesn't really reflect how a real car chassis would look if it were recreated in Lego.

I have tried to do the latter, as such there are no double or triple height beams in the chassis, no huge gearbox sitting in the middle of the cabin forcing the seats to be miles apart, and no suspension that moves wonderfully, but takes up the entire boot/trunk space.

E.g. As you can see below, the gearbox is flat and fits within the chassis. Of course, this is not how a real car would be, but it gives the interior designer the freedom to build an interior in the same way they could for a real car, without trying to fit it around a massive box sitting in between the seats.

Edited November 30, 2013 by Ape Fight

[Alasdair Ryan]

Great This is getting a very positive response! I agree the parameters need to be very well defined. I don't use CAD so I plan to annotate pictures of the actual platform, showing stud distances and mounting points. If anyone then wants to recreate this digitally they are very welcome to.

I am sure I could help do that....cough legolijntje also wants to help cough...

Edited November 30, 2013 by Alasdair Ryan

[timslegos]

I am definitely in to help, although I will stay away from the bodywork.

tim

[Ape Fight]

Thanks for all the 'yes's so far! For those interested, I think this will need to be done on Flickr and MOCpages (although it could be done here too), so it may be worth starting an account if you haven't yet. These are free and take 2 mins to set up

[skriblez]

Very cool idea! I will look as i have never done anything like this :)

[VKTechnic]

Once this gets rolling I'll see if there's anything I can do. The idea is genius though, I want to see how it plays out!

[Junpei]

Should we use non-standard (multilink, with caster, camber, etc.) suspension, or should we use the standard Lego a-arms and hubs?

Edit: You can just use small cylinders in place of shock absorbers for pneumatic suspension, and the circuit doesn't take up much space anyways.

Edited December 1, 2013 by TwentyLeggedHen

[Ape Fight]

MOCpages is having one of it's regular strops, once fixed I will start a group both their and Flickr which people can join to take part.

These groups will show the components that require design and as people sign up, they will list the builders designing them (your competition).

The groups will also set out the criteria for each component, including the mounting points and dimensions. The criteria will be broken down as follows:

• Essential Features (a design must meet all of these in order to be considered)
  
• Desirable Features (the more of these a design meets, the more points it gets and the more likely it will be chosen for production)
  
• Nice-to-haves (additional features that make a component more favourable if scores match with a rival design)
  

Example 'Essential Features' would be dimensions and mounting points.

E.g. The engine must be 10 studs in length or less, and use a stud connection at either end.

The seats must be between 5 and 7 studs wide. They must include horizontal pin mounts.

Example 'Desirable Features', these are not essential but recommended.

E.g. The engine is

exactly

10 studs in length, and uses the standard Lego cylinder mounting bricks.

The seat's mounts are at their lowest point. The seats are adjustable and forward-folding.

Example 'Nice-to-haves';

E.g. The engine includes an exhaust system. The seats have the ability to slide.

All of these will of course be set out fully, and all members not building a particular component can input into what features that component should have.

[Rishab N]

Great idea!

[darsedz]

Maybe a good idea is a having a 3D template models (e.g. for LDD), with selected "interface parts", It will be easy to share /sell a models with solutions/propositions for a complete car components, like on a real shop...

[Junpei]

Quick question: Is it possible to not have bump steer when using 6.5L suspension arms? I have tried everything and could not avoid it.