Yoshi Posted July 27, 2007 Share Posted July 27, 2007 I decided to start prototyping a 4 seater. I started about 5 pm. tues. evening, worked all day yesterday, and half day today getting it where it's at. I'm really just building it as I go along, no drawings as usual, lol. The chassis is almost done. I have a little more bracing on the floor, the couple diagonal bracing on the passenger side, the undertail tubing and the nose left. Right now, adding all the tubing I have in it so far, and the tubing I will need to finish the floor and tail, the frame weighs about 175 pounds. If I can keep the nose tubing under 39 feet, it will have the same amount of tubing as my 2 seater and will weight the same, if not less. A lot of the internal bracing would be compression loads, so I can prob. drop it down to like 63 wall instead of the 110 wall it already is. I will do the main structure and suspension outta 120, the side rails outta 95, and prob. all the bracing outta 65 wall. I designed it to use the same trailing arms I already have on my 2 seater, so that's one less thing I have to build. Right now, i'm gonna set it up for a busa powerplant. I will do some motor work as well as gear it lower to compensate for the extra load of 2 more passengers, but I believe the entire rail will weigh less than my current 2 seater (under 1300 pounds), and I know it pushed me and a 350 pound passenger around with no problems. A turbo is also an option The track width is 90", the same as my 2 seater, and the wheelbase is 114", which is only 2" longer than my current 2 seater and put the overall length just under 12 foot, so it will fit in the toy hauler without removing the paddles. I set the rear seats off to the side of the front seats, this allows me to run the rear passengers legs next to the front seats, therefor moving the front seats back closer to the rear. There is also a huge spot in front of the motor that I will prob. use to instal the gas tank, and then a big storage compartment above it. The motor will have a full fire wall around it where it enters the cab between the seats, which isn't much. The red represents some of the bracing I will be adding on the floor. The cool thing about it is, people may buy it and not use the rear seats, they may just use it for big storage space, cause there would be a lot of it back there. Anyway, just felt like sharin, and i'll update this as I go along....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoshi Posted July 27, 2007 Author Share Posted July 27, 2007 It may look big, but it looks small with 2 people inside, but there is so much room it's not even funny. Below is a few pics of me and my buddy to show scale. Grizly adams (me) is sitting in the front seat, i'm just over 6'1 and 165 pounds. My buddy in the back is just over 6 foot, and 245 pounds. He has plenty of leg room and elbow room, as do I. It's a 4 seater, but it will drive like a small 2 seater. The motor only pops into the cab a few inches, and there will be a complete fire wall covering it as well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offroadracer Posted July 27, 2007 Share Posted July 27, 2007 looks good it looks pretty wide Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoshi Posted July 27, 2007 Author Share Posted July 27, 2007 Frame is 82" at the widest point which is just below the B pillar base. The 82" is only for the one point though, the front is 51" wide, the rear is 70" wide. The track width is 90" though, so the tires stick 10" on either side of the frame in the back, and about 15" wider in the front...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeDuner Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 Is that the new Gen 5 Funco.........J/K, It' will be interesting to see how it turns out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuNe45oR Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 looks pretty kool so far!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dman74 Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 can't wait to see the finished product looks roomy nice job yosh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EY3BA11 Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 WOW... That is definatley NOT the traditional 4 seater... Definatley looks good for thinking outside the box.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redswr Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 you need a crash test dummy... i'll be glad to help out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoshi Posted July 28, 2007 Author Share Posted July 28, 2007 Thanks for all the compliments... I just have basic photoshop, so the shading isn't the greatest, but here's an idea of how the side panels will look.... Also, I am working on a secure latching system for the cross tube in front of the rear passenger. That way it just swings up, the rear passenger simply leans forward and steps out the front door. The roof is angled inward from the B pillar forward, so it's not so much a sideways motion to exit as it is a diagonal. Getting in an out of the back seat, before I put that bar in, was a snap through the front door, so I know it work.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OGP Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 Wheres the pictures with your wife sitting on top of it? Woohoo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoshi Posted July 28, 2007 Author Share Posted July 28, 2007 Wheres the pictures with your wife sitting on top of it? Woohoo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunefreak Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 Looks sweet, Yoshi. I like the design so far- it's different. Keep us posted on the progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OGP Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 This looks like its going to be a bitchin little car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoshi Posted July 30, 2007 Author Share Posted July 30, 2007 This looks like its going to be a bitchin little car. Thank ya much, it will have the same track width as my current 2 seater, only 2" longer wheelbase, should actually weigh less, and will be setup to allow coilovers instead of airshocks with bypass, if that's what the customer wants. Even if people don't want a 4 seater they may buy this one and use the rear for a a 3rd. seat only, or no rear seats and have lots of storage space. I'm pretty excited about the build, as are some people very interested in getting one.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offroadracer Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 Frame is 82" at the widest point which is just below the B pillar base. The 82" is only for the one point though, the front is 51" wide, the rear is 70" wide. The track width is 90" though, so the tires stick 10" on either side of the frame in the back, and about 15" wider in the front...... Damn that is wide...sweet though :mischevious: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoshi Posted July 30, 2007 Author Share Posted July 30, 2007 (edited) Damn that is wide...sweet though :mischevious: Most of the busa rails are 85 to 90" wide. My current 2 seater rides great and fits in the trailer just fine with it's 90" track width.. Edited July 30, 2007 by Yoshi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offroadracer Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 Most of the busa rails are 85 to 90" wide. My current 2 seater rides great and fits in the trailer just fine with it's 90" track width.. Have you built or been asked to build any desert cars? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandBox_Kid Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 Interesting. I'm looking forward to seeing more........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YamaPimp Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 So how much for a frame and when will you have one ready to sell?? :mischevious: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoshi Posted July 31, 2007 Author Share Posted July 31, 2007 (edited) Have you built or been asked to build any desert cars? The only difference in a desert version of my rail, and a sand version are front brakes and prob. a windshield. Front brakes are no problem, already designed my rails to use them and currently installing them on a couple rails, front windshield are in the works, they will be made of lexan and bolt into place, removing them leaves no trace they were there. Outside of that they are fully capable of any hard desert use, I have a customer that mainly hits trails and hills and loves it.... Interesting. I'm looking forward to seeing more........ thank ya much.. So how much for a frame and when will you have one ready to sell?? :freakin_nuts: Should be the same price as my current 2 seater frame which is $6,450.00 for frame, a-arms and trailing arms. Don't know how long before ones ready, shouldn't be much longer. I just need to build a jig off the current chassis after I finish the nose, but i'm already accepting deposits so when i'm ready for full production I can just start poppin them out, got about 6 people extremly interested so far that just want to see the nose completed...... Edited July 31, 2007 by Yoshi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offroadracer Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 The only difference in a desert version of my rail, and a sand version are front brakes and prob. a windshield. Front brakes are no problem, already designed my rails to use them and currently installing them on a couple rails, front windshield are in the works, they will be made of lexan and bolt into place, removing them leaves no trace they were there. Outside of that they are fully capable of any hard desert use, I have a customer that mainly hits trails and hills and loves it.... Sweet i may be getting ahold of you for a chassis for an up coming project I like the design wont need a windshield ...you use mild or chromoly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoshi Posted July 31, 2007 Author Share Posted July 31, 2007 Sweet i may be getting ahold of you for a chassis for an up coming project I like the design wont need a windshield ...you use mild or chromoly? Mild steel, I did a lot of research on metals when I got started, and feel much more comfortable with mild. It has more give, doesn't need to be stress relieved after being welded (which chromo should to be done right, and really never is by people) and will last longer. Chromo is more for racers who are trying to be as light as humanly possible, and they are repairing or replacing their chassis ever season or 2 do to cracking. It may be stronger, but it's harder and vibration effects harder materials more than materials that have some give. Chromo actually has a shelf life, and i've talked to racers that had a chromo frame for a few seasons, that got into a wreck and had a tube literally explode, and not near a weld, but in the middle of the tube. I feel more comfortable with mild steel, and the cage is braced very well, so even being a less hard material than chromo. My cage is well supported to hold up in a variety of possible accidents, better (IMO) than a lot of the full size rails, and that includes those made of chromo. I don't think chromo really has a place in a recreational market that will see years and years of abuse, and mild is more trouble free, and can be made just as safe. It's all in the design, then material choice..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Cheese Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 dude, keep your wife off the sauce before a photo shoot :freakin_nuts: lookin sweet yosh!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoshi Posted August 7, 2007 Author Share Posted August 7, 2007 I was finally able to start working on this a bit this morning. I got the last few tubes in the tail done (might be adding some more but I think I like the look) and I got the top of the nose finished up. Gonna try and get the lower section of the nose done today... I have a magnet holding up the upper side rail tube, I can' decide if I wanna put it on or not, i'm getting tired of the Funco refrences, lol... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.