rcx132
Philip
- Messages
- 3,034
- Location
- London, UK
One of the upcoming problems I've got to figure out is what to do for bodywork for my 4x4 race buggy that I've been designing. I was originally going to use simple laser cut aluminium panels like in the drawing. But reading through the Construction and Use regulations that I need to pass to get it road registered, metal panels won't pass unless the edges are folder over and rounded to 5 mm. In fact, the "exterior projections" part of the test is going to be the real nightmare of getting a pass. Effectively there has to be enough bodywork so that a 100mm sphere can't reach anything beyond the bodywork, and everything that can be touched by a pedestrian from any direction has to be rounded to 5mm or "turned in" towards the car. That's a very simplified explanation but effectively that's what it comes down to.
I've YouTube'd how to do fibreglass bodywork. It seems do-able but a lot of work.
I'm wondering if there's a simpler solution seeing as the bodywork could be quite simple like the bodywork in the photo of the toy car below.
I've also got to do some tyre huggers to pass mudguard rules. For that I've thankfully found a company in Poland that will do them to drawings for shockingly cheap.
I've then got to figure out some panelling to go between the wheels and engine bay (and similarly at the rear). I was wondering if there's a way of cutting and welding plastic panels to make a shape to do that. Again photo example below.
Remember that the bodywork doesn't need to be "complete", it can have gaps, but a 100mm spere can't pass through them, and anything on the outside needs to be blunted to 5mm (2.5mm radius curve) or turned in (metal needs to be folded over).
This is my buggy design so far. Originally planned on metal laser cut and folded panels, but they won't suffice to road register because metal needs to be folded over or folder in and if not turned in then needs to have an edge that's radiused to 2.5mm (so a 5mm curve).
Example of a buggy using plastic folded panels between wheels and engine. These stop access to the engine bay and are effectively required to road register the car. But how to fold or join plastic panels like this?
Toy buggy that has simple bodywork, I wanted to go for this sort of style but using metal, but that's a no go now because of sharp edges. Fibreglass or non-metal could still work so long as the edges are "turned in".
Same toy car but with aluminium panels:
Example of "tyre huggers". Thankfully I've found a company in Poland that will do these custom for low price.
I have over simplified the rules for bodywork to road register the car. The rules are better shown here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...r-cars-help-to-get-a-pass#exteriorprojections
I've YouTube'd how to do fibreglass bodywork. It seems do-able but a lot of work.
I'm wondering if there's a simpler solution seeing as the bodywork could be quite simple like the bodywork in the photo of the toy car below.
I've also got to do some tyre huggers to pass mudguard rules. For that I've thankfully found a company in Poland that will do them to drawings for shockingly cheap.
I've then got to figure out some panelling to go between the wheels and engine bay (and similarly at the rear). I was wondering if there's a way of cutting and welding plastic panels to make a shape to do that. Again photo example below.
Remember that the bodywork doesn't need to be "complete", it can have gaps, but a 100mm spere can't pass through them, and anything on the outside needs to be blunted to 5mm (2.5mm radius curve) or turned in (metal needs to be folded over).
This is my buggy design so far. Originally planned on metal laser cut and folded panels, but they won't suffice to road register because metal needs to be folded over or folder in and if not turned in then needs to have an edge that's radiused to 2.5mm (so a 5mm curve).
Example of a buggy using plastic folded panels between wheels and engine. These stop access to the engine bay and are effectively required to road register the car. But how to fold or join plastic panels like this?
Toy buggy that has simple bodywork, I wanted to go for this sort of style but using metal, but that's a no go now because of sharp edges. Fibreglass or non-metal could still work so long as the edges are "turned in".
Same toy car but with aluminium panels:
Example of "tyre huggers". Thankfully I've found a company in Poland that will do these custom for low price.
I have over simplified the rules for bodywork to road register the car. The rules are better shown here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...r-cars-help-to-get-a-pass#exteriorprojections
