Plywood frame

[Charles Kaneb]

Has anyone built a FSAE car with a chassis structure fabricated primarily from plywood?

It seems that a fairly high stiffness-to-weight ratio could be achieved, with very few thin sections requiring precision cutting and assembly. Downsides appear to include needing additional structures to spread out point loads and the additional overall width of the car due to needing adequate EI in the side impact panels.

[PatClarke]

I don't know of any wooden FSAE cars, but in the late 1960s, the Costin Protos F2 car was pretty competitive with a laminated marine plywood chassis.

Picture of the car in action http://www.ultimatecarpage.com...Protos-Cosworth.html

Picture of the chassis whilst under restoration
http://www.ultimatecarpage.com...Protos-Cosworth.html

Pat

[PatClarke]

However,
This happened to Pedro Rodriguez when he had a chassis failure in 1967.

http://www.maranellomerchandis...wheel_enna_09_mm.jpg

Maybe it was woodworm or dry rot?

Pat

[Bemo]

Your car would definitely be a legend in the FSAE community like the V8 from Washington

You would have to invest some thoughts on how to properly attach the main hoop and bracings (which still have to be steel) to your plywood chassis and some other stuff concerning the SEF. But I guess this wouldn't be more complex than doing that stuff for a carbon chassis. Someone please do it and bring the car to Europe. I would love to see that!

[Will M]

From an earlier post:

*
I’m not sure if you’re familiar with it but there was one car built at my uni call the “Splinter Car”.
It used a wooden monocoque chassis by weaving thin strips of wood together to make a sheet and then epoxy just like carbon fiber.
This is the build blog. June 2008 has most of the good stuff.
http://joeharmon.blogspot.com/2008_06_01_archive.html
Real interesting but I don’t think it ever ran.
*

-William

[Drew Price]

That Splinter is badass....

[AxelRipper]

I believe my boss (was involved in the 80s) told me that at one point back then someone had done a wooden car. In the early days of Formula it wouldn't have surprised me.

[Luniz]

Plywood Chassis? DO IT!!! Oh I'd love seeing someone do that!

[Shebert]

I've seen picture of a plywood/fiberglass chassis from ETS. I think it was the first FSAE from ETS, but I'm not sure if it competed.

Maybe some of the new guys can post the picture, it must be somewhere in the office.

[Kirk Feldkamp]

Saw this today: http://orangecounty.craigslist.../rvs/3739068923.html

Look fast, it won't last forever!