Quote:
Originally Posted by nkoske
Easy take a look at the above pictures. You see any suspension pick ups on the front of that tub? I don't. Then take a look at and modern LMP tub, and guess what? You find suspension pick ups on it. Which is why the Audi LMP1 tubs were damaged at Silverstone. Damage a pick up point on a tub, typically means serious work and/or a new tub. I'd think it's extremely hard if not impossible to repair CF tubs of certain designs. Now do we think Audi, Porsche, Toyota, etc... place the pick up points on the tub for fun? Or maybe because the wheels are a certain distance from the cockpit which means pick up points need to be on the tub to achieve the suspension geometry they're looking for. Whereas that ZEOD tub the pick ups are way up front not attached to the tub. Which means even if they could use the tub for an LMP1, there are some serious design issues in turning into a true LMP1 tub as the suspension pick ups are in the wrong place. Could they add pick ups to the tub? sure maybe, but last time I checked when you design something for a certain loading situation, then change it completely you have seriously compromised the design of the original thing. Sure you maybe able to add this and that, but that's a huge compromise.
And thanks for the lesson on compromises when running a project. Yes we all should know that compromises must be taken to efficiently use all of your resources. But the compromise using a tub supposedly optimized for one car of a certain geometry, on a car with a substantially different geometry is not the best idea when you're competing with teams (Porsche, Audi, and maybe Toyota) who are likely building new tubs every year with a new design from the things they learned the previous year.
Anyways I stand by my original statement. If Nissan uses the ZEOD tub for their LMP1 they're not very serious.
Hell we all said Toyota hasn't been serious in the past and at least they built a bespoke tub for their LMP1 cars.
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So, after several pages along this line, we arrive at the conclusion that Nissan IS serious, because the ZEOD tub is designed specifically for that car, requiring a completely different tub for the P1 effort.
I would say I will be glad when Nissan finally makes their announcement, but that won't satisfy the nay-sayers. It will remain vaporware. Even when it shows up on the grid at Siverstone, because Silverstone isn't LeMans.
For the younger folks around here, this won't be Nissan's first foray into top level sports prototype racing. That was this car:
It was so good, it decimated the (Porsche) competition and started an arms race that culminated in AAR's Toyota Eagles, which were so good, they ended up killing the series. Some interesting potential parallels with what is happening now.
Maybe we should be careful what we wish for.