Nothing magic about CART/IRL construction methods

[Franklin]

Since CART, IRL, and F1 races are the only opportunity most people have to see how well sandwich composite construction holds up in a crash, many apparently come to assume that you have to have a $200,000 or $400,000 car to get that kind of strength. In reality, that kind of strength is inherent in almost any well made sandwich composite structure. The first person to survive a 200 mph crash while inside a sandwich composite monocoque was in 1983 at the Reno air races.

[KC]

Laminated composites aren't new. In fact Rockwell created the stuff right here in Tulsa a lot longer before it was ever used for anything other than military applications. The place I work made the original layup presses for Rockwell that was contracted for F16 wing elements. Now, there are several small carbon-fiber layup shops in and around Tulsa that make parts for racecars and are becoming quite common. Most of the top fuel rail wing elements are made by a small company here in Tulsa, as well as some lightweight covers and boxes made of carbon fiber. The real trick to doing layup work is molding in the compound curves and elliptical intersections found in most race car bodies and monocoques. Some of this is real art work.

[Robin Plummer]

Franklin shouldnt you be on the technical forum?

[mapguy]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Robin Plummer:
Franklin shouldnt you be on the technical forum?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

He should be on prozac.

[Crash Test]

hehehehe

[floid2000]

Has anybody ever tried an F-16 "tub" in a race car like they use in the Hydroplanes ? Theyre VERY safe and wouldnt even get scratched at 250 MPH.
Maybe cost is the issue