OT: single seat sports car project, seeking feedback Options

[siverson]

Hi all,

This thread:

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...17048&st=80

has prompted me to share a project I've been thinking about for a while and now am just getting started on. I thought I'd share with you guys as we're typically like minded car guys...

I'm making plans to build a single-seat, mid-engine, street-legal sports car.

- Less than 1,600 pounds

- 600 horsepower Chevy LS7 engine (dry sump)

- Porsche G96 transmission

- Street legal, but should be a pretty amazingly track car as well.

- Several donor parts from a C6 corvette (e.g. suspension uprights)

- Can accommodate drivers up to 6'8" and size 15 shoes (impossible with other lightweight street cars (e.g. Ariel Atom, Caterham)). (I'm 6'6".)

- 105" wheel base. This is about the same as a C6 Corvette, and much larger than other lightweight cars.

- Fiberglass body styled after a "modern 1960s F1/F2 car" (e.g. Porsche 718, Brabham B19).

- Single seat, super simple. no frills. Very simple dash, no doors, no wipers, no a/c, no heat. But safer and more comfortable than a motorcycle.

The Ariel Atom, SuperLite Nemesis, Palotav DP2, Light Car Company Rocket all share some characteristics of what I have planned, but none are quite right and hit the mark for me.

What do you think? Any ideas or suggestions on what to change? Like it? Hate it?

And below are just some conceptual drawings I've put together. Nothing is "engineered" in these concept drawings.

-Steve

[Andyrew]

Are you going to title it as one of the 250/year "kit" cars? Or title it as one of the 1k/year "replica's"? If so are you going to claim is a lotus 7 base?



Thats quite a bit of power for that weight. Do you think you'll ever get it to hook up? On street tires I dont see you hookin up till 100mph... One advantage of going with a modern turbocharged engine with ~500hp is you can dial the HP from 250 to 500hp and make it gear specific. For example 250 in first, 350 in second, 450 in third and 500 on up. You have a chance at making 250 hook up in a tall first gear with 1600lbs. Especially with the lag of a really large turbo (You still wont feel more than a second of lag if its sized properly).

Unless you can manage AWD (you cant..) I dont see 600hp and (more importantly) 600+lbs of torque being transmitted to the ground. Ask around your area for a 500+hp FWD car and get a ride. This is the type of thing you'll be facing (Except the FWD wont kill you...)

My understanding for street legal is:

Windshield and wipers
All lights
Emergency brake
Fenders on the front/rear or mudflaps (You can probably title it with fenders and remove them, I never see any old 32's being ticketed...)