Single skinning rear/top shell??

[Mxcrazy]

Was at banger racing bank holiday monday and there were rookie rods and stock rods as well. Looking at some of those cars (mainly Corsas, some Novas) I noticed that some of them seemed to have single skinned the c pillars etc. That got me thinking....with my track day build, i am looking to keep weight down/minimal....

should i be looking to single skin the a,b,c pillars, along the roof line and the inner arches?

The car will be caged and have poly windows, i can stitch the cage in on the a and b pillars. Surely by then the roof is just to stop me getting wet, and in the even of an accident, the cage will be there to save me.

I know it seems far fetched, and likely minimal, but its free and losing weight is losing weight....

[Benn]

Seems a big step to lose a small amount of weight. You might lose enough strength that you could bent the pillar by hand....
You can make the car light weight in better safer ways...

[Mxcrazy]

Anyone can do polycarbonate windows, stripping stuff out, fibreglass panels etc. What makes the difference are the smaller things is it not? I would leave certain parts in, contoured profiles to retain some strength likely. I will have to have a better closer look and see whats what.

[8valve-craig]

It's worth looking into the future and asking yourself if you think you might ever race or rally it. Removing metal from those places will in a fair few series write it off as a potential racer.

[Mike]

to retain some strength likely

I admire your bravery sir.... and lack of knowledge of how a monocoque chassis spreads load.

[Mxcrazy]

That is very valid, and something i hadnt thought about. Thanks.

[Mxcrazy]

I admire your bravery sir.... and lack of knowledge of how a monocoque chassis spreads load.

Thats the reason i am asking questions kind sir, my thoughts being that the cage would take over to an extent...it all comes about having seen the oval cars all being kit about like they are, and looking at space frame type vehicles.

I think its too far fetched for me and the thought of doing it has oasses already, there must be some merit however in retaining the monocoque type front end, and if done 'correctly', space framing the rear end. That i assume would need all loaded points (rear axle, shock mounts etc) properly framed/caged/braced.

Its just interesting to me.

[Andy]

The shells just bolt onto space frames on class 6/7 grassers. The shell is totally skinned.

[paul james]

Not much point in sticking in a load of extra cage / space framing the whole car just so you can remove a few extra kilos of weight from the shell. But if you have already built a heavy space framed car then removing every bit you can helps readdress the balance and makes more sense. There are plenty of places to lose weight, but personally I would keep in mind that the heaviest bit is the engine, so removing too much weight behind that area of the car may be detrimental to handling.