Has Anyone Tried This?

"IanZ - limited-slip indifferential" (ianz-limited) 06/02/2016 at 13:05 • Filed to: None

0

14

So we all know that convertibles, especially convertible versions of normal cars, have to deal with structure. Because a convertible only has the floorpan connecting the heavy engine and the heavy rear end, it tends to flex. Many manuacturers get aroud this problem by adding heavy bracing.

One thing no one has ever tried (as far as I know) is actually making the doors part of the structure. I don’t know how it would be done, but I imagine it would have a similar effect as a carbon fiber tub.

Most modern supercars are built around a carbon fiber tub because of its lightness, strength, and rigidity. This is why many convertible supercars are only negligibly heavier than their hardtop counterparts because they don’t require any extra bracing.

I know we have a diverse group of people here on Oppo. Would any engineers like to praise my genius?

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > IanZ - limited-slip indifferential 06/02/2016 at 13:08

0

I sorta guessed that they did use the doors for support.

Thomas Donohue > IanZ - limited-slip indifferential 06/02/2016 at 13:13

1

Truly making the door a part of the structure would mean they would not open. I think that would eliminate a lot of potential buyers.

Except maybe Luke Duke. Or was it Bo?

ChooChooMotherFudger > IanZ - limited-slip indifferential 06/02/2016 at 13:13

0

Engineering student: my guess is that to make the doors able to take that load and still open would mean they are as heavy any other way and way more complicated then anyone wants.

I can’t think of any way off the top of my head to have a latch able to take that load and be reasonable.

Future next gen S2000 owner > IanZ - limited-slip indifferential 06/02/2016 at 13:15

0

In order to make the doors load bearing, you need to have a load bearing latch mechanism and load bearing hinge mechanism. You can do this but the tolerances are much tighter and in general, need more effort to operate. The doors would also probably be heavier in order to carry some of the load.

So you end up with a heavier door that is harder to operate. These end realities are counter to what we expect a door to be. Light, easy to open and close without much thought given to the actually latching mechanism.

You could get around the latch by having an electrically operated load bearing mechanism but people might not like having to wait when they use the handle to open the door.

I Will Always Be The Honey Badger > IanZ - limited-slip indifferential 06/02/2016 at 13:16

0

Well, if this counts as a good roll-cage then it’s probably possible.

Future next gen S2000 owner > ChooChooMotherFudger 06/02/2016 at 13:19

0

In my senior design class, a group built a folding mountain bike with a single hinge having to support the full load of forces from either end of the bike. It worked, it was a bear to operate.

You can do it but it is just a huge pain to design and requires a high effort to secure it so that it functions as intended.

Saracen > IanZ - limited-slip indifferential 06/02/2016 at 13:59

0

The Corvette and Viper are designed with open top rigidity in mind. One of the side effects of this is that they have very wide and deep door sills.

Egress out of a car has never been less dignified for me than trying to get out of a new Viper.

Thomas Donohue > I Will Always Be The Honey Badger 06/02/2016 at 14:04

0

That seriously counts as good roll cage, or side impact protection? That looks scary.

I Will Always Be The Honey Badger > Thomas Donohue 06/02/2016 at 14:33

0

Apparently.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > Saracen 06/02/2016 at 14:49

0

The Viper’s door sill also has to deal with the exhausts coming out the side.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > IanZ - limited-slip indifferential 06/02/2016 at 14:52

0

There is no mass-efficient way to make a latch as sturdy as a weld. So to make load-bearing door, you would have to kinda give up on the “door” part.

Hellcat Everything > IanZ - limited-slip indifferential 06/02/2016 at 15:55

0

One of the problems that I would see (as many before me have pointed out) is that the doors would become much heavier and more complicated to use to act as any real support. Another issue with this is that over all the structure would most likely be weaker with almost no benefit to this complicated design, it is much easier to just add bracing to the structure of the car.

Nauraushaun > IanZ - limited-slip indifferential 06/02/2016 at 23:21

0

As a car that only came as a roadster, perhaps the high-sill doors on the Z1 were for more than just coolness

Jayhawk Jake > IanZ - limited-slip indifferential 06/03/2016 at 07:13

0

It would require some pretty ridiculous door latches and hinges to carry any load.