Open Wheel Track Car

Very nice concept work, Michael. By any chance do you happen to have any of your brainstorming/ideation pages you could post. Also, what was the paper size you did this on? I tend to find that sketching on larger newsprint pulls out a whole new level of forms. It is limiting as you can’t really fit the 18x24 on the scanner bed, but it does make for great pastel work. Any chance we could see a old school Vis-Com rendering of this car in pastel and guache? I know probably at this point I’m being selfish but it makes for great eye candy…

Really cool Project, love the concept sketches. I see a bit of Aerial Atom in there, really digging the exposed frame powder coating it would be awesome and give it a Ducati Monster frame feel. Two tone would be great, really slims the profile, maybe some solid graphics (circles squares) to place numbers on? Most track day events have you place numbers on the car so they can be identified on the track.

Just a few questions,

What material is the body going to made from, sheet metal, composite, plastic?

What drivetrain? It looks like a horizantal I-4, this could lend to a real cool exhaust detail (big horizantal muffler)

Also is this version a dedicated track car or will it be street legal? I ask this because I wonder about the need for head lights (you need the brake lights to be ont he track) and I think the ability to flip the windshield down or remove it (MG TD style) would be awesome and cover the passenger side with a panel for solo sessions.

Awesome stuff, excited to see how it turns out!

Awesome work and project.

i REALLY like the 02 and 04 logos. The hood ornaments look slick and very suiting…

Inspiring stuff all together, especially since the passion from both parties shines through.

I’ve been a long time fan of the Lotus super 7. I got to drive a Berkin one a few years ago, with a ford Z-tec motor. It had some get up and go. Will the suspension be liner actuated or strut mounted? It would be neat to see some clip on fenders.

Thanks for all the responses guys, good feedback… I’ll post something more intelligent later… hammer busy at the moment…

still playing…

I like where your going! especially the engine cover changes.
PooK

Hello Michael Ditullo !

I´ve been reading here on core for quite a while and now I registered finally, partly because I wanted to contribute to this thread and your project. So this is my first post.

I really like what you are doing, you have nice sketches and the angular approach does make sense in terms of production methods and uniqueness in form, although it might look not-as-pleasing, it could give it a special standing.

However, the main thing I wanted to write about is the front of the open wheel track day car.

It´s about the exposed frame: The idea of showing this is nice. It reminds me a little of the “VW Buggy” . Anyway, I am sure that showing technical components is a good idea on such a car. Styling- wise, I understand the exposed-frame-in-the-front-thing. It´s a bit like a “core and shell” concept and has been used, in a quite different way of course, on the ktm x-bow from the same “car” category. It´s nice to show dampers, suspension, and all the nice stuff to the people who like to see it. It underlines the rawness and pureness of the concept and the technical finesse. We don´t have to argue about all that I guess.

Still, I do see a problem here. I come from a motorsport background and I´ve experienced that especially the front of a vehicle is a very delicate area when it comes to speed, aerodynamics and drag. I think the exposed frame will create quite an amount of drag. I think this is not to be underestimated, as that will already occur and have an effect at low speeds of 40 mph - and of course a lot more at higher speeds (at double the speed, it´s 4 times as much)

The question is, if this is important. If the car is for fun purposes only, one might say it is not. If it is for laptimes, then it is important. I can imagine people driving this car, wanting to reduce their laptimes and covering that area in some (probably not very nice) way.

I think you should include a solution for that in your design, as the probability might be high, that this detail which might be important for your design concept will be changed later and you might have no control of the outcome design-wise. I could imagine a clear cover in an aerodynamic shape, so that like on a helicopter canopy you can look through and see this detail. I don´t know what you think of this in terms of style. But surely it would be something recognizable and extraordinary. If you don´t like this idea, maybe you can find another solution or change this area.
Of course you don´t have to, I just wanted to remind you of a - in my view - problematic effect of your design, so you can be aware of it and change it to the better to ensure the optimal performance of the track day car.

This is not supposed to sound like a harsh critic.
I am looking forward to your reply and if u want to react to my point in your design.

Kind regards,
Simon

Nice direction! I prefer the flowing lines much more than the extra angular versions you posted earlier…

@Simon, thanks for the feedback! Perfect. We need that kind of first hand info. Thank you for joining and posting. I appreciate it.

@Trav… Too Richard Sapper? :wink:
I hear you. There is something in the folded paper approach but it might just be too difficult to really develop. The magic will happen in 3d with that one. I wanted to give it a rest though an pursue the more fluid direction to see what happens there.

yeah, I like the Sapperesque approach sometimes, but in cars I’m way more attracted to flowing lines… I might have been a little burnt out on overly angular styling in the past :open_mouth: . It’s fun to follow your project though, keep it up!

I’m digging the process that is developing. I too like the flowing lines in my cars, but hard angles are good. The angles will brake it up. A strong jaw line is made beautiful by the elegant curve of the clavicle.

I like the angular lines as mentioned and seen with the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento below.


Very Ariel Atom, looks good. Any updates on the build?

I would love to own one of these (open wheel track cars)

Been slamme the last couple of months, plus working on another project with www.icon4x4.com

But this has Ben on mind a lot, will return to it in a few weeks.

You’re making a good case for curved forms :wink:

Hey Yo, I have a question:

Why does the outline of the frame have such an abrupt change in direction when looking at it in plan view, before and after the rear wheels? Is that a typical feature in a car like this?

I’m not quite sure as Danny designed the chassis, maybe he can answer.

You guys are making me want to get back to this project…

I had some time to think of the next version of this open wheel track car. It is still evolving, but overall it still has that crisp, folded paper Bertone feel which I think works for it. In this version, I’ve grown the “door sill” area quite a bit to add some sculpture to the cross sections, and make the wheels feel more a part of the overall composition. I’ve used this space to add some venting to the engine, while trying to keep it relatively clean, and not to be-finned. Between headrest binnacles is an additional series of vents allowing heat to flow off the engine.The front end still has the exposed frame, but it is much cleaner and tidier, and shows as just a thin bar now peaking between panels.

Cool stuff!

This is just my personal taste, but I really think the car could use some slight asymmetry.

I am a huge fan of the classic Can-Am and Le Mans cars of the 70’s and 80’s. These cars were just incredible in terms of styling and raw power. I mean 1500bph flat-12 twin turbo and a pressurized tube chassis, just incredible machinery in an incredible day.

But anyway, I love how the cars of this era, and even modern day ALMS and prototype cars are asymmetric in layout, but from afar still evoke a symmetric silhouette.

Also I think a flip down or removable windscreen like a MG-TD would be a really nice touch. Those spec miatas with the chopped front A-pillars have always looked so bad ass (see pic).

Oh and I just had to add a picture of my favorite car of that era, Porshe 908. Great graphics, great profile, and a pretty successful racecar too.