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> Unrelated to this, the University of Wisconsin had their Engineering Expo this > weekend and I just spent the day there. One of the things that would have > interested many of you was a little wind tunnel model of the new Ford GT > (modeled after the Ford GT-40 of the sixties.) The interesting thing about this > was that it was done at about 1/4 scale in carbon fiber composite. > > Did you work on this, John Jaranson? It looks like it would have been fun. The Ford GT is my current project. I was not directly involved in the 1/4 scale wind tunnel model, but did build a full scale mock-up of the car. <G> And yes it is fun. > > The full-size car is expected to have unstressed carbon fiber body panels (why > bother?,) Not true. The body panels are almost all aluminum stampings. There are a few carbon panels where stamping was not feasible or practical. Carbon is used over fiberglass for stiffness and weight. They are not unstressed, but are also not a monocoque structure like a Formula one car. but no one there could answer the question of why they also bothered > to actually make the model out of carbon fiber.... > > It was certainly cute, but I'd say it's mostly a gimmick. > As for the windtunnel model, they use carbon fiber composites because they provide a very stiff surface (no panel deflections) with a thin panel that allows the most room on the inside of the model for instrumentation and the like. Weight is not usually a concern since they are only measuring the difference in load. The models are secured to the windtunnel load frame which outweighs the model by many times. Molded composites are also typically the most economical way to make a complex parts, scale or full scale. Type 3 content.......hhhmmmmm.....I got around to repairing Sophy's decklid hinge this weekend. I pulled the hinge assembly fromt eh roof section that I have and installed it in Sophy. Lots of fun prying on the torsion springs to release them and not knowing exactly where they were going to go. Nice to have a proper working hinge again. Later, John Jaranson '71 FI Auto Fasty (Jane) '66 Square (Sophy) About Half a Late Square (Organ Donor) http://mywebpages.comcast.net/jaransonT3/jaransonT3/ ------------------------------------------------------------------- List info at http://www.vwtype3.org/list | mailto:gregm@vwtype3.org