Bodywork Material. . .Polyethylene (UHMWPE vs. HDPE) vs. Polycarbonate (lexan)

[LEE1969GB]

Not sure what this material is, abs plastic maybe?
Rage R180RT
Looks ok but I always think it looks cheap on such an expensive buggy.

[voodoochikin04]

so does anyone see anything wrong with fabric, like the waterproof stuff, wrapped around the buggy for a body? like with snaps to hold it on? ive been thinking about doing it.

[nutz4sand]

Thats pretty much the idea I stated too Voodoo. On the larger areas simple ribs could lend support if needed. But most frames have tubes to cover large areas.

[dillon_b12]

I believe that atomicjoe is asking in reference to what he should use for the Baja SAE car he is designing.

Fabric isn't allowed by rules.

32.4 Body Panels
The cockpit must be fitted with body panels that cover the area between the lower frame side member and the side impact member. No gaps can exist that are larger than 6.35 mm (0.25 inches). These panels must be made of plastic, fiberglass, metal or similar material. They must be designed to prevent debris and foreign object intrusion into the driver compartment. The panels must be mounted securely to the frame using sound engineering practices (zip ties and Velcro are not acceptable).

We use .035" 6061-T6 for the panels on our car. It's a little harder to work with than 3003 like someone suggested earlier but it also takes a hit a little bit better. On our car, all the edges are hemmed so that adds to the stiffness somewhat. Of course, the aluminum is unaffected by the sunlight, unlike the plastic that has been recommended.

[atomicjoe23]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. . .

Millbilly, fiberglass would be my first choice, but I don't have the time, money, equipment or experience for that for this project (SAE buggy). This is only our second year. . .so we have a new chassis & suspension this year based on what we learned our first year out. Once we get a good chassis & suspension that only needs fine tuning we will be able to concentrate on expanding our skills and equipment to include fiberglass (somehting that I have wanted to learn for a while now. . .the mold & plug making supplies are SO expensive though).

Minibajaman, once again thanks for sharing your experience in this series. I plan on using bodywork washers to spread the mounting point stresses a little bit more than just the bolt heads would. . .and the bodywork is pretty much for one race only so I'm not overly concerned about the long-term longevity of the material. . .more important is the weight vs. aluminum (which is lighter) and whether or not the lexan or HDPE will provide the necessary protection in the event of a collision (with another car or an obstacle) which you know is pretty common in these races; 95 cars running around a 1.? mile course that is double track width at most means lots of rubbing!

[millbilly]

Fiberglass isn't that hard to do. Your on the wrong side of the hill....To far South East. To make a plug does take a few hours(week or two). Mold only a day and the part 3-6 hr. depending on temp.

[atomicjoe23]

Where are you located at???

[millbilly]

North by noth west exit 240