Building my first Streamliner

[Sumner]

I'm not arguing but how much steering do you think you'll be doing if you crash hard enough to tear the canopy off?  Wayno

I agree about the 'steering after the crash' but there have been some canopy's either blown off or that have opened just due to the air pressure or lack of it on one side. 

I was re-reading some of my BRN papers and yesterday reread the report from Rocky on their 360 mph motorcycle record in 2008 and the canopy unlatched some and lifted some on both of the record runs.  If it would of been attached to the steering then it could of possibly caused a crash but it didn't.  They felt there was enough low pressure inside the streamliner that it caused the canopy to deform and lift if I read it right,

Sum

[SPARKY]

One of the reasons for my self called "goofy looking canopy" is trying to address the low pressure area that is at the back of most canopies.  I have watched lots of film,  lots  of pretty fast cars and bikes have canopies that are sucking up and out at speed.

[jdincau]

Kennedy said that canopies opening because of pressure differentials was a concern.

[Elmo Rodge]

Now it makes sense to me.    Wayno

[kustombrad]

How and why they open is for 2 reasons ... A crappy latching design and/too big of an intake blowing air into the drivers area. Stuffing a mass amount of high pressure air inside the car and it's definitely going to be pushing and shoving on the canopy and latch setup! I don't see how high pressure behind it pushing out would be considered "low pressure". I'll be using the aircraft/funny car hatch latches on my canopy... flush and positive locking!

[Sumner]

... I don't see how high pressure behind it pushing out would be considered "low pressure". ..

It is going to depend on the car but if you look at some cars from the side they look very similar to a wing with the flat bottom of the car being the bottom of the wing and the curved upper body front to back mimicking the upper side of the wing. In the case of the wing it is the low pressure area on the top which keeps the plane in the air. 

The front of a canopy should probably be a high pressure area, but the top could become a low pressure area that wants to suck the canopy up.  So you don't necessarily have to have a high pressure area in the cockpit from outside air coming it to have a lower pressure on top of the canopy, although for the driver it probably is good to have a positive pressure in there.

Most latches will probably be more than adequate as long as the canopy maintains its width at the point where they latch and isn't drawn in by the upward pull if a low pressure does exist.

The car looks great,

Sum

[dw230]

You might give a thought to the instance where in a crash the canopy opens/leaves the vehicle and the steering system goes with it. There is strong tendency for the limbs of the driver to exit the vehicle resulting in severe injuries.

DW

[kustombrad]

Don't worry Dan, the steering and canopy are completely separate! If I'm killed because it's my time to go, so be it but I definitely DON'T want to be the guy famous for dying because he was STUPID! Every bit of this car is built to be as safe (and bitchin') as it can possibly be!

[Stainless1]

Don Vesco told us that our canopy latching system won't matter when the car goes sideways.... or spins... the canopy is going to open and likely tear off.  So far on the little car he is 5 for 5.... the big car pictures show it rolled once prior to the canopy exiting.
I suspect that the rule has been written with someone's blood, good plan to keep them separated Brad.  It is obvious that the guy building that car is anything but stupid!

[kustombrad]

Ok, so enough with the canopy comments cuz I think we got it handled! So here's the next really cool thing! I've teamed up with Sage Cheshire Aerospace with the design and build of my body! They built the capsule and did the whole deal when Felix Baumgarter did the 130000ft freefall out of the Red Bull Stratos! Beyond amazing guys! So anyway, they've taken my initial drawing, made a 3D model and have been playing with CFD stuff (i.e. pressure tests, drag CD, etc) to take the body design to within a gnats ass! Once everything is fine tuned, they'll carve the body plug out of foam on a 5 axis CNC mill! Crazy cool stuff and I'm beyond honored that they believed in a pretty much goofy pinstriper and his crazy ideas and game plan! I've ALSO teamed up with an amazing engine builder who's on the same plane as me to push his stuff to the absolute edge! I feel so privelaged to be teamed up with this absolutely AMAZING group of guys and the potential they're helping give me! Stay tuned for more craziness!!!

[Speed Limit 1000]

Now that is how LSR's "get by with a little help from their friends" 

[tauruck]

Don't worry Dan, the steering and canopy are completely separate! If I'm killed because it's my time to go, so be it but I definitely DON'T want to be the guy famous for dying because he was STUPID! Every bit of this car is built to be as safe (and bitchin') as it can possibly be!

You gotta love Brad!!!!! Go Brad go.

[Tman]

Congrats on all the help Brad! Out here in the sticks the 3 shop cats and I are covering all bases. They chase mice, I work.

[SPARKY]

My shop cat is not mine---he hides in the yard under things and sleeps in Andy's old 56 next door that has no window---he is a refugee from the great horned owl we see from time to time and the coyotes pack that lives under the golf coarse in its huge storm drain system.

 I do enjoy not having kangaroo or so called pack rats though.

[wheelrdealer]

Good news Brad. Should be fast.

BR