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Pottsy
Moderator
United Kingdom
285 Posts |
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sumplug
Moderator
United Kingdom
5112 Posts |
 Posted - 11 Jul 2010 : 14:23:56
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Very impressive, if a little pricey. I think Fiat are missing the boat, pricing it so high.
In a nice lightweight Coupe body, the 104bhp engine would be quite a thing!
Andy. |
Fiat Coupe 20vt
Audi A6 Avant 4.2 Sport LPG
??? Wait and see!!
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robincapper
Net Member
New Zealand
226 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jul 2010 : 16:06:22
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| Time for another X1/9 with twin/multiair |
Regards,
Robin Capper
Now: Bravo HGT, Punto 75ELX ~ Previous 127 (903), 128 (1300), Uno 45s ~ Driven not owned 132 (1600), 850 Coupe |
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sumplug
Moderator
United Kingdom
5112 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2010 : 10:37:04
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Well, Chrysler have a patented plastic panel making for car bodies etc, so why not a plastic car with the Twin Air engine, weighing around 500-600 kg. Now that would be a revolutionary car, or range of cars!
Andy. |
Fiat Coupe 20vt
Audi A6 Avant 4.2 Sport LPG
??? Wait and see!!
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julian
Forum Admin
United Kingdom
2834 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2010 : 11:58:54
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| There is a whole host of new developments in composites too - like carbon fibre panels that don't disintegrate on impact - you just heat them up (like memory metal) and they take on their original moulded shape, I think that one belongs to Panoz and was developed for their new GT3 car. I can see this sort of thing being mandated in motorsport too in an attempt to get away from the crash debris that hampers racing so much. Outside of international level motorsport CF is heavily frowned upon because of the debris formed in an accident. |
1998 Seicento 600M - extreme version
2000 Ford Explorer LPG'd up but well and truely f****d
1978 Replica Icsunonove w/Uno Turbo power (250bhp+ and 600kg)
2009 Abarth 500 |
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sumplug
Moderator
United Kingdom
5112 Posts |
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robincapper
Net Member
New Zealand
226 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jul 2010 : 11:35:46
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| Seem to remember Fiat did a lot of plastic car research in the lead up to the Ritmo/Uno with sheet molding compound panesl? Still remember seeing a large, very large, machine making Ritmo (Strada for U.K.?) front aprons at an New Zealand engineering trade show. Not sure who they thought would be the market for a "make a plastic car machine" in New Zealand! |
Regards,
Robin Capper
Now: Bravo HGT, Punto 75ELX ~ Previous 127 (903), 128 (1300), Uno 45s ~ Driven not owned 132 (1600), 850 Coupe |
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sumplug
Moderator
United Kingdom
5112 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jul 2010 : 12:10:32
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Yes, saw a video from the 1980's, showing a Fiat 'Plastic' car. It looked like a cross between the Fiat 128 3P, and the Seat 1200 Sport. In the video, they said it weighed half the weight of a conventional Steel car, but costs prohibited it from production. Performance was excellent though!!
link to the Seat 1200 Sport.
http://www.fastestlaps.com/car_Seat_1200_Sport_Bocanegra.html
Andy |
Fiat Coupe 20vt
Audi A6 Avant 4.2 Sport LPG
??? Wait and see!!
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Edited by - sumplug on 21 Jul 2010 12:25:29 |
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julian
Forum Admin
United Kingdom
2834 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jul 2010 : 14:30:59
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Sheet moulded panels are already in common use (Renault Clio anyone?) and are surprisingly strong and flexible but there are still currently limitations for structural usage. Conventional moulded composites are still a better match and the costs are finally shrinking to the point where a full carbon composite monocoque is feasible but the repairs needed in the event of an accident tend to make it unviable since the monocoque would basically be junk. Newer composites are on the way (see my comment on Panoz above) that remove the problem. There is also an issue with fire safety - when composite cars go up they go fast and hot, what remains is pretty pathetic and fire crews can't do much to put them out.
For now what we're left with is metal (steel or alloy) chassis with a plastic or composite body. |
1998 Seicento 600M - extreme version
2000 Ford Explorer LPG'd up but well and truely f****d
1978 Replica Icsunonove w/Uno Turbo power (250bhp+ and 600kg)
2009 Abarth 500 |
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sumplug
Moderator
United Kingdom
5112 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jul 2010 : 14:59:18
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With all the plastics used inside cars and homes today, did you know that when certain plastics get hot, they produce a cancer inducing substance!!
Sorry for hijacking the thread.
Andy. |
Fiat Coupe 20vt
Audi A6 Avant 4.2 Sport LPG
??? Wait and see!!
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julian
Forum Admin
United Kingdom
2834 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jul 2010 : 17:25:14
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| Did you know that some cancer inducing content "leaks" at normal temperatures? You don't need a fire for that but then again cigarette smoke is significantly worse - those plastics also release chemicals that cause infertility. The "new car" smell that is so highly prized in cars is also a signature of leaking volatiles that are decidedly bad for you! |
1998 Seicento 600M - extreme version
2000 Ford Explorer LPG'd up but well and truely f****d
1978 Replica Icsunonove w/Uno Turbo power (250bhp+ and 600kg)
2009 Abarth 500 |
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fostertom
Net Member
United Kingdom
505 Posts |
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robincapper
Net Member
New Zealand
226 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jul 2010 : 11:25:51
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Ah, I was at that event and Amory is an interesting speaker. Before the keynote he presented a 90 minute session which was fascinating as spanned many products/industries/technologies. I particularly like his approach which is more optimistic than many future technologists.
See my notes from the session at http://rcd.typepad.com/rcd/2009/12/au2009-day-1-tuesday.html |
Regards,
Robin Capper
Now: Bravo HGT, Punto 75ELX ~ Previous 127 (903), 128 (1300), Uno 45s ~ Driven not owned 132 (1600), 850 Coupe |
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fostertom
Net Member
United Kingdom
505 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jul 2010 : 20:27:01
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| We have things in common, Robin - architecture, ELX75 ... |
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Topic |
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First impressions of the TwinAir
