LocostUSA.com

... and it's not mine!

Seriously, this looks like it could be helpful. Just passing on the info, I have no relation to it:

"How to Build Motorcycle-engined Racing Cars" by Tony Pashley direct from the publisher (Veloce). It should be available from Amazon etc. about the middle of July.
http://www.veloce.co.uk/shop/graphics/pdf/v4123.pdf

_________________
Midlana book: Build this mid-engine Locost!, http://www.midlana.com/
Kimini book: Designing mid-engine cars using FWD drivetrains, http://www.kimini.com/book_info/

I already have pre-ordered it through amazon.com. They make a really good bargain for the book. I can't wait to receive it!

thanks for the tibit... this will give me a really great idea on all the info iam missing out!

Thanks M8

Thanks for the heads up Kurt.
I just placed a pre-order at Amazon also.

Books, can't have too many of them!

It arrived!

Amazon delivered after a publisher delay.

I have only skimmed through since I just got it but it looks to be excellent.
Not a "How I did it" type of book, but more on what is required and examples of how it can be accomplished. Nice photographs and a lot of them. My kind of book . Still there are a lot of formulas for you math whiz people.

It really appeals to me since I am building a BEC autocross car to the FSAE class rules. I recommend anyone interested in building a Locost car start with a small, relatively simple, FSAE class car as your first build. They are probably as inexpensive as you can go, are super fast, and are a very good learning experience to prepare for the much larger project of building a street legal car.

I shall sit down to start reading it through tonight so I can give my own "book report". Wow, I haven't done that in 30 some years.

James

amazon.ca still has it as a preorder, and amazon.com has it listed as arriving sept 29.... I ordered is from amazon.ca in July...

I have read a few chapters so far and I give the book two big

Excellent material, photographs and writing. So many great ideas and suggestions that any builder will save more money/time from what just one sentence may say than the price of the book.

I certainly agree with the author's suggestion to use the stock bike wiring harness, including the ignition key, at least until the car is running and then if desired to thin the wires down. That alone would have saved a lot of builders some extreme aggravation and time.

It is not a "How To" book, it offers suggestions and ideas as well as reasons why some things work better than others. It is not a book on how to build a race car for as little money as possible but doesn't suggest that only very expensive parts will work as he likes to use production car parts when possible. I like that approach.

He covers adapting the engine to car use, oil system, fuel system, exhaust , getting power to the diff and so on.

There is nothing at all about body construction which I appreciate as there are so many other books covering that by themselves. And no wasted chapter on tools. I think he figures if you want to build a race car you will already know how to use a hammer.

Highly recommended to all car builders, not just BEC even though that is the focus of the book.

James

I think I got my preorder about the time that you posted that

Finnished the book yesterday. Very well done although its lacking the technical information to design your own suspension. It was worth the price though. A single picture gave me the idea I needed to solve a design issue that I have been working over for a month now. Lots of great pictures from lots of different cars. This was my favorite part as it showed multiple ways of doing the same thing. A couple dumb pictures too. Like two different but both blurry pictures to show what a oilflilter looks like. Easy to read and no british slang that is too heavy that it makes it confusisng.

Pictures need to be bigger. My only complaint.

Anyone interested in posting on the FSAE forum regarding the book would be appreciated.

The sentiment there seems to be less favorable. Of course, the views posted are not by those who have actually seen the book, let alone read it for what it is. My view is that it makes an excellent book for every new team member to get a good overall view of what the car is made up of.

And an excellent book for any new team being put together. Considering some of the questions asked on the FSAE forums by the new teams just starting up, they could really use a book like this to avoid some of the rude replies to their questions.

The few students posting seem to feel anything simple and clear has little or no value. One fellow recommends new team members read a car shop manual.

Ah, to be young again and know everything

So, if you have read the book post up a review of it over there

If I did this right, here is the link.
http://fsae.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/1256 ... 2410160641

We didn't have 'Pooters when I was in school
James

If you point them here, I'll support any reading that provides a different view to that competition but I've avoided that forum this long and really don't want to join now.

That competition needs more practical designs to return and teams to be rewarded for simplicity. IMO its going too far in the direction of "lets build a mini formula 1 car" rather than using solid engineering practices and methods to devise a solid but simple car.

At my last competition, a design judge railed us for our rear ARB's being "too unconventional"...it was a u-bar with links attaching it to the arm.

_________________
-Andrew
Build Log
Youtube

Went ahead and ordered this as well.
http://www.amazon.com/Race-Car-Chassis- ... gy_b_img_b

Chassis design/construction book. For $14, I figured I might as well take advantage of the free shipping. Plus I've had a bad week.

I long for the day when A: I have the money, B: The space, and C: The knowledge to be able to tackle a build without trepidation.

Hopefully these will help me in C!

Edit: Found a rather extensive book list, browsing the FSAE forum.
http://fsae.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/1256 ... 1956095883

This one is of particular interest!
25. Ayrton Senna's Principles of Race Driving by Ayrton Senna

_________________
JSullivan

We had the same... A judge questioned our choice of our extreme rising rate bellcranks and our higher than average KPI. Our response? Blitzing the autocross at the last minute for a 5th place finish. I applaud anyone who successfully completes an FSAE car, but to have only Masters and PhD students work on it? I don't think that's what they had in mind when they started the series. On a side note, one of the recent issues of Race Tech magazine had an interesting article about (with Formula 1 being so regulated) that FSAE is the last true racing series that promotes innovation. If there's enough interest, I may be able to scan the article.

I also received this book a while back (pre-ordered it in April/May as I had followed the author's project reports in Race Tech magazine's 'Practical Racer' column). It is probably one the better books out there, providing info to beginner and experienced builders alike. It is by no means a step-by-step-build book, but gets the creative juices flowing.

_________________
Concordia University FSAE - Chassis
00 Impreza OBS - RIP
81 Rabbit 1.6D
95 525i

Another thumbs-up for the book. While it is not heavy at all on technical content, it gives a general overview of what's involved. Some sections include full-page example pictures that could have been better done. I think the book has too many unnecessary pictures. Still its not a bad book to get.

I agree that you could scour thousands of posts in forums to get the same info as in the book, but sometimes its good to have everything in one place. The chapter on "Commissioning" for example is not something you learn everyday unless you hang out with the right people or are insightful enough to figure it out.

As for the critics in FSAE or otherwise, anybody who thinks one book will teach them enough to build something as complex as a car is kidding themselves. IMO this is a really good book to start with when reading books on vehicle design.