| Chapter
7, Mile Post #8 & 9: “Cockpit size and height,
what’s comfortable?” (Click here to read Chapter 6.)
Start Date 10-30-08
Once
the seats and controls were in place the design crew
needed to establish the cockpit top rail location. They
had to keep in mind the safety of the passenger and
driver. So, side impact protection had to be designed
into the assembly. Riding comfort for the passenger
and driver while riding in an open car must be a big
point and the general construction must be made light
and “cheap”.
Large diameter
1-1/2” tubing was used to form the top rail. This
top rail runs from the left front corner of the cockpit,
around the rear of the seats, and forward to the right
front corner. This strong tube is the basis of the body
mounting system and is incorporated into the rear body
structure. The large 2” X 1-1/2” square
tubing that forms the “rear wall” is blended
into the top rail and supports the rear Swinging Arm
and driving Wheel. We will discuss the rear suspension
in later chapters and show in detail the concepts and
construction.
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This photo shows the large diameter 1-1/2”
tubing that was used to form the top rail &
the 28-1/2” from the ground to the top of
the top rail.
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Right
front corner of the top rail and the “Steering”
side-to-side support tube. So that is where the
steering wheel is to go !! |
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| Once this
top rail was completer and installed we had finished Mile
Post #8. It was a big moment and we all had an extra cup
of coffee in celebration (the better stuff comes after
work).
We quickly
added, and removed a number of side “triangle”
support tubes until we got it just right. These tubes
needed to be formed (budged outward) to give additional
interior cockpit space and foot room. We then connected
the front ends of the top rail tube to the Firewall
via 1” X ½” square tubing. This tubing
was also chosen to give additional foot room at the
pedal operation area. While all of this side tubing
was being installed there was a constant discussion
about the need to make as much space as possible in
the cockpit area and still allow for fiberglass panels
to be installed along the interior walls of the cockpit.
These fiberglass panels will be painted and in some
cases covered with carpet, vinyl, and maybe even leather.
These simple to discuss but difficult to design and
install tubing parts made a big part of the construction
complete.
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The “Jungle Gym” of tubes and mounts
make a strong and easy to build TigerCat cockpit.
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Notice
that once again we changed the connection between
the top rail and the ever changing Firewall
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Behind
the seats we then located the areas which were to be
set aside for battery box, wiring panels, circuit panels
and fuse boxes. These areas need to be made water proof
and easy to access for servicing. It was decided to
make the chassis side rails the fore/aft “tunnels”
for the wiring harness on the right and fluid lines
on the left.
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This
view shows the large diameter square tubing “rear
wall” (big “W”.)
In the upper center of the photo you can see the Over
Seat Light Bar
Quick Disconnect (red box) which will allow for changing
the light bar from
one design to another.
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Throughout
these chapters we have mentioned the “Firewall”,
but have not discussed the design concept. The Firewall
is intended to look like early Hot-Rod’s made
using a 30’s Ford chassis. The funny part is that
the Ford Firewall was behind the “Engine”
and “Grill” work (see a good picture of
a “32” bodied car). Because we use a short
twin cylinder engine and it is air cooled to boot, it
became a challenge to get the “V” twin and
it’s mounting to give us the “right”
look. The TigerCat Firewall is as wide as the early
Fords but without a grill. To balance the appearance
we have decided to combine the two. The completely “exposed”
engine is a motorcycle look and to add Hot-Rod graphics
will make the TigerCat unique in the market place. We
hope you agree with us that the overall impression is
SUPER. More will be covered in later chapters about
the “Hot-Rod" appeal and overall layout.
In
the next chapter we will cover more about the “Front
End Look”. The success of TigerCat design may
ride on the acceptance of this concept. - Carl Myers
Click here to read Chapter 8. |
