Moar stoopid (car-related) question.

[Coligny]

I sort-of need a gravelshield under my engine bay. It's standard (PVC-ish) in the euro-models, but the japanese version is extra-cheaply made and do not have any and these... parts are also not compatible.

My local garagist can't do anything if it's not in their spare parts catalog, and all the 'tuning' places are more aboot lowering the suspension or other way of ruining the ride and roadworthiness.

Rally cross was somewhat popular in japan... (one of my 70' y-o carbon dated student was running in his youth) so were do they prep their cars ? How would these kind of places be called ?

(Also need a shield for the under chassis break lines as the are completely exposed and I have trouble exiting some parking places without scrapping good parts of the chassis, the way their sidewalk blend into the road at their corner is sort of an entrapment...)

[Coligny]

I have a feeling of deja-vu...

[IparryU]

I have a feeling of deja-vu...

dude, buy a new fooking car?

put a little more JPY in and you can have a better POS...


Sorry for not helping, just wanted to say hello.

[Coligny]

dude, buy a new fooking car?

put a little more JPY in and you can have a better POS...


Sorry for not helping, just wanted to say hello.

Current POS run OK, just miss few things to me likey...


As for a new POS...
everytime I ask a commercial for the suspension design I have feeling they are on edge to call the police. Basically nearly everything is front McPherson rear twisted beam axle. With a transversal engine McPherson manage to give you torque steer even in a desperatly under torqued car.
Rear twisted beam give you the 3 wheeler effect on parking entry/exit or little too fast turn. With an open diff that means that exiting a parking/sidewalk you have good chance to lose power if you are to slow (which is needed for safety) because the front wheel in the air will be freewheeling while the one on the ground will stand still. Moderatly dangerous if you have to quicly clear for incomming traffic.
Basically 90% of the current cars are like this for cost reasons. Then if you pay more, you end up with leather seat... not a better chassis. Or you have to go to the "sport tuned" cars... where you have to trade stuff like boot, back seat or aircon to have a half decent drivetrain design...
Subaru were cheap and quite nicely designed... But then Totoya boughted them... and now they just look like plain shit... Forrester/Legacy look like a Crown or MarkX. New imprezza... look like something only her mother can love.

[waruta]

Current POS run OK, just miss few things to me likey...
As for a new POS...
everytime I ask a commercial for the suspension design I have feeling they are on edge to call the police. Basically nearly everything is front McPherson rear twisted beam axle. With a transversal engine McPherson manage to give you torque steer even in a desperatly under torqued car.

Why don't you just make one from 7mm aluminium sheet? It's not that expensive and as long as you don't have weird contours, it will be a straight bend and drill holes for mounting points. I know Al is softer than steel, but with the added benefit of not rusting (somewhat).

I'd take a McPherson strut over a live axle design anyday. (nod to all American cars) Better yet, real independent suspension is the way to go, but as you noted, cheaper wins over better design in the bean counter department at Toyota, Subaru etc.....

[FG Lurker]

Subaru were cheap and quite nicely designed... But then Totoya boughted them... and now they just look like plain shit... Forrester/Legacy look like a Crown or MarkX. New imprezza... look like something only her mother can love.

I know, and it's damn depressing. My B4 spec.B is up for its first shakin this month, I intend to tell Subaru exactly what I think of their fugly new cars when I'm in there.

[Coligny]

Why don't you just make one from 7mm aluminium sheet? It's not that expensive and as long as you don't have weird contours, it will be a straight bend and drill holes for mounting points. I know Al is softer than steel, but with the added benefit of not rusting (somewhat).

I'd take a McPherson strut over a live axle design anyday. (nod to all American cars) Better yet, real independent suspension is the way to go, but as you noted, cheaper wins over better design in the bean counter department at Toyota, Subaru etc.....

I just have jackstands (that i currently use for my mattress/springbox while i'm wasting time not making a murphy's bed...) it's not wonderfull to access and work under the car... And alu would plenty strong enough as even thick pvc would already do the job... I just want to prevent gravel from spreading mayhem in the engine bay, not to shield against IED. Also i am little short on experience, i know that you have to maintain a proper airflow after the shield before the firewall to allow the air intake from the radiator frontgrill to exit and maintain a low pressure in the bay for proper cooling. But it's stuff learned from engineering books aboot chassis design. Not first hand experience against nissan beans counters design principle.... And for example, i don't have an engine temp needle on the dash... Just a "you're fucked, stop now" warning light... (the same way,i had to put a battery meter myself, as i only had the fact that starter engine make a machine gun noise without starting anything to tell me the battery was not gonna work anymore...)

[waruta]

I just have jackstands (that i currently use for my mattress/springbox while i'm wasting time not making a murphy's bed...) it's not wonderfull to access and work under the car... And alu would plenty strong enough as even thick pvc would already do the job... I just want to prevent gravel from spreading mayhem in the engine bay, not to shield against IED. Also i am little short on experience, i know that you have to maintain a proper airflow after the shield before the firewall to allow the air intake from the radiator frontgrill to exit and maintain a low pressure in the bay for proper cooling. But it's stuff learned from engineering books aboot chassis design. Not first hand experience against nissan beans counters design principle.... And for example, i don't have an engine temp needle on the dash... Just a "you're fucked, stop now" warning light... (the same way,i had to put a battery meter myself, as i only had the fact that starter engine make a machine gun noise without starting anything to tell me the battery was not gonna work anymore...)

Uhhh....use the original shield as a template to cut and drill? Is it weirdly shaped? As long as you don't go nuts and cover the entire bottom of your car in Al sheet a-la Nissan GTR or race cars, you should be fine on the radiator airflow. All you pretty much want is a home-base shaped sheet that goes from the bottom of the front lip on the bumper all the way to your steering crossmember or whatever you have there so that when you scrape or bash anything, it's going to hit the Aluminium and not something important.

http://www.writerguy.com/primitive/skidplate/skid_details.htm

*edit* put in a link for ya

[Coligny]

Uhhh....use the original shield as a template to cut and drill? Is it weirdly shaped? As long as you don't go nuts and cover the entire bottom of your car in Al sheet a-la Nissan GTR or race cars, you should be fine on the radiator airflow. All you pretty much want is a home-base shaped sheet that goes from the bottom of the front lip on the bumper all the way to your steering crossmember or whatever you have there so that when you scrape or bash anything, it's going to hit the Aluminium and not something important.

http://www.writerguy.com/primitive/skidplate/skid_details.htm

*edit* put in a link for ya

Dere is NO ORIGINAL SHIELD... the bottom of the engine is totally unprotected... That's why i'm avoiding gravel road... That are quite common in my countryside...

BTW thanks, excellent link.

[Adhesive]

Current POS run OK, just miss few things to me likey...


As for a new POS...
everytime I ask a commercial for the suspension design I have feeling they are on edge to call the police. Basically nearly everything is front McPherson rear twisted beam axle. With a transversal engine McPherson manage to give you torque steer even in a desperatly under torqued car.
Rear twisted beam give you the 3 wheeler effect on parking entry/exit or little too fast turn. With an open diff that means that exiting a parking/sidewalk you have good chance to lose power if you are to slow (which is needed for safety) because the front wheel in the air will be freewheeling while the one on the ground will stand still. Moderatly dangerous if you have to quicly clear for incomming traffic.
Basically 90% of the current cars are like this for cost reasons. Then if you pay more, you end up with leather seat... not a better chassis.

Oh, you spoiled Europeans, with your "independent" suspensions and whatnot. You haven't lived until you've driven a 400hp car with leaf-springs.

[Tsuru]

If you want to be snobby about suspension geometry, why not buy a nice Honda with double-wishbone front suspension? Even the Jazz has it.

Trailing arm rear independent suspension is very common... if the car is prone to lifting a rear wheel during fast cornering you have the option of installing a thicker sway bar at the front to reduce body roll.

[Coligny]

If you want to be snobby about suspension geometry, why not buy a nice Honda with double-wishbone front suspension? Even the Jazz has it.

Trailing arm rear independent suspension is very common... if the car is prone to lifting a rear wheel during fast cornering you have the option of installing a thicker sway bar at the front to reduce body roll.

You sure ? because even the Honda Civic Hatch euro spec has seriously been downgraded technology-wise...

(but the new Fit even have... sunroof... )

Checked...

Standard fare unfortunately...

The only hatch (beside Subaru) having a decent suspension seems to be the A3 Sportback 2.0 TFSI Quattro... for 4.6 milliun yens + tow truck rental to go back home.
This month, the Note (already usually cheap) is in promotion for 1.2 miliun... (even the March is more expensive at 1.4 miliun)... Even if today I had to switch again, even seing how -really- nice the new Fit is... At this price, for a glorified shopping cart... I'd still go with the Nissan...

[Greji]

You sure ? because even the Honda Civic Hatch euro spec has seriously been downgraded technology-wise...

(but the new Fit even have... sunroof... )

Checked...

If you're having such tough decisions, why don't you just get an Izuzu Dump Trunk. All the frills and you'll rule the road....

[Coligny]

If you're having such tough decisions, why don't you just get an Izuzu Dump Trunk. All the frills and you'll rule the road....

Ya can't put Gordini Stripes on a dumptruck...




While you mostly can on any econobox...



(yes... even on the roofbars...)

[Tsuru]

You sure ? because even the Honda Civic Hatch euro spec has seriously been downgraded technology-wise...

(but the new Fit even have... sunroof... )

Checked...

Standard fare unfortunately...

The only hatch (beside Subaru) having a decent suspension seems to be the A3 Sportback 2.0 TFSI Quattro... for 4.6 milliun yens + tow truck rental to go back home.
This month, the Note (already usually cheap) is in promotion for 1.2 miliun... (even the March is more expensive at 1.4 miliun)... Even if today I had to switch again, even seing how -really- nice the new Fit is... At this price, for a glorified shopping cart... I'd still go with the Nissan...

That's a surprise.... I guess they realised Hondas are bought by people who generally tend to care more about how easy the radio can be set to play German oompah music rather than snappy handling. Personally I'd avoid anything made by the VAG group and everyting from France, so that realistically leaves you with only one option.... an Alfa Romeo

[Coligny]

Personally I'd avoid anything made by the VAG group and everyting from France...

DoooooooOOOOOOoooooooddddddddd :cliff:

Da't one is like a purfect storm of suck for you...



Design by VW, made in France...

[Tsuru]

Honestly tell me you like the way it looks

[Ol Dirty Gaijin]

Ain't that the sting, the Alfa's are sweet, when they run..

[Coligny]

Honestly tell me you like the way it looks

I can't really answer... There is the Bugatti traditional front grill...
Let's say I got used to it...

If I had the money for one i'd buy it because... it's French, all wheel drive, fastest production car in zee world... But not because I love the shape...



This death trap might be the only i'd buy just because I simply love her:

Alpine Renault 310 Pack GT 1982

Now... it's a 900kg RWD plastic car, engine rear overhang, no trunk, I would need an open sunroof to fit inside. (driver have to be less than 1m70). and she's so low that the roof line might not even reach the height of the average truck bumper. So it's basically the opposite of what I want in a car...


All the others are more or less glorified shopping trolley... The current one is an awfull car, but an excellent and reliable shopping trolley...
So like an ugly hammer... as long as it's doing the job... let's keep it... And since I like tinkering and whatever I break, spare parts are dirt cheap it's still sort of fun... But lucky I never have to drive for more than 30 minutes. Because on the highway it's a snail, and driving position tend to wreck every muscle below my neck... On my first trip back from Tokyo I simply could not walk out of the car my right leg was totally numb.

[Mike Oxlong]

Wot aboot a Suzuki SwifuSpo?

[Coligny]

Wot aboot a Suzuki SwifuSpo?

Kewt... but...

2011 New model look exactly liek the older ouane...
Haz you seen the trunkspace ? yeah... me neither... cau'se dere's none...
The sports model requires premium fuel... Japanese model is only available in 5 doors...

but i'm not on the market 4 a new car... just for a gravel shield...

[Tsuru]

Good point. Does the car currently have some sort of plastic shield below the engine bay? If yes, just get a fuck-off big piece of 2mm aluminium sheet, cut it and beat it into shape to match the plastic thing and drill holes in it to match the mount points, and hey presto.

You could even do the whole underside of your car to make it more aerodynamic.

[Mike Oxlong]

I drove various '70s and '80s Ford and GM models over gravel roads for years and never had anything more serious mechanically than a rollover!

[Coligny]

Good point. Does the car currently have some sort of plastic shield below the engine bay? If yes, just get a fuck-off big piece of 2mm aluminium sheet, cut it and beat it into shape to match the plastic thing and drill holes in it to match the mount points, and hey presto.

You could even do the whole underside of your car to make it more aerodynamic.

No, unlike the english made model, there is no plastic undertray who would have been perfectly fine and sufficient. Since nearly all maintenance for these cars is done from the underside as the top is too cramped, that let a whole lot of cheaply made mechanical gizmos vulnerable to projectile launched on the side from the front tires. For those driving on gravel road from time to time all that "spring, bling ploppy-plop" noise you hear from the gravel hitting the mud flaps inside the fenders, also tend to ripple sometimes inside the engine bay and whatever your speed is have the potential to get stuck in the transmission belt or puncture oil/fuel or coolant lines. I drive to the hospital at least twice a day... And it has been built on reclaimed swamp area... With the main road traditionnally flooding at each big rain leaving only the gravel road between the ricefields as the safe way to go. So yes, a humvee or Unimog would be enough, an helicopter too... But an econobox with what is considered minimal shielding in yurop can also do the job...

[Greji]

but i'm not on the market 4 a new car... just for a gravel shield...

Hell, if that's all you need, I'm loan ya my old lady, you can just drag her under the oil pan and that should fix ya right up. Just return her on the 21st of the month that's her payday.