This weekend a FireAero went up for auction on Ebay at a GREAT price. Too bad I can't jump on it. One of the things that has been done is a Vortex style swing arm has been built. Using the motorcycle rear end is the one thing that I have been waffling over. On a motorcycle, it will see very little in terms of side loading. On a car, that is not the case.
Body roll and rear end twist are two things that I have been concerned about. Jim Musser's front end design addresses the body roll problem. A fully supported rear swing arm is the best solution for the rear twist problem. Here is a video clip showing the problem pretty dramatically. It is a Venom three wheel car doing a donut. Watch how much the body is rolling to the outside of the turn as it comes around, and watch the twist in the rear end, especially on the first turn before the tire loses traction. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcUjkrh_L_A&feature=related
In light of this, I am considering focusing my initial efforts on developing a somewhat "universal" three wheel chassis. If all of the suspension, steering, final drive and reverse issues are solved, and several standardized mounting points can be provided for the engine, then the task of a builder would be simplified a great deal.
I will discuss the two swing arm options I am considering in another post.
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