My new project - Designing, perfecting and building the African Kangoo

[drakkie]

Hi guys,

On my studies we need to do a project again. This time we have gotten the task to improve, refine and build a concept created by previous students.

The team

We work together with Industrial Design students and financial students. The total team is comprised of 16 people. 6 Automotive Engineering, 6 design and 5 Financial. The total is lead by one teacher, that gives us tips and tricks, hints and most important, grades.

I am the project leader of the AE team, which proves quite a difficult and stressful challenge.

The first phases

Last years design is like you can see in attachment 1&2.

We got hold of a full 3D-CAD model done by design students (IPO - Industrial Product Design) in a Unigraphix format.

The first phase we went through was that of the analysis and data gathering.

In the analysis process we got the following conclusions:

- Several weak points in the chassis under maximum stress.
- Not enough room in the car for the engine and gearbox
- Donor car inapropriate and too expensive
- Barely in budget

Our own list of demands combined with those of school were the following:

- Fix these points in the chassis (attachment 3)
- Fit inside budget(2500$) and find a proper donor vehicle (take all donor parts needed from that).
- Design a cheap suspension, capable of off-roading.
- Max. speed of 60 km/h (40 m/h)
- Able to carry 1 ton of load !!!
- Change front side to fit drivetrain.

The car should be sold in a few years time in Congo. We have contact with some students there, that provide us with information about the conditions there.

For all this work we have just 8 weeks. In these 8 weeks we will also have to build a scale model (1:5) of the vehicle.


Current status

We are now in the midst of designing a completely new chassis/frame. I cannot show pictures of that, confidential stuff, but it has been almost completely redone. The reason for that is the budget. We took away some beams and pipes, making it a bit weaker at certain points. Also we widened it a bit and moved struts to make the drivetrain fit in it.

Some of my team members are now designing the suspension. The front will be a simple MacPherson strut and back leaf springs. IIRC they got the design finished and are now calculating the KPI, roll centre etcetera etcetera.

The engine guy is right now going across the city, finding prices for donor vehicles. He has made some suggestions yet, like a VW Golf 1, Ford Sierra / Escort and FIAT Panda ()... We'll hear from him soon I guess.

Me personally is working out some of the elctrics for the car. We will keep it very simple, just some lights and the neccesary engine electronics. But still it remains bloody difficult

Friday we will start work on the 1:5 model.

I'll let you guys know more, when we progress further !!!

[nota]

The cost for steel has risen amazingly in recent times. Which leads me to wonder .. is that chassis costing of $784 realistic for a manufactured item?

[Ferrer]

Ditch that diesel and put a bloody V8 in there. With 58bhp you ain't going nowhere!

Now seriously it looks very interesting. But if you want to make it feasible maybe you should look at what kind of cars they have there for donor vehicles, shouldn't you?

Keep us updated!

[drakkie]

Ditch that diesel and put a bloody V8 in there. With 58bhp you ain't going nowhere!

We allready dreamed of that

Now seriously it looks very interesting. But if you want to make it feasible maybe you should look at what kind of cars they have there for donor vehicles, shouldn't you?

Keep us updated!

Apparently they have basically a lot of pick-up's and stuff and a lot of old European write-offs. Also a lot of Japanese shitboxes.

[drakkie]

The cost for steel has risen amazingly in recent times. Which leads me to wonder .. is that chassis costing of $784 realistic for a manufactured item?

Nope. it was calculated last year, when they were screwing around. It is not at all realistic. However if the steel is bought in Africa and the chassis is assembled there, it might be as much as 100$ or something.

Over here the total material + manufacturing price of the chassis is about 2-5000 $

[nota]

Drakkie from ages ago I remember seeing various 'Africar' projects periodically appear through the years in the media, these proposals made from all sorts of materials including plastic and wood .. which led to a simple Africar google. You may have already visited these sites, but if not ..

http://www.citroen.mb.ca/cItROeNet/f...r/africar.html

http://www.marshmail.freeserve.co.uk/africar.html

http://www.oldwoodies.com/feature-africar.htm

[drakkie]

Drakkie from ages ago I remember seeing various 'Africar' projects periodically appear through the years in the media, these proposals made from all sorts of materials including plastic and wood .. which led to a simple Africar google. You may have already visited these sites, but if not ..

http://www.citroen.mb.ca/cItROeNet/f...r/africar.html

http://www.marshmail.freeserve.co.uk/africar.html

http://www.oldwoodies.com/feature-africar.htm

Which is also one of our tasks to prevent, failure as this one. There are many more examples.

To prevent so, we have the challenge to compete on the current market for 2nd hand cars out there. It has to look the part and drive like it should drive, but for less. As you can imagine it is quite a difficult job to do. We will do our best and see what eventually will happen with it

[Coventrysucks]

The car should be sold in a few years time in Congo.

Presumably you've checked for any legislation that it would have to meet.

Otherwise you might end up needing to add 5 law students to your group.

[drakkie]

Presumably you've checked for any legislation that it would have to meet.

Otherwise you might end up needing to add 5 law students to your group.

It is actually quite difficult to get to know something about the legislation The contacts with Congo are trying to find out now, as far as I know. Last thing I heard was that the rules were kind of vague and unclear.. And hard to find out.

The teachers told us it might well be based on European rules.. We try and make the vehicle atleast roadwrthy in the UK now...

[Ferrer]

The teachers told us it might well be based on European rules.. We try and make the vehicle atleast roadwrthy in the UK now...

But in the UK almost anything is roadworthy...

I'm sure it would be a lot more difficult to make it comply with continental Europe rules.

[Coventrysucks]

But in the UK almost anything is roadworthy...

Roadworthy, no.

Road legal, yes.

Buy the guys doing the SVA a few drinks, then take all the bits off afterwards.

"Of course it's legal officer, here's the paperwork..."

[h00t_h00t]

They have a fair amount of Toyota Hilux and Landcruisers in Africa (so I'm told). Sound like the perfect donors to me.

[Glisson]

The most likely cheap engines and other parts you'll find in the Congo are Peugeots from 302, 303, 304 & 305. The whole of central Africa is crawling with them (those that were lucky enough to miss the zillions of land mines) from previous French colonisation there. They were also extremely robust vehicles which coped well with the extreme road or rather tracks in the bush conditions.
Very interesting project Drakkie.
Almost brings to mind what must have been going through Porches head when Adolf said "build it for the people and build it cheap, strong and quickly !!" lol
Good luck.

[drakkie]

The most likely cheap engines and other parts you'll find in the Congo are Peugeots from 302, 303, 304 & 305. The whole of central Africa is crawling with them (those that were lucky enough to miss the zillions of land mines) from previous French colonisation there. They were also extremely robust vehicles which coped well with the extreme road or rather tracks in the bush conditions.
Very interesting project Drakkie.
Almost brings to mind what must have been going through Porches head when Adolf said "build it for the people and build it cheap, strong and quickly !!" lol
Good luck.

Cheers for the info. I put my drivetrain guy on it, to see if it is any good for this vehicle. Seems a good and cheap alternative.. We'll see the results of that soon ...

The rear suspension is now finished. Screenshots soon.

[drakkie]

So... the final few days of the project. In the meantime 5 out of 8 project members have quitted school. It has driven me to insanity by now ! We have to present a full 3D-CAD model tomorrow and I have a chassis/frame + rear suspension + aggression.

Nothing seems to get done by these lazy F!!!KS... The 1:5 model is only half finished and looks crap because of the "panic-welding"...

To make matters worse the school moved our deadline ahead by two weeks (!)... So i am kind of sure I wont make the year because of this. Here goes my career and 5000+€.