Splinter: Worlds first wooden supercar

[Dash]

Cool.



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/news/2008/02/21/ncar121.xml

Wooden supercar is faster than a Porsche

Last Updated: 4:11am GMT 21/02/2008

The world's first wooden supercar has been unveiled - and it's faster than a Porsche or a Lamborghini.

The Splinter can produce 700bhp from its twin supercharged, 4.6 litre V8 engine - almost 300bhp more than a Porsche 911 GT3. And with a top speed of 240mph, it will leave the Porsche and the new Lamborghini Revanton in its wake.  The Splinter is the world's first wooden supercar

The two seater, which is made from a combination of maple, plywood and MDF, weighs 1,134kg - 240kg less than the lightweight Porsche.

Joe Harmon, from North Carolina, who is head of the project, said: "Wood has a higher strength-to-weight ratio than aluminium or steel, and it possesses a versatility that makes many types of construction techniques possible. The satisfaction involved in making something from a piece of wood is awesome."

The Splinter, which has a roll cage to protect the driver and stiffen the chassis, has a laminated wood veneer chassis and wooden wheel rims. Suspension is provided through laminated wooden arms and springs made from osage orange wood. It is not made from solid chunks of wood, but rather moulded laminates.

It is due to hit the road later this year at a price to be decided.

According to Mr Harmon, 27, it might not be long before the Formula One star Lewis Hamilton is behind the wheel of a wooden car.  He said: "An F1 car could definitely be made from wood.  "Some extremely creative engineering would have to go into it to overcome the strength-to-weight and mouldability benefits of carbon fibre, but it's definitely possible.

"Getting permission to race it would probably be a bigger challenge than engineering it. But it would be fun to try."

[Righ]

Its not the first wooden car, but it certainly looks innovative. The badge in that rendering looks a bit Renault though.

Pictures:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66898206@N00/sets/

Blog:

http://joeharmon.blogspot.com/

Site:

http://www.joeharmondesign.com/

[stu]

Bye-bye rust!

I wouldn't leave something like this in the rain, but can it get waterlogged?

[WayAbvPar]

Bye-bye rust!

And hello termites! 

[Grand Design]

So, if John DeLorian was framed by the Feds with a suitcase of cocaine, I guess they'll frame this Harmon guy with a trunk full of marijuana?

[Nebu]

Car purchase includes rubbing alcohol and tweezers.

Some amazing engineering there.  Wood is underrated as a material.

[IainC]

They used wood in F1 cars years ago btw. Back in the days of ground effect cars Lotus spent a fortune loking for an advanced composite that they could make runners out of to provide an airtight seal between the sides of the car and the track. Eventually they figured that lignum vitae was the best choice due to it's self lubricating properties and hardness (it's also used to make bearings for ships).

[WayAbvPar]

They used wood in F1 cars years ago btw. Back in the days of ground effect cars Lotus spent a fortune loking for an advanced composite that they could make runners out of to provide an airtight seal between the sides of the car and the track. Eventually they figured that lignum vitae was the best choice due to it's self lubricating properties and hardness (it's also used to make bearings for ships).

It makes me a handsome profit in Pirates of the Burning Sea. At least when the dirty French don't own the port and charge me extra taxes 

[Righ]

I wouldn't leave something like this in the rain, but can it get waterlogged?

In theory it could. I assume that it will be treated wood and that it will be weather sealed, but it will require special care and attention over its life to preserve it. However, if its well built, there's no reason why that care and attention should be any more involved or expensive than a metal or composite vehicle. Just different, and probably enough that they may require factory maintenance, though this isn't unknown in supercar circles in any case. Even most performance engineering shops would be ill-equipped to fully maintain many exotic and rare supercars. I knew somebody that owned a McLaren F1 and it was always serviced at the factory in Woking. Even certain problems on the much less exotic TVRs that I used to drive would typically be carried out at the factory, though I was lucky enough to have a good one.

[Mrbloodworth]

Bye-bye rust!

And hello termites! 

And fire 

[SnakeCharmer]

Didn't the old Triumph or MG's have a chassis that was made out of wood?