Thanks for the advice. A big motor overhang will help for the balance but may also become a problem when landing with the nose too far down
it's definetely something I'll have a look at though.
I'm just wondering how the rearward sweeping driveshafts minimise weight transfer?
I'm quite a novice on car physics and logic gets the rough picture quite well, just eager to get more knowledgeable here.
Anyway, I have an 'update' on the project - one that's bad news and good news at the same time.
I was planning to use a laser cutter to cut out most if not all custom parts. However, the laser cutter at school:
A) Has had some reliability problems recently (needed two cycles to cut through material where it shouldn't, so it's lacking power)
B) It hasn't got the power to cut through 8-10mm PC or POM, only PMMA.
It's a big setback for the easy and quick building of this prototype. It means I have to divert to the option 'CNC machine' to make the parts!
This requires me to learn to work in new software to program the paths for the CNC machine once I made the models, and I have to keep in mind the smallest bits they use are 3mm. However, it does allow me enormous freedom in the size, shape and thickness of the parts. I'm no longer thinking in 'plates', I can make blocks with odd shapes now. In theory I could now machine a tub for this car
I'll keep things simple, though I am very appealed by the idea of making sidepods and mounting blocks.
PS: Have a look at
this 
Oh, and turn off the sound, the music is quite horrible imo. What a contraption, it seems to change the geometry/placement of the front dampers when turning, and it has 4WS! I'd love to see it in action!\
Edit:
I had a look something today which will define it's final looks: The body. To emphasize the weight and drive on the front, a front cab seems fitting - or at least not a rear cab and rear sidepods. It's hard to find, especially as I don't like the bulky and square looking Proline and Jconcepts shells.
Anyway, I have a few contenders/bodies in mind that may work for the looks and chassis layout I have in mind:
-
Team Azarashi Gomurph (Simple, seems easy to mod due to the simple shape, has an undertray available for it so my chassis doesn't need to seal off the underside)
-
Team Azarashi Xeneiga (DF03 chassis is nice and narrow, and this is a nice cab-forward-like shell)
- Tamiya DF03 body (Simply because the shape of the shell fits well what I'm looking for with my chassis layout)
-
Jconcepts B44 Illuzion Scoopless body (I might be able to turn it 180 degrees to make it a forward cab shell and paint the windows differently)
- Tamiya Dirt Thrasher (pictured in first post. I think it looks so good it's almost sexy
However, you can easily see how it will not cover the chassis at all without mods)
-
Tamiya Avante (It is a nice body, but I would have to make my own undercowl: The standard one wouldn't be practical)
-
Tamiya Vanquish (If I can get a repro, also a very nice body. Same story again though with 'sealing off' the body)
Any more suggestions are very welcome. I want to define my choice of body early on so the chassis and body fit each other as good as possible.
PS No.2: I'd love to make my own body, but I recall the vacuum forming machine at my school is too small for an RC body. If someone knows someone who can help me out with that, it would give my project a completely new direction.