Looking for some good books on chassis design. It would be nice to get a few recommendations that would cover basics and a few aimed towards engineering types a la Race Car Vehicle Dynamics.
Target audience would be engineering students designing a FSAE style frame with little idea where to start 
old school - sports car chassis design by frank costin (out of print, but cool book). Chassis and suspension design by Herb Adams
+1 For Herb Adams
oldtin wrote:old school - sports car chassis design by frank costin (out of print, but cool book). Chassis and suspension design by Herb Adams
http://www.amazon.com/Chassis-Engineering-HP1055-Herb-Adams/dp/1557880557/ref=sr_1...
This? The preview shows a little more explaining of G-G diagrams, Positive camber, ect then I would like... But the book is cheap and you can never have too solid an understanding of the basics. Some of the reviews suggest its more focused on suspension tuning, circle track and solid axel designs.... I am very much more looking for information on designing a tube frame chassis from scratch.
Some folks over on the locostusa forums are pretty dialed in on suspensions design for tube frames. There's also some freeware by a guy named McDermott that's pretty handy.
Yes thats the book they talked about. It has loads of good fun-de-mentals in it. Theres even pages to photo copy and cut out to make paper models for bump and roll steer visual aids. The whole " to win" books by Carroll Smtih are a must have. = tune , engineer, drive ect theres 6 or 7
44dwarf
The Herb Adams book is pretty good, he covers the fundamentals of triangulation, shear plates etc. Fred Puhn's How To Make You Car Handle has some pretty good stuff as well, although it's aimed more at modifying a production car than starting from scratch.
See if you can find a (cheaper) used copy of this. I think I have a copy around here somewhere and it is very good.
http://www.amazon.com/Race-Car-Chassis-Construction-Powerpro/dp/0760302839
Or I'll sell you mine for $139.49! 
The Olley book is a good read, and has some bonus historical trivia in it.
Hmm, I have RCVD from milliken and its definitely one of the better books I own. I'll have to check out the Olly book.
The super expensive book Woody links too looks good, but super expensive :P
I have How to make your car handle, I'll have to go back and take a look at it but I don't remember there being anything about chassis design in it?
Maybe I am being a little too stubborn here, and I realized that the two subjects will always be some what intertwined but I already have a decent library on suspension design/tuning, but most of the books I have focuses on suspension dynamics and not the design of the chassis itself.
Its the "triangulation, sheer planes, ect" that I REALLY need, basically more instruction on designing for rigidity.
Looks like some good recommendations to start though, thanks guys.
And yes, I need more Carroll Smith books... I am about half way through Engineering to Win, and it has been a good read so far. I noticed on his website he sells his entire set for less then $100.
Jensenman wrote:The Herb Adams book is pretty good, he covers the fundamentals of triangulation, shear plates etc. Fred Puhn's How To Make You Car Handle has some pretty good stuff as well, although it's aimed more at modifying a production car than starting from scratch.
I don't feel that How to Make Your Car Handle is on the same level as Carroll Smith. It was pretty rudimentary, and covered a lot of obsolete suspension setups (swing arms, etc.).
That being said, Carroll Smith is the man. Everything he's written is gold.
If you want space frame design, the Costin-Phipps book (Racing and Sports Car Chassis Design) goes into some detail, with practical advice and a detailed sports/racing car example. (BTW, Costin is the "Cos" in Cosworth). If you want metal monocoque design, Aircraft Structures (Peery) has a lot of useful info, but it's kinda old.
Carter
I'm a big fan of allan staniforth's books:
Race and Rally Car Source Book
His coverage of ackerman angles - and what is needed to get them right - was thorough enough to convince me to NOT build my own front suspension from scratch. 
Yea, nothing really tops the milikens for engineering chassis design. But since you know that and carroll smith, i'd give kimini a read as well.
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