FEASIBILITY CHECK- Ex-Solar cars for the Challenge?

https://www.govdeals.com/index.cfm?fa=Main.Item&itemid=6491&acctid=1992

https://www.govdeals.com/index.cfm?fa=Main.Item&itemid=6492&acctid=1992

Like most solar cars, they seem to have been made to be 3-wheelers. Just looking at these bodies, could anyone give an idea of what it would require to make them pass tech? I imagine they'd have to have some kind of roll cage or hoop built over the driver.

I have to say that the writeup is much more specific than is usually found in government surplus auctions. I like the warnings about "you can't turn these off, they can bite".

These were usually basically four wheel bicycles underneath from what I've seen of pictures back in the day. I'm not sure they could generate enough cornering force to flip. :)

Keith Tanner said:

I have to say that the writeup is much more specific than is usually found in government surplus auctions. I like the warnings about "you can't turn these off, they can bite".

These were usually basically four wheel bicycles underneath from what I've seen of pictures back in the day. I'm not sure they could generate enough cornering force to flip. :)

SOUNDS LIKE A CHALLENGE. But legit, I do wanna take this seriously and ask what I'd have to do to keep that from occurring, on the off chance I could make it fast enough to do so.

Yeah, the description is actually really good.

GRM Challenge would necessitate 4 wheels (NHRA requirement)... plus you'd need some kind of "production frame" to mount this too.

So, afaik, it'd end up being some variety of "hat car"... with the solar car bit being the "hat", afaik.

and yes, I reckon you'd want a roll hoop as well.

It's not a production car, and it's not a 4 wheeled vehicle, so it wouldn't work. 
 

You could use the body over a 4 wheel production chassis (you'd have to keep the frame rails, and your car would be known by the chassis, not the body)

Roll cage or hoop requirement would be based on NHRA, and would depend on how fast it goes. 

I'll deliver triumph spitfire frame rails so it can be a spitfire for the challenge. 

In reply to Andy Neuman :

What year and how much would I owe you? I can poke the seller and ask if they could do some kind of wheelbase measurement, or see how far into the underpan I can cut, assuming I can find a way to transport it.

Those are really old as they are not composite at least from what I can see in the photos. Likely saggy glass all the way around and really old solar cells with minimal efficacy. 

wearymicrobe said:

Those are really old as they are not composite at least from what I can see in the photos. Likely saggy glass all the way around 

I thought the bulkheads and longitudinal frames looked like a pre-fab honeycomb panel?

I'm way behind the curve here, but that is my old school.  I'm not certain, but I think the body in the first link was  from the late 90s or early 2000s.  Something tells me those solar cells are pretty inefficient compared to modern ones, assuming they are still functional.