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Think that’s an Ariel Atom? Look closer. It’s actually a custom creation hand-built by Jon Winterhalter in his normal suburban garage. While the English mid-engined …
Are there DIY plans on the internet for frames like this for let say a Miata sub frame?
In reply to MyMiatas :
Given that the Miata drivetrain is a front engine configuration, it's not suitable to use for making a mid-engine DIY Atom. If you already have the Miata donor, an Exocet kit would be the easy button:
If you want DIY plans to build a mid-engine tube frame car, closer to the configuration of an Atom, the Midlana book has the plans to do so:
So an Exocet is the only option. No Prints for DIY out there. :0(
It's not the ONLY, it's the most successful commercial offering. I've seen a few other DIY attempts. I don't think anyone's published theirs, so you might have to truly DIY it. The good news is that suspension pickup points aren't your problem.
Jon's car is a true home brew critter. I saw it during the Car and Driver Locost test.
https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a15150678/the-homemades-feature/
Looks pretty cool. Also looks dangerous as I don't see any frame structure at the bottom of the car. What happens when you slide into a 6" curb sideways at speed?
In reply to VolvoHeretic :
Well, presumably the wheels hit the curb. But that's faithful to the original Atom. They have a plastic tub with almost nothing below the main frame rails.
In reply to Keith Tanner :
Where did you get that 3D model Kieth?
Is there more?
It's on GrabCAD. I cannot comment on the quality of the model, but it does appear to be closely related to the real frame in the second picture. You don't really want to copy the falling rate suspension of the original :)
https://grabcad.com/library/ariel-atom-chassis
If you're looking to build your own, it's worth reading the DPCars archived build. That car actually ended up in Grand Junction and I saw it on the track a few times being driven in a very digital manner. A while later, there was a news story about a VW kit car destroying itself on a 90* corner near my house, and the pictures were of the Atom. There had been registration shenanigans, as there usually are with factory built Atoms in the US.
(Click on the atom near the bottom)
http://dpcars.net
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