Yes, the x-axis stepper motor and its belt are worn out.

I've made the shelter much more robust, and I was able to start on the shaping today. I'm using a 3" belt sander, and then I'll switch to a 5" diameter random orbital sander.

I'm not sure what trailer you are referring to?

 

I've been able to spend some time shaping and smoothing! The right rear wheel and the right side are coming along nicely. I have it tipped up so I can work on the lower portion more easily.



More tomorrow...

 

A few more photos are here:

http://smg.beta.photobucket.com/user/NeilBlanchard/media/CarBEN%20EV%20Concept/DSC_0018.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

It's going to be quite warm here in the next few days (as high as 70F!) so I can glue up the hatch door.

 

I've been smoothing the hatch door and the hatch opening:





The shaping at the hinge end is going to be tricky. I want to have compact hinges that are near the outer surface. I need a good rain gutter for when the door is open, and I'd like to have two latches along each side and one latch at the center back of the hatch, where it overlays the two rear doors. The rib will have a notch in it to fully capture the rear doors, which will overlap each other at a slight angle.

 

Neil, what's the story with the indentations on both side of the roof? Are these windows?

 

Yes, there are two long triangular windows in the hatch door; which is over about 6 feet of the back of the car. Because of the taper (for aerodynamic drag reduction) those windows are a large piece of getting visibility out of the back of the car.

 

In Toronto we don't have warm and sunny weather like they have in the south (of the USA). I had a car with a sunroof that didn't open. It was just a tinted plastic. The car was a Buick Roadmaster. That window was by far not at big as the two windows in your car, Neil. On sunny and warm days the A/C had to work hard to keep the car cool.

Just my :02cents:

 

They are about 9" wide at the bottom and a bit less than 4' long - they will be dual glazed like the side windows. So, some heat gain for sure, but they are tiny compared to say a Prius' hatch window.

 

Okay, the hatch is about halfway smoothed and the opening is better, too. There is a fairly major "pinch" in the 'C' pillar area - I've got more patching to do; which is hard to do until the weather gets warm enough to glue.

I'm finding that hand sanding with a foam block and 120 grit is working well - much more controllable and accurate than the 5" random orbital sander. And when I can afford it I need to buy a couple of new tools (the long flexible sander and an oscillating saw) - and I thin I'll need the Smart ForTwo windshield fairly soon, too.

I will start making some cradle frames out of the 2" foam I bought last spring; so I can turn the car on its sides and upside down.



Full slideshow here: Approximate view inside photo by NeilBlanchard | Photobucket

I'm inside for the first time today! Woohoo!



It seems like it will be *just* tall enough - the plywood floor is about 1" higher than the finish floor and the ceiling is still rough.



Link to full slideshow

I'm still getting used to it - I'll work on the hatch and its opening and see how it feels inside with that in place...

It's wicked cool, if I say so myself!

 

Man, Neil, that seat is so cool. And practical to boot.

Looks good, my man. Nice progress.

 

The alignment dowel holes could be used for some wiring - I hollowed out a chamber near the taillights and a connector "zig" to let the wires continue from one hole to the other (the taper required moving the alignment holes inboard when they got closer to the back.

Though may be for naught though - they may be too hard to use and can only hold small wires. I'm planning on using LED's (naturally!) so maybe the wires can be kept smaller?

I also have an exhaust air vent out of the back of the inside - good efficient air flow is key for comfort.

I'm probably going to warm up the PhlatPrinter again to cut the driver's seat - I may even try to do some 3D carving...

 

I got my new flexible sanding tool (from a boat building tool supplier) and after an initial stumble, I figured out how to use it:


It is fine on fully convex surfaces, but I first tried it on the "twisted" shoulder surface and the edges of the sandpaper started digging nasty long gouges in the foam... ;( In the cold the board is not all that flexible and since the paper extended 1/4"+ beyond the board and when the board was bent, the edge sawed into the surface in one stroke. Ouch.

I trimmed off the excess edges of the sandpaper, and when I use it on the convex surfaces along the sides of the hatch opening and on the roof above the driver, it works much better. The 30" length and the 4 1/2" width of the tool let it conform to the long curves, but it still bridges over the low spots. I miss the self-vacuuming of the disk and belt sanders - I now have to wear a dust mask.




Full Slideshow

The smaller tool is obviously homemade - I cut a piece of 1" foam to the width of the 120 grit belt sander paper (it got too much moisture sitting in my basement for years, and pulled apart at the seam). It happens to work quite well for the shoulder and other areas that are too tight for the large sanding tool.

 

An update on my (slow) progress - the weather is getting warmer, and things should move more quickly.





http://smg.beta.photobucket.com/user/NeilBlanchard/media/CarBEN%20EV%20Concept/DSC_0343_zps2c8b4043.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

 

I am going to bring my CarBEN EV project to the Framingham (MA) Earth Day Festival, which is happening on April 27th 11:00am-3:00pm at the Framingham Center Common; between Vernon Street, Edgell Road and Route 30; just north of the Framingham Center exit on Route 9.

What I have so far is the entire chassis built from foam and close to being ready for fiberglass. Here's my photo album of the construction process so far: CarBEN EV Concept Photos by NeilBlanchard | Photobucket

Please come if you can, and see the CarBEN EV5 that I have been working on for several years!

Some recent photos after a few more hours of work in on smoothing the inside:

 

That looks really great, Neil!

I'll look you up next time you are in the SoCal neighborhood.