Naked at the NEC

[Mike Pass]

There was no connection front to rear on the shocks - just the twp links from each shock side to side. I still can't see what they do but then I'm not an F1 manufacturer!

I can confirm however that, unlike the McLaren, the two Ginetta chassis were superbly put together. I did try to put an offer in but they were well beyond my price bracket and probably way too fast for me anyway.

Cheers
Mike

 

[Jack]

Bet those Ginetta chassis were driven very hard by too many drivers!

 

[Ken Wright]

Those are the "sway bars". The tubes are connected so that upward movment produces the same motion on the other side of the car just like a solid bar would. Allows for easy adjustment.
As one side is compressed the fluid in the top of the shock is transferred to the area under the shock piston in the opposite side (lines are crossed). This allows for free up and down motion but resists the two sides moving in opposite directions.

 

[Mike Pass]

I can see the logic in that but why would there be a normal style metal antiroll bar (swaybar) as well? That's the bit I don't get.
Cheers
Mike

 

[René]

mmm Ginetta, I love that shape
I take 2 please.

 

[Mike]

The car has a "semi-adaptive antiroll system". That's what those tubes/steel pipes connecting the suspension bits apparently are, hydraulic lines.

Car Video, Automotive News, Reviews and Crash Tests - MSN Autos

This came off a video from the Detroit auto show. Click on the Mclaren MP-4 thumbnail on the right to skip the intros.

 

[Mike Pass]

Thanks Mike,
It looks like they have found a way of fine tuning the antiroll setup. Maybe the normal antiroll bar gives a baseline and then the hydraulic sytem then adapts to transient or steady state roll situations. Unsurprisingly there is very scant ibfo about how ir all works - maybe they want to keep it secret from Ferrari!
Cheers
Mike

 

[Mike Pass]

I have been doing a bit of investigating about the new macca set up. I have found out the following.
The rear bar which looks like an antiroll bar is not an antiroll bar. The car does not have any conventional AR bar. It is a Z bar and is there to prevent "heave"
The pipes are connected side to side and front to rear and prevent roll and pitch. This provides a very sophisticated control of roll and pitch. The shocks are pressurised and the pressure can be altered by the driver to vary the amount of control but only when the car is in a straight line. The system is similar to the one used on Citroens and has similar pressure accumulators. Apparently the coil springs are only there as helpers and to stop the car dropping to the ground if the pressure is lost from the system.
Also the apparent rough finish on the carbon tub or Monocell si deliberate as the item is built in one piece and strength is more important than it looking pretty. It is so strong that the same tub was used for all the crash tests. They just removed the trashed alloy end bits and bolted on some new ones.
Cheers
Mike

 

[Jack]

Thanks for that info Mike. Appreciated.