So dumb

JWH

JWH

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Sand car manufacturers and “designers” never cease to amaze me.

Behold a 2022 model of a major brand. Not only have they buried the battery in such a way that you have to remove the light bar, roof & inner roof, windshield assembly, rear quarter panels, doors, hood in order to get to the battery. Now it looks as if I have to break a line open on the power steering rack to get the bracket and battery out. I’m so tired of this dumbassery!

Also earlier today I installed a freshly reupholstered dash board & I wanted to remove the passenger side floor panel so I could reach up under the dash from below but I couldn’t. In order to get to the very last Zeus fitting on the floor, I’d have to first remove the entire fuel cell. WTF man. This Sh!t just never ends and it’s a tale tell sign of lazy, unmotivated design.

I own a state of the art sheetmetal and fab shop with in-house Amada laser, Amada press brake, Bluco fixture tables, savant level TIG welders and Garmat automotive paint booth, prep station and mixing room with 3 full time painters, to name a few tools. Access to machining centers and BLM brand CNC tube laser and BLM CNC mandrel bending.

I’m finally convinced I could do a better job manufacturing a sand cars than what I’ve seen. I know nothing about suspension geometry but I am now convinced that not a required prerequisite …. just contract that design out. Lots of brilliant suspension minds out there for advising on quick-change setups between dune, Shea Rd and straight-line drag race setups. I have 3 full time Solidworks engineers in-house that can fine tune details after the main frame and suspension is established. I will make sure the car can be worked on in the dunes and in a shop. Preferably with just a small handful of simple tools.

I understand how good design impacts manufacturing at high speed & volume while maintaining near perfect tolerances. Not a single tape measure needed. All CNC controlled, fixtured with parts that all index with tabs/slots. It’s shocking to see “high-end” sand car builders using MIG welders, gross, and doing so on home-made rotisserie things that are probably an inch out of square, manual tube notchers, analog benders and home-made jigs. That’s the reason for the 2 year backlog or other brands rolling out 3 complete cars per year.

I don’t want to handle all the finish work. There are tons of skilled speed shops in nearly every city close to the clients homes that can handle the final build. I’d only deliver a rolling chassis w/ dash, steering, suspension, signature wheelset or rollers, hubs, brakes, pedal assembly, fuel cell, interchangeable brackets for all the major transaxles and LS engine blocks etc and an easy-off carbon or glass body. I’d want to model the placement for brackets for catch cans, fire suppression, electronics, fuel pumps, radiators, fans with flexibility for the final build to either go turbo or supercharged.

Drag cars are still not super easy to work on but at least you can lift the body off in about 5 minutes and access most everything and our body would have to come off easily.

I don’t see why we couldn’t always keep a car in stock or roll 1-4 cars a week off the line and for a very competitive price due to quantity and efficiency.

As long as 45 can stay alive and get re-elected, I’m building a next gen sand car that checks all these boxes. I’m open to discussing with parties who have a skillset to bring to the table by either their inclusion or by contracting. Of not elected, none of this is going to matter. I’ll get back to trying to figure out if this tightly placed power steering line is really going to have to come off.

Happy Labor Day weekend 🇺🇸
 

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Where in AZ are you? Be pretty cool to see something start from the ground up like this.

Welcome to the forum by the way.

If you need any CNC machined parts for the venture let me know.

RD
 
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Only a couple of brands execute sand cars well these days IMO. SCU (new owner) is really doing some amazing things. Alumicraft and Funco are also works of art. If it was me; I would do molded carbon bodywork (super light and saves the ridiculously time consuming fab work for an aluminum body. (I forget the actual weight, but Alumicraft's new carbon body is unbelievably light).
 
I have found in business that there is a big difference between being able to provide a quality service or product and over coming all the logistical crap of providing that service or product including getting enough paying customers to stay profitable. I am not doubting your ability to produce a quality sandcar just your estimate of “all the other crap” you would have to over come to do it profitably.
Best of wishes to you or anyone producing more sandcars or sandcar parts.
 
Sand rails, at the time I started, you had better have some skills because you were building it yourself.
 
I say go for it, new blood with new fresh ideas to improve how to get product into the hands of the people. Especially if you can do it ways that make it more affordable. I personally like the idea of a manufacturer just doing the base rolling chassis and letting me finish it up.
 
JWH said:
Sand car manufacturers and “designers” never cease to amaze me.

Behold a 2022 model of a major brand. Not only have they buried the battery in such a way that you have to remove the light bar, roof & inner roof, windshield assembly, rear quarter panels, doors, hood in order to get to the battery. Now it looks as if I have to break a line open on the power steering rack to get the bracket and battery out. I’m so tired of this dumbassery!

Also earlier today I installed a freshly reupholstered dash board & I wanted to remove the passenger side floor panel so I could reach up under the dash from below but I couldn’t. In order to get to the very last Zeus fitting on the floor, I’d have to first remove the entire fuel cell. WTF man. This Sh!t just never ends and it’s a tale tell sign of lazy, unmotivated design.

I own a state of the art sheetmetal and fab shop with in-house Amada laser, Amada press brake, Bluco fixture tables, savant level TIG welders and Garmat automotive paint booth, prep station and mixing room with 3 full time painters, to name a few tools. Access to machining centers and BLM brand CNC tube laser and BLM CNC mandrel bending.

I’m finally convinced I could do a better job manufacturing a sand cars than what I’ve seen. I know nothing about suspension geometry but I am now convinced that not a required prerequisite …. just contract that design out. Lots of brilliant suspension minds out there for advising on quick-change setups between dune, Shea Rd and straight-line drag race setups. I have 3 full time Solidworks engineers in-house that can fine tune details after the main frame and suspension is established. I will make sure the car can be worked on in the dunes and in a shop. Preferably with just a small handful of simple tools.

I understand how good design impacts manufacturing at high speed & volume while maintaining near perfect tolerances. Not a single tape measure needed. All CNC controlled, fixtured with parts that all index with tabs/slots. It’s shocking to see “high-end” sand car builders using MIG welders, gross, and doing so on home-made rotisserie things that are probably an inch out of square, manual tube notchers, analog benders and home-made jigs. That’s the reason for the 2 year backlog or other brands rolling out 3 complete cars per year.

I don’t want to handle all the finish work. There are tons of skilled speed shops in nearly every city close to the clients homes that can handle the final build. I’d only deliver a rolling chassis w/ dash, steering, suspension, signature wheelset or rollers, hubs, brakes, pedal assembly, fuel cell, interchangeable brackets for all the major transaxles and LS engine blocks etc and an easy-off carbon or glass body. I’d want to model the placement for brackets for catch cans, fire suppression, electronics, fuel pumps, radiators, fans with flexibility for the final build to either go turbo or supercharged.

Drag cars are still not super easy to work on but at least you can lift the body off in about 5 minutes and access most everything and our body would have to come off easily.

I don’t see why we couldn’t always keep a car in stock or roll 1-4 cars a week off the line and for a very competitive price due to quantity and efficiency.

As long as 45 can stay alive and get re-elected, I’m building a next gen sand car that checks all these boxes. I’m open to discussing with parties who have a skillset to bring to the table by either their inclusion or by contracting. Of not elected, none of this is going to matter. I’ll get back to trying to figure out if this tightly placed power steering line is really going to have to come off.

Happy Labor Day weekend 🇺🇸
Click to expand...
I agree with everything you said. The sandrail industry is miles behind when it comes to using the current technology.

Nearly every rail I have worked on the removal of the tranny is a nightmare. They will sandwich the tranny mounts and place a fuel cell or radiator so close that it needs to be removed as well to get tranny out. Build a chassis with a sub frame that can be dropped out the bottom for easy tranny service. If you ever upgrade tranny, buy the appropriate sub frame and it bolts right in. Sub frame can be tied into the chassis like a shear wall and add strength to the frame.

You could even sell this chassis as a kit and ship it. Have the customer snap it together and weld the chassis up. I am sure there are dozens of DIY'ers around the world that would love this option. With the locating notches and tabs on all the tubes and flat work, it snaps together like a lego set. Have 3 versions, 2 and 4 seat rear engine and a 2 seat mid engine. Have fiberglass or carbon bodies built and maybe give 2 options for different body designs.
 
I have no idea what the cost are, I do think there is a market for chassis kits?
 
JWH said:
Sand car manufacturers and “designers” never cease to amaze me.

Behold a 2022 model of a major brand. Not only have they buried the battery in such a way that you have to remove the light bar, roof & inner roof, windshield assembly, rear quarter panels, doors, hood in order to get to the battery. Now it looks as if I have to break a line open on the power steering rack to get the bracket and battery out. I’m so tired of this dumbassery!

Also earlier today I installed a freshly reupholstered dash board & I wanted to remove the passenger side floor panel so I could reach up under the dash from below but I couldn’t. In order to get to the very last Zeus fitting on the floor, I’d have to first remove the entire fuel cell. WTF man. This Sh!t just never ends and it’s a tale tell sign of lazy, unmotivated design.

I own a state of the art sheetmetal and fab shop with in-house Amada laser, Amada press brake, Bluco fixture tables, savant level TIG welders and Garmat automotive paint booth, prep station and mixing room with 3 full time painters, to name a few tools. Access to machining centers and BLM brand CNC tube laser and BLM CNC mandrel bending.

I’m finally convinced I could do a better job manufacturing a sand cars than what I’ve seen. I know nothing about suspension geometry but I am now convinced that not a required prerequisite …. just contract that design out. Lots of brilliant suspension minds out there for advising on quick-change setups between dune, Shea Rd and straight-line drag race setups. I have 3 full time Solidworks engineers in-house that can fine tune details after the main frame and suspension is established. I will make sure the car can be worked on in the dunes and in a shop. Preferably with just a small handful of simple tools.

I understand how good design impacts manufacturing at high speed & volume while maintaining near perfect tolerances. Not a single tape measure needed. All CNC controlled, fixtured with parts that all index with tabs/slots. It’s shocking to see “high-end” sand car builders using MIG welders, gross, and doing so on home-made rotisserie things that are probably an inch out of square, manual tube notchers, analog benders and home-made jigs. That’s the reason for the 2 year backlog or other brands rolling out 3 complete cars per year.

I don’t want to handle all the finish work. There are tons of skilled speed shops in nearly every city close to the clients homes that can handle the final build. I’d only deliver a rolling chassis w/ dash, steering, suspension, signature wheelset or rollers, hubs, brakes, pedal assembly, fuel cell, interchangeable brackets for all the major transaxles and LS engine blocks etc and an easy-off carbon or glass body. I’d want to model the placement for brackets for catch cans, fire suppression, electronics, fuel pumps, radiators, fans with flexibility for the final build to either go turbo or supercharged.

Drag cars are still not super easy to work on but at least you can lift the body off in about 5 minutes and access most everything and our body would have to come off easily.

I don’t see why we couldn’t always keep a car in stock or roll 1-4 cars a week off the line and for a very competitive price due to quantity and efficiency.

As long as 45 can stay alive and get re-elected, I’m building a next gen sand car that checks all these boxes. I’m open to discussing with parties who have a skillset to bring to the table by either their inclusion or by contracting. Of not elected, none of this is going to matter. I’ll get back to trying to figure out if this tightly placed power steering line is really going to have to come off.

Happy Labor Day weekend 🇺🇸
Click to expand...

Nice shop! 👍🏼
 
Desert Dynamics had a business model with similarities. He sold chassis' and local shops would finish them off and put their name on them. He also built turn key cars but sounded like he was a nightmare to deal with. I wouldn't get involved in turn key cars. Too many variables and customer service. Build a quality, affordable chassis with current solid works design. I love the idea!

Have a simple website with drop down menu's to build the chassis with all the options. Engine and tranny mounts, seat brackets, steering brackets, mid or micro's, shock mount locations, seat belt mounts, body mounts or dzus tabs, engine accessories. etc.

Everything they would need to have welded on the car can be an option with a price. Have 2 or 3 rear cage designs they can pick from for that customizable option.
 
JM PRO said:
Desert Dynamics had a business model with similarities. He sold chassis' and local shops would finish them off and put their name on them. He also built turn key cars but sounded like he was a nightmare to deal with. I wouldn't get involved in turn key cars. Too many variables and customer service. Build a quality, affordable chassis with current solid works design. I love the idea!

Have a simple website with drop down menu's to build the chassis with all the options. Engine and tranny mounts, seat brackets, steering brackets, mid or micro's, shock mount locations, seat belt mounts, body mounts or dzus tabs, engine accessories. etc.

Everything they would need to have welded on the car can be an option with a price. Have 2 or 3 rear cage designs they can pick from for that customizable option.
Click to expand...
doing turnkey builds had a big part in taking desert dynamics down as dave couldnt manage all the expenses or keep track of parts of doing turnkey stuff.
 
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