Senior Project Idea Help!

[j.concepcion54321]

Hey guys,

My school recquires that we complete a senior project in the second semester of the school year, I figured id get planning now. By then i should be all set as far as where im going to college so for my senior project im not gonna try to impress anyone but myself... meaning im gonna build something Theres a lot of requirements but basically we need to have a physical project, an essay, some sort of presentation, and we have to have a mentor that we work with for a minimum of 6 hours total. So i think im gonna have to find either a metal fabricator, or a mechanic as my mentor.

So far these are the ideas that ive been throwing around:
-Full out reverse trike build (first few pics)
-Chopper Build
-Maybe something that just bigger than a go kart, but smaller than a car that i could make street legal. Ariel atom look alike perhaps?
-I also have an electric scooter with suspension that i have though about stretching the swingarm, putting on a fat tire, and a gas engine? Go for like the ruckus look.
-Convert a diesel car to run on veggie oil.

Those are things i had been thinking of recently. As far as the grade itself goes i could do just fine choosing a much simpler thing, but i figured i might as well get something out of it. As far as budget goes, idk just yet, it would definitely be on a budget but done right. Hopefully under 800.

Let me know what you guys think as far as aspects of my project go. I have a decent amount of time still so i just want to make sure i know what im doing. Also if you have any ideas of your own then throw them up here!!!!

 

[j.concepcion54321]

http://newhaven.craigslist.org/cto/4060577474.html

found this relatively close if i was gonna go the route of the WVO

 

[exenos]

A chopper may not be the best idea depending on who is going to be judging/grading the project. Really I think you should do a atom clone using a vw TDI engine running on WVO. Combining 2 into one would give you lots of stuff to write about on the essay, plus you'd have a sports car that still gets 35-40 mpg, enough to be a daily driver.

You can use the FWD transaxle and engine from the TDI to make a mid engined RWD car.

 

[robbie]

If I were you I would buy the Volkswagen and add a vegetable oil tank. It's a simple conversion, you would impress your teachers and get a good grade. Later, you can put it into a sports car if you want to, but I would just drive it.

The article I read about running a car on vegetable oil said that you add an extra tank and install a T-valve in the dashboard to select one tank or the other. Start the car on diesel and let it warm up. Then switch over to vegetable oil. When you're ready to stop, switch back to diesel long enough to purge the vegetable oil from the injector system before you turn it off.

 

[j.concepcion54321]

Yeah I'm thinking of going tht route myself. Its hard to get the older diesel's around here. Idk if I should get it now, or wait til its closer to the time, then do it. Ill probably stet gathering money and materials now. Just get it going and looking good. I thought I had to buy a wvo kit, I didn't know i could just make it.

 

[j.concepcion54321]

Anyone else for ideas? Maybe a wvo go kart or buggy with an industrial diesel engine?

 

[itsid]

Personally I like the reverse trike the most.
(Awesome rendering in the last pic btw!)
maybe with an electric motor allthough the CBR engine looks like "more roar"

And since I see no differene in making it street legal compared to an Arial replica
I'd personally favour that, since it's more unique.

'sid

 

[loud1]

Make an on/off road Atom type vehicle.

 

[j.concepcion54321]

Ok so I started to toss ideas out to my mom and shes been shooting stuff down. Lol. My sister didn't spend any money on hers so my mom is upset that I'm thinking of spending so much money to do mine. So that's another thing I'm thinking of and I keep going back to making something small, or something practical. Thanks for all the input so far, I'm definitely not done with this I just need to convince her. Lol.

I think a fat tire, stretched chopper would be pretty cool, or the same thing but on a moped would be coolt aswell. Idk. I want something ill be able to legally drive on the street to make it worthwhile.

Another option is just a full offroad build aswell, but that's a lot less practical for me

 

[itsid]

To convince a mom... Fortuna shall be with you!

No seriously, do some thorough research on what's needed to make a vehicle street legal in your area.
Do all the calculations you can (whenever guestimating, double the amount!)
And as soon as you're 100% convinced that it'll work whatever you're up to;
THEN go and ask your mom again.
Bring all your notes, so that you can answer all questions.

You need a bulletproof plan to convince her, not a rough idea,
oh and don't beg that's annoying as H311

The best of luck!

'sid

 

[exenos]

How about a electric motorcycle? That's practical. almost no fuel cost and its perfect to run around town with. Electric is almost always associated with "slow" and "low power" ( its not) so it should be a bit easier to swing than gas.

EDIT: Can get a bit pricey if you buy everything new so that may be a problem.

 

[j.concepcion54321]

Yeah im veering away from the idea of using electric. Just cause of price, but if i could find an old forklift for cheap than i might consider an ev.

As far as the motorcycle idea it could work and that would definitely be cool, but i only get my regular drivers license in march so after that it would be another year or so until i can ride a motorcycle legally on the street. Thats why i was pushing a moped or something earlier.

 

[itsid]

but i only get my regular drivers license in march so after that it would be another year or so until i can ride a motorcycle legally on the street.

Huh?

You are one crazy nation I must say

first drive a car, than a motorbike..
first shoot a rifle than get a beer.
first cohabitate than say the three words....

ODD!

we get to ride small motorcycles when we are 16 (125cc 10HP fast enough for US Highways, not really fast enough for a german Autobahn )
and a car when we're 18 (well 17 nowadays *shrugs*)
We are legally allowed to drink a beer at 16, and not allowed to shoot a gun at all (well.. you need a license and a gun club or gun range membership...)
We generally first hold hands and kiss and tell eight letter lies before we get to the promised lands.
And that's before beer

Sometimes it's geat on this side of the pond

'sid

 

[exenos]

What's the insurance like for the kids with bikes there? It's well over 3 grand a year to put me on a 125cc bike ( 19 and have had had my drivers license for 3 years). It's just to crazy expensive to even think about.

 

[itsid]

What's the insurance like for the kids with bikes there? It's well over 3 grand a year to put me on a 125cc bike ( 19 and have had had my drivers license for 3 years). It's just to crazy expensive to even think about.

more expensive than for an adult... but not anywhere close to 3k;
depending on the insurance company and where you're at, around 500 Euro.

(when I was that age.. it was about half of that... strange days )

'sid

 

[j.concepcion54321]

haha, yeah the states are a little strange..... Gotta love 'Merica huh? lol

on another note i talked to some friends in engineering and tgey said theyd be able to help me with some of the designing on CAD no matter which route i chose. So thats a plus. Ive really been feeling the reverse trike lately... but id have to make it a 2 seater

EDIT: on another note, im skeptical towards wether my welds could hold up at highway speeds hahaha

 

[j.concepcion54321]

Hey guys I'm back to the drawing board. My senior project doesn't start til February so I still have time. I lost a deal on a rabbit I found for 500 bucks. My dad is leaning towards that route because that was his first car and he loves the idea of having another one in the family.

I haven't done any diy stuff in a while though so I would really want to do a full build.

 

[j.concepcion54321]

OK guys, with senior project right around the corner i think im going to go this route. As some of you know i still have an 89 ktm 125 dirtbike which is pretty much complete as far as the frame goes. Engine wise its not so great so i thought about doing an electric motorcycle. If i can find a good source for my parts then it shouldnt be too expensive. I get free transportation to and from school, as well as locally. ITs quiet so people wont complain, but its a project which i love doing and its still a dirtbike!!!!

I saw this guys video and really liked the power that this one had, as well as the fact that it is pretty simplistic and realistic for me to do.

RIght now i need ideas for household items or things that could be purchased cheaply that have good electric DC motors that i could use for this purpose. I thought about using a 24 volt starter motor like that from a truck, and connecting a liquid cooling system to it to keep the motor from overheating under the constant abuse. Let me know what you guys think?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cqITwTBARQ