My Elio Alternate Project Is Underway.

[Mark BEX]

On the lighter side of things, Can I assume that you speak fluent Mandarin or Cantonese having lived their for so long? Chinese language must be one of the hardest to learn (maybe next to Japanese) let alone write (or paint? ) it!

I can speak a cross between Mandarin and local Sichuan language (the 3rd biggest language in China, based on about 70% Mandarin) reasonably well, enough to get around by myself, but often have trouble understanding what they are saying back to me.

Many surprising points about the reconised 70 Chinese languages, but many more local dialects as well.

Surpising things such as Shanghai language is so unique, no one else in China can understand it at all, but of course it's not a problem because they all speak Mandarin as well.

It's kind of funny when we fly or train to other Provinces, and go out and grab a taxi, and the taxi driver can't understand my wife and vice versa. My wife speaks Sichuan language and is fluent in Mandarin, and speaks a number of minor Provincial and regional languages as well.

Even though Madarin and Cantonese are 100% completely different spoken languages, the writing (characters) is the same! In the same vein, Taiwanese people also speak fluent Mandarin, but their writing is completely different to Mainland writing!

Could be here all day, but one final one; The Chinese President 'deng xiao ping' (note that there is no high case letters used in Chinese pinyin writing), who was instrumental in the opening of China in the 1980s, only spoke Sichuan language (70% Mandarin), never learned or spoke Mandarin.

 

[Mark BEX]

Ok, Your serious attention is required please.

I am making a serious change to the car's concept. Please read all ...

Ever since I started on this project, the rear seat has been bugging me, in regards to a person having to sit back there in a confined space, staring at the back of the driver's seat and head, I have always felt it was unnaceptable, and of course was the major reason I moved to having a rear door.

But it doesn't help the space issue, or rather, the lack of space for the passenger, especially their legs of course, and it's been eating at me the entire project, along with a few other annoyances, a critical one being the fitment of air conditioning under the dash, there simple isn't room.

So 2 weeks ago, i decided to test out a "staggered seat" arrangement, modifying the current design to be wider at the base, but no wider at the roof, obviously tilting the sides to achieve that (3 degrees each side), and mending a few design issues as well along the way, but I digress ....

"Staggered seating" is achieved by moving the driver's seat to the left, and the rear seat to the right, offsetting them to each other, and here are the reasons why:

Passenger is more forward, with full forward viewing access.This also aids in the stability of the 3 wheeler with the weight moved forward away from the single rear wheel.

Passenger feels more part of the trip, rather than hidden 'down in the back'.

Massive leg room for passenger, and that is simply NOT available with tandem seating.

More storage space available, both next to the driver's seat, and directly behind the driver (next to the passenger).

Both seats can be reclined backwards for comfort and naps, with passenger in the car.

2 x front doors only needed, better visual balance of car design rather than "odd door".

2 OEM front doors allows use of OEM door trims, making internal trimming of car less complicated, and improved internal asthetics. Also electric windows on both front doors.

Length of car and length of wheelbase will be shorter shorter for better parking and maneuverability.

Overall styling presence improved due to better length to width ratio.

Car is lighter and cheaper due to less material useage.

Rear vision improved due to greater taper angle and narrower rear.

Car's stability and safety is improved with better 'reverse trike wheelbase triangle' ratio, and passenger/storage weight further forward.

Use of more standard 'off the shelf' parts such as steering rack, brake master cylinder, brake booster and pedal box (that before had to be assembled from different models cars) and modified previously. Also standard steering intermediate shaft, and clutch master cylinder and pedal box.

Most of these are important changes, but one of the most important is large area now available for an air conditioner unit, which was proving to be an issue.

In summary the main primary reasons for the change are:

-Passenger comfort.
-Passenger forward vision, and can see driver's face.
-Air conditioner fitment.
-Ease of cargo carrying ability.
-Ability to utilise unmodified OEM components, and less bespoke parts.
-The awesome things I have forgotten to write here today.

Anyway, look at the video for some explanation ..

 

[Grumpy Cat]

Where is the door going, to the right or left? If the door is on the right, the seating position makes sense, if on the left, I would think you'd want to push the driver to the right and the passenger to the left, just so it is easier to get in and out of.

 

[Mark BEX]

Where is the door going, to the right or left? If the door is on the right, the seating position makes sense, if on the left, I would think you'd want to push the driver to the right and the passenger to the left, just so it is easier to get in and out of.

As in the text and the video, 2 normal front doors, like a 2 door coupe.

I would never have one door like the Elio, I could see people getting trapped in an accident.

 

[Ace]

Ok, Your serious attention is required please.

I am making a serious change to the car's concept. Please read all ...

Ever since I started on this project, the rear seat has been bugging me, in regards to a person having to sit back there in a confined space, staring at the back of the driver's seat and head, I have always felt it was unnaceptable, and of course was the major reason I moved to having a rear door.

But it doesn't help the space issue, or rather, the lack of space for the passenger, especially their legs of course, and it's been eating at me the entire project, along with a few other annoyances, a critical one being the fitment of air conditioning under the dash, there simple isn't room.

So 2 weeks ago, i decided to test out a "staggered seat" arrangement, modifying the current design to be wider at the base, but no wider at the roof, obviously tilting the sides to achieve that (3 degrees each side), and mending a few design issues as well along the way, but I digress ....

"Staggered seating" is achieved by moving the driver's seat to the left, and the rear seat to the right, offsetting them to each other, and here are the reasons why:

Passenger is more forward, with full forward viewing access.This also aids in the stability of the 3 wheeler with the weight moved forward away from the single rear wheel.

Passenger feels more part of the trip, rather than hidden 'down in the back'.

Massive leg room for passenger, and that is simply NOT available with tandem seating.

More storage space available, both next to the driver's seat, and directly behind the driver (next to the passenger).

Both seats can be reclined backwards for comfort and naps, with passenger in the car.

2 x front doors only needed, better visual balance of car design rather than "odd door".

2 OEM front doors allows use of OEM door trims, making internal trimming of car less complicated, and improved internal asthetics. Also electric windows on both front doors.

Length of car and length of wheelbase will be shorter shorter for better parking and maneuverability.

Overall styling presence improved due to better length to width ratio.

Car is lighter and cheaper due to less material useage.

Rear vision improved due to greater taper angle and narrower rear.

Car's stability and safety is improved with better 'reverse trike wheelbase triangle' ratio, and passenger/storage weight further forward.

Use of more standard 'off the shelf' parts such as steering rack, brake master cylinder, brake booster and pedal box (that before had to be assembled from different models cars) and modified previously. Also standard steering intermediate shaft, and clutch master cylinder and pedal box.

Most of these are important changes, but one of the most important is large area now available for an air conditioner unit, which was proving to be an issue.

In summary the main primary reasons for the change are:

-Passenger comfort.
-Passenger forward vision, and can see driver's face.
-Air conditioner fitment.
-Ease of cargo carrying ability.
-Ability to utilise unmodified OEM components, and less bespoke parts.
-The awesome things I have forgotten to write here today.

Anyway, look at the video for some explanation ..

I don't have a problem with this overall, but I do have a question and a statement.

Question: Shifter location for either the manual or automatic? I may have missed it, but I didn't see it addressed in the video.

Statement: If I was in the passenger seat, I think I'd want a foot well or footrest so that I didn't have to sit with my legs fully extended like that. I'd at least want some bend in my knees with something to put my feet on. Seems like it would a bit awkward to sit like you were sitting for an extended period.

 

[Mel]

As in the text and the video, 2 normal front doors, like a 2 door coupe.

I would never have one door like the Elio, I could see people getting trapped in an accident.

I like it! Where will the shifter go? I can see this being a possible interference with passenger legs.

 

[JEBar]

going to staggered seating makes a great deal of sense to me .... I really like the additional space for both seating areas .... both people will have the same amount of seat room as they would with tandem seating .... they will both gain considerable leg room and easy access to storage space ....

 

[Sonoran Sam]

In watching the video, I'm wondering if the passenger would be more comfortable if the seat was angled towards the passenger door?? Maybe 20-30 degrees?? 45 degrees would be too much, but I'm wondering if that might give them more thigh room?? Or maybe the passenger seat could be on a pivot -- like I've seen in camper vans??

 

[Mel]

In watching the video, I'm wondering if the passenger would be more comfortable if the seat was angled towards the passenger door?? Maybe 20-30 degrees?? 45 degrees would be too much, but I'm wondering if that might give them more thigh room?? Or maybe the passenger seat could be on a pivot -- like I've seen in camper vans??

Probably not, in my opinion. This would defeat a lot of the original reasoning. Storage area and passenger forward visibility would both be decreased.

 

[msmith5150]

Am I crazy to think that the passenger side door could be offset back 6 inches or so to make exiting a bit easier without having it all the way in back like before? Am I making any sense?