Race Car

Abstract

The present invention relates to a race care design having a number of novel features. The car is constructed as a tube-frame chassis covered in a stressed steel skin welded thereto, such that the skin becomes a stressed component of the entire car. The car's driveline is assembled using an off-the-shelf transmission and a rear end with custom adaptors to couple the rear end to the transmission and to couple the driveline to the car chassis for rigidity. The prior art rear end is modified from its standard solid rear axle configuration to an independent suspension for each rear wheel through the use of several adaptor components.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A race car chassis, comprising: 
 a plurality of tubular elements welded together to form a frame of the race car; and    a plurality of steel skin sections welded to the frame;    wherein the plurality of steel skin sections form a stressed component of the race car.    
     
     
         2 . The race car chassis of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tubular elements comprise 1010 mild steel round welded-seam tubing.  
     
     
         3 . The race car chassis of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tubular elements comprise 1010 mild steel square welded-seam tubing.  
     
     
         4 . The race car chassis of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the plurality of tubular elements form a roll cage for a driver of the race car, wherein the portion of the plurality of tubular elements comprises 1½″×0.120″ wall DOM 1026 round steel tubing.  
     
     
         5 . The race car chassis of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of steel skin sections comprise 0.0048″ 1010/1015 cold-rolled steel.  
     
     
         6 . The race car chassis of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of steel skin sections are attached to the frame using MIG spot welds.  
     
     
         7 . The race car chassis of  claim 1 , wherein at least one junction between the plurality of steel skin sections and the plurality of tubular elements comprises a first series of spot welds on a first side of the steel skin section and a second series of spot welds on a second, opposite side of the steel skin section, wherein the first and second series of spot welds are interstitially spaced.  
     
     
         8 . A method for welding a substantially flat sheet of metal to a section of metal tubing, comprising the steps of: 
 a) placing the metal sheet such that a first edge of metal sheet rests upon the metal tubing and a remainder of the metal sheet extends beyond the metal tubing;    b) forming a first series of spot welds from a first side of the metal sheet and along the first edge of the metal sheet, thereby joining the metal sheet to the metal tubing;    c) forming a second series of spot welds from a second side of the metal sheet and along an intersection between the second side of the metal sheet and the metal tubing, thereby further joining the metal sheet to the metal tubing, wherein the first and second series of spot welds are interstitially spaced.    
     
     
         9 . A rear axle for a race car, comprising: 
 a rear end having an input shaft;    a hollow spool coupled to the rear end and operative to rotate with rotation of the rear end input shaft, the spool having a first spool side and a second spool side thereof;    first and second half axles, the first half axle coupled to the first spool side and the second half axle coupled to the second spool side, each of the first and second half axles comprising: 
 a rear end adaptor flange having a first rear end flange side coupled to the spool, and a second rear end flange side;  
 a half shaft having a first half shaft side coupled to the second rear end flange side, and a second half shaft side;  
 a hub adaptor flange having a first hub flange side coupled to the second half shaft side, and a second hub flange side;  
 a short shaft having a first short shaft side coupled to the second hub flange side, and a second short shaft side; and  
 a wheel hub coupled to the second short shaft side.  
   
     
     
         10 . The rear axle of  claim 9 , wherein: 
 the first and second spool sides include a plurality of circumferential pins protruding therefrom; and    the first rear end flange side includes a plurality of circumferential holes formed therein; and    the rear end adaptor flange is coupled to the spool by mating of the plurality of circumferential pins with the plurality of circumferential holes.    
     
     
         11 . The rear axle of  claim 9 , wherein the hub adaptor flange further comprises: 
 a plurality of circumferential holes formed in the first hub flange side; and    a plurality of female splines formed in the second hub flange side.    
     
     
         12 . An independent rear suspension for a race car, comprising: 
 an upright having a passage therethrough, said passage having a first bearing surface and a second bearing surface;    a hub having an internal bearing surface rotatingly engaging the first bearing surface;    a short shaft extending through said passage and having a first end coupled to the hub and a second end rotatingly engaging the second bearing surface; and    at least one suspension component coupling the upright to a chassis of the race car.    
     
     
         13 . The independent rear suspension of  claim 12 , wherein the first bearing surface is an external bearing surface and the second bearing surface is an internal bearing surface.  
     
     
         14 . The independent rear suspension of  claim 12 , wherein the short shaft comprises: 
 a shaft having a first externally splined end and a second externally splined end;    an adaptor flange having an internally splined surface engaging the second externally splined end, and a flange bearing surface rotatingly engaging the second bearing surface.    
     
     
         15 . The independent rear suspension of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one suspension component comprises a plurality of A-arms.