Check out the methods of traditional wooden boat building--
I gotta believe Jack Costella has the most practical approach to this kind of
construction for the "do it yourself" racer. I think that 3D CAD-CAM-CNC
approaches are beyond the resources and patience of any who are not already
practitioners of that art form.
But there's a middle ground that some may want to look at in the centuries old
art of carvel style wooden boat building. There is a huge body of published
literature on the subject and much info to be pulled up with an internet
search.
If you're inclined toward model building (like when it's too cold to be out in
the garage) the "plank on frame" technique used to build sailing ship models
is worth looking at. Glue stripwood to thin plywood frames in a scale around
1:12 or 1:8 and sand it smooth. There are a few plastic model kits available
in these larger scales that might offer components like wheels and engines.
Ed Weldon
|