Morphic Studies

[AriLea]

Yes, definitely I like sliding doors. Very much depends on the geometry of the body. For some shapes the sliders will involve too much weight or too much complexity. It works best if the body shape has straight horizontal lines, one along the top of the door, bottom and to the rear of it near the middle. And these need to be slightly longer than the intended opening.
The swing-ups are heavy, hard to seal, and require some internal space, but are very simple mechanically.

The alternative entry types I consider are,
Gullwing,(up)
Butterfly,(forward at 45degrees up)
Suicide,(backward, possibly at some angle)
Slider, (slide out or slide back, never slide-in for this platform)
Swing-Ups,(rotate up)
Clamshell,(or hatch, single hinge axis or multiple link arms)
Cockpit/Canopy-Slider, (high step-over)
Multiple-Segment-Folding,
Multiple-Segment-Slider,
Multiple-Segment-CenterPost(horizontal or vertical),
Lay-Flat.(down/inverted gull)
Hybrids of the above.

The Sam-Cree had a Multi-Segment-Folding with horizontal split.

And then there is an array of blind and visible hinge types.

 

[Ty]

Yes, definitely I like sliding doors. Very much depends on the geometry of the body. For some shapes the sliders will involve too much weight or too much complexity. It works best if the body shape has straight horizontal lines, one along the top of the door, bottom and to the rear of it near the middle. And these need to be slightly longer than the intended opening.
The swing-ups are heavy, hard to seal, and require some internal space, but are very simple mechanically.

The alternative entry types I consider are,
Gullwing,(up)
Butterfly,(forward at 45degrees up)
Suicide,(backward, possibly at some angle)
Slider, (slide out or slide back, never slide-in for this platform)
Swing-Ups,(rotate up)
Clamshell,(or hatch, single hinge axis or multiple link arms)
Cockpit/Canopy-Slider, (high step-over)
Multiple-Segment-Folding,
Multiple-Segment-Slider,
Multiple-Segment-CenterPost(horizontal or vertical),
Lay-Flat.(down/inverted gull)
Hybrids of the above.

The Sam-Cree had a Multi-Segment-Folding with horizontal split.

And then there is an array of blind and visible hinge types.

I figured you examined all kinds of doors for your 3 wheeler. I didn't realize there were THAT many though!

 

[AriLea]

I figured you examined all kinds of doors for your 3 wheeler. I didn't realize there were THAT many though!

Speaking of doors, the clam shell entry seems to be the goto solution for these full forms in solo/tandem seating, it's simple but one needs to put up with the high step over, not a favorite for anyone wearing a dress or kilt...

So continuing the obsession...... this is a charmer...60's Vet Style!

It looks solo, but actually it's got a tandem rumble-seat.

 

[NSTG8R]

You've got some serious SketchUp skills, AriLea!

Not that you want/need to learn another CAD program, but I came across a free CAD software by AutoCAD that blows everything I've used, including the expensive stuff here at work, clear out of the water as far as short learning curve [intuitive] and rendering results. It's called Fusion 360 and it's free to use as long as you're not making more than $50k a year off the projects you create on the software. I'd love to see what one of your creations would look like fully rendered out [and I'm betting you would too! ]

Just a sample. I was playing around with it in my living room and and modeled my TV console. You can add realistic "appearance" materials, or convert them to "physical" materials for FEA testing [yep...does that too!]

Anyway...pretty cool software for FREE!

It [Fusion 360] is able to import meshes. Maybe I'll upload one or your files from 3Dwarehouse [I think that's the place] and see if it'll work!

 

[AriLea]

Cool! Fusion 360 sounds very interesting. I do tend to drop the ball after an initial sketch, given my goal of simply seeking a comparison of styles from which I can interpret the relative merits. And thusly, I tend to make images that mostly engage people who have visualization/imagination skills comparable to my own, or would be interested in the knowledge academically.

But if I was to seek more realistic renderings like yours above, I'd have to spend a little more effort toward finishing out and correcting the forms. Maybe even add interiors and other operational components. That does leave less time for the actual style search.

However, the benefit would be usefulness extending to other purposes than just my morphic comparisons. (Like selling the idea in other venues, ?kit cars? )

I have to admit my style search results (as a base of information) are actually at such a mature state, I don't really do that as much anymore. I'd much rather 'materialize' that knowledge in some way at this point. But I do still have the problem that moved me towards style study in the first place, time and money.

 

[NSTG8R]

Any chance you have the version of SketchUp that can export one of your Elio concepts as a .dwg or .dxf file? I downloaded your "Super Mod" Elio model, but can't get it to load, but I'm pretty sure I could get one of those other two files to import into Fusion 360, add some realistic materials, and "possibly" get something to render for your viewing pleasure. Still fairly new at Fusion, but practice makes perfect!

 

[RSchneider]

You've got some serious SketchUp skills, AriLea!

Not that you want/need to learn another CAD program, but I came across a free CAD software by AutoCAD that blows everything I've used, including the expensive stuff here at work, clear out of the water as far as short learning curve [intuitive] and rendering results. It's called Fusion 360 and it's free to use as long as you're not making more than $50k a year off the projects you create on the software. I'd love to see what one of your creations would look like fully rendered out [and I'm betting you would too! ]

Just a sample. I was playing around with it in my living room and and modeled my TV console. You can add realistic "appearance" materials, or convert them to "physical" materials for FEA testing [yep...does that too!]

Anyway...pretty cool software for FREE!

It [Fusion 360] is able to import meshes. Maybe I'll upload one or your files from 3Dwarehouse [I think that's the place] and see if it'll work!

View attachment 22671 View attachment 22672

Nice pic. I had a 1973 914 2.0 and a 1976. Great cars but they sure did rust out in a heartbeat.

 

[AriLea]

Any chance you have the version of SketchUp that can export one of your Elio concepts as a .dwg or .dxf file? I downloaded your "Super Mod" Elio model, but can't get it to load, but I'm pretty sure I could get one of those other two files to import into Fusion 360, add some realistic materials, and "possibly" get something to render for your viewing pleasure. Still fairly new at Fusion, but practice makes perfect!

Yes, have the export extension at home. I will try and accomplish that tonight. The Generic free 2017 sketchup can only export Collada (.dae) files and prior versions of sketchup. At home I have a pro-version of 2018 with pro exporters.

 

[NSTG8R]

Yes, have the export extension at home. I will try and accomplish that tonight. The Generic free 2017 sketchup can only export Collada (.dae) files and prior versions of sketchup. At home I have a pro-version of 2018 with pro exporters.

Fantastic! Please PM me the file of your favorite version and I'll see what I can do with it.

 

[NSTG8R]

Nice pic. I had a 1973 914 2.0 and a 1976. Great cars but they sure did rust out in a heartbeat.

I've got a '73 that's solid as a rock and has been modified to drop in a V8 [will be installing a Subaru SVX 3.3 boxer engine in that one], a '74 that's completely stock [all original everything] and is going to stay that way, and a '75 that is pretty far gone in the rust department. Thinking of dropping the body on a chopped Jeep chassis for mud runs and playing around on trails...that, and to drive the Porsche Purists nuts.