Is There a Type of Wood Strong Enough and Affordable for Building Car Frames?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the feasibility of using wood as a material for building car frames, specifically whether there exists a type of wood that is both stronger and more affordable than current materials used in car manufacturing. The scope includes theoretical considerations, practical applications, and comparisons with existing materials.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants argue that no wood can match the strength-to-weight ratios of metals like aluminum and steel used in modern cars.
  • Others point out that companies like Morgan have successfully used ash for car frames for many years, suggesting that wood can be viable.
  • One participant mentions that wooden cars can achieve high speeds, indicating that performance is possible with wood.
  • Concerns are raised about the safety of wooden cars in collisions compared to metal, particularly regarding energy absorption and malleability.
  • There is a discussion about the effectiveness of polymers in car design, with some suggesting they can be tailored for better performance in specific applications.
  • Participants debate the relevance of lightning strikes to car safety, with differing opinions on the frequency and significance of such events.
  • One participant emphasizes that the original question was about the possibility of using wood for car frames, asserting that the answer is likely "no."

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus; multiple competing views remain regarding the viability of wood as a material for car frames, with some asserting its impracticality while others cite historical examples of successful use.

Contextual Notes

Participants express uncertainty about the specific properties of various woods and polymers, and there are unresolved questions about the safety implications of using wood versus metal in car construction.

mohanrajs26
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Can we built the small passenger car body using ANY WOOD which is STRONGER and CHEAPER?
If so, name the wood.
 
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mohanrajs26 said:
Can we built the small passenger car body using ANY WOOD which is STRONGER and CHEAPER?
If so, name the wood.


Tell us your thoughts first. What is the context? Are you looking to do a design project?
 
There are no woods that come close to the strength/weight ratios of current materials in cars such as aluminum, stainless steel, or even plain carbon steel.
 
Morgan have been doing a good job making sports cars using ash frames for one hundred years. They're still good by today's standards.
 
brewnog said:
Morgan have been doing a good job making sports cars using ash frames for one hundred years. They're still good by today's standards.

Let's be honest- the Morgan cars are bought for their styling, not because of their competitive performance or impressive Ash frame technology...
 
Mech_Engineer said:
Let's be honest- the Morgan cars are bought for their styling, not because of their competitive performance or impressive Ash frame technology...

Nonsense, I've been successfully campaigning one this season and don't even like the look of the thing! Although if by "competitive" you mean "with other marques" then you may have a point. Still, faster round a track than lots of stuff made solely from 'modern' materials!
 
daimler-horseless-carriage.jpg


Seriously though, wooden cars can still be made to go 200+ mph
 
brewnog said:
Nonsense, I've been successfully campaigning one this season and don't even like the look of the thing! Although if by "competitive" you mean "with other marques" then you may have a point. Still, faster round a track than lots of stuff made solely from 'modern' materials!

With you on that, pal. It's sort of along the same line as major-league baseball players using ash or maple bats as opposed to metal. I don't know whether or not there is a specific cut-off point from a material aspect, but a wooden bat just puts so much "feel" into the hit that it is bound to go farther/faster if only because of the son's emerging sense of confidence.

edit: Upon re-reading this, I noticed that I did not express myself properly. There are a lot of youngsters on-board, who are entitled to a "clueless" childhood. "Son's" was not meant to be a diminutive address.
 
Last edited:
realize that these cars won't absorb as much energy from collisions like a metal does. malleability of metals are critical for this. second imagine being struck by lightning. specific metal is used to separate charges
 
  • #10
odmart01 said:
realize that these cars won't absorb as much energy from collisions like a metal does. malleability of metals are critical for this.

I respectfully disagree with that. Although I have always been a "Detroit Iron" driver, and have no use whatsoever for "rice rockets", polymers are a lot easier to tailor to specific purposes such as crush absorption.
 
  • #11
Please specify on the Effectiveness of Polymers.
 
  • #12
Lightning struck is so rare it can be safely ignored as a problem.
 
  • #13
Borek said:
Lightning struck is so rare it can be safely ignored as a problem.

If it was you in the car you wouldn't be saying that now would you.
 
  • #14
Metal-bodied cars work quite well as a Faraday cage. Next...
 
  • #15
How many cases of cars struck by lightning have you witnessed? Heard of? Do you have a reliable statistic showing it is frequent enough to make metal cars safer in the storm?

I suppose when you sit is a vehicle that is hit by meteorite M1A1 Abrams is safer than my Opel Astra, but I am not going to buy a tank because of that. Not many meteorites striking cars in my area.
 
  • #16
Whoah, it was odmart that brought that cobblers up!
 
  • #17
The OP's original question was if a "car's body frame" could be made out of a wood which is stronger and cheaper. In my opinion, the answer is still "no."
 
  • #18
Mech_Engineer said:
The OP's original question was if a "car's body frame" could be made out of a wood which is stronger and cheaper. In my opinion, the answer is still "no."

He must have edited it mighty quickly. There was no mention of "frame" in it by the time I read it.
 
  • #19
Filler fille fill fil fi f
 

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