Some REALY great ideas! You might put some curve into the side pannels. Being completely flat, it'll probably cause handling problems in windy conditions. You might also look at the weight difference between using a thicker skin & no internal bracing vs thin skin & bracing. The thicker skin, say 1/8" thick AL, welded in, would become a part of the structure stiffness eliminating need for the bracing. If you have someway to do structure analysis, you may find a heat treated aluminum skin could be thinner than 1/8" & save even more weight. Another thought: You might enclose the front suspension for aerodynamic reasons. Could also put openings in these enclosures & duct cooling air for the engine back along the lower corners of the body -- where walls meet floor. With ducted air, you could concentrate it where needed in the engine compartment. <br />
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NM