2006 Swift 016.a

Since 1998, Swift Engineering has been the sole chassis supplier to the Atlantic Series. Swift's involvement in Atlantic started in 1986 with the introduction of the Swift DB-4 which dominated the Series for five years. When the Series adopted a 'one design chassis' format in 1998, Swift was chosen to provide the chassis.
The first Swift Atlantic chassis designed specifically for the one design format was christened the Swift 008.a. Since 1998, over fifty 008.a chassis have been sold by Swift and raced by the competitors. This chassis has proven to be extremely reliable and, at the same time, cost-effective to race in a professional series.




Swift's continuous involvement in the Atlantic series provided a great understanding of what is required of a racing vehicle to perform in a 'spec' racing environment.

Safety
As with previous Champ car vehicles, the nose and chassis assembly were put through a double impact crash test and a nose push-off test. The double impact crash test requires a chassis and nose assembly to be crashed into a concrete block at a controlled velocity. The assembly is then withdrawn and crashed a second time into the block at a reduced velocity. In each case, the average maximum deceleration must not exceed 25'G'.



The 'squeeze' tests are a proof of the strength of the monocoque and laminate structure. A lateral load is applied for a minimum duration of 30 seconds, to the chassis at three different locations. In each case the chassis must not deflect more than 0.787' (20mm) and must not sustain a permanent deformation greater than 0.039'(1mm) after the load has been released.

The roll hoop test subjects the hoop structure to a combined loading of 13,490 lbsf vertically, 10,120 lbsf longitudinally and 2700 lbsf laterally. The allowable deflection under load is 1.97' (50mm) and any permanent deformation must be limited to an area within 3.94' (100mm) of the top of the hoop structure.

The use of Finite Element Analysis (FEA) in conjunction with material tests and a wealth of data from previous designs ensured that all tests were passed on the first attempt and by an appreciable margin. No damage was sustained by the chassis assembly during the tests and this first monocoque went on to being built-up as the test car.

The overall dimensions of the monocoque were enlarged relative to the previous design to accommodate a larger range of driver sizes. Although this change brought about a weight increase in comparison to the previous chassis it was accompanied by an increase in torsional stiffness.

Durability
Durability is another major consideration in the design of the car. Currently the car is not being campaigned on oval tracks, but knowing there is the possibility of returning to these venues, Swift designed the chassis based on experiences learned from racing the previous two Atlantic 'spec' cars on ovals. The chassis was not designed to the minimum possible weight but more to a level of durability. A number of major incidents that occurred during the first season of racing has shown this to be a prudent decision and has proven the strength of the chassis.

Serviceability
The Atlantic series is a training series not only for drivers, but also race engineers and race car technicians. The 016.a was designed with ease of maintenance as a major consideration.

The layout of the mechanical components in the chassis was conceived for ease of maintenance. The steering rack was moved from inside the monocoque to the forward face of the front bulkhead. The master cylinders are mounted on the pedal assembly enabling the pedal location to e adjusted without the need to resort to cutting or replacing the master cylinder pushrods. Access apertures were enlarged to allow easier access to the chassis interior.

Aerodynamics
The directive from Champ Car, for the car to be faster in all aspects (straight line, cornering, decreased lap time) would prove to be quite a challenge.

Initial calculations showed that although the new power plant provided a 25% increase in power over the engine previously used in the series, the maximum speed of the vehicle would only increase by approximately 12 MPH, assuming the drag of the vehicle remained the same. Since the new car was larger in several dimensions and with wings of greater chord and span, a drag increase was inevitable. 50% scale wind tunnel models of both the old (014.a) car and the new car were created. The model of the new vehicle being very much a 'work in process' as the design progressed.

Both models were evaluated in the Swift wind tunnel and the data received, analyzed and fed back to the group working on finalizing the design. The use of the Swift wind tunnel data in conjunction with lap simulation programs enabled a study to be made incorporating both the aerodynamic changes and the weight increase of the car. Úsing these tools enabled the Champ Car directive to be achieved.

The Swift 016.a represents an evolution of the successful 008.a and 014a. The Swift 016.a Formula Atlantic racing car is the culmination of a comprehensive customer review of the 008.a and an application of Swift's extensive knowledge of racecar design. Evolutionary in design, the Swift 016.a utilized the Swift wind tunnel to aerodynamically shape the chassis elements and new bodywork.

Application of the state-of-art principles in composite technology and component engineering has increased the durability and performance of the bodywork, driveline, steering, suspension, and cooling systems. Finally, a brand new Swift SG4 gearbox complements the improved chassis. Improvements to the Swift 016.a represent an advanced step and new standard in the evolution of the Toyota Atlantic Series chassis.

Source - Swift Engineering