War Stories from Detroit 3: Vehicle Development
How engineering got done in Detroit 1965-2000
The objective of this lens is to capture how cars were designed and built in Detroit, with a focus on Vehicle Dynamics as the foundation of these efforts. This is an art form that defines vehicle character, and in the Detroit tradition, does not come exclusively from equations. It comes from the inner ear, seat of the pants, and hundreds of incremental changes as the final product emerges.
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Fundamentals

  • Cars that inspired us over the years (by Brad, Fred, Gene; Detroit dynamicist additions welcome)

  • Glossary of Key Terms for Vehicle Dynamicists

  • Introduction and Mission Statement: the Detroit Big 3 Anthology

  • What is Vehicle Dynamics & Development?

  • The Vehicle Dynamics Engineer’s Responsibility

    • Hard-won development lessons

  • Keys to Ride Quality (Cliff Notes)

  • A “Shocking” Story: My experience with damper tuning at GM

  • The Conundrum of Vehicle Ratings

  • Springs and Bars - experience from the tuning library at GM

  • Suspension Bushings - Body and Subrame Mounts (to add: lessons from hydro-bushings)

  • The Magic of Shocks

  • The Pneumatic Tire