Attaching a hover board to the frame

[Kane]

So I have a BTTF DeLorean and am thinking of a cool way to have a hoverboard attached to the car that could support the weight of a person. It would be attached in such a way so that it looks like the person is riding the board beside the car when I am in parades and such. I am thinking the only way to attach it to the bottom of the car where it could support a person would be to attach it to the car's frame. Are there any points on the back half of the driver's side where it could attach and be removable when not in use? Any bolt points where a metal arm could just bolt on and off?

Any other creative ideas on how to attach a ride-able hoverboard to the car?

[Rich W]

One of the easier ways of doing this would be to install a custom trailer hitch and fabricate a 2" square bar stock from the hitch
and support it from the front along the side of the car, from a number of locations, depending upon the owner's preference.

If you want the "hover boarder" to be on the passenger side, near the rear tire, with the door open, you can located the support
platform with a "hook" attachment that can install over the rear door striker (for stability and not for primary front end support).

I would paint the square tube material and the safety platform material (expanded metal) flat black, to help hide its apperance.
(you could even modify a cargo carrier platform for this use, then mount the hover board just above the safety platform)

You may need to make this with heavy duty hinges (for transport mode) or able to disassemble and fit most pieces in the car.

Just one idea.

[Kane]

Would it be possible to attach a 2" hitch to the side of the car directly on the frame? Then I could just have a 2" bar come straight out from the side. An initial Google search of hitch types don't seem to point to a small one that could bolt to the frame from the side. Where on the frame would this be possible (if at all)?

As long as the tongue weight is below the rated limit of the hitch, I shouldn't need any other supports from the front, right? Just a straight bar coming straight out from the side with a hover board attached to it.

Do you have any links to the type of hitch that you are talking about to put on a D?

[Rich W]

Unfortunately, there is no easy access to the steel frame on the sides of the DeLorean and going through the fiberglass underbody to the frame backbone
would be a substantial amount of fabrication. Going under the car from the side, to the backbone frame, would reduce ground clearance at least 2 inches
(without weight deflection) so that is most likely not an option. Almost any type of side mount receiver would require removal, if any "body-off" work was
needed on the car, which hopefully would not be too often. Total weight and transport configuration would need to be considered in the plan as well.

As for use in parades, there can be many disqualifying restrictions that could limit the use of this type of device (as well as your vehicle's insurance plan).
For parade use, if a person is not seated (in a car or on a float), the parade committee usually requires a semi-circle hoop (and safety, waist belt) and/or
safety bars to hold onto. The safety hoop and waist belt could be fabricated as part of the platform (at the back portion) behind the hover board mount.
If done correctly and built well, this should be able to pass most "parade float" safety standards. (just thinking ahead, to qualify for actual parade use)

[videobob]

We actually did this on my car with a custom fabricated square tubing frame that is bolted to the bottom of the car,
the hoverboard is mounted on top of a metal frame that slides into the receiver of the frame and locks in with pins.
The issue is that it kept scraping in and out of the trailer, ramps, driveways, etc.
So we removed it.
Also, there isn't a place strong enough to mount it without going through the fiberglass under the seat/storage compartment
and it cracks the fiberglass.
You would have to make a large metal plate, maybe 1/4" with the receiver mounted to it.
The concept is incredibly dangerous and honestly, I wouldn't recommend it.

The Holllars have a mount that slides under the rear wheel where they park the car on top of it to hold it in place.

[dmc6960]

What about fabbing up a frame to bolt on to all eight seat anchors? It would have a connecting brace to tie the two sides together, so the load is spread out on both sides of the body tub. Yes, the connecting brace would hang down below the frame/tub, but it can easily be installed/removed as needed. Should be able to handle a 200lbs cantilevered load.

[Nicholas R]

That bending moment is going to be so high. I think you greatly under estimate the amount of bending stress you would put on the seat studs, which are not graded hardware, but rather mild steel studs attached to the seat rails.

If you're hoping to straddle the whole body, at least build something that connects to the actual frame and not just the fiberglass.

[ALEXAKOS]

Create a custom 2 hinge bracket that will hook on to the passenger sill and lock its self on the outer 2 bolts of the passenger seat underneath the body.

The sill hinges will carry the weight while the two bolted nuts will secure the base.

I hope this is intended for off road show use only;)

Else... Don't try this at home kids!!!!

[MML]

Guys, you're all overthinking this, he just has to wait a few more months, I mean hoverboards ARE coming out in 2015 don't ya know??

[Lenny]

It's already here.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRNU_D_UImk

Skip to 2:30 and make sure you listen at 3:05.

So the question is where are the magnets and liquid nitrogen going to be stored.

[Kane]

So short of getting something that support the weight of a person, this thread has got me thinking about using the seat bolts to support just a board by itself. I'm thinking I could get just a thinner, flat piece of metal. Bolt it to the 4 seat bolts on the driver's side. Have it extend past the sill straight out. And then just attach the hover board to the top of it. It would look like the board is just floating beside the car. And this wouldn't take any fabrication that is above my skill level.

Otherwise I am having a hard time picturing what Alexakos is describing with hinges. Care to paint me a picture? :)