Believe it or not, wood comes with a better strength-to-weight ratio than steel and aluminum, so it should not come as a surprise that Joe Harmon Design went for wood when he decided to build a supercar from scratch using the materials provided by nature.
Called the Splinter, this impressive wooden supercer was inspired by the WWII airplane De Havillannd Mosquito, which was powered by two Rolls-Royce V12 engines, thus making it the fastest piston driven plane of its era – as you’d expect, the plane was also built of of wood.
Splinter was meant to be a high-performance, mid-engined supercar, although the body and chassis, as well as most of the suspension components, wheels and interior were manufactured out of wood. The chassis was made from a series of bent and molded laminates, riveted and bonded together to ensure everything is safe for your enjoyment.
Those stylish curves were a bit difficult to create with the team having to wove strips of veneer into a cloth. Woven cherry skins and tessellated end grain balsa core were used for the body, while laminated wood veneer was used for the monocoque chassis.
Powering the Splinter is a small block 7.0 liter V8 engine, mated to a six speed manual transmission, so there will definitely be enough excitement for anyone’s taste. Joe Harmon spent about five years working on the ‘Splinter’ and it wasn’t in vain because I’m sure everyone will love its uniqueness and striking design.
