Hello everyone I'm new here.
I want to build a mid engine kit car based one my own design. My question is how do I go about designing the chassis, what are the steps and
requirements?
If this helps I plan to use a v6 engine bolted up to a vw bug gearbox. Thanks in advance.
Welcome aboard!
You say you want to build a chassis based on your own design. That's where you get the design from.....
Once you've designed it, you build it to meet the IVA regulations. Then you take it for IVA and once you have the pass, you send the paperwork
off to DVLA and they send you a V5 and reg number.....simples.
I'm not familiar with most of those terms. I should have stated that I am from Jamaica. Thank for your help owelly.
Is that 'from Jamaica' but in the UK, or still in Jamaica?
If in Jamaica, no idea what you have to do.
If in the UK, get a copy of the IVA manual - search threads on here.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/iva-manual-for-vehicle-category-m1
It has all of the rules and regulations you have to meet.
Once you have built your car, you have to get it tested - the dreaded IVA test.
If you get past that hurdle, you then apply for registration - Q plate for your pride and joy
or an age related plate depending on the donor vehicle you have used. You must use a
certain number of parts from that vehicle to meet that criteria. The last potential is a new
plate if you used all new parts and I think 1 refurbished part.
Hope this helps - best of luck.
I'm not familiar with most of those terms. I should have stated that I am from Jamaica. Thank for your help owelly.
Avagolen your suggestions helped but I live in Jamaica. What I plan on building is a ordinary kit car with parts taken from a doner car it nothing suffisticated. But I am not sure how to go about building and designing the chassis. for eg the dimensions for the passenger compartment, engine compartment and the front compartment where I plan to put the radiator. however I do have and idea of how long I want the car to be.
Decide what chassis you want to build, ladder think landrover or space frame.
Space frame is more complex however look at the locost chassis, devide it into four sections, front suspension, rear suspension engine bay and seated
area and re-arrange.
The key to success is maintain triangles looking at the parts in any direction.
Thank you for your help mark I do have a copy of the locost chassis plans. Can I remodel or modify the locost chassis plan to accommodate a rear mounted longitudinal engine and transaxel like that of a ultima gtr chassis? as I want to build something like that.
It's your design, you can do whatever you like and make it look like what you want it too,
As long as you maintain some strength do what you want.
That's a good advice. Are there any books that I might need to help me with my build?
https://www.amazon.com/Build-Your-Own-Sports-Car/dp/1844253910
This is the book that you need, which has dimensioned plans in it. I took cockpit dimensions from the original version of this book, grafted the
front suspension onto the footwells taking out the space for the front engine. I then added the engine compartment on the back to fit my donor.
I modelled the chassis in wood and twisted it with my hands. I added triangulation until I was happy, then made it out of metal. If you want to read
how I did it, look at my blog (the www link below)
Good luck 
welcome,
I thought the beetle/bug gearbox had the engine behind it (ie rear engine not mid) but can be used as mid, if its turned 'upsidedown'
most UK beetle based kit cars used the entire floor pan, which while restrictive, is a lot easier.
I suspect a 'bug' gearbox would not take the power of a v6
quote:
Originally posted by kenworth
Thank you for your help mark I do have a copy of the locost chassis plans. Can I remodel or modify the locost chassis plan to accommodate a rear mounted longitudinal engine and transaxel like that of a ultima gtr chassis? as I want to build something like that.
+1 for the Midlana...
+1 buy the midlana book its very expensive but is worth it twice over!!
What kind of v6 are you planning to use?
What you could consider is to build the Locost frame, but switch the seating around.
So the engine sits still in the engine bay, but the orginal front suspension becomes the rear suspension and the locost rear suspension becomes the
front suspension.
A big thanks to you guys for your help.
Jc I will buy that book and get some idea of the steps I should take and some build idea.
Gremlin thanks for the heads up about the engine and gearbox combo. Do you have any suggestions about a suitable engine and gearbox set up for a mid
engine set up?
@ Ettore Bugatti I was thinking about using a Chevy v6 engine mounted to a vw transaxle but I was advised that the bug tranny can't handle that
much power.
Can you get hold of a scrap v6 VW Passat or Audi depending on the model you get a transaxle feeding the front wheels and engine in longways so all the
hard work is done for you.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=v6+passat+engine&client=safari&hl=en-gb&prmd=sivn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi
mgNyL7I3QAhWCqxoKHcUhAgUQ_AUICCgC&biw=1024&bih=681#imgrc=Fr7_3WxUwh1GKM%3A
Have a look at GT40's for ideas, American web site.
[Edited on 4/11/16 by mark chandler]
Not to discourage you in any way, but I remember reading an article about self build cars where many people start with any random engine and gearbox,
and try (and fail) to build a car around it. There's a lot more to consider, and starting off big won't help you either.
If I was going for a mid engine set up, I'd get hold of an unroadworthy Ford Focus and use it's front wheel drive set up in the back of a
custom chassis. It's been done elsewhere so you have some guidance on potential problems. Once that's on the road then you can consider
other set ups that are closer to your main idea.
Also have a look at the MeV rocket For a Ford Focus mid engine design. The super lite nemesis uses an Audi 1.8t engine and transaxle in an exo style
body (nice design for both single and tandem seater). http://www.superlitecars.com/nemesis/
As others have said Audi / vw Passat is the obvious choice for a longitudinal mid engine, available in 4,5,6,8 and 10 cylinder variants. The Porsche
Boxster is the other option and there are kits about to convert the scooby flat 4 turbo 4wd to 2wd. Don't think I can recall any other
longitudinal transaxle cars, otherwise it is tranverse front wheel drive put in the rear, if you want v6 then there are ford mondeo, jag x type, Alfa,
many gym cars have them aswell and I think Chevy did a version of the ls series in transverse lay out but can't remember which car.
quote:
Originally posted by Ugg10
Don't think I can recall any other longitudinal transaxle cars...
quote:
Originally posted by Sam_68
quote:
Originally posted by Ugg10
Don't think I can recall any other longitudinal transaxle cars...
There have been lots, of course... the Nobles (23, Ultima, P4, Midtec) for a start, but plenty of others as well
Most of the Lotus 23 replicas use the bug gearbox and basic chassis drawings are readily available for the 23 on the internet, which the OP may find a useful starting point.
It's a bit obscure, so you can be forgiven for not knowing it, but there's the Avatar currently available in the UK too, which uses an Audi gearbox hooked up to a Ford Ecoboost engine (though the racing version used an Audi V6).
Designing your own chassis and suspension is not for the faint of heart. Anyone can make a mistake, most car folk could make hack job that goes OK, it
takes good understanding to make a good job of it.
As someone above said, starting from a complete blank is a good way to do nothing. I know, 4 years later I've got a new CNC machine, some wheels,
an engine and box and not enough time to do the chassis and suspension lol
I was thinking of using a traverse v6 set up like a Toyota Camry/ engine or Honda variant. lets say for example I want to use a vw vanagon gearbox
what engines would be suitable in the case of reliability?
A Porsche gearbox would be nice but those things aren't cheap. 😀
I will look into the audi and vw passat to see if there's any salvage ones.
Also I may add that cost is a concern as I would like to do it on a reasonable budget without breaking the bank. 😀
As a plus have welding and mechanical skills so that's not a problem however some of the parts I am going to need will have to be imported so I
want to keep that to a minimum.
@ coyoteboy that's well said is never easy to start something from scratch that you have no idea about. But starting from blank is a good idea. I have been lookinh at the Lamborghini miura chassis and its engine configuration and it gave me some ideas.