big_wasa
|
| posted on 31/8/05 at 11:29 PM |
|
|
Chassis make or buy ?
Im at the point were I would like to put all my hard sourced components into a chassis.
I have the tools and I think the ability to make my own chassis but it would be a huge boost forward to get a pro chassis ready made .It would make it
a 2 year plan instead of a 5 year plan 
what have you guys done ?
The car I want to build is a live axle "book " car with zetec engine and Mt75 box and 13" wheels.
I reckon with the price of steel I can do my own for around £150 worth of material ..A bought one would be around £600 but I do appreciate the amount
of work involved in making it........ ie locost = high input...
Thanks warren. 
|
|
|
|
|
Dale
|
| posted on 1/9/05 at 12:01 AM |
|
|
With the price you guys can get a chassis on your side of the pond it would not be a question most people in North America would even consider. I
would definately purchase. We would have to pay the equivilant of 2500 to 3000 pounds for a chassis.
Dale
Thanks
Dale
my 14 and11 year old boys 22
and 19 now want to drive but have to be 25 before insurance will allow. Finally on the road
|
|
|
chrisf
|
| posted on 1/9/05 at 03:17 AM |
|
|
I agree with Dale: buy the thing! I've said this before, but it would be nice to place an order with MK or whomever and just be done with it.
|
|
|
Ian Pearson
|
| posted on 1/9/05 at 06:09 AM |
|
|
I bought my bare chassis second hand. It was a one off made by Lolocost (I believe) and then raffled off at a show. I modified the transmission tunnel
to move the geabox back to allow me to have the gear lever in a suitable position. It was quite easy to modify, definately a lot easier than building
the whole chassis. It did take me ages to position the front suspension brackets though. I would personally buy one and modify it to suit.
|
|
|
Mix
|
| posted on 1/9/05 at 06:13 AM |
|
|
If you have the ability and the tools then I suggest you make one. The actual fabrication of the chassis does not take that long, (I estimate I could
put one together in about two weeks of evenings and a couple of weekend days). Certainly not the three years you are suggesting.
For me the atraction of doing this project is the satisfaction of having built as much as I can myself.
Mick
|
|
|
zetec
|
| posted on 1/9/05 at 06:36 AM |
|
|
I think it depends on how much time you really have, and how much you enjoy the build compared to the driving. I was amazed how many blokes built cars
only to sell them as soon as the last job was done, only to start another, if you are in this camp build your own.
If you can't wait to get on the road then buy a chassis as you will have a big start and within a few hours you could have something sitting on
wheels that looks like a car.
" I only registered to look at the pictures, now I'm stuck with this username for the rest of my life!"
|
|
|
albertz
|
| posted on 1/9/05 at 06:53 AM |
|
|
I built mine from scratch and fabricating the chassis was one of the most rewarding and enjoyable parts of the build. It boils down to a balance
between time, cost and confidence in your own skills.
As is said above, the making of the chassis does not take particularly long considering the time it takes to finish the car. Its jobs like making the
wishbones and brackets, turning the bushes etc that took me the most time.
By the way, i fall into the category Zetec has spoken about above i.e. enjoy building as much (if not more) than driving.
[Edited on 1/9/05 by albertz]
|
|
|
Danozeman
|
| posted on 1/9/05 at 07:34 AM |
|
|
I started to build my chassis ages ago. Its not too hard. I think the hardest bit is the susp brackets and tranny tunnel. Other ppl may tell
different. I gave up as i was building outside and it was rusting as quick as i had time to build, with full intention of still doing it bought a
house and it went on back burner.
Im still building outside so i bought a chassis and now building in between rain until i get my car port or huuuuuge shed built.
Dan
Built the purple peril!! Let the modifications begin!!
http://www.eastangliankitcars.co.uk
|
|
|
Gav
|
| posted on 1/9/05 at 08:16 AM |
|
|
Yeah building the chassis is quite rewarding, last night ive just finished up welding and red oxiding it, now it actually looks like something 
http://gallery.rootpeg.net/displayimage.php?album=1&pos=14
Yes i know ive still got the tranny tunnel and to grind back a few of the welds!
What i would do if doing it again, is red oxide all the steel before i started cutting and tacking.
Mid you
|
|
|
ewanspence
|
| posted on 1/9/05 at 08:18 AM |
|
|
buying the chassis is for girls.  the real satifaction of actually building it and telling people I have built a car not puting together a kit it
the best part for me.
then there is cost, it cost me £100 for all the steel and £15 for welding materials so was cheaper than buying, but I am also making some serious mods
to a standard chassis so having them built in as a 1 off special would have cost a lot more.
Ewan.
Visit the MegaGrip site :-
http://www.geocities.com/ewanspence/
|
|
|
Russ-Turner
|
| posted on 1/9/05 at 08:30 AM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by ewanspence
buying the chassis is for girls.
|
|
|
NS Dev
|
| posted on 1/9/05 at 08:43 AM |
|
|
I bought the chassis that is the basis of the car I am building now, but built the chassis for a locost in 1998 which I then sold as I couldn't
afford the time as I had the rally car too then.
I am certainly not afraid of the job, it was just a matter of convenience this time. I built the grasser chassis etc from scratch, built my RWD pug
205 from scratch, as well as several other build projects in the last few years.
|
|
|
David Jenkins
|
| posted on 1/9/05 at 08:52 AM |
|
|
I took about 4 years to make my chassis!
Mostly due to inertia and inexperience, though. If I was doing another I'd probably spend a week of spare time getting the odds and ends
together (suspension brackets, for example) then take a week's leave and build it to completion - it really doesn't take that long, once
you've got over the initial hurdle of what goes where, what order to do things, where the mistakes are in the book, and so on.
However, if you have no experience in welding and have no great urge to learn, and/or don't have a MIG welder and wouldn't use it after
the car is completed, then buying a chassis is practically and economically sound.
rgds,
David
|
|
|
ed72
|
| posted on 1/9/05 at 09:01 AM |
|
|
Remember the green and pink chassis you sold on ebay ? Front end was completed in about a week of nights after work. It's now on it's
wheels with an 1800 zetec engine and gearbox in place. These things do not take long to complete at all. Money permitting it'll have bodywork
in the next month and be ready for SVA before the end of October. Building a chassis isn't a problem, just be "precise" and make
sure your welds are up to scratch. If you aren't confident with a tape measure, cut off saw and a welder, then save yourself the hastle and buy
a chassis. If you have all the bits ready, then you could book the SVA for around xmas time and force yourself to complete it in time. You'll
finally have somewhere to store your avatar
|
|
|
chrisg
|
| posted on 1/9/05 at 10:57 AM |
|
|
I love the fact that I built my own chassis, it's a real achievement, but if you want to be on the road quickly or can't weld, then buy
one.
Cheers
Chris
|
|
|
locogeoff
|
| posted on 1/9/05 at 12:06 PM |
|
|
Built mine, or should I say building mine, must say I think it is singularly the most important part of a self built car in determining the level of
creator input, nothing against buying one though, sometimes wish I'd done so myself as I've sort of hit a progress wall, though this
should be remedied soon
|
|
|
David Jenkins
|
| posted on 1/9/05 at 12:13 PM |
|
|
I should add that, at the time of starting in 1997, my choice for ready-built chassis was quite small (ST, Ron's Locost company, plus one or two
others). Nowadays there are several well-regarded makers selling chassis at competitive prices.
Also, at the time, I couldn't afford to buy a ready-made in one go - paying for my chassis in dribs and drabs made it easier to justify to
SWMBO!
David
|
|
|
Bob C
|
| posted on 1/9/05 at 03:28 PM |
|
|
Built my own chassis 'cos I wanted to do my own suspension/ non-standard uprights.
Time will tell whether this was a good idea........
Bob
|
|
|
DavidM
|
| posted on 1/9/05 at 03:48 PM |
|
|
Built mine from scratch for no other reason than I wanted to.
Cut everything by hand with a hacksaw, none of this girly cut off saw nonsense!
David
Proportion is Everything
|
|
|
andyace
|
| posted on 1/9/05 at 03:53 PM |
|
|
Bought Mine
No brainer for me, with wife and two kids, saved me probably 2 years with the limited time I get.
Now getting to do the interesting bits.
That said, original plan was to make the chassis which would have given me a sense of achievement, however I probably would not have trusted my
welding anyway and would have been too scared to drive it !!
Currently have powdercoated GTS chassis which is very nice and requires absolutely no welding at all.
|
|
|
Surrey Dave
|
| posted on 1/9/05 at 03:58 PM |
|
|
Built my chassis , that was the best bit/ main challenge............
I only took 14 months to build the car, in my spare time did not work on it unless I was in the mood............
Rob Lane on here built his car from scratch in 3 months ,so I thought I was slow!!!!
|
|
|
Dale
|
| posted on 1/9/05 at 04:09 PM |
|
|
As I said before I did /am building mine as it keeps changing and is definately non standard. There is a great sense of achievment in doing your
own, but when your lucky if you get a couple of hours a week to work on it, the time adds up really quick.
Dale
Thanks
Dale
my 14 and11 year old boys 22
and 19 now want to drive but have to be 25 before insurance will allow. Finally on the road
|
|
|
Keith Tanner
|
| posted on 1/9/05 at 06:13 PM |
|
|
I bought mine from CMC in the US before they vanished.
If I'd built my own chassis, I wouldn't be driving my car now. And for me, the whole point is driving. It took me about 7 months to get
the car on the track for the first time. While others have been working on their build, I've been sliding my car around racetracks all over the
place. It's far more entertaining.
The downside? Well, CMC didn't do sums very well and I had to correct a number of problems from misaligned tubes to a completely underengineered
differential mount. So it's not a completely purchased chassis. The biggest problem is having to admit that it's a kit, or at least some
of it is. I'd rather say I started with a pile of tubes. maybe next time.
Keith
http://keith.miata.net/seven
www.slowcarfast.com
|
|
|
jeeshman
|
| posted on 1/9/05 at 06:49 PM |
|
|
Why not have the best of both worlds? Seems like you could buy a chassis to get on the road quickly, then weld up your own, and when you finish
making your new chassis just reassemble on your homebuilt chassis, and sell off the one you purchased.
|
|
|
Simon
|
| posted on 1/9/05 at 07:56 PM |
|
|
Have a look a pics 2 and 3 in my archive to see how much progress can be made in two days.
I've also made all the bodywork except the widened nosecone (now laminated to bonnet).
Bought front wishbones/rollbar, made rest.
Could have been done at least a year ago if I'd worked harder
ATB
Simon
|
|
|
