jonjored
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| posted on 2/5/05 at 10:52 AM |
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chassis, buy or build?
Hi everyone, Im still in the planning stages of my build. Im using Sierra donor parts off a 2.0 DOHC estate and a live rear axle from a
'C' reg Capri.
I am in two minds however about whether to biuld a chassis as in the book or to buy a chassis ready made professoinally.
Does it need to be made wider to accomodate the Capri axle?
If so does anyone make the chassis to these specs?
How competant a welder and fabricator do you really need to be to build Rons chassis safely and accurately?
Any input in this matter would be greatly appreciated.
Also, are there any builders close to me in Liverpool, Knowseley area? Would be interested in meeting up or joining local club.
Remember! power tools can be dangerous in the right hands.
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britishtrident
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| posted on 2/5/05 at 11:23 AM |
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Welding up the chassis isn't difficult BUT most of the chassis work dosen't go in to building the frame but sorting out all the required
fixtures and brackets.
My advice is buy the chassis from any of the four or five main Locost suppliers you will have seen mentioned regularly in this forum.
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JonBowden
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| posted on 2/5/05 at 11:41 AM |
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If you look on eBay at the prices completed running locosts sell for, those with home made chassis usually sell for no more than £2500. Those
associated with a brand name such as Stuart Taylor, Luego, MK, etc go for more like £4000 (or more for good ones). Obviously there will be exceptions.
On this basis, there is a strong arguement for buying a branded chassis.
However if you want a challange.
Personally I intend to make my chassis from scratch - I just need a garage
Jon
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jonjored
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| posted on 2/5/05 at 12:09 PM |
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thanx for the prompt replys, I must say I think Im leaning towards the ready made chassis for the peace of mind and speed. I hadn't really
thought about resale value but its a good point.
Remember! power tools can be dangerous in the right hands.
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Peteff
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| posted on 2/5/05 at 12:46 PM |
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If you're using ready made chassis you may as well use the Sierra diff and shafts as well. Get an Indy or De Dion and make your own panels if
you don't want to fork out for bodywork. If you don't think you're up to welding a chassis you will not want to make even more
critical stuff like wishbones.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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jonjored
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| posted on 2/5/05 at 01:40 PM |
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Ive already decided to use ready made wishbones, they definitely look too tricky to fabricate. Im not too sure about the sierra diff setup though, the
de-dion axle looks a bot complicated and I already have a recon capri axle sat in the workshop.
Remember! power tools can be dangerous in the right hands.
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kb58
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| posted on 2/5/05 at 02:23 PM |
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I also recommend buying a ready-made chassis.
Asking whether to build your own chassis isn't a simple question. The only way we can give a good answer is if you explain how much time,
money, skill, desire to do it yourself, and how soon you want to drive it. But, since you're asking, it pretty much answers your own
question!
[Edited on 5/2/05 by kb58]
Mid-engine Locost - http://www.midlana.com
And the book - http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/midlana/paperback/product-21330662.html
Kimini - a tube-frame, carbon shell, Honda Prelude VTEC mid-engine Mini: http://www.kimini.com
And its book -
http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/kimini-how-to-design-and-build-a-mid-engine-sports-car-from-scratch/paperback/product-4858803.html
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britishtrident
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| posted on 2/5/05 at 03:13 PM |
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de Dion is simpler to set up than the the irs but if you have a Capri axle you could build a car with that and switch to de Dion at a later date.
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Jon Ison
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| posted on 2/5/05 at 04:21 PM |
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If i was ever to do it again i think i would buy the chassis, i enjoyed building one and glad i did it but its a lot of time and effort for summat you
can buy for around £400 give or take a few £££'s
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CD-5
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| posted on 2/5/05 at 06:50 PM |
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In UK chassis are cheap! at that price i wouldn'd bother making my own!
I check here in canada C.O.L.D. in Bc ask 3500$ CDN (1400 UK pound) for the chassis only. Mind the wishbone price...
That's why i'm planning to fab one or ask a quote to my buddy welder.
How many hours to make one for a good welder?
And about steel price i got quotes for 140$ cdn (59 UK pound) for 144 ' of 1x1x.125 is it a fair price? excluding delivery.
Sorry jonjored for hacking your thread.
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Dale
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| posted on 2/5/05 at 08:13 PM |
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I agree if I could have bought a chassis in the range you lucky guys can. Scary thing is that The C.O.L.D chassis is on the cheap side of a chassis
over here (not quality but price i mean).
I probably spent close to $750. for steel, bushings cuttoff wheels and argon for my chassis. but its alot bigger and a tad heavier.
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
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want2race
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| posted on 2/5/05 at 11:44 PM |
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I would def buy!
I paid more for my welder than I could have bought a chassis for.. Should a propper shop have existed... which wasnt the case.
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scotty g
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| posted on 3/5/05 at 11:11 AM |
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Hi Jonjored, i am at the same stage as you and i will be buying a chassis from GTS tuning in Kent. This one uses the DE-dion set up and i got a chance
to look at it at Detling last month and its really not that complicated, mind you, i don't have a Capri axle handy. Are you planning on using
the DOHC as i have one of those as well and everyone seems to run a mile at the mention of this engine, so many people have critisized it that i am
thinking of looking for a zetec now. Scotty G.
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jonjored
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| posted on 3/5/05 at 05:29 PM |
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Thanx everyone for all the input, I think I am leaning towards buying a ready made and branded chassis. It will take a few months to save the cash but
I think it will be worth it in the long run.
Scotty g, yes I am going to fit the DOHC lump, its only done 45000 miles and runs sweet. I think what puts people off it is that it is not as easilly
tuneable as the pintos and zetecs, but it will get the car going and maybe I will upgrade a bit later on. Have been researching the possibility of
fitting a subaru ej22 unit into the engine bay.
Remember! power tools can be dangerous in the right hands.
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MikeR
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| posted on 3/5/05 at 08:01 PM |
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I love the fact that i've made my own chassis and am incredibly glad i have done so. I can say "its my car" there is no kit. Its
taken me a long time to get here and that is (looking back) part of the fun.
If I where to start again i'd give you one bit of advice about the chassis...
BUY THE BLOODY THING! For a complete novice its a lot of hard work and head scratching that you REALLY REALLY don't need. For the money its a
complete no brainer - spend the pennys.
(bet you weren't expecting that answer! but its honestly how i feel, i would have been on the road 2 years ago. I've wasted so much time
head scratching over the littlest things)
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lexi
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| posted on 5/5/05 at 10:11 PM |
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Only good thing about building chassis now is that most of the probs are well documented. When I built mine 4 yrs ago I wasn`t even on the net and had
only the book as a guide. After calling Haynes about the discrepencys in sizes etc I got a phone call from Ron Champion in Spain. I think his head was
puggled with the pressures of business as I didn`t get many answers out of him but we had a good blether about Landrovers.I think I would still build
another chassis now but then I`m not just learning to weld as I was when building the first one. Some things you just cannot cost. Go and buy some
timber furniture from Ikea.....I mean you just can`t make it for that price. Don`t think you can count the welder in to chassis cost. You`ll use that
for a hundred other things.
Cheers Alex
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Avoneer
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| posted on 5/5/05 at 10:35 PM |
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With a good welder and with you cutting and shaping, I reckon a chassis could be roughly knocked up after a hard weekend of work.
Pat...
No trees were killed in the sending of this message.
However a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.
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Triton
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| posted on 5/5/05 at 10:44 PM |
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buy a robin hood because you won't need an exhaust pipe.....just connect it up to the chassis......or so i am told
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