Board logo

Chassis or Front End
speedstar - 9/3/12 at 02:47 PM

Afternoon all,

Im on the hunt for a new front end for a Locost. The one I have has been found to be slightly banana shaped, with tubes at all kinds of obscure angles, and suspension mounts in completely the wrong place.

I'm either after just a front end, that is known to be true and square, that can be welded to the rear half using a jog (I've heard there are companies that offer this, but am yet to find any?)

or...

a complete chassis, preferably including a race spec roll cage. Again, 2nd hand or new from a professional.

Who has what? Or can point me in the right direction?

Merci all.

mikeb - 9/3/12 at 02:56 PM

If the front end is that badly out I don't think I'd trust the rest of the chassis, for the money I'd get a new one.
I think a basic chassis from someone like Talon start at £500 ish (think he advertises on ebay.)

speedstar - 9/3/12 at 03:00 PM

Rear end is good. All meets up with te specs and is straight. This has been measured and checked so many times now, I'm confident about the rear.

Looks like the chassis was built by two different people... one of which lacked opposable thumbs and the gift of sight.

[Edited on 9/3/12 by speedstar]

designer - 9/3/12 at 04:19 PM

If the chassis is like a banana then the side rails will be wrong too.

I would go for a new chassis.

speedstar - 9/3/12 at 05:49 PM

Only the front is skew.

The rear is all square and flat.

I have started looking in to new chassis though. Does anyone supply them with roll cages?

Talon Motorsport - 9/3/12 at 06:11 PM

Procomp.

D Beddows - 9/3/12 at 06:18 PM

Welding a new front on can be done very sucessfully - my partner in crime at the time wrote off the front end of our first (Stuart Taylor) Locost race car, Ian Grey (aka Stuart Taylor) sold us a new front end and a mate of a mate of my dads who was a proper old school fabricator turned up with a hacksaw, a spirit level and a few bits of string. He prompltly cut the old front end off and welded on the new one (aligned with the string and spirit level rather than a jig mind you!) and much to my astonishment the car was actualy straighter afterwards than it was before the accident - it even passed the Matt Procomp test as I recall

Obviously the problem you'd have is finding a manufacturer who'd be willing to sell you their front end to weld onto a homemade chassis so a whole new chassis is probably going to be a far easier option

Confused but excited. - 9/3/12 at 06:48 PM

quote:
Originally posted by speedstar

Looks like the chassis was built by two different people... one of which lacked opposable thumbs and the gift of sight.

[Edited on 9/3/12 by speedstar]


Sorry to hear about your woes mate but that quote is priceless.

TimC - 9/3/12 at 06:53 PM

Another vote for www.procomp.co.uk

They've done dozens of these.

andylancaster3000 - 9/3/12 at 07:27 PM

You can have certain rolling chassis for the right price Tom!

samjc - 9/3/12 at 09:02 PM

Depending where you are at i think mk sportscars do repairs i know they offer chassis with cages but give they a call.