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how to build a chassis
alainmengoli@hotmail.com - 23/1/04 at 01:21 AM

hi,
I am not building a 7 type but I wold likesome adice on how to build a chassis. Please see my archive for photos on my huge project. I wanted to know if it's okay to build a wooden foundation for the build instead of a metail one, how much the metal will cost, were to get it and what to ask for. How much will I end up spending, Is mig ewelding sufficient, how to cut pipes so that they match the contour of the other one your welding it to?
Any more tips wlecome.

e020518 - 23/1/04 at 07:24 AM

I'm not sure this is the right forum but it is always fun to see interesting ideas. Anywho, I think you should buy "the book" even if you are not building a 7 type. The principal is still usefull, when it comes to manufacturing, frame design, tools, meathods, etc.

ISBN: 1859606369

Br / J

[Edited on 23/1/04 by e020518]

blueshift - 23/1/04 at 09:50 AM

quote:

I am not building a 7 type but I wold likesome adice on how to build a chassis.

this thread reccomends some books on the subject.
quote:

I wanted to know if it's okay to build a wooden foundation for the build instead of a metail one

Cars used to be built like this back once upon the mists of time before people knew better (I think).
I'm not sure about the engineering aspects of it, but if you're planning to drive the car on the road I don't know how SVA stands with respect to wooden cars. Worth checking out.

quote:
how much the metal will cost, were to get it and what to ask for

The kind of tube most of us are using is 1" square hollow section 16 gauge (swg) ERW (electric resistance welded) mild steel. It costs about a quid a metre in the quantities you need for a chassis.
You get it from a steel stockholder, there's a section in the yellow pages.

quote:
How much will I end up spending

On steel? I think most people's steel purchases for locosts come in around the £60 mark.

quote:
Is mig ewelding sufficient

Yes, for mild steel, that's what most of us are using. Judging by the questions you're asking you should only consider mild steel, not anything more exotic (like stainless, cro-moly or aluminium) as they have various gotchas attached.

quote:
how to cut pipes so that they match the contour of the other one your welding it to?

Square tube is easy, you just use some maths and a protractor or chopsaw or something. For round tube there are devices called tube notchers, or you can download free software off the internet that makes paper templates you can print out and wrap round the tube to show you where to cut for different tube sizes and angles. I've tried one, it's quite good.

quote:
Any more tips wlecome.

Read some books about chassis design and building, use the search function on this forum (many questions have been asked before) and join in discussion.

splitrivet - 23/1/04 at 10:18 AM

Anyone got the web address for the fish mouthing templates.
Cheers,
Bob

stephen_gusterson - 23/1/04 at 10:28 AM

dont be fooled by 'morgans having wooden chassis' as is often said. they dont. they have a steel ladder frame and the superstructure (body) is on a wooden frame.

atb

steve

alainmengoli@hotmail.com - 23/1/04 at 11:02 AM

Sorry didn't mean wooden floor but a wooden base to build the whole lot on. So that everything is square. but It could warp with humidity welding etc.

stephen_gusterson - 23/1/04 at 11:49 AM

the ron champion locost book uses a 1 inch thick blockboard sheet of 8 x 4 ft to use as a build-up board

atb

steve

blueshift - 23/1/04 at 03:27 PM

quote:
Originally posted by splitrivet
Anyone got the web address for the fish mouthing templates.
Cheers,
Bob

I have put it on my site at http://www.leetfighter.com/things/tubemiter.exe
(and it'll stay there)

splitrivet - 23/1/04 at 04:03 PM

Cheers Blueshift thanx a lot mate.
Got your u2u, trying to wangle a way to pick up that propshaft I'll let you know in a coupla days.
Bob

blueshift - 25/1/04 at 02:34 AM

OK split, no prob