I'm starting on my first build and have obtained an ARA chassis seconhand, a new 1.8L zetec and MT75 box. Chassis looks like it has been built to book spec with some minor improvements for rack placement, gearbox mounting, tunnel housing and steering column.

Has anyone built up a locost from one of these chassis' and have any hints and tips. Given the ARA stories previously posted is there an elephant in the closet that I need to watch out for!
Should I have a professional inspect the welds before I begin?

I can upload some pics if useful.

Any info, help, advice appreciated.

Separately is there a locost group that meets in or near Southampton?

I've not heard of ARA. I must have missed the posts about them, I tried a search but the name is too short and is picking up occurences of ARA inside other words.

Perhaps you could post some links to stuff you have found

John
ps welcome to the forum

Here is a couple of posts I found with references to ARA Racing

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=50506&page=1

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=22909&page=2

And a pic of the chassis bought

[Edited on 12/5/09 by drc38]

[Edited on 12/5/09 by drc38]
Rescued attachment DSCN0864.JPG

Hi

I thought i had seen that chassis desighn before. LINK HERE But this one is from ACE cars. however it has all the same problems.

Cheers Matt

Thanks for the link. I think this must have been a predecessor to the ACE chassis. It does have the engine bay brace which is positive!

no triangulation on the transmission tunnel or the roll hoop mounts, other than that from that pic it looks quite nice...? i havent read any of the threads yet so thats just from looking at the pic...

The roll hoop has triangulation as per the book chassis ie 3 directions. The book chassis did not have triangulation on the propshaft tunnel and from the FEA analysis at http://locost7.info/mirror/chassis.php

and other chassis recommendations it does not appear to be high on the list.

The FEA suggests biggest improvements can be made through mods to the engine bay and around front suspension mounting.

Does this match real world experience?

Hi

It only has the engine brace on the O/S it needs the one adding to the N/S. The chassis only has one cross bar at floor level n the tunnel. It needs one adding at the front and back of the tunnel to stop flex. The rear chassis brackets to locate the trailing arms are just not sufficient to cope with the strain they take and need extra bracing adding. Then it will be a usable chassis.

Cheers Matt