Hi ya guys

first post on her so quick background, im 17 from brentwood essex, i bought Ron Champions book about 3 years ago when i won the technology prize at school and have been desperate to build a locost ever since, epecially as i will hopefully soon be driving.... i dont want a chav'd to the max 106 thats for sure!!

I appreciate this is probably a much asked/debated topic so please forgive me for asking, but what prebuilt chassis are out there and which ones are best?
if you include links that would be awesome



cheers guys, all help much apreciated

[Edited on 22/11/05 by skamanfrank]

See...

The Manufacturers sections on this site!!!

Cheers,
David

PS Welcome to the nut house

[Edited on 22/11/05 by flak monkey]

You couldn't go wrong with MK's Locost kit for a grand.

Give them a call and have a chat...

If this had been available when I started I wouldn't have done a scratch build.

[Edited on 22/11/05 by andyharding]

Check the links section of the website and there are a few companies that sell them. Also a company called lo-locost. A good place might be ebay or indeed the forsale section on here. Many a person starts a project then gives up with just a chassis and sells it, its just waiting for someone near enough to you.

excellent ta

of course the other option is wait until i have done the automotive engineering degree im currently applying for.... but that involves patience :p

IMHO avoid Lolocost, they're cheap for a reason....

If you live in essex, GTS in kent is not that far. So picking chassis up would be easy enough

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Originally posted by Ben_Copeland
If you live in essex, GTS in kent is not that far. So picking chassis up would be easy enough

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quote:

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Originally posted by flak monkey

quote:

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Originally posted by Ben_Copeland
If you live in essex, GTS in kent is not that far. So picking chassis up would be easy enough

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Yup, very good point . Top notch products too

David

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MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK MK

Ooops silly me, my finger slipped!

Welcome to the nut house!!!!!!!!!

I'd go along with Ben
I would advise you to buy as locally as possible.

GTS are just by the Dartford crossing. They sell an excellant chassis that will accept all Sierra runnung gear.

I am in the process of building one and if you look in my photo archive you will see pictures of the GTS chassis there.

Darren will sell you any level of kit you want from just a chassis right up to a full comprehensive kit or even a turnkey car.

I cant emphasize the local bit enough though as you will inevitably want to go to speak to the manufacturer on several occasions.

By the way what school did you attend?
Both my sons went to what used to be called Hedley Walter but has now changed its name I believe. I used to come from round there.... Stondon Massey...

EDIT
Don't listen to the MK boys They're biased.

They're no better or worse than a lot of other manufacturers

Remember they are all efectively cottage industries and you will get both problems and good experiences from whoever you go with.... Thats half the fun of it....

[Edited on 22-11-05 by BKLOCO]

[Edited on 22-11-05 by BKLOCO]

quote:

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Originally posted by andyharding


Shame about the customer service though...

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we, id say build one yourself, from scratch. Why? Because insuring a kit at 17 isnt going to be cheap, plus it will learn you a whole load of skills that will be useful for life Best thing i ever did was learning to weld, and now im learning (experimenting) with design too

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Don't listen to the MK boys There biased.

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mk,GTS,luego,MNR are the ones which usually come out of most peoples mouths first I have had contact with all of the companies mentioned above. 2 were brilliant 2 were not. It won't take you long to find this out for yourself. Ring them and look at their sites.

as for prebuilt chassis I think luego sell the locost and velocity chassis seperatley but not the viento. I think GTS and MK sell chassis seperatley(not sure though). MNR I am pretty sure don't. Though when I can afford a kit I will be purchasing an MNR

Hope this helps

GTS sell everything separately or together. Prebuilt or ready to make. Whatever you want, you can have most of the time

I am another vote for build it yourself. You will learn a lot along the way and just think of how proud you will be to tell people no I didn't buy a kit i built it from a pile of steel and ally!

caber

Ive personally built from scratch, id bought the steel before id evan looked at the kits, next time i would buy a kit simply to save time although making the chassis is a great experience and to get the base chassis done istn too much of a problem.
I also bought my wishbones and pretty much everything else from GTS, i evan rang darren once for advice which he was most helpful with. The only downside is ive been waiting for my parts from darren for nearly 3 months now, which reminds me, best give him a ring tomorrow

[Edited on 22/11/05 by Gav]

I am building from scratch, well sort of. Mcsorley chassis luego bones and trailing arms, gts dedion. the list goes on

Warning: This post will upset the massed ranks of the worshippers of the Church of MK.
The powdercoated chassis on show at the Exeter show was awful.
I saw at least 2 places where the welds had been over ground by about half the thickness of the tube,the bent square section tubes were domed and there was a divot big enough to rest a cigar in where one of the bent tubes met the front bulkhead.
Sadly I forgot to take my camera.

The moral of this is go and look for yourself,by all means listen to the enthusiasts/owners/mates but their word isn't gospel.

Ian

House brick

I think Robinbloke has a hidden agenda or something, does he take a micrometer to shows? I don't worship anybody, I'm building my own second chassis but I would not criticise any manufacturer for their finishing of welds for the sake of .8mm to the naked eye. Take your camera next time and your micrometer.

Would of thought it an easy thing to see... Over ground a weld before and it sticks out a mile when it's lower than the tubes in question ??!?!?!

If properly and professionally done, no weld should need grinding.

I'd be suspicious of any kit, regardless of brand, where welds have been ground for 'cosmetic' purposes.

But I'm suspicious of everything.

Under a layer of powdercoat? The welds shouldn't be ground but to fit bodywork they do need linishing. I use 80 grit fibre disks on a backing pad to do mine so they don't dig in and take too much off. They are cheaper than grinding disks and last longer as a bonus. It's not a trade secret so I'm sure MK do the same. To come out with a damning and personal statement like this and not offer any evidence just seems a bit underhand to me, didn't anyone else see it and feel moved enough to comment? The divots and domes in square tube are obviously a result of bending them in a former as anyone who looks at tubular fabrications and furniture will notice, it's unavoidable and not something I like the look of myself but it's their way of doing it.

Is it possible to use these chassis in the Locost racing series??

quote:

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Originally posted by liam.mccaffrey
mk,GTS,luego,MNR are the ones which usually come out of most peoples mouths first I have had contact with all of the companies mentioned above. 2 were brilliant 2 were not. It won't take you long to find this out for yourself. Ring them and look at their sites.

as for prebuilt chassis I think luego sell the locost and velocity chassis seperatley but not the viento. I think GTS and MK sell chassis seperatley(not sure though). MNR I am pretty sure don't. Though when I can afford a kit I will be purchasing an MNR

Hope this helps

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hi guys!
cheers for all the replies!

the problem i have with building it myself is that i have literally ZERO welding experience and at the moment i dont see where/how i could learn as i i think i only know one person with a welder!
out of the suggested companies so far i like the sound of GTS if they are only by the dartford crossing

i would however be looking to do nearly all of everything myself, only really looking for a chasis to be already made up etc


To whoever asked, (sorry i forget who it was) i goto St Martins in Hutton but know Sawyers Hall College (Hedley Walters) well!
Think i know some people from Stondon Massey as well!




Dont you think a locost would look infinately cooler than a chav'd to the max 106 or saxo (of which round here there are plenty!!) at the traffic lights?!?!

[Edited on 23/11/05 by skamanfrank]

quote:

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Originally posted by Peteff
Under a layer of powdercoat? The welds shouldn't be ground but to fit bodywork they do need linishing. I use 80 grit fibre disks on a backing pad to do mine so they don't dig in and take too much off. They are cheaper than grinding disks and last longer as a bonus. It's not a trade secret so I'm sure MK do the same. To come out with a damning and personal statement like this and not offer any evidence just seems a bit underhand to me, didn't anyone else see it and feel moved enough to comment? The divots and domes in square tube are obviously a result of bending them in a former as anyone who looks at tubular fabrications and furniture will notice, it's unavoidable and not something I like the look of myself but it's their way of doing it.

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Cheese and pickle or Cheese and onion?.......never can decide

But then it all changes when you put some salad muck on them......decisions decisions

i hate it when you get tomato and cucumber in everything, i hate them, yuk

Green nanas are ok but those soggy red things ....

Was it not the new lighter chassis with some tubes thinner gauge

Must admit, a few of my welds where the ali panels will sit have gone a tad further in than I would have liked, but not enough to concern me.

Most of the 7's are generally very similar underneath.

Pic which ever you thinks looks nicest on the outside and which is nearest to you.

Pat...