VinceGledhill
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| posted on 12/6/03 at 02:47 PM |
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Book Chassis or Not?
I am thinking about building a locost but do not want to try to find an escort MKII and was thinking about building using a Sierra as a donor.
What modifications do I need to make to the chassis in order to use the Sierra running gear etc.
I want to build it from the ground up so therefore don't want to go out and buy an Indi chassis for example.
What would you guys recommend?
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Simon
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| posted on 12/6/03 at 03:52 PM |
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Vince,
Firstly, Sierra quite a bit wider than Escort, so you may like to think about making chassis wider (you should still try and get Escort steering rack
or shorten Sierra item).
Then the front uprights are different, so you'll need to consider upright adaptors (benefits of which will allow (will offset hole) adjustment
to castor and camber).
The Sierra has IRS, Escort live axle, so you will need to bastardize the design to incorporate something like the Tiger Avon (Jim Dudley book has the
plans). This will mean making rear wishbones too!
Hope this of some help!!
ATB
Simon
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VinceGledhill
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| posted on 12/6/03 at 04:13 PM |
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I was thinking about building mine slightly wider as per Jim McSorley's drawings @ http://mcsorley.net/locost/default.htm
Would indi stuff fit anyone?
Thanks for the info so far.
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craig1410
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| posted on 12/6/03 at 09:52 PM |
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Hi,
Try to find a Cortina Mk 3,4,5 and base it on that instead. They are a little easier to find the escorts and will allow you to build a +4"
chassis without all the complication of Independent Rear Suspension.
This topic has been debated many times so use the search link above to search for stuff like "IRS" or "Sierra" etc.
If you want to use Indy bits then you'd be cheaper in the long run buying an Indy Chassis in my opinion. Your project would get off to a flying
start and you would know that all the bodywork and trimmings would fit later when you are ready for it. I know you said that you want to build it from
the ground up but don't think for a minute that buying a chassis is a cop out because it is probably only 25% of the whole job. If I knew then
what I know now then I would probably have bought and Indy chassis...
Indy wishbones are longer than 'book' wishbones to match the sierra track without widening the chassis. The alternative is a wider chassis
and 'book' wishbones but be aware that the shape of the Sierra uprights requires a modified top wishbone to avoid excessive positive
castor.
My advice would be McSorely 7+4 (which I'm building) and Cortina Mk5 running gear.
Good luck!
Craig.
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VinceGledhill
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| posted on 12/6/03 at 11:04 PM |
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Thanks for the Advice Craig. I understand what you are saying about the Chassis build not being a cop out.
M 7+4 and Cortina bits.... now that sounds interesting. I may look at that if I can ge a suitable donor.
Now where was that.... Oh yes..... www.autotrader.co.uk
Regards
Vince Gledhill
Time Served Auto Electrician
Lucas Leeds 1979-83
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stephen_gusterson
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| posted on 13/6/03 at 09:16 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by craig1410
minute that buying a chassis is a cop out because it is probably only 25% of the whole job.
In my experience its less than 10% of the whole job. Consider that every last nut bolt and wire is only there cos you put it there, and then think of
how many individual bits there are on a car.
cutting up and welding together a few bits of inch rhs steel is the best and fastest part of the build. The rest is the slow tedious list of things to
do that never seem to get shorter.
atb
steve
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LoCostLancs
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| posted on 13/6/03 at 09:50 AM |
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If you are gonna build your own chassis, it isnt the case of just welding a few RHS tubes of steel. Lots of measuring and lots of welding.
Measure everything 3 times before cutting.
Measure everything 3 times before welding and again after welded..
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craig1410
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| posted on 13/6/03 at 11:13 AM |
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I agree with both of you. I find the measuring, cutting welding bit quite easy but you really have to think about what you are doing, especially if it
is a non standard build like mine. Ron's book says that the chassis build is 50% of the work but I am certain it is much less than that. 10%
doesn't sound out of the question but I guess I won't know until it's complete. A lot has to do with your own strengths and
weaknesses. I'm good at electrics, body work and mechanicals but not so experienced at welding and chassis building or suspension geometry so
I've had to learn these skills.
One skill you have to learn is basic project management and time management so you can break down the impossible list into nice easy 2-4 hour blocks
of things to do and things to source. That is for me a big secret to success!
Cheers,
Craig.
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stephen_gusterson
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| posted on 13/6/03 at 06:16 PM |
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I didnt cut all my steel at the beginning and very little was the wrong length.
Thats cos I build up the chassis as the upper and lower frames, put in the verticals then made up my own dimensions to suit the actual car being
built. That way you cut to suit and not to a list.
atb
steve
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craig1410
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| posted on 13/6/03 at 06:52 PM |
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Steve,
Yip, same here. I cut everything as I needed it with a good quality hacksaw and flat file. That way I knew that everything fitted as perfectly as
possible.
I can't imagine cutting everything up front and then hoping that it all fits...
I'm sure lots of people have done this but it's a bit of a leap of faith for me.
Cheers,
Craig.
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VinceGledhill
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| posted on 17/6/03 at 10:55 AM |
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Thanks for all the input guys. Sorry it's taken me so long to reply. I've been away for the weekend.
The reason I wanted to build my own chassis was that I have already built a kit car, that being a cobra and have gained the experience of putting it
all together.
I would like to build it from the ground up and therefore would like to build the chassis as-well.
The reason that I thought about the Sierra as a donor was because this is the vehicle that most of the kit manufacturers of sevenesque cars have based
their cars around.
I don't have a problem with building the rear end.... the tiger avon seems to do it ok and I'm sure the INDI rear end will suffice. My
problem is with the geometry at the front. I don't understand it all really, and don't want a car that bump steers at the end of the
day.
Looking at all the options open to me so far, I may go ahead and build an INDI but I'm really looking into all the possibilities.
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splitrivet
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| posted on 17/6/03 at 11:15 AM |
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A good investment is a chop saw or one of those attachments you can fit a large angle grinder to too make it a chop saw.I cut my chassis with a
hacksaw what a ball ache since then I bought a chop saw attachment,definately money well spent cutting takes seconds, angles are perfect ends are 100%
square.
Bob
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