I had set my mind on building a car engined locost, sierra based, and had started stripping the donor. Unfortunately after browsing numerous peoples
web sites I am becoming more drawn towards a BEC, especially when comparing cost to performance. £2000 for a rebuilt 2.1L pinto, £500-£800 for a
second hand bike engine with box. So this seems to be the way I intend going.
I know this question will probably cause much debate but which chassis would be my best bet and why? Originally I was going to build a Tiger Avon
chassis from the drawings in their book. I hope to build as much of the car myself as possible.
Not to put a downer on it, but a BEC will be more money to build. The engine may only be £800, but there are plenty of extra's your probably gonna
need unless your very good at fabricating things. A few examples are exhaust manifold £250, prop adapter £50, filter/jet kit £100+, gear lever set-up
£50+, sensors for speedo etc £100+, and believe me, the list goes on. And most BEC owning boys like the extras, lightweight brakes £300+, quick racks
£80+, and other such racey toys!
Having said that I think that BEC are definitely the way to go. As for bought chassis's, Stuart Taylor are well proven, but many of their parts are
expensive. The better bet may be MK whose stuff is much better priced, and they're really helpful (PTM excluded of course!)
If you want to build your own chassis the simpliest route is to make a live axle chassis as in Ron's books, keep things as simple as you can. Live
axles handle as well if not better on the track as IRS, and the build is simpler. And dont believe the hype about 'There's no Escort's/Cortinas left',
there are plenty of cheap ones around if you look. Alternatively just buy the bits seperately.
These are all my personal views (I'm building a ZX9 live axle locost!), your bound to get other contradictory ones.....
Also check out the Yahoo Groups BEC list - a wealth of helpful advice.
Thenks Jasper. I wil definately have a look on Yahoo.
quote:
Not to put a downer on it, but a BEC will be more money to build. The engine may only be £800, but there are plenty of extra's your probably gonna need unless your very good at fabricating things. A few examples are exhaust manifold £250, prop adapter £50, filter/jet kit £100+, gear lever set-up £50+, sensors for speedo etc £100+, and believe me, the list goes on. And most BEC owning boys like the extras, lightweight brakes £300+, quick racks £80+, and other such racey toys!
quote:
Having said that I think that BEC are definitely the way to go. As for bought chassis's, Stuart Taylor are well proven, but many of their parts are expensive. The better bet may be MK whose stuff is much better priced, and they're really helpful (PTM excluded of course!)
quote:
If you want to build your own chassis the simpliest route is to make a live axle chassis as in Ron's books, keep things as simple as you can. Live axles handle as well if not better on the track as IRS, and the build is simpler. And dont believe the hype about 'There's no Escort's/Cortinas left', there are plenty of cheap ones around if you look. Alternatively just buy the bits seperately.
quote:
The better bet may be MK whose stuff is much better priced, and they're really helpful (PTM excluded of course!)
I'm not saying that it will get out of hand, but it WILL cost more than a budget CEC, though the cost extras may not be huge they do really add up.
I bet you the nice MK gear linkage was a least £50's worth, and unless your gonna cut a big hole in your bonnet for the original airbox, or can
fabricate your own airbox for the standard filter, then you are gonna need a filter/jet kit to make it run. Do dont need all the nice goodies like
Digidash units, but just the basics for these cars have for me, at least, added up to more that I would have spent on a CEC.
And I dont understand your comment about quick racks, there readily available from Rally design for about £80.
Most people who build BEC's aren't making them into nice long distance comfortable cars, they are balls out racers really designed for track days and
short runs. Most people I've spoken too have ended up with quick racks and more powerful and responsive and lightweight breaks, and other track
orientated parts because of this.
And it depends where you want to spent your £1k, I decided I really wanted a BEC and was prepared to save money elsewhere to have what I wanted. I've
also thoroughly enjoyed building my own.
Back in your cage with your wippet Mr PTM
I'd love to share a domicile with my whippet but the whippet crop has been so bad this year you know!
BTW we are talking about Sierra quick rack kits, escort ones are 2 a penny.
That's what u get for using crappy old Sierras 
I have blown the budget but there are cheap ways round it - make it mid engined - no prop.
speedo £20 -
http://www.sigmasport.com/index_e.html
exahust - off bashed bike etc.
spares are extortionate though - I agree - and sunthetic oil at £25 aaaaaaaaahhhhhhh
If you dont mind a slightly heavier engine less trendy u can save al ot of money there. I wish Id bought a whole bike [crashed damaged] rather than
just engine - as u need so many other bits.
I chose a bandit as its cheaper than the sort after GSXR which u can tune upto.
Pete
Bandit 1200 mid engined part tiger
part Rons book part whatever fits
Thanks ever so much for all the replies. Well you have all certainly given me a lot to think about. By the way anyone going to the Kent Kit Car Show as I will be there Saturday and possibly Sunday.