I'm not sure if this should be in the running gear forum, but anyway...

I'm a second year HND student and have just started my second year major project. It's based on a Locost chassis we have in the institute, but I need to prove that there is a need for what i'm doing.
I would very grateful if you could just answer a quick question for me. Have you had trouble finding Cortina front uprights for you LoCost chassis? If so, what other car or manufacturers uprights have you used instead, and why?

Any story of your upright woe or alternative uprights and ball joints would be EXTREMELY useful and I would be very grateful.

Thanks,
David.

they take a bit of looking for but you can still get them it took me about three days to track some down.
you can get them from sertain websites but you pay over the odds

[Edited on 31/10/03 by rell]

Ooooooo, someone planning to make us all some Titanium uprights me thinks!

Got mine free with the Cortina a friend of my wifes gave us. Just wanted it off his drive

Cheers for replying. I was told by a lecturer that cortina bits are getter a bit scarce and so the prices are creeping up (and for a LoCost, sort of defeats the object!) so I was told this would be a good project! I just need to prove this theory really.

And titanium? Pfff, come on, carbon fibre!

I will be looking easily available cars from car breakers as i've got to take cost into consideration, but it means maybe redesigning the front suspension and new ball joints and so on. I just have to make sure that there is a need really.

yes, there is a need at the correct price. Cortinas are getting scarce and expensive, and the sierra alternative isnt ideal because the hubs need an insert in the top to replace the strut with a receptor for the upper ball joint. If you dont make the insert yourself you get charged about £40 i think it often is.

So maybe a cheap source of inserts (simple on a lathe) or some dappa light hubs (sierras are well heavy) and all will be well!

ps the lower hole on the sierra hub gets drilled out to the correct taper to take a cortina ball joint, and the top insert takes a transit track rod end like in the book.

[Edited on 31/10/03 by JoelP]

You should be looking for an upright that is aesthetically pleasing as well IMHO

The front uprights on these cars are very much on show and the converted sierra jobbies are just plain ugly

The Tiger 6 uses Golf uprights - this may be a possible solution

Again, thanks for replying guys, that's just what I wanted to read! I have since heard that a couple of years ago a student did a similar project to this and used Golf uprights, so that info is very useful.

Joel, thanks for the techy tips. I've been searching all over for 'the' book, and i'm making progress in getting my hands on one, so i'll have the locost bible soon hopefully! At the moment i'm just at the research stage and writing off to car breakers and all that stuff.

I hope you all don't mind being quoted in my final year major project?