Long answer is maybe but I have no fecking idea where you'd look unless your donor was a caterham
Hi all here is a question for you all to think about , but i have be thinking about the idea of a locost kit car using Ron champions book which i
have , i have been collecting information for a while now but 1 question is it says about using coil over springs etc, but do you need to use
these or can you use say shocks off something else i know it doesn't look as good as coil overs but who cares can normal shocks be used if
you know what i mean ....please can you leave for answers as i like to hear someone elses opinions on this ,also if there is any1 in Cornwall who
like to get in contact and have a chat ......Off to kit car show in Exeter any 1 else ?
[Edited on 20/11/03 by mr magoo]
The absolute answer is yes of course you can do whatever you like...
However, the realistic answer is no...you really do need coilovers unless you are going to do some drastic redesign...
Coilovers are a neccesary evil but there are ways to reduce those costs.......
Cue those with stories of cheap coilovers.........
Do you mean use dampers without any form of springing. This can't work as they would be permanently compressed. Take the springs off your road
car and see what happens to it. The springs hold the weight of the car and the dampers take out the oscillations from the spring so it doesn't
keep bouncing.
yours, Pete.
I think the short answer is no. Even Ron admits in his book that you have to buy a set of coilovers.
Long answer is maybe but I have no fecking idea where you'd look unless your donor was a caterham
shoxs would be fine, but were would you mount your springs ??
there are kits made that convert shox to shox with springs, I have never seen them used, and the cost of buying the kits, the shox, and spings, would
be pretty near to buying proper coilovers
A few of us from sussex are going to the exeter show, look in the clubs section
steve
Hi there steve will be there on Saturday, first time for me hope to get a few tips and a few idea's from there should be a good day out being in Cornwall there is not alot of places to source out stuff we don't get like auto jumbles etc down this way hope to see you guys there
Robinbastd (Ian) and me will be there on Saturday, I am from Crowlas, Ian is from Carnal Downs, where are you?
If you want to meet up , 07970 812921
quote:
Originally posted by Mark Allanson
Ian is from Carnal Downs...
I found mine on the westfield forum @ £120 and talked the guy down to £100 on the day, so they're not that expensive.
Ned.
Speaking about coilovers...
Maybe someone can tell me this:
1. What should be "normal" length of coilover. I mean - what lenght do I set up in my chasis design? If Ron's book says cmpressed
length - 254 mm, extended 356mm, would it be aprox 300 mm with fully loaded car (driver+engine+fuel)?
2. Do you know some place where you can order coilovers via internet, pay by card and receive by mail for reasonable price (not cheap 
)? Because I
live in eastern europe (Latvia), and haven't found coilovers near by.
Thanks, Janis.
Just a thought.... You could use MGB Lever Arm Shocks (front) as the upper A-arm and incorporate coil springs mounted in "cups". I'm not sure how this would look but it would be locost.
quote:
Originally posted by mr magoo
Hi all here is a question for you all to think about , but i have be thinking about the idea of a locost kit car using Ron champions book which i have , i have been collecting information for a while now but 1 question is it says about using coil over springs etc, but do you need to use these or can you use say shocks off something else i know it doesn't look as good as coil overs but who cares can normal shocks be used if you know what i mean ....please can you leave for answers as i like to hear someone elses opinions on this ,also if there is any1 in Cornwall who like to get in contact and have a chat ......Off to kit car show in Exeter any 1 else ?
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That looks like plans to use a Sierra rear subframe in a locost chassis, in which case you could just use the sierra springs and shocks, but I doubt they'll be the right rate for such a light car.
Mr Magoo,
I shouldn't bother with the above plan. Whole subframe assembly very heavy, and eats into a lot of seating area.
I know, I offered it up to my chassis b4 I got the Tiger Avon book. Suggest you do the same, and make some wishbones.
As for Q plates, according to the latest Kit Car mag, you now only need TWO major components from the donor to qualify for an age related
plate
So that'll be two driveshafts then
ATB
Simon
i was initially gonna use the original rear springs and shocks, but they are way to hard. plus shockers normally come in 4s anyway.
im also using the whole rear subframe, it is a bad idea but as i've started i'll finish. Not doing a book chassis so seating area isnt a
problem. When running, the subframe will be chucked, the diff angle corrected (points up a bit much), and proper wishbones used. Til then, sod the
weight, though as simon says, it is ridiculously heavy, cant lift it even with no wheels on.
quote:
Originally posted by JoelP
i was initially gonna use the original rear springs and shocks, but they are way to hard. plus shockers normally come in 4s anyway.
im also using the whole rear subframe, it is a bad idea but as i've started i'll finish. Not doing a book chassis so seating area isnt a problem. When running, the subframe will be chucked, the diff angle corrected (points up a bit much), and proper wishbones used. Til then, sod the weight, though as simon says, it is ridiculously heavy, cant lift it even with no wheels on.