As per this post http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/forum/7/viewthread.php?tid=213659 and a bit of investigation. I am now thinking about building (or buying an abandoned!) Midlana or similar chassis and creating an Ariel Nomad style off-road / road car.

I don't have the patience for a long drawn out build and I will be on a tight budget as due to family pressures (ie a daughter that loves to be driven around in the sandrail) I won't be able to sell that until it's replacement is in sight. The build will also be faster as I am not bothered about it being all shiny. -If it drags on it will not be fun!

Mid engine makes sense to me. I swapped the MX5 engine into the air cooled sandrail in a few months - but lots of time was spent working out the franken-box to mate it to a 002 VW gearbox by cutting it's bell housing in half - so if I don't have to mess around with that then that's a much faster build.

What engine ? No idea, it will be stock everything (money and time again) 150-200Hp, not too modern so it does not go into limp mode because it can't find the electric windows..
I know and like the MX-5 1.8 engine and electrics - but its on the wrong type of gearbox. Suggestions please.

Suspension - I think 150-200mm of front travel is do-able without too much hassle. The rear however is a different story. The FWD gearboxes seem to put the drive shafts a long way apart which means lots of angular travel needed. Also the the rear frame gets in the way on the Midlana so that will need thinking about unless I can find an engine on a narrower trans-axle - Then I might be tempted to use the Porsche torsion bar set up as I can just weld on the back of a 944.

All just musings at the moment but discussion welcome

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Originally posted by miskit
... Ariel Nomad style off-road / road car.

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Originally posted by miskit

I don't have the patience for a long drawn out build and I will be on a tight budget as due to family pressures (ie a daughter that loves to be driven around in the sandrail) I won't be able to sell that until it's replacement is in sight. The build will also be faster as I am not bothered about it being all shiny. -If it drags on it will not be fun!

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Originally posted by miskit
Mid engine makes sense to me. I swapped the MX5 engine into the air cooled sandrail in a few months - but lots of time was spent working out the franken-box to mate it to a 002 VW gearbox by cutting it's bell housing in half - so if I don't have to mess around with that then that's a much faster build.

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Don't know if you have seen my post in the for sale section but I am selling all the bits I have collected for my own , now cancelled, Midlana build including a manual
If you can't see it U2U me and I'll send details

[Edited on 27/10/18 by ianhurley20]

I've not seen any abandoned chassis yet.

This is a compliment not a criticism of Kurt but the midlana is no five minuit project and there is in my opinion around 10 times the engineering involved over a traditional 7.

I had two engines on mind for mine, mk1 Focus Rs and St220 but the v6 gearbox is huge.

There’s an excellent midlana build Diary here https://forum.wscc.co.uk/forum/topic/127535-non-westfield-build/

Thanks for the feedback

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TextI Don´t think a Midlana Chassis would accept the punishment Off Road vehicles take... I also think that you´d be better starting with something designed for off road from the beginning.

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TextThis is a compliment not a criticism of Kurt but the midlana is no five minuit project and there is in my opinion around 10 times the engineering involved over a traditional 7.

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Originally posted by kingster996
There’s an excellent midlana build Diary here https://forum.wscc.co.uk/forum/topic/127535-non-westfield-build/

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Originally posted by miskit

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Originally posted by kingster996
There’s an excellent midlana build Diary here https://forum.wscc.co.uk/forum/topic/127535-non-westfield-build/

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Thanks! Seen that on the Midlana site but it seems a lot easier to read on the wscc!

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Not to mention how complex the chassis build is compared with the standard 7 - and that is before I start modifying it.
Has to be a simpler alternative somewhere.

Of course there is:
- subtract tubes, making it less stiff
- substitute larger diameter tubes with thinner walls (which violates US roll cage rules)
- do a proper FEA analysis on the chassis to see what can be removed, and at what cost. Then, when it's all done, realize that every tube is there for a reason, not just structural!

Am I over simplifying? Probably, but it's not easy to remove tubes from a tube chassis and not have it matter.

[Edited on 11/2/18 by kb58]

I started mine in 2010 after about 2 years of designing, and I am still not finished the chassis. But it is slowly coming together.

I went for a Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo, the 5 cylinder engine which makes 220bhp out of the box. I was offered the complete car and based on the fact it sounds absolutely amazing (in my opinion) I went with that.

Light mods should see an increase in power, only down side is its heavy. But I have managed to squeeze it in and my chassis is pretty decent in terms of proportions. The other good thing is the engine and gearbox all fit together, using the original drive shafts and modified the hubs to fit my custom suspension arms.

For me, I was inspired by Kurt's work and followed him from pretty much the beginning of his Midlana build. My build is intended to be a no compromise raw track car that can be used on the road, hence why its going to be extreme. In my experience, the engineering has been harder to package it, but then to me that's the fun part.

I wouldn't go the "easy" way, just because its been done before, if I were you, be bold and try something unusual.

At the moment the plan is a RWD Grand Vittara chassis with a lowered engine - possibly a V8 or a Subaru (as there is one available) and keeping the 8 points.

"Road Rail" Sketch



Loosely based on this great looking bit of kit





Garage is full of Sandrail at the moment so not sure how I am going to manage that.

Not going to CAD it much - I bought some Balsa dowel and superglue for that 1/10 hands on feel.

DF Goblin A/T might be worth a look, even though left hand drive


Try here

Exomotive in the US do an off road version of the MX5 based Exocet.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=19&ved=2ahUKEwirjuGP1LPgAhWcQxUIHTy5CDwQFjASegQICRAB&url=http %3A%2F%2Fexomotive.com%2Fexocet%2Foff-road%2F&usg=AOvVaw3B9eVcBULobnaP7Bso0BQn

Goblin looks OK but bringing a kit over would be eyewateringly expensive. + Not designed for IVA + A Chevy what??

I was going to build an Excocet originally (which is why my rail has an MX5 engine in it!) but found them "not to my taste" when I actually saw one, The Offroad version does look good though (in the pics) and was what turned me on the the Sandrail.

Looking at the option of a Frontera strip at the moment..