Hi Everyone,

I'm massively keen to get started on a build, but my general mechanic skills suck (technical term). I'm planning to do some courses for welding and mechanics, but in the meantime, what would you suggest for recommended reading?

I have "the book", but am wondering if there are any good mechanics reference books you suggest?

Thanks in advance,
Nick

Hello and welcome...

Hmmm tricky one that. Learning to weld and reading 'the book' a few times is certainly enough to get started. Just trying to remember how I learnt what i know...

Spent my last year at uni visiting scrap yards and working out how cars go together and what all the bits are/look like. Used the net a lot combined with this to research suitable 4WD systems (as i'd already decided to do a 4x4). Ummm, lots of kit car mags and good old CCC were read, I visited a few local finished builders, then after that this place started.

And this place really does contain everything you will ever likely need to know. Do some searches on topics, or just look back over the threads and read anything that takes your fancy. When you really start you'll have more specific questions, all of which will be answered here no doubt.

Best of luck

liam

Thanks for the sound advice! I've been reading the book over and over and its all making sense. Would really love to get more info about engine mechanics, but so far it seems that I'll need to figure out what engine I'm going to use before I can get specific texts.

So far I'm liking the MK Indy kits, mainly for their bodywork. Will have to do some research and find out what engine other Indy builders have used.

Which kit car (no pun intended) magazines (if any) do you read? I might have to suggest to my girlfriend that a subscription could be a good birthday present!

Cheers,
Nick

Sounds like you're doing OK anyway.

If i remember, the kit car mags were probably best for early inspiration rather than real info - but every now and again a really useful how-to feature pops up with a few good hints. I think I went for Which Kit and Kit Car pretty equally. CCC was best for hands on stuff with engines and always had really interesting pictures of race car suspension and stuff which I loved!

For really knowing about engines in general I have Four Stroke Performance Tuning and Modern Engine Tuning by A. Graham Bell (didn't he invent the telephone?) which are good reads. Once you've chosen an engine you'll get more specific stuff by talking to people here (or in the appropriate production car forums) who actually use them.

Liam

[Edited on 5/4/05 by Liam]

Thanks for the info! I've had a quick look for CCC online but can't find their site (assuming they have one) or anywhere to subscribe. Or am I just being a dumbass? I found links to www.ccconline.com but its a website for personal fitness equipment or something abstract like that! I'll have a look in town for a specialist bookstore or newsagent.

Now all I have to do is convince my girlfriend we NEED a garage when we buy a place
Cheers,
Nick

CCC are no more. Born out of the ashes is PPC - Practical Performance Car. Excellent read and informative too.
As for chassis, check out MK Locost (new), £995 inc vat gets you chassis, fibreglass and wishbones, Trailing arms, rollbar and poly bush set. Proper bargain!!

Marcus

Ps I'd still rather build my own chassis!

Ah, that might explain it! =) Thanks for the heads up.

I'd like to build my own chassis, but my welding sucks. I have found some local welding courses so depending on how I go I might build from scratch. I'm impatient at the best of times so might just want to buy a frame for my first build to get up and running as soon as possible. I'd love to build my first one as a learning experience, with a view to selling it to fund either a hardcore locost, or a nice Cobra replica. See what I mean about impatient? Can't weld a single bit, but am already planning 3 builds! haha. Maybe if/when I win Lotto and can spend my waking life in the garage!

Cheers,
Nick

yip same as me,i can weld but didnt trust my welding on a chassis
buy a kit and get it on the road,that would be a big learning curve for when your ready to build one from scratch ,it might be the long way round of going about it but i think if you brought a kit at least you might finish it

The best idea is to use the JFDI principle - just do it!

Get stuck in, make your mind up, get started. Don't try to do anything clever, just get something built. Get clever later, when you have some idea of what you're doing.

Have fun!

David

I'm going back to australia in December for 8 months, and have nowhere to store my project until I get back, so (as agonising it is) I'm going to have to delay the start of my build until late next year.

Normally I'd just jump right in, but I just cant see that chassis fitting in my hand luggage! At least it gives me time to brush up on all my skills and plan as much as I can.

Cheers,
Nick