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DIY build or off the shelf?
Hallsy - 6/6/07 at 05:55 PM

Been away from here for a long while, bought a house in the mean time!!

Anyway, got the bug again!

Back then I had the Ron Champion book and was going to follow that build, but I relaise things have moved on quite a bit and would rather have IRS.

I'm an engineer by trade so happy to do most of the work myself, but is it worth DIY building the chassis, or just buy one ready made/tested? Are there any plans for an IRS chassis?

I gather the steel would cost around £100. I have seen a built chassis on ebay local to me for £170, but then I don't know if I could trust the integrity of the workmanship.

An SVA merely tests that the car is roadworthy right? Not whether it will fall to bits around the first corner!!

speedyxjs - 6/6/07 at 06:03 PM

DIY. Buy Chris' 'new book' the haynes roadster. Has plans for irs, bec and different cec's.

DIY Si - 6/6/07 at 06:07 PM

Welcome back!
A lot of it depends wether you want to make it all or not To some this is a large factor in doing a locost. A locost will certainly give you a lot more satisfaction, but will be worth less due to the parts not being professionally built. That's not to say that a home build can't meet or exceed the levels of workmanship shown by manufacturers. In places it may be easy to exceed them, as you can spend as much time as you wish on certain parts. For that reason, I'd give a home build chassis a very, very close look before buying it.
Buying a chassis will a allow a speedier build due to having something to just pin things to. You can then still make the bones and everything else as skills/time/funds permit. It also means you can claim it's based on an Indy/Panther/Dax/whatever. As to the accuracy of that, I'll leave that up to you!
Personally, I'd buy a chassis and do the rest even though I can weld, as it would take me a long while to make as I can't help myself from getting inventive and making things stronger/lighter/faster etc!
All in my own opinion of course.

ecosse - 6/6/07 at 06:28 PM

Seconded DIY with the new book, its the way I would go if starting out and Chris has a forum dedicated to it as well, so any questions will get answered by the designer himself

Cheers

Alex

kb58 - 6/6/07 at 07:19 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Hallsy
Been away from here for a long while, bought a house in the mean time!!

Anyway, got the bug again!

Back then I had the Ron Champion book and was going to follow that build, but I relaise things have moved on quite a bit and would rather have IRS.

I'm an engineer by trade so happy to do most of the work myself, but is it worth DIY building the chassis, or just buy one ready made/tested? Are there any plans for an IRS chassis?


Ah good, have a gander at my book, in my sig.

Simon - 6/6/07 at 08:17 PM

How much time have you got

If you wanna be on the road for the (indian) summer, buy a kit. If you don't mind being 2 - 10 years build it yourself

ATB

Simon

Hallsy - 6/6/07 at 08:56 PM

Thanks for the friendly replies

I think a lot of what I;m into with cars is taking the time and doing things myself, so I reckon DIY is the way forward.

Didn't realise there was a new book out, I'll have to get a copy.

I'm no expert welder, although can weld and have been taught (although a few moons ago). However it would have to be MIG as I can't afford a TIG welder, plus I have shaky hand syndrome

Is a steel chassis OK by todays standards, or are they all ally!!??

907 - 6/6/07 at 09:00 PM

If you are an engineer by trade then IMHO you have answered your own question.

We are virtually neighbors, so if you fancy a coffee and a chat pop over some time.

ATB

Paul G

x_flow57 - 6/6/07 at 10:33 PM

Almost neighbours too, although my build is nowhere near the std of 907's, you are just as welcome to get together for a look around and coffee.
Perhaps we should have a get together even nearer than Bures one day.
Nick

Simon - 6/6/07 at 11:40 PM

I think a lot of what I;m into with cars is taking the time and doing things myself, so I reckon DIY is the way forward.

This is good, as most of those that scratch built reckon that building is more fun than the driving, and they're a right laugh to drive

Didn't realise there was a new book out, I'll have to get a copy.

Do a search on here for it, and you'll find it's available for quite a bit less than list

I'm no expert welder, although can weld and have been taught (although a few moons ago). However it would have to be MIG as I can't afford a TIG welder, plus I have shaky hand syndrome

Again, do a search, someone is doing chinese TIGs for (iirc) £400. Same as others have bought, and a good bit of kit by all accounts.

Is a steel chassis OK by todays standards, or are they all ally!!??

Steel is the way to go. I'm sure someone will be along who's done the maths bit and proven it's not worth the aggro. You need to bear in mind that ally welding is difficult. You need more to retain strength and there are the work hardening issues/fractures.

1" sq 16swg is cheap and strong though if you're gonna go slightly ott (see bj's post in the Luego section) then use slightly larger.

Ally panels and floor can be used if you are concerned with weight.

ATB

Simon

[Edited on 6/6/07 by Simon]

Hallsy - 7/6/07 at 08:30 AM

Thanks again

907 & x_flow57 - I am based in Sudbury area, would be great to meet up and take a look once I get to the building stage

Simon, I had seen the TIG welders in the for sale section. I appreciate that they are cheap at £400, just not sure whether it would be worth it as I am not so practiced in TIG. I can and have TIG'd before so maybe it would just be a case of practice, would certainly look a lot neater than MIG anyway. I'll have a chat with the welders at work.

As for the ally vs steel, I suppose I was forgetting that steel is much more forgiving than ally and so less likely to fatigue/crack, and yes, the welders at work often comment on how much more difficult ally welding is, and the need for a foot pedal, etc.

I am so up for this now I just want to drop all of my other projects and get building!!

RK - 7/6/07 at 11:49 AM

My strictly observational experience tells me that those into "other projects" that must be dropped in order to commence a Locost, will not finish any time soon. They tend to be creative, capable types, who have more ambition than time. They have just enough time and skill to get themselves over their heads in the time management department.

I on the other hand, have no skill to speak of (never welded), but a lot of time, and if necessary, the $$ to finish - and finish I will, because I'm paying people if necessary.

I would seriously get a kit, or at least a frame made by somebody else. It will speed things up quite a bit IMO, and more importantly, when things get bogged down, you will be nearer the end than if you had built the frame yourself.

kb58 - 7/6/07 at 01:02 PM

IMHO, if you're going to buy a frame for time or skill reasons, than you may as well get a kit. I think WAY more effort and time is spent creating a shell, which is why I recommended buying one. But if you don't want to do the chassis either, you're boxed yourself into a kit being the only solution.

Hallsy - 7/6/07 at 03:34 PM

Time is no problem for me, I won't be in a rush and would rather do a decent job than rush it.

I'd also take pride in building it all myself so I think that's the option I'll go with

Now to decide which engine to use!!!

kb58 - 7/6/07 at 06:00 PM

quote:
Originally posted by kb58
IMHO, if you're going to buy a frame for time or skill reasons, than you may as well get a kit. I think WAY more effort and time is spent creating a shell, which is why I recommended buying one. But if you don't want to do the chassis either, you're boxed yourself into a kit being the only solution.


Sorry, I'm mixing up my threads. In another thread, someone was wondering how hard it would be to make a CANAM-style body, and I suggested - and suggest to you - to buy the shell. There is a TON of work to creating a shell, which may very well take longer than the rest of the project. Yes, lots of people have done it, so it's not impossible, but you need perhaps 1000 hours and have a high tolerance for messy, smelly work, AND not get bored by tons of sanding.


[Edited on 6/7/07 by kb58]

Simon - 7/6/07 at 07:26 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Hallsy
Now to decide which engine to use!!!


There is only one you ever need.

It's cheap, plentiful, extremely reliable (even when left unloved for many years), leaxed, torquey, has 8 cylinders and varies in size from 3.5 to 5+litres.

In the words of Rolf Harris - "Can you guess what it is yet?"

ATB

Simon

Hallsy - 8/6/07 at 09:38 AM

Haha, I wonder

I would be building a seven body so the only shell will be panelling so no need for 1000 hours moulding, sanding and filling fibreglass!

Simon, a V8 had crossed my mind as I've never owned a V8 and would love the noise/torque. I don't want a Ford engine, no disrepsect, just that I've never been into Fords and so know little about them.

I'm a bit of a Jap man at the mo (Own a S13 200sx and ST202 Celica) so considered using a CA18DET or maybe the 1600 MR2 engine. Used to be into Pugs so maybe an Mi16 on carbs.

I can see I'll have trouble deciding here, need to have a look around at engine/g'box combinations I reckon.

Hallsy - 8/6/07 at 09:38 AM

Haha, I wonder

I would be building a seven body so the only shell will be panelling so no need for 1000 hours moulding, sanding and filling fibreglass!

Simon, a V8 had crossed my mind as I've never owned a V8 and would love the noise/torque. I don't want a Ford engine, no disrepsect, just that I've never been into Fords and so know little about them.

I'm a bit of a Jap man at the mo (Own a S13 200sx and ST202 Celica) so considered using a CA18DET or maybe the 1600 MR2 engine. Used to be into Pugs so maybe an Mi16 on carbs.

I can see I'll have trouble deciding here, need to have a look around at engine/g'box combinations I reckon.

garratt83 - 8/6/07 at 10:09 AM

I'm going to try and do the whole thing myself.

Bought the steel and on the lookout for a welder now.

Using CHris Gibbs book

kb58 - 8/6/07 at 12:55 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Hallsy
Haha, I wonder
I'm a bit of a Jap man at the mo (Own a S13 200sx and ST202 Celica) so considered using a CA18DET or maybe the 1600 MR2 engine. Used to be into Pugs so maybe an Mi16 on carbs.


My book uses FWD drivetrains, relocated to the rear of the car, you could use a Japanese drivetrain located behind the seats, and still make it look like a 7.

[Edited on 6/8/07 by kb58]