Before i start, i dont mean this in any way as an offence to anyone building there own chassi. the chances are im missing something...
OK so here i go...
Why build your own chassi? i mean after youve invested time designing the thing, then money on the materials and time building it. which has got to
be worth something as anyone doing it must be a skilled welder.
Also the chances of builind a chassi thats as good as a tred and tested chassi frm MK or Tiger thats "only" going to cost about 500.00 is it
worth it?
I mean I do kind of get it if its just so you can say, yep i built that, even the chassi and just as a challenge to your self. but it still doesnt
entierly make sence to me.
So i ask, just out of interest. not as a challenge. why do you guys that build your own chassi do it?
John
[Edited on 21/9/06 by JackNco]
I just don't understand you kit-car builders, why assemble something someone else has made when you can make your own ? 
Personally, I'd do it again (in fact I'm planning to when the new book comes out) and there's a few people on here who've built a
kit, then gone on to "roll their own" 
Also, I like the fact you can start to build your car with £80 for some steel tube instead of finding a few thousand to get you started, just
don't believe for a second it'll be cheap to finish
[Edited on 21/9/06 by UncleFista]
For me the Locost is a lesson in fabrication so I can build other cars that are not available to buy 
.
There are 3 types of car guys: Collectors, builders and drivers. Im a driver, but I am too poor to pay other people to build my stuff. Id never
lift a wrench again if I could afford it (Note: I am actually an auto tech by trade :p )
Why? Because I wanted to build a car, not assemble one. And the design we ended up using allows more flexibility in tuning the suspension than ANY
kit (the cost of pre-fab suspension pieces like these would be prohibitive for the end-buyer). Final result? A custom-built, ultra-high performance
car that I built entirely with my own two hands. Kind of a cool thing to be able to say in response to the usual question...
I have no reservations in recommending that a person does their own frame, even if it means a welding course at the local college....a great
experience!
I had the incredible opportunity to custom design a 2+2+2 frame with Jim McSorley over a period of months. The end result was a frame that fit
perfectly the Mustang2 suspension pieces, is fully adjustable and accommodates the Zetec and T-5 without an inch to spare.
And it just looks right.
There is so much time, money and effort that goes into building one of these things - Why start by limiting yourself at the onset, or trusting that
some one else can do a better job than you.
It's not the destination - it is the journey anyway.
Why?
Because my car is unique.
I started to make my own chassis but gave up due to having no where inside to build it and it rusted faster than i could get it together. When i
bought my house i looked at starting to build it again but still no where inside to do it, so i bought a chassis to save me the hassle which i have
modified anyway.
IF i had a garage i would make the chassis myself and build another, for one simple fact. I can say "I made that myself". Plus the
metal will cost u 100 quid and several hours in the garage. The remaining 400 u would have spent will buy you some of the other bits u need.
As per the book it should cost u £250 to do the whole thing
You could ask that question about every other part of the car - Why do your own wiring? ...... why make your own bodywork? ...... why set up your own
suspension?
The answer? ...... BECAUSE YOU CAN!
as the book says build your our sports car
i think most of the fun was building it !
thats why when i finished mine , i started on my next one !
we can all put lego together !
buy a chassis for speed,
or you can build your own and say i built that !
You will also find, having learnt to weld, it is very useful in fabrication of all sorts of other more minor bits like brackets etc. during the rest
of the build. World would be a sad & boring place if we all had/built/wanted the same.
It depends how much time you want to spend building the car.
Most people decide which bits of the build they will find difficult or don't want to do and get others to do it for them.
In a perfect world I'd probably have a go at building a chassis but as time didn't allow I bought a kit.
The whole thing was finished in 9 months working one evening a week and extra time here and there as opportunity allowed.
I'd be nowhere near finished if I had scratch built the car.
I'm pleased witht he result and definately wouldn't consider building a chassis if I did it again.
Stu
I think it is an interesting challenge to build from scratch but more than anything i have learned a lot! My welding skills are improved as are
fabrication skills. I now understand a great deal more about chassis design and construction and I agree I have taken a lot of time and not saved a
geat deal of money when i count in the cost of sundries including welding gas, grinding wheels, welding rod, etc. etc. However I wil be able to say i
built it all myself and he minor modifications i have made will give me an absolutely unique car at the end of the day.
Caber
i took 3 months from start to finish (not inc sva)
built the chassis from scratch, lots of hours every night, loads of hassel from the wife
I echo the sentiments of the other true locost builders here.
My objective is to make everything that I practically can ,myself.
I am fortunate that I have a lathe as well.
I would rather make a part,than buy something for possibly less than the cost of my materials.
Why?.................because its unique!
If i took short cuts i may as well just buy a car ................
Everyone who knows me also ask how i'm getting on..........
When its finished my kids will look back and say...
If that old fool can build that - god knows what i can achive
It's gotta be done i'm afraid...
Mod Everything!!!!!!!
[Edited on 21/9/06 by johnemms]
I'd have loved to have built my own, but by the time I'd bought all the equipment and learned to weld properly (lots of waste stel for
mistakes!), it'd have been cheaper to buy a kit anyway.
I don't have the equipment, space or skills to weld, so I didn't have much choice.
Might consider building the next one though, when the new book comes out.
Most of the people I know who have built chassis already had the know how and tools so it was just time and materials. When I built my chassis the materials were under £100 for the actual chassis not including the aluminium for the panels and the sheet for the floor. My time is free if I'm using it for my own amusement.
You could equally ask the question, why build a kit car when you can buy one ready built. The reasons are the same.
Anyone who is building a book chassis is building to a tried and tested design, it is after all a copy of a Westfield chassis. As long as the fit,
finish and welding are up to scratch then there should be no problems.
I personally think that a lot of scratch built chassis are of better quality than bought items which will always be made to a price.
David
[Edited on 21/9/06 by DavidM]
[Edited on 21/9/06 by DavidM]
Production line items will never be a match for care and attention given to one item made by one person for his own needs (as long as there's no deadline to achieve!)
I admit it.
I didn't believe I had the personal "kit" to self build and opted for a kit for my first car. My learning curve went straight up and
now am confident enough to go ahead and "sratch" build the next one.... I'm dreaming of a BEC Middie...Woo Woo!.
I chose to buy a kit after reading THE BOOK and doing a bit of research. My choice was down to timescales rather than willingness to learn and desire
to achieve. It's taken me 3 years to get to the point of being ready for the SVA, I suspect if I had embarked on making my own chassis, then
building a car would be something I started, but never finished.
Perhaps a question for those who have built their own chassis (to which I tip my hat) is....
How many of you have gone the whole hog and built your own ally and/or GRP bodywork?
IMHO that would make a car truly individual IMHO.
See Steve Grabers photo archive (username "sgraber" for a source of true inspiration in what can be achieved - truely awesome!
Cheers
Nick
PS - you should also take a look at alanb's build as well, another true car builder who's designed and built his own bodywork
[Edited on 25/9/06 by nick205]
quote:
Originally posted by nick205
......Perhaps a question for those who have built their own chassis (to which I tip my hat) is....
How many of you have gone the whole hog and built your own ally and/or GRP bodywork?........
I would really like to have the bodywork on my Indy made of ali rather than GRP (a la original 7), with just the wings and nose made from plastic.
However, I just don't have the skille to make it look good and not have lots of hammer dings all over the place.
Anyone know where you can buy it/have it fitted?
quote:
Originally posted by JackNco
Before i start, i dont mean this in any way as an offence to anyone building there own chassi. the chances are im missing something...
OK so here i go...
Why build your own chassi? i mean after youve invested time designing the thing, then money on the materials and time building it. which has got to be worth something as anyone doing it must be a skilled welder.
Also the chances of builind a chassi thats as good as a tred and tested chassi frm MK or Tiger thats "only" going to cost about 500.00 is it worth it?
I mean I do kind of get it if its just so you can say, yep i built that, even the chassi and just as a challenge to your self. but it still doesnt entierly make sence to me.
So i ask, just out of interest. not as a challenge. why do you guys that build your own chassi do it?
John
[Edited on 21/9/06 by JackNco]