A few queqstions before i start
 

First i'd like to say hi!

I registered here today but i own the book for about 2 years now.
I havn't started the build yet but i'm hoping to do so soon.
Meanwhile i'm doing all the perparation work i can, like figuring out the amounts of steel to buy, which length's to cut from one length of steel to make as little loss as i can, things like that.

I do however have a few questions that i need answered before i want to continue:

1) I'm 1 meter 88 cm's big (6 feet 2" ?). Not extraordinary big but not too small either. In all the picture's of finished builds the seat seems to be placed as far back as possible already. Will my length couse a problem with legroom if i don't modify the chassis?

2) All the plans show steel sizes, but not always very specific, the 25x25 i found by research on this forum to be 1.5mm thickness. The internal diameter for the wishbones i found in the book to be 12.5mm. but i can't find the size for the rear panel tube's (rp1, rp2, rp3). 12.5 internal diameter seems a bit heavy duty for these parts. Same goes for the 19x19 RHS, i can't work out the thickness for those either but suspect they are 1.5 too, is that correct?

3) The donor will very likely be a sierra but i want to use the c20xe engine from vauxhall. Will that engine fit into the chassis good without sticking out of the bonnet and is it hard to fit a gearbox for that engine into the chassis?

Thats all i can think of right now, but i'm sure i'll be back with more questions later :)

Thanks in advance, Jonathan

I can answer 1 of the questions for you, as i dont have my build book with me at the moment to answer your second question (all of my chassis steel arrived last week)

1) Im 6'6" and i've been told i will fit, if not i can move the pedal box futher into the engine bay.

Welcome Jonathan!!

At 1m 88cm you'll be fine, My car has been driven by someone at 1m 93cm, it is possible to gain more space by extending the wheelbase or moving the pedal box into the engine compartment.

Most of the steel used is 16 guage which is around 1.6mm, the wishbones are seamless tube with a 2.5mm wall.

I'm sure someone on here is using that engine but my swiss cheese brain won't tell me who it is!

I'd ask on Locostbuilders http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/index.php# too but it seems to be broken again at the moment.

Cheers

Chris :)

wow thanks for the fast reply's :)

when you say most of the steel is 1.6mm does that mean the 19 mm diameter tube is too or is that just for the 25x25 and the 19x19?

Just checked the book again and it seems the 12.5 internal diameter is just for the stainless steel bushing tube, the drawing indeed shows they are 2.5.

Yes, the 19mm is 1.6 wall too.

Cheers

Chris :)

a warm welcome to the crazy world of Roadster building :D i mean the forum.

just a note... if you intend using the Triton Race products bodywork then you don,t need the tube steel for the rear tub area.

without putting my foot in it alot of builders use what they can source as long as it works with the chassis you build without altering the chassis in a drastic way.
good luck with your build,:cool:

andy

Welcome Jonathon,

I'm 6'7", 16stone and built the Haynes for the extra room. My legs are slightly bent but i fit in fine and drive it no problem. If you get Fabby's seats they give you as much room as you need and are very comfy.

You'll be fine....Andrew

A Redtop can go onto the type 9 gearbox from a Sierra Donor, with a adapter Bellhousing and fitting kit. Using a type 9 means no chassis mods :D A redtop will fit in there without too much trouble, just ditch any PAS pumps etc.

You can try http://www.yukspeed.com/parts.htm who sell the gear for mating a C20XE onto a type 9 gearbox.

Thats good news that it will fit good!

There are a few rwd gearboxes out there for the redtop that will fit to them right away, i'm more intrested to know if they will fit the tunnel that is used in the chassis plans. If its just a diffrence in supports that shouldnt be a problem. You happen to know if some vauxhall rwd box does fit into the tunnel?

I don't know about the GM boxes but if you need more room there are modifications in the anouncements section, under MT75 mods (this is the larger Ford box)

Cheers

Chris :)

Unless I misunderstood things with new IVA regs what I'm about to write is total cock...But using anything other than the engine/box from the donor car won't get you an IVA pass unless you can prove it was actually fitted and registered with dvla prior to you stripping the car.

The only way non donor motors will pass IVA is as a low volume car and that means using bike motors too.

But like I said I might have got it all arris about face...:confused: :rolleyes:

You had me scuttling off to the manual then.

Nothing about this in there. Just the old SVA stuff about proving the engine age for the emissions.

I blame the fumes :p

Cheers

Chris :eek:

Fabby
i,ve done a bit of reading up
you appear to be wrong i,m afraid
wot it means by all accounts is you wont get an age related plate with a zetec in a roadster
but you would if the donor sierra had its oringinal twinky/pinto or cvh
and if the sierra engine had been changed in its lifetime the only way you can get an age related plate is if you can provide proof that it was changed and the engine number re registered
that means no age related plate for v8 roadsters or bike engined roadsters
zetec or duratec or vauxhall engined roadsters
unless of course you can prove your donor sierra had an unusual engine in it and registered before stripped as a donor
ie . of course it had a turbo charged hyabusa in it for yonks before it rotted out and heres the proof/bills photos etc officer
cheers les g

Ooopsy did I get the wrong end of the stick then...oh well nowt new there then:o

mate heres been a lot of tosh about the IVA
my guess is once the dust has settled it will be sva in another guise
dear old gordon brown wont dare risk upsetting even more voters and putting car builders/suppliers/testers and checkers on the dole would he
mind you stranger things
les g

well stranger things have happened...some blokes about 40 years ago reckon they went to the moon, see I don't believe them cos never brought any cheese back and not a single picture of a weirdy cooker either just some plonker in a funny suit pretending to walk funny......:D

it is the hot weather making people do strange things
i for one..... have cleaned the inside of my van and done the dash with cockpit shine
as well as p/washed the outside (it wascooler wither the p/washer and shirt off heheheh

WHAT you washed the van!!!! you go steady mate it will break down now:rolleyes:

and swept out the cab cleaned the glass and liberal dose of smelly spray as well ......................................
hides the odour of fresh grp if you know what i mean

Doubt you could smell grp with all that drybollick and engine oil oozing from every nook n cranny.........:D

"dear old gordon brown wont dare risk upsetting even more voters and putting car builders/suppliers/testers and checkers on the dole would he"

If you believe that Les you could probably knit fog !