Hi All, Another newbie

[rich]

Hi All
I Placed my order with a set of bodywork and recived it promptly off saturn a few weeks ago, unfortunately some of it got damaged by a carrier i should not mention, but i will TNT!!!
I have to say Andy has been fantastic and hope to get my replacement parts shortly after the xmas holidays and cant wait!!!
Anyways hope to get on with my build pretty soon! I am a Auto Electrician and have not had much experience in actually building kits, but iv had completed a few jobs wiring customers projects, thought to myself i fancy one!!

I have browsed though the forum and it has answered a few of my questions already and hope a few of you handy people can guide me in the near future.
I have stripped a sierra still with a MOT complete with rear discs and calipers. I have found a nice little 1800 zetec and hoping to use my wiring skills to install omex engine management system

[Jimmyd]

Hi Rich,

Welcome to the mad house. Can't believe you already have body work!!!

Good luck with the build.

J

[HandyAndy]

A warm welcome to the forum Rich :)

Best wishes for your build.

The word "electrics" brings me out in a cold sweat :eek: , thats why I had a clever chap like yourself (auto electrician ) wire up my car, I,d still be there now fighting with the spaggetti :D

cheers
andy

[twinturbo]

Welcome :)

If I was not partially colour blind then auto electrics would probably be my trade. I Usualy manage to get by thought..

I got my Bodywork the weekend before last but I have either been working, Ill or sleeping since.. 5 Days of now, but got to spend them with the Family... Hopefuly warm weather and less time at work will make january a productive month..


Good to have u on board.

TT

[rich]

Thanks for the welcome guys!

Im hoping this week away from work i can get some things sorted. just praying the weather warms up, the garage is not a nice place to be when its -8 outside

[rich]

Hi all just an update. I have received my replacement bodywork! and all good! Thanks to Andy, this time he personally delivered it himself!

I have a kit car build company based not far from me designing and building the chassis. They are well away with the frame and have just completed the front suspension. The setup will be unusual as it will have inboard shocks front and rear and all fully adjustable.
Also i have found a steering rack off a fiat cinquicento that fits. It has 2.5 turns lock to lock
I have scrapped my donor sierra dhoc engine and have found a 2.0 black top zetec thats only done 60k and currently saving up for the omex management system.

[K4KEV]

Welcome Rich.....sounds like you are already half way there, no doubt you will be hammered with vehicle wiring Q's ....should have kept that bit Quiet:D :D

Photo's dude.....we demand photo's :rolleyes:

[rich]

here are some pics of the initial mock up of the chassis and front suspension.
I haven't seen the finished wishbones yet, iv been told they have all been tig welded and ready for painting with mk III astra bottom ball joints
The car in the background is a jaguar xj13 replica, a rare car apparently its in for
a full rebuild with a brand new jag v12.


http://s50.photobucket.com/albums/f340/sid15/kit/

[twinturbo]

Also i have found a steering rack off a fiat cinquicento that fits. It has 2.5 turns lock to lock


Are you mounting that forward of the steering pivots?

TT

[rich]

no, rear but will need to extend the track rods

[rich]

no, rear but will need to extend the track rods

lol i think in the photo hes using a o/s hub, when the photo was taken it was just initial mock up i think they have changed the set up since then.

[twinturbo]

mk III astra bottom ball joints


Who spec'd them.

The don't take load the same way as the maxi.

TT

[rich]

Who spec'd them.

The don't take load the same way as the maxi.

TT[/QUOTE]

they did, im not clued up about that sort of thing, i dont know how different the loading would be having the shocks mounted inboard

[twinturbo]

if the suspension load is transfered from the lower wishbone then the load on the joint will be different to the original design load.

If the suspension load goes through the topmount then the lower will be ok , but the top may be overloaded.

3GE built an inboard chassis.

TT

[rich]

ahh i see, i think they also fit them ball joints to the cavalier and calibra.
They do seem to know their onions

[HandyAndy]

They do seem to know their onions

Do the onions go with the "Mushrooms" ? :D sorry couldn,t resist:p

Sounds like an interesting build you got there Rich :cool:

Look forward to seeing some build photos :)

cheers
andy

[twinturbo]

Almost certainly do, Astra, cavy and calibra all load suspension weight through a Mcpherson strut on the top of the suspension upright. this leaves the bottom joint mainly doing location work only.

The maxi balljoint is larger and on the original car took the suspension load.

The astra joint may last or it may not.

Many years ago ( back in the 80's / 90's ) a fair number of 747's lost their engines (literally). Mainly Pratt & Whitney ones not RR ones. The conclusion was that the bolts holding the engines to the airframe were perfectly up to the task of taking the thrust during flight. But the reverse thrust during landing caused stress on the bolts eventually leading to them shearing and the engine falling off.

TT

[rich]

lol leave it to the experts, Im going to be learning all the time with this, electrics i can do chassis design is a bit beyond me. :confused:

[twinturbo]

lol leave it to the experts

:rolleyes: Vauxhall keep doing that, and their chassis guys still build chassis that handle appallingly.

I preferred the handling on the MK3 Rasta van over the MK1 Vectra (I class that as the one of the worst handling cars I have ever driven).

[rich]

could be worse, they could have had escort lower arms

[twinturbo]

so what's your colours?

TT

[rich]

bodywork? pure orange with black wings and nose

[rich]

if the suspension load is transfered from the lower wishbone then the load on the joint will be different to the original design load.

If the suspension load goes through the topmount then the lower will be ok , but the top may be overloaded.

3GE built an inboard chassis.

TT

the top ball joint is not a astra its just the lower one, not sure what hes used for the top

[wylliezx9r]

Im the proud custodian of the 3ge inboard chassis. if you want any pics give me a shout.

Cheers Dan

[rich]

Who spec'd them.

The don't take load the same way as the maxi.

TT
Just picked up the wishbones today. The bottom wishbones do have the astra ball joints and the top ones have transit drag link that will take most of the load.