New chassis - D1 / D2 missing - any reasons?

[jps]

Right - after putting the first few hours effort into building shelves etc for the workshop I actually feel like I made so progress with the CAR today!!!

Got it up on axle stands, took the wheels off - and measured up the chassis i've bought. Apparently (no proof provided when I bought it from the chap in Norfolk though) it's a Talon chassis - made for a MT75 gearbox. Everything seems to be squared up - with just a few plates missing: handbrake mounting/guides, flexi brake pipe mounts, nosecone mounts, rear rail roll bar mounts and footwell plate CP17.

HOWEVER - as i checked off the chassis against the book plans I realised that D1 and D2 are missing!

Does anyone know of any good reason for this? A quick search on the forum didn't show anything suggesting it's a common ommission...?

Also - the chassis is about 10mm short overall (but square as far as I can tell) will this present any major problems?

[jps]

Yep - D1 and D2 are either side of the engine bay going from the base of the footwell up to the uprights where the rear front suspension mounts are. As I looked at it I did wonder if it was to do with fitting things in - so that sounds logical.

I did all the measurements off BR12 - it was 5mm short from B12 to BR10 (so in the cockpit basically) and another 5mm short between BR10 and FF1 (so in the engine bay). Can't imagine it's a major problem though?

[Talonmotorsport]

If you read my ebay listings it says 'This chassis is intended to be a starting point for a 'self build car' and will require some minor brackets and non-structural tubes adding to finish' I've never claimed to produce a complete chassis.
I don't fit the plates that hold things like the hand brake lever as not every body uses the donor parts,let alone put them in the same place. I also don't fit the engine mounts as for every 5 engines that I can name that could be used 5 more people can name another 5.
As for the chassis being short go in to any DIY store and pick up 5 different brands of tape measure and take them to the where the 8X4 sheets are, if any 2 of the tape measures come out with the same answer over 8ft I'd be very surprised.

[Bonzo]

Blooming heck Phil, why such an aggressive post.

I thought it was quite a genuine question from a new member.

Didn't think for a moment that he was having a dig at your product.

Would have been a lot easier for you to simply say .... That's the way I make the chassis & would be more than happy to post you a couple of new tubes if wish to cover the postage.

Think you need to take a few chill pills.

Originally Posted by Talonmotorsport

If you read my ebay listings it says 'This chassis is intended to be a starting point for a 'self build car' and will require some minor brackets and non-structural tubes adding to finish' I've never claimed to produce a complete chassis.
I don't fit the plates that hold things like the hand brake lever as not every body uses the donor parts,let alone put them in the same place. I also don't fit the engine mounts as for every 5 engines that I can name that could be used 5 more people can name another 5.
As for the chassis being short go in to any DIY store and pick up 5 different brands of tape measure and take them to the where the 8X4 sheets are, if any 2 of the tape measures come out with the same answer over 8ft I'd be very surprised.

[Bonzo]

Originally Posted by jps

I did all the measurements off BR12 - it was 5mm short from B12 to BR10 (so in the cockpit basically) and another 5mm short between BR10 and FF1 (so in the engine bay). Can't imagine it's a major problem though?

Now don't shoot the messenger, but .... Are you sure that you have measured it all up correctly ?

Reason as to why I ask is because it is so easy to get a wrong reading from the round profile edges of ERW square tube.
All too easy for a bent tang on the tape measure to throw the readings out or to simply not see where the correct edge of the square profile tube !

Only sure fire way of getting an accurate reading is to lay the chassis on a flat level surface & butt an engineers square against each edge, then measure between the two.

Have you measured the full length of the chassis, as laid out in the book and should be 2,360mm from BR12 & FF1

I would be most surprised if a Talon chassis is out by as much as 10mm.
Phil has made a good few chassis & knows the ropes.

[The V8 Files]

Originally Posted by jps

Right - after putting the first few hours effort into building shelves etc for the workshop I actually feel like I made so progress with the CAR today!!!

Got it up on axle stands, took the wheels off - and measured up the chassis i've bought. Apparently (no proof provided when I bought it from the chap in Norfolk though) it's a Talon chassis - made for a MT75 gearbox. Everything seems to be squared up - with just a few plates missing: handbrake mounting/guides, flexi brake pipe mounts, nosecone mounts, rear rail roll bar mounts and footwell plate CP17.

HOWEVER - as i checked off the chassis against the book plans I realised that D1 and D2 are missing!

Does anyone know of any good reason for this? A quick search on the forum didn't show anything suggesting it's a common ommission...?

Also - the chassis is about 10mm short overall (but square as far as I can tell) will this present any major problems?

I reckon you got a good deal on your kit but given that you cant prove the origin of the chassis, for your own piece of mind it might be an idea to knock up a level build table and draw it up, then you can stick the chassis on and check everything thoroughly for dimensions and squareness.

With regards to Talon and their prefab chassis, I wonder if its possible to stamp them with something like their name, a production number and date so in future there is no doubt if its one of theirs or not.

[jps]

I'd say 'robust' not aggressive

Originally Posted by Bonzo

I thought it was quite a genuine question from a new member.

Didn't think for a moment that he was having a dig at your product.

Indeed - Phil, although the chap who sold me the chassis 2nd hand (having abandoned his project) told me it was a Talon chassis I have no proof, receipt etc - so I didn't think it very appropriate to bother you alone with these sorts of questions about something that may not be your product anyway! I thought it a lot fairer to ask the forum as a whole - after all the answer may well have been that no - all of your chassis are complete as per the book, but a lot of other builders choose to leave D1/D2 out until after engine fitting... (and thanks Adrian H for providing an answer that makes perfect sense)

If it IS a Talon chassis and wishbone set I can only say that it looks to be of great quality and i'm really pleased with it! If you are still going to do GRP panels i'll be coming to you to look at those too.

The accuracy of a tape measure point is a good one - and probably accounts for it. I'm less worried about small potential length discrepancies - but thanks for the possible explanations for that too...

[baz-r]

i think as long as its square you should be ok with 5mm shorter.
as its said a tape should be taken as a rough guide.


im sure if you take any of our chassis thay will all very slightly bigger or smaller i know mine is 3mm longer from the seat back bottom to front bottom of front frame from accumlated error