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Advice on chassis weld up
Mr Perfect - 30/3/05 at 09:12 PM

Hi all

After going mad with the hacksaw and welder my chassis is nearly assembled (tack welded only).

Can anyone give advice on the full weld up?

Is it possible to take it off the bench without it twisting and can i weld each tube completley then move on to the next or would this cause it to warp?

Regards

Nik

andrew.carwithen - 30/3/05 at 09:26 PM

Nik,
You may get a better reponse if you ask the same question on the'Chassis' section, as, I believe most Avon builders on here bought their chassis ready built from Tiger?
Any further pics of your chassis if its nearly complete?

Cheers,
Andy.

Mr Perfect - 30/3/05 at 09:34 PM

Thank's Andy

One welded tube is the same as another, Avon or Locost.

I have more pictures in my camera will post soon.

Regards

Nik

Mr Perfect - 30/3/05 at 09:42 PM

Andy

I was in your area over the weekend, the wife's dad lives in Plymouth.

In Travistock (not sure on the spelling)

Regards

Nik

andrew.carwithen - 31/3/05 at 07:57 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Mr Perfect
Andy

I was in your area over the weekend, the wife's dad lives in Plymouth.

In Travistock (not sure on the spelling)

Regards

Nik


Nearly right! (drop the 'r' and its Tavistock!) 'Bout 15 miles from Plymouth.

Down here all weekend, eh? and you passed up the golden opportunity to buy all the running gear you'd have needed for your Avon! (advertised on 'for sale' section.)

Cheers,
Andy.

Mr Perfect - 31/3/05 at 06:05 PM

Hi Andy

I have put more pictures in my archive.

Have you given up on the Avon then?

Regards

Nik

andrew.carwithen - 31/3/05 at 08:02 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Mr Perfect
Hi Andy

I have put more pictures in my archive.

Have you given up on the Avon then?

Regards

Nik


Good God, No! Icouldn't do that! (although at times I may momentarilly think about it!)
Its just that rather late in the day, I've decided to take the build in a completely different direction.
So, just converted to LSD and rear discs (hence push-in shafts and drums etc. are now for sale, as is the pinto 'cos I'm gonna go down the BEC route.)
In fact, I've just taken delivery of the Fireblade engine today!
So, spent most of the afternoon staring at it sat on the drive next to the car and then staring at the chassis pondering at just how the feck I,m gonna mount it in the engine bay! (why oh why Tiger don't make a cradle for the Avon I don't know! Surely due to its dimunitive proportions, its more suited to a BEC than the Six!??)

Have you used the book dimensions to make your chassis?
I've got the 1st edition 'How to build an Avon' and there are significant differences in the dimensions given and those of my early factory built Chassis.

Regards,
Andy.

Mr Perfect - 1/4/05 at 05:30 PM

Hi Andy

I have the 2nd edition, i met Jim and his crew at Stafford.

It was a stroke of luck that the man that builds the chassis at Avon was there, he gave me some good advice!

But was puzzled why i was building the chassis though.

My answer, "not prepared to give you £400 plus for a chassis i can build myself at a third of the cost"

With a bit of luck i will weld the rest this weekend.

Regards

Nik

Mr Perfect - 1/4/05 at 05:40 PM

Friday night and the wife wants to go out to the cinema, some bloody film about dead people!

I work with them all day.

Have you had a look at my pictures and can you see if i have made any mistakes?

Regards

Nik

soggy - 1/4/05 at 06:17 PM

andy i think chester sportscars make an engine cradle for a blade engine in to avon.

andrew.carwithen - 1/4/05 at 06:53 PM

quote:
Originally posted by soggy
andy i think chester sportscars make an engine cradle for a blade engine in to avon.


Alas, Soggy, they don't
Laura at Tiger suggested the same, but when I rang Chester Sportscars, they told me they've only fitted ZX9R engines.
Still, thanks for the suggestion.
I've got a similar post on the BEC section and Carl Gelgard reckons that Tiger told him that they do two chassis for the Avon - one being more suitable for bike engines.
I took measurements off Lightning's Avon a few weeks back, but they don't tally when I transpose them to my chassis which is a v.early one at about late 2001.
I was hoping somebody could measure their chassis esp. with regard to the diagonal cross-member that is located passenger side and runs from the scuttle/battery tray to the side rail. On mine, One end is welded to the scuttle/battery tray rail 210mm in from side rail and the other end 260mm along the side rail.
I suspect this might be different on later chassis? (as I reckon mine might restrict the amount of room on that side to fit the blade engine. I don't want to go chopping out/renewing chassis members until I'm absolutely sure I have to!)


Thanks,
Andy

Lightning - 1/4/05 at 07:09 PM

If you want I'll come down and we can make it fit. Have you got some tube? If not go and get some so we can cut out some kind of cradle.
I have to confess I dont think I took one measurement in he whole of the build.
This particulary applies to the body which is dimensionally all to pot. the only thing you can do is to make compromises.
Actually thats not true I measured up for the prop shaft and promply got it wrong.

andrew.carwithen - 1/4/05 at 07:16 PM

Steve, that'd be great! The tubes sat ready and waiting in my garage. When would you want to come down? (I'm only in 'til 1pm tomorrow but will be here all day Sunday - though Spotlight's forecast for Sunday ain't too clever!)

Cheers,
Andy.

Lightning - 1/4/05 at 07:23 PM

Busy tomorrow anyway. Sunday may be OK. I'll give you a call. Going to take exhaust apart on Sunday evening.
The new car is having tow bar fitted Tuesday. When exhaust is done, Trackday here we come
T'was down your way at The Wrigley Co. today

Lightning - 1/4/05 at 07:26 PM

Sorry Mr Perfect for highjacking your thread.
Chassis looking good BTW

andrew.carwithen - 1/4/05 at 07:29 PM

Would appreciate if you can... have you got my number? 07702 956026.

Thanks again,
Andy.

andrew.carwithen - 1/4/05 at 07:43 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Mr Perfect
Friday night and the wife wants to go out to the cinema, some bloody film about dead people!

I work with them all day.

Have you had a look at my pictures and can you see if i have made any mistakes?

Regards

Nik


Well, in some of them the background's a little fussy an maybe others a little over- exposed! Oh sorry! the chassis? The chassis looks great! Can't see any glaringly obvious mistakes!

Have you had thoughts about powerplant? bike or car?
(I can just see a bike engine nestling snugly in that engine bay

Do you really work with dead people or was it a figure of speech?

I'd imagine a lairy BEC would be the perfect anecdote if its the former!

Regards,
Andy.

Mr Perfect - 2/4/05 at 03:00 PM

quote:
Originally posted by

Dead people!

I work with them all day.


Hi Andy

No, it was a figure of speech.

Work as a transport manager, but our drivers are brain dead.

As for the engine i have a complete 2lt Zetec in a Mondeo that need's stripping.

Bike engine car, would like to build a Locost next and try to fit 2 R6 engines in (only because my boss races an F2 Sidecar outfit and he has about 10 of them in the workshop)

The only problem is it would be his car!

Lightning - 4/4/05 at 08:27 PM

Here are the dimensions that you required Rescued attachment Andy dims.jpg
Rescued attachment Andy dims.jpg

andrew.carwithen - 4/4/05 at 10:14 PM

Thanks for that, Steve.
Yep, yours is definitely shorter!
Mine is (was!) 260 mm along the side rail - not 155mm! (explains why we couldn't line up the oil filter in the middle of the 'V'!)

Regards,
Andy.