Chassis time, let’s get the party started!!

 

Well I think now it’s time to step this project up a gear, I have had some uncertainty’s and doubts over the winter period but with all that behind me and the main fabrication parts now available it’s time to crack on. The chassis parts are now all with me from David at Morfabrication and are ready to start getting measured and cut for fitting. We had some teething problems getting the parts all correct, however we soon got it sorted and now have a chassis kit produced and a cost price sent to Mick at Fiorano. So future kits might be supplied through Fiorano possibly from a north east supplier, we shall see what the future brings. 

With all my chassis bits now in my garage it was time to really get my head round the build and start making some progress. This build is totally different to my AK Cobra that I built a few years back, there is significantly more fabrication and building as such as opposed to just a bolt together project. 

I started by temporarily refitting the diff, as this machined face provided the datum point to which all floor pan measurements are taken. The floor pan is made up of a front, centre and rear outrigger with a side profile angled the same as the sheet floor. Because the outriggers are

just welded onto the chassis sides it leaves the original chassis as standard hence just a technical re-body for registration process. There is also the rear handbrake bridge which creates the fulcrum point for the handbrake cable, which is something I’m determined to make functional as opposed to a novelty like on the Cobra. Every year at MOT the handbrake efficiency on the Cobra is a bone of contention, it’s notoriously weak on the gen1 AK kit with inboard rear callipers…. But not on this project!

I spent considerably longer than was needed probably checking all dimensions and creating a drawing with every possible measurement sketched on it including angles of the side profile cut which involved some GCSE maths that I haven’t used in nearly 25 years, but still after checking all measurements again and again it was time to fire up the mig and start welding some bits together. 

With each outrigger I have spent some time profiling the end cut to the chassis, which should create a good strong structure when all fused together with the art of welding. This was tedious really but important as it keeps the accuracy for the overall dimension of the floorpan which will support the body, along with the firewall bulkhead. The sill is created by the floorpan overlapping the outrigger when welded together (I’ll cover this later in the blog when I get to it) 

  I initially tacked the outriggers on to allow for any adjustment within the geometry of the build up. This allowed me the chance to create one completed outrigger section and to check all my dimension according to the drawings and datum point for accuracy before finally stitch welding it all together and making a solid structure. 

I always envisaged the chassis being considerably wider than this when browsing pictures online. But after checking again all my measurements and cuts I’m more than confident that it’s all correct. Again I was surprised at how strong the structure now is even without the central outrigger in place like pictured here. The bulk of the strength will come from the steel floorpan that will get stitched to the underside of all this substructure and welded round the perimeter and centre outrigger. I have only had time to get the one side done so far, but it’s just repetition for the other side and then to flip the chassis over to start on the floor sheet, made from 16gauge steel.

I really hope that more people will find this blog in the future and use it as a guide to start their own build. So little information is available online for these vehicles and again so few of these vehicles are ever seen at shows etc… so fingers crossed this blog will help buck the trend and get more people building as opposed to just saving up money to buy one built already. It’s a steady decline bred into children from primary school that to be “practical” or “hands on” is just not desirable in the modern world we live in. However the industrial revolution is something we should embrace and be proud of…. Not apologising because it might have upset someone’s feelings or it doesn’t conform to you current standards of life or ethics. 

Last up was to weld up the handbrake bridge onto the chassis. Caution is advised in the manual as if you use the original donor cable, then it may have stretched slightly and not allow as much adjustment as required to get an effective handbrake. I intend to fit a brand new cable, custom made if needed, to give a more than adequate handbrake. And I’m considering an external hand break lever similar to that on some more vintage vehicles. Another option is a cosmetically nicer chrome hand break leaver from a MG midget. These are much nicer to look at than the grubby plastic Spitfire unit that I still have…. However these decisions can be made later on. 

Next update in a week or so probably, just showing the other side complete and the floor pan in hopefully. I’m going to have to start a shopping list to start all my running gear and bushes so I can get the chassis rolling!…. Now that’s exciting…. For me anyway!