ladder chassis (hotrod)

[brennon]

guys, I'm looking for a list of cheap ladder chassis cars for a rebody project. So far i have determined the triumph herald is but the mgb is not as you cannot remove the inner wings! I want something small to stick a fibreglass body on and have some fun! morris minor?

[docjohn]

A Scimitar might do you, although it may need shortening; depends how small you want it. Minor is a monocoque so it wouldn't work for you, although the vans and Travellers had rear chassis rails.

[brennon]

Because of the 8 point rule I don't want to alter the chassis as I want to avoid the biva test. That said a scimiter might do!
I want to build something on a budget and I'm thinking basic chassis, glass t bucket and a rover v8 which would keep me within the 8 point rule and should be a good laugh!

[composimmonite]

Buy a Q reg kit car and swop body over to what you desire. Far better way than hunting for a conventional car with chassis that you could use unmodified. Remember cutting off outrigger, adding mounts etc all count towards a chassis being classed as "modified" so automatically you loose enough points to require BIVA and get Q reg.
If you insist on a conventional chassis then consider pick-up chassis or my favourite - Suzuki Vitara with front diff removed as it has IFS.

[adam73bgt]

I think the MG midget had a separate chassis? minor is a monocoque so no good

[v8ian]

Midget/sprite is a Monocoque, unless you are talking Pre war Midgets,

[adam73bgt]

Aug 11, 2014 17:54:36 GMT v8ian said:

Midget/sprite is a Monocoque, unless you are talking Pre war Midgets,

Ah my mistake, must have been thinking of something else

[bavarianretro]

Shitfire?

[Rob M]

Aug 11, 2014 17:39:05 GMT composimmonite said:

Buy a Q reg kit car and swop body over to what you desire. Far better way than hunting for a conventional car with chassis that you could use unmodified. Remember cutting off outrigger, adding mounts etc all count towards a chassis being classed as "modified" so automatically you loose enough points to require BIVA and get Q reg.
If you insist on a conventional chassis then consider pick-up chassis or my favourite - Suzuki Vitara with front diff removed as it has IFS.

As I understood it, and I'm happy to be corrected, you can add to a chassis and that will not be an issue but you cannot remove anything?
If you go the Scimitar route the 5/5a is a smaller chassis than the 6a/b.

[dodgerover]

London taxi has a chassis.

[ettorebugatti]

Maybe something like a pickup truck Ford Ranger, Mazda B, Chevy S10 could work?

[wheelspinner]

Tvr ?

[penski]

Reliant Kitten

*n

[Kieran]

Suzuki Vitara?

[dodgerover]

How about an MX5, they have a spine type chassis don't they?

[brennon]

Scimitar, herald, kitten and taxi seem to be the best bet!

Tvr is too much money but would be ideal!
Mx5 isn't suitable as it's only a framework underneath the car rather than a proper chassis.

Kit car I had a look at but seem to be pretty expensive still and I'd rather stay away from a q plate

Think it will just be a case of whatever comes up for the best money!

[Rich]

Aug 12, 2014 5:58:05 GMT dodgerover said:

How about an MX5, they have a spine type chassis don't they?

Yes and no. It's not really a chassis, the shell is still a monocoque, its a drivetrain brace tying the car together but alone it doesn't have the structural rigidity to be a chassis not does it legally count as one sadly.

[Mystery Machine]

The MX5 thing is actually just a kind of torque tube that simply holds the gearbox, prop and rear diff together. It doesn't even touch the suspension or subframes which flop about all over the place once the running gear is disconnected from the car. It's no more a 'chassis' than a Volvo 340/360.

They do look cool though if you take the running gear out in one complete piece, but you'd need to construct an acutal chassis if you were to want to try and use one like this:

[steveg]

Depending on the style you want to end up with would a Landrover chassis of some sort be any good ? If you could fins one with a V8 already you could fit a rwd gearbox and replace the front axle with a solid beam. A Herald or Spitfire chassis would be easy but the rear axles wouldn't enjoy a V8 much. A Vitesse or GT6 with a straight 6 might be more interesting though but neither are all that cheap now though.
I spotted an old truck on the M3 yesterday and said to my son we will catch it up in a minute so you can look. It took longer than I thought as it was sitting happily at 70mph ! It was very nicely done but the slightly wider tyres suggested it might be running more modern mechanicals off of a newish 4x4 of some sort. That seems to be the way to go.

[brennon]

I had originally considered something like a landrover chassis as they are decent money and so easily available but my main concern is keeping within the 8 point rule and I want something low so I don't want to have to go far with suspension mods