Well lockdown combined with retirement can only mean one thing....time to build another project.
This time it`s an other fun build with very little fibre glass body work, had enough of the scratchies. I managed to buy a rolling chassis Mazda MX5 a little while ago and spent a couple of days stripping out any thing of use. So the basis is full MX5 suspension and a tube frame chassis with said stuff installed. I elected to not use the rear sub frame as I wanted it to look more of a fabricated special. Because I already had an MX5 subframe in the back of the Formula Junior, I was able to draw out the relative dimensions and design the rear of the car in principle. I also cut the adjustable suspension points off the front sub frame and installed them on the new chassis. I have elected to build this chassis with 2mm x 25mm sq box as weight is not an issue.....as it`s going to be V8 powered. I would love it to be old school if i could find a 3.5 ltr Rover and adapt a modern 5 speed gear box as I did in the previous car I built for my late Carol. Trouble is that they are as rare as hens teeth and very expensive to recondition. Next choice is Lexus 4ltr quad cam auto or another manual conversion.
I started 3 days ago and set out the bottom rail layout, front width was governed by the rail space to get the correct lower wishbone spacing. As in the Formula Junior, I remade the lower arms to stock interchangeable dimensions as the origional`s look rubbish. With the help of many tricks, I set up from my plans, the rear chassis/diff carrier and set up the suspension to stock position. It also looks like I may be able to run the standard MX5 rear shock as it fits inside the sub frame...we shall see.
Lock down here does present some parts supply challenges but we seem to be bale to work around them. Health wise were all good.
My new motor home has not turned a wheel in 10 weeks so am looking forward to some relief even if we can not travel out of our Province.
So if you have any Rover 3.5`s sitting around...drop me a line.
This time it`s an other fun build with very little fibre glass body work, had enough of the scratchies. I managed to buy a rolling chassis Mazda MX5 a little while ago and spent a couple of days stripping out any thing of use. So the basis is full MX5 suspension and a tube frame chassis with said stuff installed. I elected to not use the rear sub frame as I wanted it to look more of a fabricated special. Because I already had an MX5 subframe in the back of the Formula Junior, I was able to draw out the relative dimensions and design the rear of the car in principle. I also cut the adjustable suspension points off the front sub frame and installed them on the new chassis. I have elected to build this chassis with 2mm x 25mm sq box as weight is not an issue.....as it`s going to be V8 powered. I would love it to be old school if i could find a 3.5 ltr Rover and adapt a modern 5 speed gear box as I did in the previous car I built for my late Carol. Trouble is that they are as rare as hens teeth and very expensive to recondition. Next choice is Lexus 4ltr quad cam auto or another manual conversion.
I started 3 days ago and set out the bottom rail layout, front width was governed by the rail space to get the correct lower wishbone spacing. As in the Formula Junior, I remade the lower arms to stock interchangeable dimensions as the origional`s look rubbish. With the help of many tricks, I set up from my plans, the rear chassis/diff carrier and set up the suspension to stock position. It also looks like I may be able to run the standard MX5 rear shock as it fits inside the sub frame...we shall see.
Lock down here does present some parts supply challenges but we seem to be bale to work around them. Health wise were all good.
My new motor home has not turned a wheel in 10 weeks so am looking forward to some relief even if we can not travel out of our Province.
So if you have any Rover 3.5`s sitting around...drop me a line.
