Rules for rebody on existing chassis

Rules for rebody on existing chassis

Author
Discussion

garethj

Original Poster:

624 posts

196 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
As I stare into space a thought comes to me about creating a kit car based on a van's chassis. It would retain the engine, gearbox, front and rear suspension but of course the bodyshell would be different and the ladder frame would be shorter. Which bit of the rules do I need to look at to make it legal, it seems to be a bit of a minefield since I last looked in the late '80s!

If it makes any difference I might choose to sell a few moulds to recover some costs.

ugg10

681 posts

216 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
From the little bit of knowledge I have, as soon as you chop the chassis you are into a full iva. Leave the chassis alone and it just needs re-registering to change the description to match what it now is.

Have a look at the various sammio kits built on herrald/spitfire chassis as examples of re-registered route. The other side is the beach buggies that use a shortened beetle chassis that now need a full iva.

Iva regs can be downloaded but stuff to look out for are internal and external body radii, light positions, seat belt mounts and nut covers plus a load of other stuff.

Hope this helps.

viscountdallara

2,811 posts

144 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
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Try asking Pistonheader Liquid Knight.
He may be able to give you a definitive answer.. His threads seem to cover this type of thing.

AdiT

1,025 posts

156 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
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If you're altering the chassis then it'll need IVA. What van are you thinking of using that has a "ladder chassis"? I can't think of any modern ones.

GinG15

501 posts

170 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
look at sammio / ribble cars.

those cars are based on herald / spitfire where the original body is replaced by a fibreglass one.

those cars do not need an IVA as they are declared as re-bodies, as long as the original troiumph ladder chassis has been kept unmodified!!!

the reg-date remains "old", details in the v5c will be changed after inspection.


garethj

Original Poster:

624 posts

196 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
Thanks everyone, looks like it's the full IVA as the chassis must be shorter.

AdiT, it's not a new van but an old one, the idea (and it's little more than idle thought right now) is to use a Suzuki Carry, Bedford Rascal etc


to make one of these


The engine is in the right place and the track is almost perfect - unusual because most Triumph or MG based kits are much too wide. The next part of my cunning plan* is how the bodywork can be done. As the prices of these cars and even spares is far too expensive I couldn't contemplate using one to get a mould made, the idea is to 3D scan a complete car and then get it sectioned up in the CAD so parts such as the wings and body tubs can be machined from blue foam, then a mould taken from them.

Then I need to get an idea of costs, and probably be put off completely.




  • cunning plan? Hair brained scheme is more like it

GoneAnon

1,703 posts

151 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
My first thought is that has to be the MOST unlikely donor evr.

My second thought is that having the steering wheel ahead of the front wheels is going to mean some major alterations.

browse

355 posts

191 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
I'm far from being an expert, but you could look at a wooden construction body skinned with aluminum, like the Burlington arrow or the Midge.

Arrow

Midge


Another option could be a lowered SJ chassis?


or a taxi chassis??




Edited by browse on Saturday 18th July 11:56

garethj

Original Poster:

624 posts

196 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
GoneAnon, you're probably right, I'm not sure what kind of steering mechanism the van has but I have a vision of turning the wheel to the left and the car going right....

But if it comes down to it, perhaps another car's rack with shortened track rods?

Browse, that's an interesting idea for the bodywork it would save making any moulds at all I think? Wonder how those cars do their flowing front wings?

The taxi chassis it too wide I think, and it's all very truck-like, the little kei van is a lot closer to the MG in terms of the weight of the components.

browse

355 posts

191 months

Saturday 18th July 2015
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According to this website, the vans are monocoque but the pickups have a separate chassis from the cab to the rear.
http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/45213/bedfo...

Underside of a Bedford Rascal van (aka Super Carry).

from here..
http://vauxpedianet.uk2sitebuilder.com/vauxhall-ra...




garethj

Original Poster:

624 posts

196 months

Saturday 18th July 2015
quotequote all
Thank you, that's very helpful! That chassis looks very different to an MG chassis, and I didn't realise the engine was canted over, wonder if that would make it too wide?

I've ordered a 1:24 kit of the MG and of a Suzuki pickup and I'll see how they look when combined. Told you this was a hair brained scheme.