Small batch aluminium casting of uprights

[foggy]

The bespoke cast aluminium uprights on the rear of my track car are acknowledged as being virtually unobtainable nowadays so I was idly wondering about the process involved in having some cast whilst I still have a fully functioning straight pair to use as a pattern. By getting a few done it could help spread the cost and other owners and racers in the future too.

Anybody into this who could offer any insight into the process please. From memory they are around 200mm tall, 150mm wide with a machined centre to accept an interference fit wheel bearing. Wishbones & toe control link bolt to the top & bottom of the upright. I'm near Newbury if anybody knows of any suitable companies to contact for casting & machining.

Thanks!

[foggy]

Apparently one owner has fabricated steel ones in absence of cast aluminium replacements, so yes it could be an option.

It's really an enquiry at the moment for a potential winter project.

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See http://website.lineone.net/~g27build/rearsus.htm for a couple of pics.

It shows the rear upright on a late Ginetta G27 with IRS, which is the same as that on the rear of my G20.

Billet uprights could indeed be another option.

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andy43 said:

Strange that it has a massive spacer on the lower wbone mount and then a bolt on add on bracket for the top mount - the upright could be redesigned to eliminate both.

Haha agreed, all good old cottage industry car (lack of) design that could be engineered out. TBH I don't mind the additional upper bolted on bracket - I believe it's included as a deliberate weak link as it deforms & breaks thus saving the upright from damage in a minor shunt. The lower spacer is a straightforward oversight in design - the handbrake cable fowls the toe link end without said spacer. Not an issue on my car though as it doesn't have a handbrake, but if machining from billet I'd tweak the design to incorporate it.

[foggy]

So it seems the best plan is to measure up the key dimensions of the wheel bearing and wishbone fixing points to have them to hand as insurance in case of needing to machine up a new billet upright.

Thanks for your input one and all, and apologies for disappearing for a while - I started the thread during some time on my hands whilst my lady was being induced into labour, and as you can imagine things got a bit busy as time progressed...

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Aye, this is kiddie no. 2 so we have half an idea what we're letting ourselves in for.