I've spent some time trying to source a 'new' classic and decided that all
those available are of too low a standard for what I'm after, so I'm
commissioning someone to build me one from scratch. Been to see the chap and
viewed a chassis/bulkhead that will eventually become my car and am very
happy with the standard of it and have agreed a rough indication of price
for completed vehicle. This is a guy I've known and dealt with for more than
ten years on smaller works and who I have complete faith in, but 'quality'
is a subjective term, so are there any pointers that have been successfully
used in the past to cover this scenario? Its not going to be a cheap project
(five figures) so I just want to be sure we're both singing from the same
sheet, so to speak!
Any advice much appreciated

"nully" wrote in message
...
I've spent some time trying to source a 'new' classic and decided that all
those available are of too low a standard for what I'm after, so I'm
commissioning someone to build me one from scratch. Been to see the chap
and viewed a chassis/bulkhead that will eventually become my car and am
very happy with the standard of it and have agreed a rough indication of
price for completed vehicle. This is a guy I've known and dealt with for
more than ten years on smaller works and who I have complete faith in, but
'quality' is a subjective term, so are there any pointers that have been
successfully used in the past to cover this scenario? Its not going to be
a cheap project (five figures) so I just want to be sure we're both
singing from the same sheet, so to speak!
Any advice much appreciated


Apart from the fact that it will take twice as long and cost three times as
much as estimated, more info needed for a sensible reply. What is the
chassis/bulkhead from? Are we talking ash frame or all metal?

A couple of "new" classics have impressed me - the Suffolk SS100, an
inch-perfect replica based on more modern Jaguar oily bits, and Le Riche, a
delightful Austin Swallow replica built in Jersey. Two very different cars,
but I'd be happy to own either. Or both.

Frankly, I'd be extremely wary of giving a build-from-scratch job to someone
who hasn't done it before. Of course there are obvious indicators of
quality such as material used, panel fit and so on, but if you are talking
about an entirely new car, who is going to design the coachwork? Or are you
copying something? Then there's minor matters such as suspension, steering
and so on....

Don't wish to be a wet blanket, but if you really are starting with just a
chassis and bulkhead, adding engine, gearbox, back axle, suspension,
electrics, coachwork, interior trim and the many other bits you will find
you need, to end up with something that looks good, goes well and handles
properly I seriously doubt if it can be done for "five figures". Think six.

Geoff MacK

The message
from "nully" contains these words:

I've spent some time trying to source a 'new' classic and decided that all
those available are of too low a standard for what I'm after, so I'm
commissioning someone to build me one from scratch. Been to see the
chap and
viewed a chassis/bulkhead that will eventually become my car and am very
happy with the standard of it and have agreed a rough indication of price
for completed vehicle. This is a guy I've known and dealt with for
more than
ten years on smaller works and who I have complete faith in, but 'quality'
is a subjective term, so are there any pointers that have been successfully
used in the past to cover this scenario? Its not going to be a cheap
project
(five figures) so I just want to be sure we're both singing from the same
sheet, so to speak!
Any advice much appreciated

You don't say what it is. Chassis/bulkhead might point to an early Land
Rover but the price doesn't.

On the same sort of subject anyone know where I could get a Lotus Elan
Sprint rebuilt for less that the price of a road going example. I am
never going to find the inclination to complete it myself now and I
wouldn't want to see it broken for spares.

--
Roger Chapman

"Geoff Mackenzie" wrote in message
...

"nully" wrote in message
...
I've spent some time trying to source a 'new' classic and decided that
all those available are of too low a standard for what I'm after, so I'm
commissioning someone to build me one from scratch. Been to see the chap
and viewed a chassis/bulkhead that will eventually become my car and am
very happy with the standard of it and have agreed a rough indication of
price for completed vehicle. This is a guy I've known and dealt with for
more than ten years on smaller works and who I have complete faith in,
but 'quality' is a subjective term, so are there any pointers that have
been successfully used in the past to cover this scenario? Its not going
to be a cheap project (five figures) so I just want to be sure we're both
singing from the same sheet, so to speak!
Any advice much appreciated


Apart from the fact that it will take twice as long and cost three times
as much as estimated, more info needed for a sensible reply. What is the
chassis/bulkhead from? Are we talking ash frame or all metal?

A couple of "new" classics have impressed me - the Suffolk SS100, an
inch-perfect replica based on more modern Jaguar oily bits, and Le Riche,
a delightful Austin Swallow replica built in Jersey. Two very different
cars, but I'd be happy to own either. Or both.

Frankly, I'd be extremely wary of giving a build-from-scratch job to
someone who hasn't done it before. Of course there are obvious indicators
of quality such as material used, panel fit and so on, but if you are
talking about an entirely new car, who is going to design the coachwork?
Or are you copying something? Then there's minor matters such as
suspension, steering and so on....

Don't wish to be a wet blanket, but if you really are starting with just a
chassis and bulkhead, adding engine, gearbox, back axle, suspension,
electrics, coachwork, interior trim and the many other bits you will find
you need, to end up with something that looks good, goes well and handles
properly I seriously doubt if it can be done for "five figures". Think
six.


Sorry, shouldn't have been so elusive in previous post. I'm not talking
about anything so exotic, just a vanilla Morris Traveller. The
chassis/bulkhead has been rescued from a scrap car and rebuilt, and I'm
happy with whats been done so far. I'm commissioning someone to build the
car from there with new panels and timber frame.

In article , nully says...

Sorry, shouldn't have been so elusive in previous post. I'm not talking
about anything so exotic, just a vanilla Morris Traveller. The
chassis/bulkhead has been rescued from a scrap car and rebuilt, and I'm
happy with whats been done so far. I'm commissioning someone to build the
car from there with new panels and timber frame.

As it is a monocoque construction, it has no chassis. I'd be very wary
of doing that from scratch especially as aftermarket panels are
notorious for ****e alignment which you can work around if you're
replacing like for like but you have no idea how far out it is when
you've not got the original to go from. Some of these panels are WAY
out.

There are some really nice cars out there but TBH I don't think that
people part with the best ones unless they really need the money.

But personally at the end of the day, its not a path I'd go down for a
Morris Minor. I reckon you'll end up with a car that cost you £10,000+
and is as bent as a 13 bob note.

--
Conor

I only please one person per day. Today is not your day. Tomorrow isn't
looking good either. - Scott Adams

"Conor" wrote in message
...
In article , nully says...

Sorry, shouldn't have been so elusive in previous post. I'm not
talking
about anything so exotic, just a vanilla Morris Traveller. The
chassis/bulkhead has been rescued from a scrap car and rebuilt,
and I'm
happy with whats been done so far. I'm commissioning someone to
build the
car from there with new panels and timber frame.

As it is a monocoque construction, it has no chassis.

Not true.
All MM's have a common floorpan/chassis, inc convertibles and
travellers.
The main thing at this stage is whether the OP's floorpan/chassis
is straight and has been rebuilt to the correct dimensions.
If it were mine I'd be checking it very carefully. Any errors
could make all the difference to the fit of the body panels.
Mike.

On 5 Jul, 14:32, "Mike G" wrote:

Not true.
All MM's have a common floorpan/chassis, inc convertibles and
travellers.

Not quite all ... the vans have a "real" chassis at the back!

Ian

"Ian" wrote in message
...
On 5 Jul, 14:32, "Mike G" wrote:

Not true.
All MM's have a common floorpan/chassis, inc convertibles and
travellers.

Not quite all ... the vans have a "real" chassis at the back!

You're right of course. I was thinking cars, travellers, and
convertibles. Forgot about vans and pick-ups, but if anything
that just reinforces my point, and that is that no Morris Minors
were built as monocoque vehicles.
Mike.

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "Mike G"
saying something like:

Forgot about vans and pick-ups, but if anything
that just reinforces my point, and that is that no Morris Minors
were built as monocoque vehicles.

All those ones I was under 35 years ago must have been a figment of my
fevered imagination then.
They have no seperate chassis, just a couple of pressed-steel legs which
are part and parcel of the floorpan, which in turn is welded to the side
and upper structure, thus being exactly the same as any other modern car
which has a monocoque construction.
--

Dave
SE6a

"Grimly Curmudgeon" wrote in
message ...
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert,
when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "Mike G"

saying something like:

Forgot about vans and pick-ups, but if anything
that just reinforces my point, and that is that no Morris
Minors
were built as monocoque vehicles.

All those ones I was under 35 years ago must have been a
figment of my
fevered imagination then.
They have no seperate chassis, just a couple of pressed-steel
legs which
are part and parcel of the floorpan, which in turn is welded to
the side
and upper structure, thus being exactly the same as any other
modern car
which has a monocoque construction.

Not quite.
Although the underbody may look similar, a MM does not rely on
it's bodywork for rigidity, as is the case with a monocoque
design. Of course a saloon body will add to it's rigidity, but
the body is not an integral part of it's design strength.

A MM convertible has the same fabricated chassis as a MM saloon.
I doubt you could chop the roof off many modern cars without
having to add stiffening to the floorpan.
Mike.