23rd Dec 2009
Over the Christmas break I've done a bit more, starting off with fabricating proper engine mounting points utilising the original Granada mounts. I've also made up some steering rack mountings to utilise the Granada power steering rack too. I spent a little bit of time weighing various parts of the project, some of the results are here:
Engine and gearbox minus flywheel, clutch, exhaust manifolds, alternator etc = 182KGs
Bare chassis as it currently is, more steel to be added at the rear yet= 116KGs
Front hubs including uprights, discs, calipers= 22KGs each
Diff= 30KGs
I've yet to weight the rear hubs and drive shafts but I'd expect them to be similar to the front hubs plus about 5KGs each for the half shafts so I'll guestimate them at 27KGs each.
That adds up to a current total of 426KGs, two thirds of my target kerb weight already!
22nd January 2010
Well its been a couple of weeks since I've updated but that's because the Dragon has been on the back burner, other things have needed to be done and a slight hiatus in finances hasn't helped.
I have managed to get a couple of bits done this week though, namely fabricating the rear hub carriers. I've taken a lot of inspiration from the Haynes book "build your own sports car on a budget" for these although I've altered the design somewhat and used heavier gauge steel (photos on the right).
I managed to pick up an offcut of 140mm dia 5mm wall steel tube and a couple of square feet of 4mm plate from a local fabrication business and with the help of my new gas cutting gear and a 9" angle grinder have turned these into the uprights shown, just a bit of dressing and painting to complete them.
Feb 21st 2010
Well its been a while since I've updated this site, a month to be exact, simply because I haven't made much progress during that month.
A couple of weeks ago I made up the diff frame from 60X40X3mm box section, this was chosen as it matches the original Locust chassis material and because this frame will take the rear wishbone support brackets so needs to be strong. While I was at the steel stockholders getting the box section I also got a couple of lengths of 19mm and 26mm round tube to make the wishbones out of.
I bought a set of wishbone mounting brackets from Rogue engineering via Ebay and then a set of bush tubes and polyurethane bushes/SS crush tubes from 3ge so I finally got round to making the rear bones this weekend. Making mitred joints in relatively small tube is tricky but with patience a milling machinee and a 4.5" angle grinder it can be done, one thing is for certain it does get easier the more you make.
Overall I'm pretty chuffed to have the major components of the rear suspension done. As a temporary measure I plan to use the rear coil over shocks from the Locust but I need to make a top mounting eye and spring seat as they have a simple threaded stud mount at the moment. I need to go see my mate for some more 25mmsq box section to frame up the rear end then I can fabricate the rear upper suspension mounting and roll bar mounting. I won't get much of anything done for a week or so now as I have to attend a motorhome show at the NEC all next week.