Designa chassis

If you replace the chassis with one made to the original specifications, and retain the rest of the vehicle, then there's no reason why you shouldn't keep the identity of the vehicle the parts came from. Even if you go for new axles, provided you keep the original engine and transmission you can still keep the identity.

See

You going to use an existing registered vehicle and replace the chassis with a new one? I understood that to be perfectly fine, the bits you are going to recon will be from the same vehicle of course :)

I saw Richards Chassis' at Billing a few years back, they looked good as well. He had a galv bulkhead on the stand as well, apparently a one off though from memory.

On or around Sun, 15 May 2005 09:03:44 GMT, Alex enlightened us thusly:

yeah, well... I looked at that and it don't answer all the questions.

Actually, it's supposed to end up with a 3.9V8 and ZF auto, so it's not keeping whatever engine it comes with. The new chassis plus recon running gear option would effectively make it a new vehicle, though, and it won;t be able to have the identity of the transit, as it'll not have any of the mechanicals.

swapping the engine/box wouldn't be a problem with keeping the original chassis and axles and so forth, as that gets enough points.

Thing is, it's got to be pretty well watertight on the legality, 'cos if I do get to build it it'll be PCV licensed. I also want to avoid Q-plates if at all possible, as it might give insurance grief.

Austin, I'm building up a coil sprung Lightweight using one of their chassis, and to be honest I haven't had any problems so far.

Customer service seems quite good, although communications were a little one sided (that could have been because they were moving that week).

Ian , their engineer(?) is spot on and is happy to discuss any modifications or non standard fittings.

Quality of the chassis and galvanising is good.

Hmm not a lot else to say..

HTH Mark

On or around Sun, 15 May 2005 10:30:32 GMT, snipped-for-privacy@lardrover.co.uk enlightened us thusly:

well, aye, that's an option: buy a cheap 110 with a knacked chassis, then replace the chassis and recon the axles etc. meself. The option of a rolling chassis all assembled with no bodywork to remove is attractive, though, and not as expensive as it sounds.

My mate had a rolling coil sprung 88inch chassis off them about 5 years ago. No complaints except that they galvanised it after bolting on the removable gearbox x-member.

On or around Sun, 15 May 2005 14:28:01 +0100, Tom Woods enlightened us thusly:

Hmmm. sounds good enough then. I wonder if they make a V8-engine one - I noted when I fitted and RRV8 in my previous 110 that the engine mounting points had to move forward about 4" to get the propshafts etc. to line up.

As I read it - need to *retain* points, not gain them. So, for a leaf sprung Series motor, you can change the chassis to a coil sprung one, but changing the engine will put you one point over. And, yes, there are an awfult lot of "illegally registered" vehicles out there.........

Richard

They'll make whatever you ask them too. Down to little shelves with lips round the edge (fixed to the chassis/outrigger) so that you can fit a battery under the passenger seat. Made to measure to a specified battery too.

Nothing to say you have to do all the changes at the same time. Change the chassis, then at a later date change the engine/box. This is assuming that you tell them you've changed the chassis in the first place. A set of number punches will provide the new chassis with the old identity.

Are you sure? Have you any idea how hard it is to get vehicles which were not designed for PCV through a PCV MOT? The PCV MOT regs are horrendous.

Alex

I used a designa chassis on my 90. build of it was ok. galvanising was ok. customer service leaves a lot to desired! I told them I was putting a V8 in with a ZF 4 speed auto and the told me no problem they will fit the mounts to match same. When I got it the engine mounts were 3" too far forward and I ended up making my own mounts. I also asked them to include the body to chassis mounts at the front of the rear tub as mine were rotten. They said they would but in the end they didn't. I asked if the gearbox cross member was included, they said it was but when the chassis turned up it was missing. When I phoned and asked where it was (the driver wasnt interested!) they said they never include it. Wish I had gone to Richards chassis !

I haven't been in a position to test this but I understood that Q plates aren't as bad as you might think. Things like engineers reports and the like might suggest that a Q plated vehicle has had more stringent checks than others. And once done, the MoT man will keep you on the straight and narrow :)

There was an interesting forward control style vehicle in the Seacroft area of Leeds some years back. It was based on a Range Rover and had corrugated panels for bodywork. The front was heavily glazed, including down by the feet for excellent break over vision. It looked grey in colour, very utilitarian, reminded me of those old big Citroen vans, almost as if an aluminium extrusion double glazing firm had done it. Anyone here know more, surely it can't have just disappeared.

On or around Sun, 15 May 2005 14:51:17 +0000 (UTC), beamendsltd enlightened us thusly:

'zackly. If I retain the original chassis, axles, steering, suspension, then changing the engine/box is not a problem, as the other lot accrue enough points to keep the original reg.

The problems arise with building what is effectively a new vehicle. However, that has to be possible, as the bearmach lot (IIRC) built a new series III a bit back and got a 1998 or whatever plate on it.

On or around Sun, 15 May 2005 10:30:32 GMT, snipped-for-privacy@lardrover.co.uk enlightened us thusly:

coo, shiny.

'ere, how come no-one's making replacement chassis for Classic Rangies?

Probably because the bodies to fit them disintegrate quicker than the chassis!

erm, read my other post Richard

But if you change the chassis to a coil sprung one you would also have to change the suspension and the axles so you would only end up with 5 points

you could 'adapt' the axles to take coil springs.

Regards. Mark.

I wondered about that but are they still original? AIUI if you modify the chassis it's not to original specification does the same apply to axles? even so you still only end up with 7 points