Sigmund Fraud Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 I reckon that using the Eagle chassis with a channeled body will be the more straightforward solution. A bespoke chassis will be £££ and you will also need to get the car through IVA before registering, which is likely to be a pain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulgalour Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 Is it just the height of the chassis side rails that's causing the issue here? The fibreglass shell looks like it wrapped a good way below the chassis whereas the Beetle shell obviously doesn't. Also, if you've got Mazda subframes why are you even thinking about lowering the Cortina stuff, surely the Mazda suspension and whatnot will replace the Ford stuff? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigmund Fraud Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 Fitting the Mazda subframes will require extensive modification of the Eagle chassis, he might as well build a new chassis if he goes down that route. Mike D 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulgalour Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 This does seem like a tricky one. I'm also assuming you're wanting it to look like a moderately standard Beetle when done, because Baja would be the solution to the arch gaps I'm thinking. Sigmund Fraud 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike D Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share Posted September 25, 2014 I have managed to find a cheap bug shell, so I reckon I will get that and then I can go chopping without ruining my good shell. I have a couple of unobvious chassis ideas to try too - lets face it, it was never going to be easy!! Sigmund Fraud 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike D Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share Posted September 25, 2014 Plus, I around 4K+ for the mx5 chassis, plus an IVA, which I had a read up on, and it sounds a right bollock ache! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Bo11ox Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 I want to see this on the road for under £600 please Mike Mike D, alf892, vulgalour and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike D Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share Posted September 25, 2014 I have failed already! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garethj Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 It looks pretty straightforward to bring the outer chassis rails in a bit, and drop them too. Then at least you'll have all the metalwork inside the Beetle body, the outer rails will be in the position of your heater channels and the rest is easy. Have you finished it yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forddeliveryboy Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 So I decided to look into realising my dream of a front engine, 5 speed boxed, rear wheel drive bug. Only drawback, being the dreaded IVA. I can't be arsed with all that crap. Mike, it's always good to read this thread. But I think as projects advance*, clear-thinking can be clouded. Stick to your original straightforwards* plan - then work around the problems once finished. There's always a decent way around, most cars on the market have something rectified. I recognise elements of the perfectionist in your approach, which I share, but sometimes they're best avoided - especially in the midst of a big job like this when it's all too easy to change course down a route which is way beyond the original thinking. The original idea of using this chassis makes sense, adapt the body to fit. Mike D 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike D Posted September 26, 2014 Author Share Posted September 26, 2014 Well I have agreed to saddle up the poor old focus estate with the giant car trailer again on Monday to go and pick up the new 'test body' after work. You are damn right forddeliveryboy, It's far too easy to get carried away and go mental. At least once I have the test body on the chassis I can see exactly where I am and give the springs a chop & body a fettle to get it right. Hope fully that will see me right! At least my extensive measuring has confirmed the MX5 mill is a proper compact unit, I should be able to sit it right down on the front subframe for enough height clearance to the bonnet, and as it's mega short it shouldn't impinge on cabin space too much. Wish me luck! Minimad5, Luckythirteen, Sigmund Fraud and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckythirteen Posted September 27, 2014 Share Posted September 27, 2014 Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulgalour Posted September 27, 2014 Share Posted September 27, 2014 Luckythirteen 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forddeliveryboy Posted September 28, 2014 Share Posted September 28, 2014 And post back whenever you're having doubts. Or have advanced to a new level of thinking, have sorted more problem or even created a few! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overrun Posted September 28, 2014 Share Posted September 28, 2014 "Get ready, cos this aint funny. My name is Mike D and I'm about to get money!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike D Posted September 30, 2014 Author Share Posted September 30, 2014 Got the body picked up last night, I either need to stop buying old clat that doesnt move under its own steam, or get a better tow car... The poor Focus soldiered through again though! I reckon i'd prefer option A.... Sigmund Fraud 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike D Posted September 30, 2014 Author Share Posted September 30, 2014 there is the offending article as loaded, and here it is plonked hurriedly in my drive. At least now I actually have a shell I can get at I can get some proper measurements and see what the crack is Bucketeer, Sigmund Fraud, Fabergé Greggs and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike D Posted October 11, 2014 Author Share Posted October 11, 2014 WOOHOOOOOO!! No more plastic shite festering on my drive garethj, Sigmund Fraud and The Moog 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asimo Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 Plastic nightmare dragged off by Vectrum. Seems apt, somehow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ukhozi Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Having read all the thread it seems there is a basic lack of comprehension going on. As far as I see it so far, a perfectly restorable, rare MkIII Eagle SS, (love it or hate it, it is still a classic, I have a 1995 MkIII VW version with a 1641cc stage 3 in it) has been parted from its chassis and will in all probability end up as parts or just the screen which is akin to killing a Rhino for its horns, The chassis now looks like it's not going to be any good anyway and if used will require serious chopping about to the point where it would have been be easier to have started from scratch and built your own anyway.The SS chassis/VW body would have needed an IVA anyway as the reg number no longer relates to the car (a SS), we had a guy revert a VW from a Eagle RV (same chassis) back to a Dub and had to go the whole IVA route as it was then a different car again. A MX is about to die also to donate its running gear and a VW body shell is also doomed and current result is NUFFIN, just a load of metal in your drive, which if my personal experience is anything to go by must really be pissing off the missus. I am almost sorry you found my drawing of the Eagle chassis VW overlay of interest. Over the past 50 years or so I have built some bloody weird stuff and ruined a few now rare and expensive hardware so I am not blameless, the number of Lambretta I consigned to an early grave is criminal as they now sell for 6K restored. IF I would want a front engined VW beetle, other than follow the route taken by previous engineers who have done it already, I would have thought a fibre glass body on a de-skinned MX or similar would have been the easy route in the same way they make Ferrari replicas.Whilst I applaud you sense of adventure I fear this one is doomed. http://ukhozi.page.tlMercedes A170 CDi crap heapBMW E30 1987Opel Corsa 1.4i SportEagle SS MkII Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ukhozi Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 As an aside, I think insulting people and their cars is not very nice, Eagle SSs are not everyones cup of tea but along with Nova owners in the UK we have a strong following along with many other Nova derivatives worldwide and we are certainly not "pervs". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Bo11ox Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Something must have gone well wrong for your mate if he ended up putting a beetle through an IVA!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pillock Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 I think you're misunderstanding the use of "perv". Mike D, HillmanImp and barefoot 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Bo11ox Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Yeah perv isn't an insult on here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barefoot Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 It's a compliment. Largactil, Pillock and nacho man 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrDuke Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Owing to the fact that we're all considered 'pervs' by the general public, for lusting after cars most people wouldn't be seen dead in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike D Posted December 23, 2014 Author Share Posted December 23, 2014 Have a cuppa and chill out man a60rod, Bucketeer, Luckythirteen and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sudsprint Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 I must admit I was a bit sorry to see the poor old Eagle shell discarded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucketeer Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Didn't Mike to the D say he was flogging the Eagle shell, therefore it should live on and be appreciated by someone else.Everyone wins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike D Posted December 23, 2014 Author Share Posted December 23, 2014 A fellow with an Eagle bought the shell, and some other interior parts of it were going to another bloke with an Eagle too. What the Eagle massive fail to mention is that when I went to buy it the guy had received no end of offers for it from people with incorrectly registered Eagles to just post them the V5 and weigh the rest in. HillmanImp, Bucketeer, scruff and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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