F350 chassis build

[G Jones]

I've been asked by Greg (Grumph) if I would post some pictures of the new chassis we built over the past couple of years (probably more like 20 years including the thinking time )
I'll post a few here - & give links to some more on my website - also a few I've put on Faceache...











Early stages of build.
http://maplesigns.co.uk/photogallery...s.php?album=27

Airbox.
http://maplesigns.co.uk/photogallery...s.php?album=34

Fibre Glass.
http://maplesigns.co.uk/photogallery...s.php?album=33

A few with the Bodywork off.
http://maplesigns.co.uk/photogallery...s.php?album=40

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...8682149&type=3

If you want anything specific - I'll see what i can do - if intruding at all - just tell me to bugger off....
PS - dont look at the bolted on loop on the passenger tray - that was a last minute addition at the meeting - I went over to Belgium without a passenger - and the loop had to be bodged on before I could get someone to do the job....

[Grumph]

Some of these pics were posted in the ESE two stroke tuning thread - which is not usually looked at by sidecar racers...I liked what i saw and thought it needed exposure to those who could use some of the ideas used.
Now I've seen more pics, yep, I like it very much.

[Kickaha]

Now I've seen more pics, yep, I like it very much.

Knock me one up then, you've got two weeks until Nationals start, should be plenty of time

[Grumph]

Knock me one up then, you've got two weeks until Nationals start, should be plenty of time

You know the rules...substantial deposit, then keep the money coming.....

[Kickaha]

You know the rules...substantial deposit, then keep the money coming.....

No problem, I have aquired a bunch of Hayabusa bits I can sell

[scrivy]

No problem, I have aquired a bunch of Hayabusa bits I can sell

Pffftttt..... they're only standard bits, worth a few fiddys at the local market.....

Whereas, if you'd had our 1600........

[Drew]

That looks good. Nice work.

[Kickaha]

I've been asked by Greg (Grumph) if I would post some pictures of the new chassis we built over the past couple of years (probably more like 20 years including the thinking time )

Did you base the design on anything or work it all out from scratch? what kind of hours and cost?

[G Jones]

Did you base the design on anything or work it all out from scratch? what kind of hours and cost?

We have a Shelbourne - on which I based the dimensions / geometry.
The Shelbourne always handled very well - but there were lots of little niggles that annoyed me - so decided the only way to get a bike exactly how I wanted it was to build it myself.
There was no adjustment on the old bike other than chain adjusters - however - I couldn't get the full range of gearing changes I wanted on the same chain - so I increased the range - so can now adjust the chain over all the different sprockets.

The old bike always used to overheat on the inner 25% of the rear tyre - so I've put some height adjustment into the rear end & also the chair wheel for toe-in - + simple trail adjustment on the front end.

I liked the design of the Shelbourne bodywork - but it was too close to the pipes - and I wanted the option to fit different pipes in the future - I could have bodged up the old fairing - but that would have left it too heavy (heavy enough now with all the repairs) so - using an old Shelbourne fairing - I put the rad intake where I wanted it - and incorporated an intake duct for the airbox into the same inlet.

How much time ? - you don't want to know...
I'm lucky - make that very lucky - to be married to a fantastic girl - she gets up early each day to go to work - I get up a bit later & go in the workshop - Julie brings home the bacon - I spent it building the bike. (Julie has been passengering since 1987 - so knows the score)
I've been doing some of the smaller jobs & made a start on building a jig a few years ago - started cutting tubes during 2012 I think - wheel centres took quite a while to machine from solid - the rear hub took a while - although probably took longer hunting down the VW rear axle we use.

The Bodywork - fairing / wheelarch / seat / airbox / undertrays / passenger platform took a massive amount of time - all had a plug & mold made - so at least I can replace them reasonably easily when they get damaged.

First race on the bike was late August 2015 at Gedinne in Belgium - unfortunately - Julie had an operation on her knee in late 2014 - and it's still not healed as it needs to be - so she didn't get to try it out - had to get a couple of local guys to get on with me...

As for cost - I did at the start try to keep good notes on costs - but as it went on - realized that it would never get finished if I knew what it was costing - I may have been a bit anal about making some things - probably could have got them done cheaper - but we live in an engineering wilderness - no firms want to do little jobs - so I got to the point where I was thinking "bollox - I'm gonna do it all myself" - at least now I have exactly what I want - although I do still have a few more ideas for improvement here & there...

Cheers - Gordon.

[Drew]

I'd like to have the time and engineering skills to start one from scratch. Well done.

[Kickaha]

I'd like to have the time and engineering skills to start one from scratch. Well done.

When Johnny B did his I think he said it took him 18 months and then he won two national titles on it

Fucked if I would have the time money or skill to make anything half way as good

What does it weigh Gordon ?

[Drew]

When Johnny B did his I think he said it took him 18 months and then he won two national titles on it

Fucked if I would have the time money or skill to make anything half way as good

What does it weigh Gordon ?

We have the other disadvantage of not having ridden many chairs. So we dunno what characteristics we do and don't like.

We were musing earlier this month about what way to go, buying something from overseas is the only viable option at the minute.

[Drew]

When Johnny B did his I think he said it took him 18 months and then he won two national titles on it

Fucked if I would have the time money or skill to make anything half way as good

What does it weigh Gordon ?

Get that bloody trellis long chair running!

[Shaun Harris]

We have the other disadvantage of not having ridden many chairs. So we dunno what characteristics we do and don't like.

We were musing earlier this month about what way to go, buying something from overseas is the only viable option at the minute.

Buy Adam Unsworth chair man. It comes with a shit load of spares dude, and is 100% top quality built.

[G Jones]

We have the other disadvantage of not having ridden many chairs. So we dunno what characteristics we do and don't like.
We were musing earlier this month about what way to go, buying something from overseas is the only viable option at the minute.

I've only ridden 2 different chairs - don't think it matters - just spent a lot of time thinking how it works - & looking at other bikes - I've got a massive collection of photos - and my main aim was to make the bike easy to work on - track time is precious - so you don't want to be wasting any buggering about when you're at a meeting.
I guess I did have the advantage of having the Shelbourne to take the dimensions off - I knew it handled ok - so was a good start - although most short outfits are usually built with similar dimensions - pretty much dictated by the F2 regulations over here.
Might be over simplifying it - but as long as the Front and Rear wheels are inline & upright - a bit of toe-in on the chair - some trail on the front - you shouldn't be far off...
We did spend a fair bit of time with the previous chassis messing about with rear spring / damping - surprising how you can adjust the grip at the back...

When Johnny B did his I think he said it took him 18 months and then he won two national titles on it
Fucked if I would have the time money or skill to make anything half way as good
What does it weigh Gordon ?

There was a fair bit of time spent waiting - money's always short - so quite often had to wait until the right deal came along - or there was spare in the piggy bank....
Weight - I've only weighed it with bathroom scales on each wheel - shows approx 280lbs - although no idea how accurate that is.