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Information on building a tubeframe
Tango Charlie,
If you don't know where to start, buy, beg, borrow or steal "build your own sports cars for 250 pounds" and build that one. It should take you about 2-3 years. This is coming from a guy who has built one (not for high mileage but for brutal performance on a budget - total cash outlay $7500) Mine's the one on the top of the wikipedia page! It's since been painted.
David grey50 is correct about "Racing and sportscar chassis design" by Costin and Phipps. It is a fantastic book and highly recommended - but unless your math is strong enough to crunch the numbers, build the seven replica first. I can't stress highly enough how much you will learn.
Then make a slippery body for it. Mine turned out a bit heavy at 650kg.
Coyote X is also correct in stating "It is a lot easier to build a car than most people think, it just takes a huge amount of time." There is lots of information
on the locost forums particularly if you ignore anyone "still in the planning stages" . Chromoly is unnecessary, expensive and your first car should be conservative enough in design to not require it. You can use it however, but I wouldn't on the first one, 1020 is much more forgiving. Chromoly will crack if the wrong filler material is used and/or allowed to cool too quickly. Right now I'm building a tandem seat with a 500cc engine, it was for the x-prize, but we aren't far enough along to be sure we'll be done by the date, and besides the $7500 entrance fee is half the budget for the car. If you can hold out till July I should be able to sell you a set of plans for $50.00.
best of luck
Stephen Flood
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