tube chassis ?

Hey guys I'm looking for do's and don'ts. I have talked with Mr. Lem evans on a new build I'm wanting and have just picked up a new chassis as a start it is a 86 4eye hatch car I want to make a tube chassis.

I own a small fab shop and have most tools to do it so I'm looking for any and all tips. This will be my first tube chassis build.

I wouldn't put any effort in a fox body.you can buy twice the car you can build $ for $. If you just enjoy that kind of thing you should use chromoly for any part you build.its a bitch to bend so get a good bender and practice up on your tig welding unless you're already good at it.   

I agree with Lee...You can buy more car these days than the same money will build. But if you're a hard headed putz like me, you get a charge out of doing it yourself. If that's the case, my suggestion would be to hang an unusual body on it. I hate constantly seeing myself in the other lane.

Find a level spot to work. For the novice the ability to draw on the ground under and around the car helps. Buy a good straight edge, tape, and angle finder.

whatbumper wrote:Find a level spot to work.  For the novice the ability to draw on the ground under and around the car helps.  Buy a good straight edge, tape, and angle finder.  

Good advice.  Square it, square it, square it.  Countless nightmares await the guy who builds a crooked chassis.

Oh I forgot, a couple good plumb bobs help too.

Thanks for all input on the deal I have looked into just buying a chassis ready to go. That's not out of the question yet just need to put a little more money back. As it will be a lump sum and not a little at a time. I will let you all know if I find a chassis.

When it comes to building a new car some people might not agree, but I will say it again. If it's going to be a round tube drag car that the specs/cert allows you a choice of tubing materials (like NHRA/IHRA general regs, & some SFI certs) IMO either 'moly tubing or ERW mild steel tubing is really the only 2 sensible material choices for various reasons. And the current high cost of DOM mild steel tubing makes it a less than desirable choice vs both 'moly tubing or ERW m/s tubing.

If budget isn't a factor & your reason to use the more expensive DOM over the cheaper ERW is because DOM is supposed to be stronger than ERW. Then it would make even more sense to spend a few more coins & go with 'moly instead of DOM since 'moly is supposed to be stronger than DOM.

And if budget is a factor & your reason to use DOM over 'moly is because 'moly is too expensive, then these days the truth is you might not be able to afford DOM's high cost either. So in this situation the low cost ERW m/s is the better choice.

And when it comes to using different types of "ERW" m/s tubing, IMO hot rolled m/s tubing (HREW) is a better choice (for the most part anyway) than cold rolled m/s tubing (CREW). This is because even though CREW tubing is very ductile & forgiving vs the more rigid HREW (or DOM, or 'moly), it's almost to the point of being too soft & forgiving. When using a tube bender on CREW it takes very little effort to make the bend vs the much greater effort it takes to bend HREW, or DOM, or 'moly.