The new chassis.
The new Project is to build a new Rotary Hillclimb Racing Car (RPV02 Van Dieman RF92).
I purchased a second hand chassis on the 9th Feb 2008 after selling the previous car (RPV01). The photo attached is of the chassis as I placed it down in my garage / home workshop, I purchased the chassis only, with no suspension or steering it is made of chrome-molly steel and the outer body work is fiberglass. The front arms in the photo were on loan so I could get some idea of what they looked like.
Chassis as purchased
I purchased this from Mark Cotrell who had originally purchased the car with the intensions of using parts of it to build himself a sports racing car. So this original car was to be stripped for parts and recycled into 2 new racing cars, how green is that we are doing our bit for the environment, as we all should. Mark was very keen to see how I was going to convert the car into a Hill Climbing Racing Car, and has been very supportive of the project as he is going through the same thing building his new car.
Tony Champans Formula Ford front chassis
The chassis is a RF92 Van Diemen it was a complete race car that last raced as a Formula Ford at Morgan Park Raceway Queensland 26th Nov 06. The car was originally from New Zealand and was raced there after being built in England sometime in 1992.
Not knowing the Formula Ford chassis that well, I had to do some research on the chassis‘s to see how I was going to complete this project. I found a complete RF92 Van Dieman that was being raced by Tony Chapman, he has been racing Formula Fords for some time. He reluctantly allowed me to take photos and measure his pride and joy, I say reluctantly because he was not too happy that I was going to cut the back off a perfectly good Formula Ford and graft on a Mazda 13B Turbo to build a Rotary Hillclimb Racing Car.
Tonys Formula Ford Steering Rack and Brakes