Not saying they are brilliantly made by any means, or designed. I did have to make new rear shock/spring mounts, put a couple of rails in to hold the chassis together/spart at the rear instead of just the roll-bar and the petrol tank. And move the steering rack so inverse ackermann effect became proper ackerman, and reduce the massive bumpsteer from inches to not noticeable. But the actual main structure has held together well.
Roll bar did bend up and back when I used the crane at work to pick it up to work on the axle ;-)
As for trials - Association of Classic Trials Clubs - ACTC. And find a local club
http://www.actc.org.uk/info/clubs/
There's info on the regs for each class and what you are allowed to modify,or not.
As for kit-cars - it's a lot easier to throw a 500 quid kit-car at the scenery than a 30 grand MG ;-) Although at the bottom of some valley somewhere at the bottom of an seemingly un-climbable hill, I did meet two gents closing on 70 who had been trialling the same 1930's MG they bought for a fiver off a man kicking it at the side of the road when they were school boys walking to school.
Same MG came blasting past us in the Dutton on the M4 or M5 going north after the trial - Dutton does 45/50mph at valve bounce revs . . .
It's an excellent way of spending not too much money to enjoy motorsport, see lots of fantastic scenery you wouldn't normally get to see as you can end up miles from the beaten track. And where else would you see Beetles, Trojans, Suzuki Jimney thingies, kit-cars, Imps, Mk1 and 2 Escorts, BMW3 series, and just about anything else, normally being thoroughly thrashed. It's not a totally safe sport - someone died after rolling back uncontrolled and rolling - passenger/bouncer was thrown clear.
I have a Scimitar SS1 waiting for me to sort it for Class 5 - but the chassis reminds me of the Eagle you pictured. Slam the door and you can hear the gentle tinkle of the chassis falling on the floor in little flakes.
So instead I have an MR2 parked out front waiting for me to build a new mid-engine chassis with lots of lock and suspension travel . . .
As for kit-cars - it's a lot easier to throw a 500 quid kit-car at the scenery than a 30 grand MG ;-) Although at the bottom of some valley somewhere at the bottom of an seemingly un-climbable hill, I did meet two gents closing on 70 who had been trialling the same 1930's MG they bought for a fiver off a man kicking it at the side of the road when they were school boys walking to school.
Same MG came blasting past us in the Dutton on the M4 or M5 going north after the trial - Dutton does 45/50mph at valve bounce revs . . . .
That sounds like it was Dudley Sterry in his supercharged J2 special, would guess wrong side of 70, I recall him on the Cotswold Clouds trial in 1970, it went like a rocket then.
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"So instead I have an MR2 parked out front waiting for me to build a new mid-engine chassis with lots of lock and suspension travel . . . "
have you worked out how your going to build it ? double wishbone suspension to get wheel travel ?
why did you choose an mr2 or did one just happen along at the right price ?
or are there merits to having such a heavy engine ie traction
how will you get a really good steering angle taxi front hubs ?
will the engine loom separate out OK, or is it all one?
It looks like both the Jeep CJ7 and the Daihatsu Sportrak uses wheels have the same PCD but with a 0.4mm smaller centre bore so that could be a possibility with a bit of emery cloth!
Have you got a pic of the Suzuki with the body off before you stripped the rest?
@Baloo remind me not to come in my Vitara next time I visit, I'll probably be walking home due to bits mysteriously disappearing
It's been bugging me but I knew I had seen that chassis pic before somewhere - what happened to the Hoppa - that was some great glass work!
Also excuse my ignorance on all things Suzuki but when the Vitara is not 4x4 is it RWD or FWD ? Looks like a great base for a conversion, as it is not a monocoque so no IVA.