I'm Going To Put A Deposit Down On A Lightweight!

[peter_m7uk]

I've been considering the Lightweight for months and I'm always hearing the "That ali chassis is no good, it'll fall apart in weeks" warning. But, I've seen the car twice, once at the Detling show and once in Mansfield Woodhouse and I don't think it looks too bad..... Richard Stewart reckoned that they've been carrying out extensive chassis tests and will publish the results in the 2005 RH brochure (due out in a couple of weeks).

He reckons that the chassis is good and he personally has no worries about it. He also said the price is likely to go up again, so sod it, I've written the 250quid cheque and now I'm just working up the bottle to post it!

 

Another interesting quote from Richard was that "The new owners think we're crazy for selling cheap kits and want to start selling 15grand 300bhp Caterham rivals".....

IS this the end of Robin Hood as the budget manufacturer we know and love????? :boohoo:

[Guest rizla]

how does robin hood do extensive testing on a ally chassis,........id be very interested to know

 

i will admit i bought a untested chassis in the vortx,but it is based on a proven desighn,but i did still worry a bit,but its proven now

[peter_m7uk]

In the 2004 brochure, they had a picture of a machine testing the seat belt anchoring, with a caption saying "One of many test rigs". Richard said they were basically

bending, twisting and pulling the chassis and it's mountings around and recording

the results.....

[Grim]

well, it may be all well and good in terms of stiffness, but what about fatigue? I can't see robin hood ever doing high cycle fatigue testing!

The mild steel one will probably be ok, dunno about an ali one.

[Guest chris brown]

We seem to have covered this ground before and to sum up from previous threads.

Providing the ally used is of the correct grade, and there are lots of them. Also providing it is well assembled with sealer in all mating surfaces and all riveting is correctly done then it should out last the mild steel one. Don’t slate it just because it is a new concept.

[Guest Battery Bill]

Go for it Peter

You could be the first Lightweighter, perhaps you would not be as loud as the other "First car " poster on this site But I think it would be a good car, Like Chris says as long as well assembled there should be no problems.

 

For example I am an Aircraft engineer by trade and I have for my sins worked on the Tucano aircraft which was made by Belfast and some Brazilians and the build quality on it is very suspect in a lot of areas. But the main undercarriage bracket is aluminium and is smaller and less substantial than our Steel inboard seat belt mountings And I have never heard of any Learner Pilots ruining their day by the having the undercarriage collapse on them

 

I can't see robin hood ever doing high cycle fatigue testing!

Tucano builders did all this sort of stuff and it still passed

 

i will admit i bought a untested chassis in the vortx,but it is based on a proven desighn,but i did still worry a bit,but its proven now

 

"Design" Andrew And so its proven now is it? Has it been stripped down to the bare bones and thouroughly crack checked? No I thought not

 

I think people should stop slating Robin Hood and give their lightweight a chance to prove itself rather than Criticise it before it turns a wheel, after all RH got me and Joey and a lot of others on the road

[Guest rizla]

no criticisem intended bill,just concern as to how they test it,its a bold move r/h have done and if it does what it says on the tin there will be more owners of lightweights than any other hood ever made,every racer would luv one with a bike engine in it(with a few tweeks to the suspention as it still comes with zimmer frames)

if it doesnt hold up(and i really do hope it does ) it could leave robin hood with a few brusies

 

just my opinion

[Guest Battery Bill]

Rizla

it could leave robin hood with a few brusies

I think RH gets enough bruises from some of its builders don't you

 

(with a few tweeks to the suspention as it still comes with zimmer frames)

 

I agree with you there :boohoo: :boohoo: Why keep the Zimmers they are not exactly the best are they. BUT like in our case they got us on the road and then we could make an informed decision into what shocks we would like to go for, I bet if RH supplied the car with AVOs or Gazs as standard there would still be people changing them to other set ups (Mind you not in the same frequency as the Zeemers )

[Snapperpaul]

I will watch your build with interest as I looked at the lightweight when it was first advertised but was seduced by the cheap series 3 that i am building now. How far down the Lightweight route are you going to go, carbon fiber is bl**dy expensive and ally is not easy to weld.

What is the projected weight?

[Nigel Rogers]

Go for it. Somebody has to be first. Once it's built just keep inspecting it regularly for cracks, loose fasteners etc. If it's been designed right it'll be OK. Try looking on the Civil Aviation Authority website and search for "CAAIP" You can download the pdf, it'll give you some good gen on ally structural stuff etc. WDYT Battery Bill?

[Guest Andy Rathbone]

Another interesting quote from Richard was that "The new owners think we're crazy for selling cheap kits and want to start selling 15grand 300bhp Caterham rivals".....

IS this the end of Robin Hood as the budget manufacturer we know and love

this upsets me more than a new lightweight will ever do.

will it fall apart ? wont it?

knowing robin hood probably not imidiatly, but if you are the first you are going to get problems its only natural, and nieve to think everything will go smoothly.

 

Be the first, break the ice, i'm sure the rest of us will offer help and experience where we can.

as for 15grand cateringvan rivals, robinhood be very careful, if i'd wanted one of them i would have bought one. i bought a robin hood because it fits my needs, a car you build not bolt together like meccano, and somthing that doesnt cost the earth. 15 grand is the earth! :gdit:

 

nuff said for now

[peter_m7uk]

Right, I'm going to go for it!!!

 

I'm surprised to hear I'm the first.... Apparently they have lots of orders,

with an eight week waiting time for a kit. Either that's a sales ploy, or none

of these builders have heard of Rhocar?

 

I see Chris Brown mentioned sealer - What sealer would you recommend

for ali to ali joints, anyone?? Also, what are the best rivets to stop my crate

from busting apart at the seams?

 

Cheers All!

[Guest bugsy]

I'm surprised to hear I'm the first....

 

I was the first on here with a Super Spec, they are as common as muck now

 

seriously go for it, you will get the backup from the forum and we will be really interested in how you get on, and look forward to seeing it, plus everyone will want a go when you get it going

 

 

Good luck

Bugsy

[Grim]

why would you use sealer? to prevent corrosion due to the different oxygen concentrations (i forget the proper term)?

Surely you'ld have to use an extremely thin amount of sealer, or use something that is somewhat adhesive?

[Guest chris brown]

Bill where are you?? What is that yellow sealer that you riggers used when replacing panels??? It stops water getting in the joint which does cause corrosion especially if it has a bit of salt with it. Just look at a L/Rover front wings after a few years!