SLROC Forum

I was thinking about building a tomcat, what chassis sizes would you guys go for??(mixture of events, but more faster stuff)

Opinions please?

cheers

dave

Not an expert but I would need a good reason to go far from 100". Length gives stability at speed but less agility

have a look on the tomcat/bowler site i am sure it explains the lengths on there for each use  short for trailing long for racing but i think 100" is considered the best length, there is also stuff about using 2 front half chassis instead of shortening one, apparently the front suspension has more travel so using 2 fronts welded together makes it better, also makes it easier to mount the engine in the back if you want to go that extreme.

Thanks guys, I will contact tomcat motorsport on monday

cheers

Again, you need to balance your vehicle design against your intended use.

Remember that SLROC is a one-marque club: we are a club of Land Rover Owners, so our primary focus for our events is Land Rover vehicles.

If you are going to enter an SLROC championship event (as opposed to one of the larger Comp Safari events), your vehicle will need to conform to the ALRC regulations... and in particular the vehicles sizes (http://www.alrc.co.uk/new%20regulations/appendix3.htm) and the body-shape rule (which basically states: "The vehicle should have the suspension type as appropriate and ALL bodywork, windows, bumpers etc. as appropriate for the model.")

So, the "best" size for a tomcat-like vehicle at an SLROC event is 88": something that has been made to pretend to be a modified Series 1 land rover.
Technially, you could go for a 107" chassis or a 109" chassis, but its easier to chop 12" out the center of a Range Rover chassis than add 7" or 9" in.

could use a D2 chassis & running gear to build a 107 series 1,

makes an effective comp motor

Iam going to try and make it tax exempt, which is a important point for me, shouldnt be a major issue

cheers

dave

Iam going to try and make it tax exempt, which is a important point for me, shouldnt be a major issue

cheers

dave

A Bowler that has enough "originality" points to satisfy DVLA will be interesting to see. What bits are you planning to keep ? 

http://www.smurf.toucansurf.com/tax_exemption.htm

very interesting read!, maybe need to rethink my great idea!! lol

About the only way to make a "new" tax-exempt Bowler-esq vehicle (that complies with ALRC guidelines) is to start with a pre '73 range rover, shorten the chassis, and construct a Series 1 look-a-like body for it.... but you are going to have to keep every single piece of paper to retain proof that the vehicle is still a Range Rover, and still retains 9 "build points" from the original vehicle.
(This does limit a few options for you, however.....)

is it worth compomising the outcome for the sake of 250 quid road tax?

The SVA test is a real pig.
Totally doable, but the paperwork trail for the enginnering works & so forth is humungous.

is it worth compomising the outcome for the sake of 250 quid road tax?

Six months tax would cover most of the competitive season and SORN for the other six months? Considering some of the vehicles mentioned previously in the thread, I would doubt if the road tax is really a significant consideration other than in principle. Fuel is going to cost more with consumption in single figures!

Update -

After being at drumclog this weekend, has really inspired me to get off my arse build a tomcat, so I can also play in the mud!! lol

Im ordering up a 100 inch chassis and fia rollcage from the tomcat peeps, and I will build everything else after that, try get it built ready for the 2012 season

any tips or help will be very helpfull in the build process

many thanks

dave

Come to CCVs and Comps... look at cars.... talk to people.

The chances are that the first build will be wrong in a whole pile of ways - however the only way to find out what works for you is to try it and see what works (and what doesn't)

Petrol or diesel?
Road Legal or not?

100" will mean you can ignore all the ALRC compatible stuff (unless you throw away the tomcat panels and make it look like a Discovery/Range Rover :chuckle: ) - which opens up a slew of options.

I'd start with mostly standard suspension & drive-train, and then tune what you need to tune as you learn the car.