Chassis Company
 

First let me start by saying this topic isn't to take/plan to take business from any other company. What does everyone think (or know for that matter) is the reason behind buying certain chassis? Im
17 some of you have seen my other discussions as well, and I dont know what I wanna do after high school. I had originally planned a move to Indiana, and this is still a possibility if the situation falls right. But as of now, I wont have the funds or the connections to make a living in the Hoosier State for a few years anyhow. College isn't for me, I dont mind school but, I cant see spending thousands of dollars learning something that may not be used anytime soon due to the economy, if ever. SO I was thinking, Ive loved racing all 17 years of my life so far, and that will never change. I had talked before my proposed move to Indiana, about building chassis (sprint, midget, maybe more) and then it kind of got sidetracked. So because I am fairly sure a move to indiana won't happen for a few years, I'm thinking of building chassis again. I know a "friend" of my dads who had a complete frame jig to do repairs, and I think he even built from scratch for a while, that he would probably allow me to borrow to either duplicate or maybe even buy from him to use for my own. SO, now to my exact question. IF I build a car or two, and enjoy all aspects of fabricating, what do people look for in a new chassis? Triple X is relatively newer, and some what popular already, Brady Bacon uses 'em. So what stands out to owners? Price of the chassis? Quality of the chassis for sure i assume. Weight of the chassis? IF I made this into a career, or a part time one anyway, what would my chassis have to have for you the car owners of sprint car and midget racing to be interested in running MY chassis?

A degree in Engineering would certainly make people more inclined to buy your chassis...
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Re: Chassis Company
 

To answer your question, the first factor would be experience and trust. Almost no one is going to trust a chassis built by a rookie manufactuer with no expereince building chassis. Even less people are going to trust a 17 year old rookie manufactuer. The first question that a chassis has to answer is it safe, and does it make me feel safe when I am strapped inside it. After that, all of the questions that you asked would come into play.

If you are serious about this, the first step would be to go to a trade school and become a certified welder. The next step would be to get a job working for any type of chassis builder. It may be easier to start working for a race repair shop or a regional modified chassis builder. There are a lot more modified builders than Sprint Car builders. After you have chassis experience, then you can try to get a job working at a sprint car chassis company. After you have experience building a sprint car for someone else, then you can start thinking about building your own chassis.

There is no short cut for experience.

As an engineering student myself, I would strongly recommend an engineering degree. It will teach you the right way to angle bars to get the desired effect whether It be strength or flex. Depending on the school, you might also take classes that will relate to the suspension geometry. I would recommend looking into purdue, I believe they have a motorsports engineering degree.
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Re: Chassis Company
 

I understand there are no short cuts. I have some TIG experience, but I would get certified, and I would work for a company to get experience as need be. BUT modifieds especially the kind you are used to aren't as present around here, and those that are (NE Big Blocks) only have a few well known chassis. As far as

Originally Posted by :
Almost no one is going to trust a chassis built by a rookie manufactuer with no expereince building chassis. Even less people are going to trust a 17 year old rookie manufactuer.

were talking about a couple years down the road as far as the business is concerned.

Re: Chassis Company
 

Come on dude seriously, Tig welding is probably the easiest thing when it comes to building a SAFE, fast, and overall good car.

Re: Chassis Company
 

Originally Posted by :
As an engineering student myself, I would strongly recommend an engineering degree. It will teach you the right way to angle bars to get the desired effect whether It be strength or flex. Depending on the school, you might also take classes that will relate to the suspension geometry. I would recommend looking into purdue, I believe they have a motorsports engineering degree.

I agree. All of which sounds like big $$$ that I dont have at this time. But whos to say that I can't own a chassis company and hire someone like you to be my lead engineer? If i know enough about how the chassis work, I can make adjustments that aren't directly related to the strength and integrity of the frame but could help with performance matters. I know a chassis company in micro sprints that moved the position of their rear axle back to increase forward bite. Knowing what those kinds of changes do, can make someone without an engineering degree who knows what strength's certain metals have and their flex rates and etc, just as important as someone who does know all of that stuff

---------- Post added at 03:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:54 PM ----------

Originally Posted by wright59:
Come on dude seriously, Tig welding is probably the easiest thing when it comes to building a SAFE, fast, and overall good car.

What do you mean? Are you saying just "Tig is easy", or are you saying theres so much more to fabrication than that? If the latter, i know that as well. I appreciate all the feedback so far, but everyone keeps replying as if Im gonna buy the equipment, build a chassis, and start a business. Thats not the case at all. I have started to think about how to make my cars stand out against the rest in terms of safety, speed, and "overall goodness". Its just putting those theories into practice thats holding me back at this time

Re: Chassis Company
 

Lloyd shore, bob trostle, gray stanton, laverne nance did not have a engineering degrees. And it would be interesting to see if any builder today would have one. It couldn`t hurt.

Re: Chassis Company
 

exactly my point, would a degree help? Absolutely. Is it necessary? Probably, but for ME directly? Not really

Re: Chassis Company
 

Triple x is a chinese knock off the best chassis that we build in america. That don't make them bad, but is does make them cheap, kinda of buggs me we design the chassis and make them work then they take our ideas and make them cheaper than we can. I know several guy's now that need welder's but can't pay a welders wages. If you became a good welder, and did not have a lot of overhead "wife and kids" and loved to race you could make one of these guys an attractive offer, (work on the cheap) for a chance to race and learn the trade and become a race car fabricator. It is a shame that our government has come up with things like min wadges that keep young people out of positions like this. You can't learn this stuff in school. In days of old you became an "apprentice" to a "master" for several years before you could call your self a "jurneyman", and then would work many more years as a "jurneyman" until you became a "master". I can almost guarantee you that the first year you work you are going to cost the guy money just to work for him. Most of the builders out there now started this way. Unfortunatly not too many kids today would put up with that kind of job. They want to start off as "masters" and then work themselves down.

Keep on racing out there, have fun, and dream, the grass in indiana is green also!
Good luck dad