Where We’re Starting
Every racecar starts with a blank sheet of paper and a set of constraints. Ours are tight: the chassis must survive a full racing season, weigh under budget, and still leave room for future aero development.
This is the first entry in what will be an ongoing build log. I’ll document each major phase — design decisions, fabrication challenges, lessons learned — as honestly as I can.
The Design Brief
Before cutting steel, we locked down the core requirements:
- Wheelbase: 1650 mm — long enough for stability, short enough for responsiveness
- Track width: 1200 mm front / 1180 mm rear
- Driver cell: must pass SCCA rollcage equivalency and fit drivers from 5’4” to 6’2”
- Weight target: full car under 450 kg with driver
The suspension geometry went through four major iterations in simulation before we committed to a design. Push-rod front, pull-rod rear — simpler packaging, better CoG.
First Steel
After three weeks of CAD refinement and cross-checks with our simulation model, we cut the first tube last week.
The main hoop is 1.75” OD / 0.120” wall DOM — the same spec used by a number of successful club-racing builds. The front hoop drops at 10° rearward rake to clear the driver’s helmet under the windscreen line while keeping the overall height under our target.
Fitting and tacking went smoothly. The chassis jig held everything within ±0.5 mm across the datum points — a good sign before we commit to final welds.
What’s Next
- Finish the main structure welds (this week)
- Mount the suspension pickups and check geometry against sim
- Start on the firewall and floor pan
I’ll have photos and measurements up in the next log. If you’re building something similar and want to compare notes, find me on the contact page.