Sidecar building 101

[dmulally]

Hi All,

My name is Damo and on the weekend a friend and I went to Wakefield Park to check out the sidecar racing. I have always wanted to have a crack at this but I was mainly going to suss out the 'vibe' from the racers. I introduced myself and they couldn't have been more friendly. They all let me pour all over their outfits and answered my stupid questions. I used to sprint my PRB and MGB some time ago but gave up when the joke trophies and mayhem gave way to individuals huddled over their laptops plugged into their cars looking over their shoulder.

As I build all my racing cars this one will be no different. What I would like to know from people who have already been there and done that is what are some of the considerations I should look at when building. Such as how adjustable do I make the outside wheel if at all etc. I'll be upfront and say that I'm not after lap records. I'm after ease of use and safety. Slow without being a hinderance to everyone else. I did a scratch build lotus 23 replica which was 425kgs/300hp and drove it twice. It was awful.

I have a couple of bikes to choose from at home but am leaning towards a BMW K100. Mainly because the driveline would be relatively easy and I won't have a chain running so close to my wedding tackle. Also, if I get lazy I can buy the BMW dustbin body parts off the shelf. I also have an old harley but I'd sooner do a seater with one of those. There seems to only be F1 and F2 kneelers in my area though which is NSW.

I am bound the F1 Guidelines here on page 126 if you're interested. I'm not sure if it is the same in England. The F2 looks similar though.

http://www.ma.org.au/fileadmin/user_upl ... _29JAN.pdf

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Regards

Damo

[duncan]

Short or long bike Damo?
Short F1 bikes are fun but not up to pace with a good long bike.
You'll definately need a jig as it's critical to get the major parts in the correct place.
I've built a few over the years & wouldn't do it again, mainly due to the time involved. The making of the main part of the frame isn't that difficult, it's the frontend set-up & fitting all the other stuff that takes time.
Long bike, you'll need to copy a good one as there's some about that aren't as good as some.
My suggestion is to see if you can pick up an existing outfit & have a crack on that & if you like it get a real one(LCR)

[dmulally]

Hi Duncan,

I'd prefer a short bike just for ease of construction but watching the short bikes wiggle around the track on the weekend I am open to ideas. I have a lead on a chap who has jigs for pretty much everything so I will suss him out and see how far I get. I'd like to pick up an older outfit and restore it but there really doesn't seem to be much about apart from later model ones. I would much prefer a slower and more stable platform for which to learn and if I am happy then I can go ahead and waste some real money. Also, I enjoy building and it isn't something I have to endure.

What is the scene like in Victoria with the older sidecars from post classic and forgotten era? On the weekend it was pretty much modern all round.

Cheers

Damo

[sidecar 10]

Damo, I agree with Duncan. Buy an old P4 or pr5 and have a go on that. Make a few modifications, improve it a bit and once you know what you are doing then start building one. They are seriously weird things sidecars. The difference between building a rocket and something that might be dangerous is not huge.

[SlowPhil]

There are no jigs!