HPC chassis differences

[M1chaelw]

Evening 

I'm researching in to the Vauxhall engined HPC caterhams and have seen a couple of posts stating that the chassis changed design in 1996 (newer type suspension/ seats/ tunnel mounted handbrake)

Does anyone know if these chassis changes are easily retrofitted or made a massive improvement to a pre 1996 chassis ? 

Just want to know if I'm best waiting for a 1996 onwards if I was to buy this type of 7 

ATB 

Michael 

 

[Wrightpayne]

Its quite easy to spot the difference - early ones the upper shock mounting and wishbone share a bolt to fix to the chassis. later cars have separate fixings for shock and wishbone.

Only way to upgrade is to have a long front chassis and sideskins along with all new wishbones so ££££. I recall an owner doing this and the engine mounts ended up in slightly different locations.

Earlier set up can be converted to widetrack.

 

Ian

[Englishmaninwales]

I fitted a post 96 long front to my 94 car during crash repairs and found it was straight forward. If fitted by Arch, there should not be any issues with position of engine mounts or other pickups. I found the general handling and feel of the car was improved.

Wide track was designed for the post 96 chassis but can be fitted to a pre 96 chassis, but it must be remembered the top damper fixing is lower so the spring / damper is considerably more horizontal than design, thus affecting the rising rate.

Malcolm

[Paul McKenzie]

The positives are stiffer chassis, central handbrake, detachable cross members under bonnet, better seats etc.

Negative is softer springs which will need changing if you want to do track work or go round corners without grinding away the silencer.

I would wait for a '96 on.

[7 wonders of the world]

Speak to Bruce he will give you chapter and verse   

 

[rj]

 

The positives are stiffer chassis, central handbrake, detachable cross members under bonnet, better seats etc.

Not all post 1996 chassis' have detachable cross members nor central handbrake.

If it's a race chassis it won't.

[Paul McKenzie]

We are talking about road registered Vauxhall engined HPC's from '96 on, not race cars  

[rj]

I am fairly certain I've seen a late 1996 road registered HPC without removable (without using an angle grinder, that is) cross member.

Anyway I am not sure the chassis will be stiffer if it has the cross members bolted on rather than having them brazed (spelling?) in.

[7 wonders of the world]

Not all road cars had removable diagonals,

 

[Mavic82]

The chassis stiffness was improved in the post 96 because the centre tunnel was significantly redesigned. The by product is the central handbrake. The tunnel design is not really modifiable, it would be very major chassis surgery. As has been said the front suspension points change upper and lower but this can be achieved if you really wanted with a short front. Arch can add chassis diagonals that are removable if you don’t have them reasonably easily. Though if like me you don’t like the central handbrake you can still fit an under dash one with some minor additions.

[Jonathan Kay]

... if it has the cross members bolted on rather than having them brazed (spelling?) in.

Spelling is good, cf braised food. 

But it's a strange sounding word, possibly because brazen is so much more common... hussy, image...

Jonathan

[Culminator]

Having owned HPC's with both types of chassis, I can confirm that the post 96 version is the better one. Noticeably stiffer and better suspension geo. Hold out for later type for sure.