santana 1300

[Andrew t]

hi, i am looking at building a replica santana 1300, i am a bit stuck with finding chassis plans and dimensions, i am wondering if there is anyone who would be able to help?

[NZ2AFC]

Hello Andrew,
sounds like a big job building one from scratch. Can you not import a 1300 from Spain? Where abouts are you?

[Andrew t]

i am in new zealand, i priced up buying one and importing it, was looking at around 25-30000 nzd so its way cheaper to build than import as i have a few 109 chassis i can use a start point and enough body panels to make the cab, all i need is some measurements from the extra peice at the front of the chassis

[Roadless109]

Just seen this post..

You might have more luck asking in one of the f-book groups..?

[fuckwit]

Don't let me stop you, but stop a while to question the wisdom of this. More to the point, maybe throw in a measure of self-awareness whilst you're on.

Yes, you may well be able to do it for less 'on paper', but what will you have, even if you succeed in doing it well? Whatever the man-hours and the hassle comes to, in the finish, it'll always be cheaper to pay thru' the nose for the Spanish item.

You're highly likely to own a Heinz 57 of something few want. Done right it'll take a chunk out of your life too. Think long and hard about the 'real' story here.. Then go to Spain and buy the best you can afford. If you can't afford this, in so many ways - most not about money - you 'definitely' can't afford what you propose.

[Andrew t]

I just read that, in an ideal world I would buy something from spain however I don't want the entire vehicle, just the chassis specs and cab, so I could spend 20k nzd on a complete vehicle from spain then go though that pain painful process of modifying and engineering reports to have a nice chassis design perfect for what I want then build it, or i can modify a chassis based on the pre determined designs and have something that overcomes all the flaws of the 1300 design and start from a point 20k cheaper, allowing a budget of that much more. As in the 1300 would be a reference only that cost 20k.

Thanks to an anonymous person I have the measurements I need, I am say 60% through the new chassis design, then I have to produce a prototype to be inspected and load tested, only thing I'm struggling with is steering geometry, converting to a power steer with an impact break joint for safety, in head o n collision, can't find anyone to certify that in nz without a crash test.
I think when I am finished I will be proud of what I have achieved and minus that chunk of my life, will enjoy the rest of it, been told stuff like you said all my life, glad I always took it as a challenge, otherwise I wouldn't be in this position where I can do this comfortably, and not care as to how hard you think it is.