How to in India - Home Built Cruiser

[aerohit]

If I want to build my own little car based on a similar frame like this – what are the legalities that I need to follow to put it on road?

(Considering that we already have “black smoke and unstable cars that don’t deserve to be on road”)

It will be powered by a Honda VTEC – so pollution will not be an issue, + 4 wheel disc brakes etc.

Just want to know if it is feasible in India – (assuming that I already have parts supplier and other resources)

[dinar]

In our great country, we are not allowed to build our own chassis, if you want to build one [for legally using it ] you will have to get it approved by ARAI. There use to be a category on the RC book Earlier which said custom vehicle.But I have not seen it now a days.
You should try the local RTO office for details first.I have tried but did not get any sensible answers...

[spawnofsatan]

I have been considering this for a while too, building my own custom car. The info I have is that you DO need certification by the ARAI for you to be able to legally use it and register it. Unfortunately the testing process is lengthy and quite expensive.

Rehaan and I have discussed this topic, maybe he will chime in and throw in his input.

[kkr2k2]

hey aero,

you get in touch with bobby jayaram on the forum, I guess he is the one who built a GT coupe with 8 gears transmission all electrically operated(i read it some where on the net). The car is known as Jayaram GT. Please do a search on this as well. AFAIK, it was built in late 70s and got it approved in early 80s after a good amount of struggle. It would have costed around 2 lakhs back then to buy such a production car.

source: The Hindu : Homemade cars



raj.

[greenhorn]

1975 Jayaram GT Custom everything...chassis included..!! - cinclaturbo’s Photo Gallery - Team-BHP
The Hindu : Homemade cars

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

A simpler choice would be to:-

Step 1. Get an ancient car, of course, with registration and documents.
Step 2. Take out the body. Modify it / put in your own. Enter the changes in the registration records.
Step 3. Take out the chassis (if it is not a monocoque design ie, like jeeps and ancient ambys has a body mounted on to a chassis) put in your own / modify the existing chassis. Enter the mods in the RC.

At this stage, look back, and ensure that the body specifications including seating and dimensions - length, height, width, etc. entered in the record are going to be the same as what you want on your custom car.

Step 4. Take out the engine. Replace / mod it. Enter the changes in the RC.

Ensure that the (un) laden weight will be the same as the end product.

Now, for the other mods like changes in number of gears, shape of the steering wheel, etc, you do not require permission / enter the changes in the RC.

Easy, huh?

[avi.k]

Originally Posted by aerohit

If I want to build my own little car based on a similar frame like this – what are the legalities that I need to follow to put it on road?

Ours is a great country; you can register an elephant on wheels for the road if you ahve the right kind of GREEN dough beside it
try contacting an experienced agent from outside your local RTO office and try to find out how much would be needed
One more thing you could try which should make your life a little easy would be to buy an older registered vehicle which would closely resemble the one you want to build and then work further on it afetr ripping it off
Try to bend the existing rules with the Green stuff

[Rehaan]

Hey Aerohit,

Unfortunately i dont really have any useful information to chime in with at this stage.

However, i would like to know where you got that image from - could you post a link so i can take a look at that project?

Thanks,
R

PS - In future please use these instructions to upload images. Its part of the rules - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/announ...-team-bhp.html

[aerohit]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

However, i would like to know where you got that image from - could you post a link so i can take a look at that project?

It was just a sample image for reference. As you can see, it is an offroad desert buggy -
Project Fun Buggy - 4Wheel & Off-Road Magazine

I actually want something in the line of Ariel Atom - if you know what i mean.

Any reason for uploading on localhost?
I thought we can save you some bandwidth by putting images outside - that too - sample images. Or, is there any exception?

[aerohit]

I think imageshack.us is very reliable and allows linking and hosting. You may consider it after you guys are done with your research.


This is a better example.

Note: This is half done car - without outer skin.

[jassi]

those pics look kinda like the atom i like your enthusiasm - hope you end up being the first one on this forum building your own pocket rocket

[iceman91]

I know a while ago someone in bangalore built his own car. It was a 2 seater something like the spyder. He too had issues with registering but then did work around it. If anyone knows about this or his contact details. He would be the ideal guy to speak to

[SirAlec]

In our country where Marutha and Juggad or Tractor can be used as commercial vehicle, anything is possible.

Just build it yaar! and do post the process here in TBHP.

I guess to sell these in volumes you need different permissions. otherwise its ok.

[gkrishk]

In the late 1960s/early 70s one Mr Menon in Trivandrum who owned a garage called Aravind Automobiles made a couple of airconditioned cars for the Maharaja of Travancore. One of them was a small vehicle based on a Fiat chassis and the other one was a large car styled rather like an American car of that time. No idea if these have survived. The manufacturer and his products were featured at the time in 'The Illustrated Weekly of India' which was a popular magazine.

[Rehaan]

Originally Posted by aerohit

It was just a sample image for reference. As you can see, it is an offroad desert buggy -

Yeah i know it was a sample. I just wanted to take a look at his project. Thanks for the link.

Originally Posted by aerohit

I think imageshack.us is very reliable and allows linking and hosting. You may consider it after you guys are done with your research.

We used imageshack for the first 3 years. Shifting to locally hosted images has been the right choice due to these reasons : http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/916884-post6.html

Originally Posted by aerohit

This is a better example.

Note: This is half done car - without outer skin.

I think we are on the same page here!
This looks like its been built for a GT40 replica?

"Like the ariel atom" is what i am thinking as well - simply because its easier to not waste time envisioning, designing, fabricating the body! (That can be done at a later stage IF required). Almost like a 2-seater FSAE car!
However, i was thinking - with indian conditions, a roof might be a good idea - purely as protection from the sun.

Heres my contribution to what i would be satisfied with as a final product :
(sorry for the bad pic!!! it was just a snapshot taken at factory 5 racing way before i had this urge/interest.)



And here is a similar chassis :

Originally Posted by iceman91

I know a while ago someone in bangalore built his own car. It was a 2 seater something like the spyder....

Would love to see details, pics etc!! If anyone knows more details please post them here or invite him to Team-BHP !

Also there are the caterham type hand-built cars (different from the ariel-type we are discussing ). Here are two :

Ofcourse, the chinkara : http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...-chinkara.html (Chinkara?)

And here is a cool one that not much is known about : http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...i-seaface.html


Anyway, being realistic - this is a long term goal for me!! Its a bit out of the reach of my current capabilities (workspace, expertise, help & money!) - i'd like to however start off with a simple electric go-kart!!

How commited are you to this idea? (ie are you getting started soon, or is it a longterm dream)
What engine layout are you planning? Will it be RWD? (you mentioned a honda engine)

cheers,
R

PS - Also check out pepper's kart - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/introd...kart-kvx1.html (Off Road KArt .. KVX1)