Mr Towed,
Delighted to hear your view - I've seen many, many posts of yours and all are fascinating and enjoyable.
I've looked at a lot of the MEV-style frames and have even been up to Andy at ANC to see the Replicar frame. However, I am not convinced that I could safely build a frame (I will be a novice welder) and buying an intact one looks hideously expensive, hence I was looking into reusing the MX5 tub. It's also a ruthless bid to reduce costs - frame purchase and IVA likely to total over £4500! My proposed project is very similar to the Replicar but, since I cannot find anyone who has done the same thing I am considering, I'm keeping the actual idea to myself - suffice it to say it's a full GRP body, bow to stern (so to speak!).
A rebody seems sensible but I have come up short on whether I can do it without compromising safety (less likely) or crossing the IVA threshold. Consider the amount of chopping done on the Spitfires and Heralds that end up as A352's and the like!! Cutting the windscreen, outer skin and the windscreen support pillars doesn't strike me as compromising the monocoque since the inner structures are intact - but I openly admit I am guessing here.
Does that make sense? I must sound like a nutjob!
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