Building an F1 Honda BAR003 chassis up - on a budget

[showcar]

I have been reading with interest the F1 Snake piece on his beautiful RA107 and then went on to read all about the Sauber C16 from Matt. With the knowledge that I am not in the same league I thought a few of you may like to know about my own project.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/73092712@N ... otostream/
I had been collecting F1 memorabilia for the last 20 years (yes 20)and thought it was about time I had the real thing. Like most of us with a large mortgage and bills coming out my ears I could not justify an actual car, costing well about £20-£30K so thought I would improvise.
I found an ex- BAR mechanic selling three tubs, all damaged and decided to purchase a 2001 BAR003. It is chassis number 2 and was used as a T car in five rounds of the 2001 F1 championship.
If someone has additional info on my tub then I would love to hear more!
I then set about looking for spare parts, which is easier than it sounds as you think you have the right part off a 2000 or 2002 chassis but it never quite fits.
The main tub I have is in Tiscali colours and was sitting in the garage as a "spare" when JV had that famous crash in Adelaide
http://www.flickr.com/photos/73092712@N ... otostream/

Over the next few days I will load a few more images and obviously explain how I have developed the tub if anyone is interested?. Before asking though I have no idea if the photos I have just tried to load will actualy load and its not on or near the track yet, in fact its probably a few years away from that point as I have been building it on a budget

[Carlos]

Let me welcome you to the F1Technical Forum Showcar, to say I am interested in your project is very much an understatement. Thanks for the photos and I certainly look forward to seeing more, once again welcome.

[showcar]

Hi Carlos, thanks for the message and happy to continue.
I eventually bought the BAR003 chassis http://www.flickr.com/photos/73092712@N ... 8608330661
and then wondered what to do with it so I stuck it in my garage and worked out how easy it would be to build up, how wrong I was.
I purchased a Spyker floor and soon found it wouldnt fit but stumbled across a 2002 BAR floor so traded some of my old parts for thathttp://www.flickr.com/photos/73092712@N ... 608330661/
Once I had the fllor I then tried several engine covers but with no luck. In buying one for a 2004 car that was damaged I found the 2001 cover by fluke, as these things normally happen.
The wheels had been part of my large collection so a few trades and purchases then I had a set. In the mean time I won a top and side section of Honda rear wing and then added that.
At this point I had Frankensteins monster still but getting there
http://www.flickr.com/photos/73092712@N ... 608330661/
The side pods were impossible and I still dont have the right ones. I bought a slightly damaged Williams engine cover and took about two months working out which was worse, cutting the cover up or having no side pods. I gave in and the saw came out (Please no abusive comments, I know)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/73092712@N ... 608330661/

[showcar]

Since the murder of the BMW cover I managed to badly spray the side pods and add Lucky Strike stickers that cost £20 on e-bay. These were simple ones that I asked the seller to enlarge to 60cms and they did.
I then improvised with the gap between the true engine cover and side pods with felt covered in carbon film, added a whole for the exhausst outlets and it seems to do the job, for now.
As mentioned I would still love to have the right side pods - one day.
axles were then purchased but I didnt realise the size difference between front and rearhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/73092712@N ... hotostreamhowever now I do!
The barge board was purchased for £60 from e-bay (luck again) followed by a steering column and leg protector from a 2007 car.
As you can see it is starting to come on and look more like the real thing
http://www.flickr.com/photos/73092712@N ... otostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/73092712@N ... otostream/
Front wings were easy but the only nose I have so far is one from a Force India.
I am still after bits and if any reader spots some can they please let me know and please not bid for them on e-bay as I will probably be doing the same.
Costs so far for my contraption
Tub - £3,200
Wheels/tyres - around £700
Engine cover - £300
floor - £300
rear wing - £300
Barge board - £60
side pods, after butchering - £300
Axles and hubs - £400
With bits such as axles - total at around £6,000 so far

[N12ck]

Maybe Of interest:

RBR front wing:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/F1-FRONT-WING ... 128wt_1270

Ferrari F1 clutch system

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ferrari-F355- ... 581wt_1270


Or maybe take a look at this website it has JB'S Complete BAR 2005 clutch assembly
http://chequeredflagcollectables.com/st ... klbcp8ejf3

or look at this one :
http://www.f1planet.co.uk/products-page/f1-car-parts/

[N12ck]

Loads of BAR F1 stuff:
http://f1partsfinder.co.uk/

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-F1-ca ... 500wt_1287

*I am not affiliated in any way to the links I have posted, they are for helping to build the car up

[dangerous]

What an AWESOME project! I love it, you're doing a great job. The paint you've done on those side pods looks great too

If you need anything painting, let me know. I'm a struggling self-employed painter/airbrush artist, and I'd be happy to offer my services up for free just for the chance to have some F1 bits I'd painted in my portfolio!

Keep us posted, really interesting project!

[showcar]

Thanks for the comments and advice guys. I will add more images and updates as they come. My current project is attaching the 2007 leg protecvtor into the tub and sorting out the front wish bones.
I have full sets from a Jordan and 2007 Honda RA107 but this is taking longer than expected as the chassis holes dont match due to the 6 year difference in builds and manufacturing changes.
By the way the history I know it to be of the tub is
-Melbourne, Australia. 1st - 4th March 2001 - Spare.
-Sepang, Malaysia. 16th - 18th March 2001 - Spare
-Interlargos, Brazil. 30th March - 1st April 2001 - Spare
-Imola, San Marino. 13th - 15th April 2001 - Spare
-Catalunya, Barcelona. 27th- 29th April 2001 - Spare
as mentioned any additional info you may have please let me know
Many thanks

[F1snake]

Hi Showcar,

Many thanks for taking time to post all this info on your Honda BAR003 Project. Fascinating project, and I'm intrigued how you are making it work on budget. To me the BAR Lucky Strike/Look Alike were such iconic looking cars. Before we bought the RA107, we looked at a BAR004. I really wanted that car, but alas it was too incomplete for our needs. But what a gorgeous car!

What are the long term plans for your car? Are you going to build it up to a drivable state, and if so, what sort of running gear are you planning to go with?

The gearbox is likely going to be the kingpin of the project, and I'd be very interested to hear more about your choice of transmission.
As for engine, you have a slightly larger choice than we had with the RA107, as yours originally had the space for a V10. The Hartley H1 V8 was the only engine we could find that ticked most, if not all the boxes for the RA107. Its very close the same dimensions and weight as the original RA807E engine.

Great to have another 'builder' on this forum. A few more, and perhaps we'll get our own 'F1 Build' page!

Looking forward to hear about the next steps forwards on your BAR003.

If you are near Bath, Somerset sometime, let me know. You'd be welcome to come and have a closer look at the RA107.



Cheers - Bjorn

[showcar]

Hi Bjorn,
Yes I do want to build it into a complete car one day. The theory is to but the body parts and have it as a rolling chassis within another year or so then set out to emulate your own work on getting the car onto a track however I have no reason to believe that this will take a further 3-4 years, if I am honest.
I may go with whats available at the time in engine and gearbox combination however I am impressed that you have a GP2 set up for the RA107, cool is all I can say.
I have just purchased a dummy camera cover for the chassis air box and when it comes will post pictures of it as its mounted. I know its a small step but thats how I got this far.
many thanks
Kev

[N12ck]

do you have a seat for this car ,,, if not Ive found one

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-Ralph ... 500wt_1287

or a 2000 season sidepod: (Jordan)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jordan-F1-EJ1 ... 479wt_1270

[showcar]

Hi N12ck Luckily I have a Honda one from 2004 so thanks for keeping an eye out.

I appreciate the help and please keep opportunities coming as it really does help.

I am waiting for the dummy camera to come this week from an e-bay seller you mentioned and will post before and after pictures when it arrives.

many thanks
Kev

[showcar]

Hi, with the winter savings bug well and truly here I decided to use my Autosport show money for a carbon dummy camera body. It was one or the other and with the RA107 of F1Snake not being there this weekend I decided that I should grab the dummy camera body as you never know when you will get another chance of getting one.
The first shot is the camera cable in the roll hoop as its been since 2001 when the car was decomissioned
http://www.flickr.com/photos/73092712@N ... hotostream
The second shot is the camera dummy body
http://www.flickr.com/photos/73092712@N ... otostream/
Its not a perfect fit as the camera body is a wing one, again the expensive way of finding out is to buy one and try it.
The last shows the car as it is today, you may notice I have re-applied the Lucky Strike sticker as the last was poorly applied (by me)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/73092712@N ... otostream/

I was also lucky enough to buy a complete set of dvd's from e-bay featuring every race of the 2001 season so the package is coming along nicely. It doesnt seem like 11 years ago that this car was on the track

[N12ck]

Hi, with the winter savings bug well and truly here I decided to use my Autosport show money for a carbon dummy camera body. It was one or the other and with the RA107 of F1Snake not being there this weekend I decided that I should grab the dummy camera body as you never know when you will get another chance of getting one.
The first shot is the camera cable in the roll hoop as its been since 2001 when the car was decomissioned
http://www.flickr.com/photos/73092712@N ... hotostream
The second shot is the camera dummy body
http://www.flickr.com/photos/73092712@N ... otostream/
Its not a perfect fit as the camera body is a wing one, again the expensive way of finding out is to buy one and try it.
The last shows the car as it is today, you may notice I have re-applied the Lucky Strike sticker as the last was poorly applied (by me)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/73092712@N ... otostream/

I was also lucky enough to buy a complete set of dvd's from e-bay featuring every race of the 2001 season so the package is coming along nicely. It doesnt seem like 11 years ago that this car was on the track

So whats left on it now? and do you intend to take it for a drive once you are finished?

[showcar]

Hi NC12K
I still need to get it into a rolling state so the suspension holds the car and can roll. I think this will take me a good year to do as finding the right suspension brackets is a nightmare and I will probably end up having them machined for me.
I have a base bracket that could be used as a template but still keeping my eye out for more of the same or ones that are more to my requirement.
Nathan from Ledon has been great and I will probaly end up using RA107 and RA108 parts to achieve the first milestone.
Once its rolling I can see me picking F1Snake's brain to see how he gets on with his RA107.
The first drive is a few years away I think but will keep this forum up to date as I go, even if it does get into the nitty gritty and slow.
all the best