Ok, as long as you use inboard suspension.
I'm making a buggy style with long suspension travel so I don't think that would work? would it?
Here is what I have thought of so far.
50mm CDS tubular chassis and engine bay with built in roll cage as a designed part of the chassis with 35mm tube for cross bracing.
One issue I am facing in access, getting in / out of it. I have been thinking about the 'Santa Entry Method' down the chimney from the top, or maybe even encorporating a small door. I intend to keep this car and don't want to limit it's use by me not being nimble enough to get in and out as I get older.
Also I like how the Ariel Atom side chassis bars are higher than on the Rocket (almost shoulder height), makes me feel more safe so I will encorporate that in my design.
Fuel tank will fit between the engine bay and chassis (like the Nomad) and be full width of the car for extra capacity. This will be triangle shape (looking from the side of the car) to fit between engine bay and chassis. I don't like the idea of fuel being in the passenger compartment so I think this is the safest option.
I don't like the space behind the seats on the Rocket so I will shorten it so the seats are closer to the rear of the chassis.
I will have around 30 cm ground clearance, but will be able to lower for track days (using different shocks and springs).
I will use Rose joints to give me fully adjustable suspension.
I will fabricate the rear uprights to take the Honda hub assembly for the rear, this means I can use my Honda drive shafts so no need to have custom ones made. These are 5 stud patern so need to find some nice 15 - 16 inch wheels with big tyres, not full off road tyres but a cross between off road and road tyres. Tyres will help with the ground clearance too.
Front hub assembly needs more researh as the Rocket ones don't offer enough suspension travel. The limiting factor being the alloy upright fouling on the edge of the top ball joint. Plus I want to use Rose joints so more research needed there.
I will have power assisted brakes. I know people say it's not needed as the car is so light, I disagree, I prefer it.
I will have power steering, again I prefer it.
I will make provision to fit a windscreen, which will be bonded into a frame, then the frame bolted to the car so it can be easily removed. and windscreen wipers / washers.
Cooling will be dual side mounted radiators, not sure if these will be in pods or some other design but I don't like coolant running the full length of the car, plus it means the centre console can be smaller with no collant pipes in there.
ECU and engine fuses/relays will be in the engine bay while all other electrical systems (lights etc) and the battery will be mounted at the front.
I will be hand making everything where possible. I like the engine cover in the Atom/Nomad. It's minimalist but serves a purpose so I will fab a similiar one in aluminium.
I will also fab a dashboard and minimal centre console and steering cowl, again using aluminium and a mount for the Dash Display. I want this to look factory so may use some 3D printing here.
I will also fab the bonet, although this will be a 3 piece type with the centre piece being easily removable for access to electrics etc. More on this when I have the chassis made.
I like a small discreet nudge bar on the front and rear? maybe? and I may create a spare wheel rack to carry a spare in case I go off exploring
The exhaust will be stainless and I will make it all, you can buy stainless tube and bends ready made, they just need welding together so I wil do that. The exhaust will be modeled on the Arial Nomad as I think it's a great use of space and I am using the same engine, so why not, plus they make a version with Cat and a straight pipe the same size to remove the CAT so I will copy that giving me both options.
The donor is the Honda Accord Type S with the K24A3 engine and 6 speed gearbox and I have everything from the car so I will use that steering column which has built in immobiliser, plus the left stalk controls indicators, lights/full beam so I will use that, the right controls wipers/screen wash so I will use that too.
I will use Honda power steering rack, the PAS pump is small and the resevoir is small too so very little weight and space used.
I always found the Rocket brakes needed to be pressed very hard, I really didn't like them so I will use a small vacumn pump or maybe even electric pump to assis with this.
Not decided on colour yet, although I do like the FDE (sand military colour).
I am also into Rifle shooting and have an AR15 (yes you can own one in the UK) which has a multicam paint job which I quite like (see below)
Please let me know your comments, thoughts, suggestions.