kingcars' DIY Sim racing rig "The Pinto" - finished!

[kingcars]

So I've been looking to update my sim racing setup for a while now. I'm currently running a stock G25 with a bowl seat and a snack tray...not exactly an ideal setup. I also don't feel like spending $500 on ordering a good cockpit, so I've decided to set aside about $150 and build my own. Here's what I have so far:

The seat out of my dad's old race car - free

30 feet of steel - $80 (probably going to need a little more, as you'll see in the diagram)

Adjustable seat tracks out of an old van - $16 from a junkyard

And here is an unfinished general design layout that I have planned

I'm also planning to order a Fanatec GT3RSV2 wheel with CSR Elite pedals to go along with this build, as I have a friend of mine lookin to buy my G25 and get a bit more serious into sim racing. I'll keep this thread updated with pictures and progress as it happens. Thanks for reading!

 

[jagdrag77]

That set-up looks like it has potiental man! I'm really liking the seat, it looks heaps comfortable.

Can't wait to see the end result 👍

 

[sesselpupser]

Can't wait to see how this turns out, that's an unusual seat for a cockpit build so hopefully you'll put it to good use!

 

[swiftwilly]

that seat seems a bit long or is that due to the picture?

 

[Caz]

Very similar seat to what I use. Also out of am old racer. But mine
Sat in it for the first time in honestly 3 months last night.
Can't get a good view of your diagram, but take a look at the redbull playseat. It will help with a good start point for pedal and seat angles.

 

[kingcars]

Thanks for the comments! The seat isn't too long, though in my diagram, I have it mounted too far away from the wheel. I pretty much just measured the current setup I use against my desk so that this rig will be able to pull right up to the desk as well.

I'm also keeping the design simple and with plenty of extra room so that I will be able to fit any future wheel sets I may get. Have I mentioned that I'm looking forward to learning how to weld? My dad said he'll show me haha...should be interesting.

Also...the GT3RS should be on its way this week. Never tried a Fanatec wheel before, so I'm excited.

 

[rankings18]

'looks fun, goodluck

 

[kingcars]

Made my first cuts today for the seat stands.

I hadn't used an electric saw in quite a while so I was glad to not lose any limbs in the process

The next step is going to be getting the seat setup welded in (which will likely happen later this week or this weekend) so we can trial fit everything else before making the final cuts and welds.

 

[kingcars]

Spent a few hours in the garage today. Went to the hardware store and picked up some nuts and bolts so I could piece together a mockup of the seat stand before final assembly. Cut four 16" pieces of steel and started bolting together. At first, I had everything cockeyed and got frustrated...so I had to take a break for some fuel...

But then I came back refreshed, remeasured and straightened the chassis, and got a decent proof of concept.

That's it for now. The final assembly should be starting Sunday.

 

[kingcars]

Big update today, guys! Spent a good 6 hours out in the garage today and got a lot done. Final assembly has begun. Started off the day by learning how to weld...and after a few terrible and weak welds, I started to get the hang of it. They're not pretty welds, but they get the job done; the rig is rock solid so far with no flex at all. The seat setup is just about finished at this point, as you'll see in the pics below. All I have left to do is weld on 2 small brackets then I'll be able to bolt down the seat rails. Here are some pics...and don't be too harsh on my welding...it was my first day

This pic was right before I finished the last leg for the seat.

A far away pic of the first 2 welds I did. That's the area where the pedals will be mounted.

The welds in these 2 pics were probably the best ones I did; these were done on the underside of the seat bars that sit on top of the legs.

More pics of the seat area.

Overall pic

The other good thing is I still have about 10 feet of steel left, so I'll be able to further strengthen the chassis tomorrow. I plan to pretty much have the whole chassis finished and ready for final touches and paint on Tuesday, just in time for the new wheel on Wednesday.

 

[playnthru]

66 Chevelle ?? or 67 ??
I Can't see the front..

 

[kingcars]

66

Been workin on it with my dad for the last ~12 years

 

[kingcars]

Put in another long day of work on the rig and it's finally starting to actually look like something now

As you can see, most of the wheel stand setup is done, the pedal tray is made (though I will be trying different layouts with it once my stuff arrives) and I put in some cross bracing which still needs to be finished. All that needs to be done tomorrow is bolting the seat in and finishing the wheel stand. After that, it'll be time for paint. Unfortunately, I've decided to leave out the adjustable seat rails for now as they're just not working out well with the rest of the setup. However, the pedal tray will be adjustable, so that should help out a bit.

The good news is that the rig is very very sturdy and there is plenty of leg room. The bad news is that...obviously...it's not very good looking. Some paint will definitely help but I'm personally more worried about the function than the form (and is likely why I'm not getting many replies hahaha). I'm really looking forward to finally trying this thing out. Well that's it for now. Hopefully by this time tomorrow, I'll have pictures of it completed and ready for my new wheel and pedals on Wednesday.

 

[Mr69camaro]

Put in another long day of work on the rig and it's finally starting to actually look like something now

As you can see, most of the wheel stand setup is done, the pedal tray is made (though I will be trying different layouts with it once my stuff arrives) and I put in some cross bracing which still needs to be finished. All that needs to be done tomorrow is bolting the seat in and finishing the wheel stand. After that, it'll be time for paint. Unfortunately, I've decided to leave out the adjustable seat rails for now as they're just not working out well with the rest of the setup. However, the pedal tray will be adjustable, so that should help out a bit.

The good news is that the rig is very very sturdy and there is plenty of leg room. The bad news is that...obviously...it's not very good looking. Some paint will definitely help but I'm personally more worried about the function than the form (and is likely why I'm not getting many replies hahaha). I'm really looking forward to finally trying this thing out. Well that's it for now. Hopefully by this time tomorrow, I'll have pictures of it completed and ready for my new wheel and pedals on Wednesday.

Nice torque thrusts.....

 

[kingcars]

Lol another post about the Chevelle and not about my rig haha

 

[Timppaq]

People like to read here more than to comment, you shouldnt mind about it. It's just like in worklife, you're doing a good job if you dont hear anything!

Not a fan of welding myself, but can't disagree with the benefits, the rig should be plenty rigid 👍

Keep us updated anyway, so far it's looking good!

 

[fatkrakr]

Lol another post about the Chevelle and not about my rig haha

Its like parking a lambo next to a pinto. Which one are you gonna talk about. The rig is coming along nice though keep us posted. (with the chevelle in the pics)

 

[kingcars]

People like to read here more than to comment, you shouldnt mind about it. It's just like in worklife, you're doing a good job if you dont hear anything!

Not a fan of welding myself, but can't disagree with the benefits, the rig should be plenty rigid 👍

Keep us updated anyway, so far it's looking good!

I don't mind at all, I just thought it was pretty funny. And while the welding does look a bit ugly and can get frustrating (unless you're good at it), Im very glad that I welded the seat braces and may end up doing the same with the wheel stand, though I'm waiting to trial fit everything before diciding.

Its like parking a lambo next to a pinto. Which one are you gonna talk about. The rig is coming along nice though keep us posted. (with the chevelle in the pics)

Hahaha yes, I can't disagree with you there! Hopefully the Pinto will look a little more finished tomorrow. And thanks for the idea...I think that's what I'll name this build. The Pinto. 👍 Quite a fitting analogy...it's ugly, reliable and likely to explode hahaha

 

[Mayaman]

Nice job on your first build. After your done you'll find stuff you want to refine.

 

[left888]

Interesting build King, one question I have is the seat looks very high off the ground. I suppose the pedal plate will be high off the ground as well? I made my seat base about 5" off the floor.

Do you have a set of plans you are working from or are you just winging it? If you don't have any plans I could provide a great set up, a "Zalem" rig. I love following builds, they are almost as fun as building them.

You mentioned you are going to paint your rig, have you considered "powder coating" it? paint is not as durable, especially if your rig gets moved around. Powder coating can run around $125.00 or so.

BTW that Chevelle is SWEET, kudos to you and your Dad.

 

[kingcars]

Nice job on your first build. After your done you'll find stuff you want to refine.

Thanks. And yes, I definitely know I'll be tinkering with it for a long time to come. I left the design very open ended for that exact reason

Interesting build King, one question I have is the seat looks very high off the ground. I suppose the pedal plate will be high off the ground as well? I made my seat base about 5" off the floor.

Do you have a set of plans you are working from or are you just winging it? If you don't have any plans I could provide a great set up, a "Zalem" rig. I love following builds, they are almost as fun as building them.

You mentioned you are going to paint your rig, have you considered "powder coating" it? paint is not as durable, especially if your rig gets moved around. Powder coating can run around $125.00 or so.

BTW that Chevelle is SWEET, kudos to you and your Dad.

I made a rough set of plans, which are posted in the OP, though I have since made a couple of small changes as the build has progressed. I did pretty much wing it with the pedal area though, and will try a few different options I made for myself once the pedals arrive and I can try them out. As for the seat, it is 12 inches off the ground. I took measurements of my current snack tray/bowl chair setup before drawing out plans because it lines up perfectly with my computer desk, and I will not be rebuilding my PC setup to work around the rig. I'm building the rig to match up with my PC setup. As for the pedals, I have lifted them an inch or 2 off the ground for now; I'm comfortable with them like that, but if I want to raise them more at a later time, it's only a few cuts of steel and a few bolts away.

Thanks for the compliments on the Chevelle. I may have to make a spinoff thread for it after all the attention it's been getting haha.

 

[Mr69camaro]

Hey left 88. Im thinking about building a rig myself with either steel wood or 80/20. My requirements are that there has to be next to NO wiggle, needs to be able to support inverted ( gt style ) t500rs pedals and wheel, needs to have a spot for shifter on right side. Im also very interested in the way some guys have incorporated the whole center console kind of build where the shifter is etc. etc. shifter will prob be a th8rs and seat most likely a sparco or corbeu. Also almost forgot i will have to make a tv stand for 1 between 35- 48 inches. I was wanting to have this separate from this rig because i would think it would be wiggling around but if you don't think it would it can be part of the rig. Im having trouble making plans. More difficult than i thought.... If you have plans for something like this or anything similar it would be greatly appreciated. Im a carpenter by trade so the wood working part isn't an issue nor is welding really just have more experience with wood... Budget is about 500$ for rig. If you have any other cheap but well made seats, websites would be great. If you have anything you wanna ask please don't hesitate to PM me.

Many Thanks, Dan

 

[left888]

I PM you Dan

 

[kingcars]

Well, it's been quite a journey but I finally got it finished today! Spent the first bit of the day finishing the wheel stand and pedal tray. Then it was time for paint, so I made my own "paint booth" in the garage since it was storming like crazy outside:

And a little while later, this was the result!

Spent a good 8 hours today on the final touches and I'm quite pleased with the outcome! Also, if you notice, the seat rails are back in and they're working fine thanks to an idea my dad gave me. Tomorrow the new wheel and pedals arrive and I should be good to go! I will be getting pipe insulation tomorrow to put around the steel beams and hopefully protect any sharp edges.

 

[kingcars]

So today was the big day! Headed off to work eager to get it over with so I could go home and play with my new toys. When I got home, I wasnt disappointed:

Then I went and dummy-proofed the rig using some pipe insulation that gave it a cool roll cage look. All I had left to do was invert the pedals, install the shifter, and mount it all to the rig.

(the pink pants are my gf's, I swear!)

I was pumped at this point. Aside from one small hiccup with the wheel mounting, everything went perfect. The pedal tray worked exactly as intended and everything measured up exactly how I had planned. Wired everything up, slid it under my computer desk, installed the drivers, and I was off to the races!

Didn't even take me an hour to start breaking personal best laptimes in LFS and I don't even have the wheel settings 100% to my liking! The pedals alone have made all the difference in the world, and I absolutely love the inversion kit. And of course, the rig is rock solid! I'm thrilled with how it turned out and can't wait to get everything tweaked to perfection. But tomorrow I have a LOT of cleaning to do...but then I'll be racing after thats done

 

[playnthru]

66

Been workin on it with my dad for the last ~12 years

Ohhhhhhh very nice.. I always loved those 66 's.. Best looking Chevelle ever. (IMO) 👍👍👍👍

Wheel stand looks good too, Nice work..

 

[the_greeze]

Good work on the 'Pinto' (the Chevelle too ) The roll-cage padding is a nice touch. Enjoy your build and the excellent Fanatec gear 👍

 

[left888]

King, looks like Christmas came early for you. Congratulations on your build, the padding looks cool and should provide protection for both you and the rig. Now get racing and improving your racecraft. 👍

 

[kingcars]

Good work on the 'Pinto' (the Chevelle too ) The roll-cage padding is a nice touch. Enjoy your build and the excellent Fanatec gear 👍

Thanks!

King, looks like Christmas came early for you. Congratulations on your build, the padding looks cool and should provide protection for both you and the rig. Now get racing and improving your racecraft. 👍

Thanks, I appreciate it!

Had a coworker ask me yesterday if I wanted today off of work....that was an EASY question to answer haha. Not only was I wiped out from the last few days of hard work on the rig, but I had a lot of cleaning up to do around the house and in the garage.

Once I got all of that done, I finally got to spend some quality time with the rig. It's incredibly sturdy and fits me like a glove. As for the Fanatec gear, first off, the pedals are incredible. They feel just right and allow for much more accurate modulation during all situations. That alone has been shaving time off my laps. The wheel has taken a while to get used to, as I had the G25 perfectly set for all my games. Now that I'm more used to it, I definitely like the smoother belt drive, stronger FFB, and large diameter wheel. I need to do more tweaking with it though, to get it just right. The shifter, while a bit loud, feels much more realistic than the Logitech one. It's going to need some extra bracing at some point though.

Thats all for now, guys. I may be posting a short video of the rig in use soon, so stay tuned and thanks for following along with my humble build. 👍

EDIT: (Just as an fyi for anyone doing the inversion kit) I couldn't find instructions in the box or on their site, but luckily I searched on youtube and found that they have an official instructional video uploaded. It was perfect and I much prefer a video over paper instructions, but I didn't see anywhere that Fanatec linked to it, so here's a link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq2BACX2QxY

 

[kingcars]

Finally got a video of the rig in action for those who are interested. I'm loving the whole setup so far!



The smooth belt drive and FFB of the Fanatec wheel have me spoiled already. Not to mention the amazing pedals; and even though the shifter is probably what I would call the weak point, it still feels very good. The gates feel much more realistic than the G25's.