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I have a large specialized chisel hardtail which I love and fits me like a glove but has no fixing pints for a rack or mudguards. I also have a part built / (parts doner) on one new scandal which has the same lack of fixing points.
Is there a frame with similar geometry to the chisel but has fixing points?
I was also looking at the Selcof carbon forks 500 a2c but again there are no eyelets for a front guard. What are my options here?
Preferably looking second hand to keep the price down
Sks will have all you need .
Yes ok but what about mounting a rack ?
Have you looked at racks that sit on the seat stays?
Aeroe Spider, Ortlieb quick rack, Topeak tetrarack, old man mountain (unsure which) or if you have ££ Tailfin. All apart from the aeroe and Topeak will work with some guards too.
Then you can just use your existing bike.
Slight misunderstanding - I am looking to build up a new secondhand bike from stripping my scandal onto a suitable frame and keeping the Chisel for fun at weekends. I have used the Chisel through the summer to commute with a rucksack but now want a bespoke weatherproof bike to commute on with a panier and full guards
I use an on one Vandal with no rack points as a commuter
P clips on the frame have been fine for the last couple of years.
Takes about 5kg most days.
The fork is a carbon bike packing one so the front mudguard bolts to the side bolts and I bodged a bridge. Two (long) hose clamps with a bit of steel in the middle drilled for the mudguard. The fork is an off shape so the clamps aren't quite flush all the way round, aesthetically poor but practically fine. 
Now with a MTB bar as I didn't get on with the on one Jones copies
Slightly more old school geo but my Sonder Frontier has most fixings (needs a seat clamp with rack eyelets) and is nice and stable when loaded. Aluminium frame will not mind winter dirt on the commute. Unfortunately I think you've just missed their end of season sale.
Do you have an mtb focussed commute?
Nominally be looking at more of a hybrid frame/fork with proper rack and mudguard mounts.
What’s the commute like (terrain/distance/ascent/luggage volume)?
My commute is 8 miles each way and a mixture of back roads or old railway track and some canal.towpath.
If it's wet or I am late then all road.
I would prefer a flat bar set up
I carry a change of clothes flask and lunch.
Similar frame with mounts looks to be a Cannondale trail.
Seems a shame not to use the Chisel if it's a nice fit.
A seatpost rack with some extra supports P-clipped to the seatstays would work at the back.
The Topeak ones are good and you can hang/fix a bodged mudguard underneath, which will keep most of the spray off. The front end, you could do a long Grudcatcher on the frame and some sort of clip on guard.
A bodged commuter ( that fits) is a lovely thing. 😉 😊
I have used the Chisel all summer with Mezcalls and a rucksack and has been great I even have some alternative routes more xc when it's dry and dusty to get home.
Using the same bike for commute and weekend riding through winter seems like a lot of faff removing and refitting bodged guards and racking and less of an incentive not to use the car.
The chisel is built to a high spec with good wheels xt and xtr drivetrain and sid sl ultima forks. It makes me cringe riding it on salty roads slowly disolving it! (although the sound of mud as a grinding paste I seem ok with!)
Sorry,didn't realise that the Chisel was your main MTB. Swapping tyres is bad enough,but if you are ( potentially ) trashing a lot of high spec kit over the winter months as well,then not a good idea. If the Scandal is a good fit and you could bodge up a rack and guards,then maybe go with that. Having a dedicated commuter is nice though,and if your commute saves fuel/fares,they are soon paid for.
Scandals work well with a Mudhugger and the original Quickrack mounted on seatstay adapters. I could have sold you the latter but I'm putting it on my sister's bike tomorrow. Lots of heel clearance. Can't comment on how the newer XL thru-axle Quickracks would work with a Mudhugger.
That scandal above is what I am aiming for - all be it with a bodged full set of mudguards! Will look around on ebay for a rack as they look pricey! Does anyone make a full mudguards set for 2.25 29er tyre clearance
Will a set of rigid forks with a a2c of 500mm be ok on a scandal?
Got SKS Veloflex 65 on mine over 29x2.25 tyres. Work well but at keeping you dry, although not quite full coverage for those behind of right down to you feet of the Bluemels type. I have the version with conventional mounts but this is the velcro on type.
https://www.sks-germany.com/en/Products/Mudguards/VELOFLEXX-SET.htm?a=article&ProdNr=124&p=1003
Tyres in that pic are G One all round in 29x2.25. Similar clearance with WTB Ranger in the same size.
Those mudguards look spot on
How do you find that sonder frontier ?
I like it. I find it more capable and confident for me off road than what it replaced (a Kona Caldera from about 2005 or 6) despite not having any suspension and I haven't got round to fitting a dropper (I'm not riding anything wild on it). It had a rack before and could handle large panniers of shopping, kitted out as above I did Traws Eryi and the bike was great.
On lanes in the rain touring it feels really planted and controlled, much more so than my old touring bike did.
It's also an easy bike for 10 mile cycle path commute when I can.
It's not fancy but is simple and works well.
Scandal with 65 sks veloflex mudguards.
Looks good
@zippykona - how have you mounted the front guard to the arch of the rigid fork? Did you get another one of the mounting adaptors that is used on the rear seatstay bridge?
Yes I used another rear mount.
TBH I would probably be looking for ways to adapt the Scandal.
You can get Guard/Rack adapter axles, P-Clips or direct Stay mounted guards. If you need a new rigid Fork for it anyway, one with bosses on the legs for Cargo cages would make sense (IMO) so you can lash Dry bags on.
Candidate?:
By the time you've faffed about sourcing and rebuilding a new frame and parts, winter will be half over and you'll have built he ideal winter commuter in time for spring (it'll still be pissing down of course).
I have had good luck in the past with a cheapy Beam Rack and then later a Vaude "offroad bag" that uses 'Klickfix' mounting and doesn't need any frame mounts (just an Aluminium seatpost) I paid way less than the list price:
https://www.vaude.com/int/en/12710-off-road-bag-m-saddle-bag.html#?colour=451&size=13424
The Klickfix system is pretty good for this sort of application and means you then only need to worry about guards (Keep it simple and just use a mudhugger on the rear?)