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My first seven was completed in 2009 after about 4 years of fun. Some of you may recall me as Philippe from Ontario.

viewtopic.php?f=33&t=6867

My seven was pale blue. All steel body (minus the scuttle and the nosecone). The engine was a VW TD diesel when launched. The car was fun, passed the registration, was and is insured with Hagerty. I enjoyed driving it. Then I swapped the diesel for a 1.9L VW jetta engine with a race cam and a carb. I never drove it as a gas car and tried to sell it a few months ago, as is. Meaning some body and electrical work . I got some interest but, as the max that was offered was $8000, I decided to fix the car myself give her a new paint and keep her for me for a while. With her new paint (british racing green and brooklands aeroscreens she is going to look different when finished (this month).

Now since 90% of the fun is to build these toys, I am considering building a garage to park Locost No 1 and start building a second seven... more or less the same way: myself building all mechanical components, some of the body, seats, etc but also buy: scuttle, hood and nosecone. I intend to design and build a coupé this time with a sliding roof, a bit like what you see in small airplanes. At this point this is just a thought, but I find the concept promising.

This time I would also like to rebuild an inline 6 cy in the 3 L range. Possibly 200 HP.

Who should I approach in Canada for a kit covering the parts mentioned above?

Any thoughts, suggestions, from you guys.
Thanks.

You were doing great until this. I suspect that answer is "no one" because of the very specific sliding top you've specified. Nothing at all wrong with building your dream, but it's your dream so it's nearly certain that nothing out there is going to be exactly what you want. Pretty sure you'll have to develop the sliding top on your own, which like you said, is 90% of the fun.

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Midlana book: Build this mid-engine Locost!, http://midlana.com/stuff/book/
Kimini book: Designing mid-engine cars using FWD drivetrains
Both available from https://www.lulu.com/

Thanks KB58,
I did not express myself properly. The solid sliding roof thing would be designed and built by myself. There is to my knowledge only one manufacturer of hard tops for catherams and it is in the UK. What I want to do has not been done, as far as I can tell. But I have been away from the Seven scene for a few years, who knows.

I still have a question about Canadian suppliers of locost parts now that Chris Bush (COLD) is no longer in business.

Hi Phil,

I've posted this before in other threads but it seems to fit here too. Remember, the Fiat 500 has a sliding cloth roof. I'd love to see someone build one of these.

Bill

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Bill H
Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Hi Phil,

Any particular reason why not to source the fiberglass parts from Kinetic?

http://www.kineticvehicles.com/

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Photo gallery of my completed Locost:
https://plus.google.com/photos/10397358 ... banner=pwa

Hi Jack. Nice to read from you again.
No no reasons. You were going to be my first call if as I assume there was no one left in Canada to buy parts from.
Please do not take this as discrimination based on nationality. I like doing business with you and in the US . I bought the BOOK from you that got me started 12 years ago. Then when it came to buy parts you suggested that I should deal with a Canadian source because shipping would be cheaper. The certification process is a little easier too for us in Ontario with a Canadian supplier (this is what I was told at the licencing bureau).
Anyway, here I am , back with a new project.
I will send you a personal mail this weekend to tell you in detail what I want to do.

Hi Bill,
Cross breading a locost and a Fiat 500 sounds like an interesting idea. I am not sure how feasible that would be considering the relatively 500 large doors. The end result may also look like a cross between a labrador and a French poodle . The public is not very kind with mixed designs . As I said an interesting idea regardless but not mine.
My concept is only possible with the type of Seven body that I built, that is with no lowering of the rail at the door level. Look at my first seven and you will understand what I mean. I think that I can fab a canopy very much like what one can see on a single engine aircraft, sliding aft and forward to let passengers out. No doors.

https://photos.shutterfly.com/library
http://www.kitplanes.com/issues/30_1/fl ... 642-1.html

I think it would work better if it weren't so "busy". Lose the trim and especially the windwing. A minor top chop would help, too.

Sounds totally cool. I'll be watching this for top ideas.

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Figuring out how to build in the bucolic garden state
Build log: viewtopic.php?f=18&t=18224

You might look over here for sliding top inspiration:

viewtopic.php?f=23&t=8984&start=434

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Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

Lots of Grumman AA series have sliding canopies... I have a wrecked AA-1 that still has the canopy but the glass is cracked... Could give it a quick measure for you plus some pics for ideas next week..

Brian

Thanks RX,

Yes Jack has already been where I am going, as usual. He has already visited and built the sliding canopy. Quite a helpfull thread.

Pics will be handy. Thanks. The idea of a sliding canopy came to me naturally as I flew in the late 1960s various planes equiped with this type of device.

Sorry; I got here late.

mkejim has a sliding canopy on his Lalo-bodied Locost (and I'm considering one for mine) but it'll be interesting/challenging/tough on a standard Locost body because the doors, if they travel with the top, will hit the fenders. A tilt-back top might be better. Then again, if you already have a concept for the doors, please share it--I've thought long and hard about how to do a sliding canopy for a Locost and haven't had much luck with the concept (not to mention the execution), though if it can be done it'll solve a lot of problems.

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Locost builder and adventurer, and founder (but no longer owner) of Kinetic Vehicles

Hi Phil, sorry for the late reply. I am not Jack, but was more than happy to recommend him regarding sourcing parts. For the real Jack, see the reply above from user JackMcCornack.

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Photo gallery of my completed Locost:
https://plus.google.com/photos/10397358 ... banner=pwa