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Learning how to build Lotus Seven replicas...together!
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 Post subject: Re: Duxbury Hodgepodge
PostPosted: June 6, 2016, 12:47 pm 
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Posts: 651
Location: Duxbury, MA USA
Well, we went to the autocross and it was raining all day...coming down hard at times. This ended up being a giant issue for me as I wear glasses and the 7 had as much water on the back of the windshield as the front. The wipers which have been adequate if you bend your head down to where they wipe effectively were totally useless as I cant be leaning to the right and down to help see.
My glasses would fog up if I closed the visor on the helmet. I had to stop 3 times on the course because I just plain could not see....like at all. When it was raining less hard, the vision problem was more about missing gates because I could not find them quickly enough. I ended up with one clean run for the whole day when the rain got light and it was slow as it was really my first run where I could see the course.
My son had less trouble in the vision department since he does not wear glasses and is tall enough that he can look over the windshield. He still took major tire spray in the face though and missed lots of gates. He did have a number of runs that he managed to stay on course...cones were sacrificed however.
The car ran great all day though. 120 road miles getting there and back, half of that in a deluge. Then 15 total runs on the car. Nothing broke!!! That is probably the major victory of the day. Actually the car has proven to be pretty solid. Except for the issue last summer with the FI wiring, it has not left anyone stranded and no parts have broken.
The major thing to address is drain holes in the passenger area. Even though we mopped the water out of it a few times, it was around 1/4 inch deep most of the day. When you hit the brakes all that water sloshes onto your feet...not nice. Oh yeah, need drain holes in the aluminum seats too...nothing quite like sitting down in a cold puddle.
Did not really learn much about the handling of the car that I did not already know due to the wet course. When we got home, the poor thing was full of water, leaves, gravel, and other miscellaneous detritus.


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 Post subject: Re: Duxbury Hodgepodge
PostPosted: June 6, 2016, 1:37 pm 
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Joined: January 10, 2008, 4:47 pm
Posts: 7652
Location: Massachusetts
It's like driving a motorcycle. Marine rain gear, top and pants keep the water and the draft off you. Pretty comfortable and you can even use cheap disposable ones that yu can carry a set in the car. Maybe rain-x for your glasses and the helmut face shield?

Rain gear style stuff is also great to keep you warm in cold weather, another reason to carry it. In the spring and fall temperature can change quickly especially around sunset if you stay some where later than you expect.

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 Post subject: Re: Duxbury Hodgepodge
PostPosted: June 6, 2016, 7:20 pm 
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Joined: October 24, 2008, 2:13 pm
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Location: Carlsbad, California, USA
Now that you've been using it for a while, how comfy are those seats on longer trips?

Cheers,

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Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886


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 Post subject: Re: Duxbury Hodgepodge
PostPosted: June 7, 2016, 8:51 am 
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Location: Duxbury, MA USA
Lonnie-S wrote:
Now that you've been using it for a while, how comfy are those seats on longer trips?

Cheers,

They are not bad at all. I did put a little more foam under the butt pad as I don't have much padding there...rock butt from many years of biking. At this point, I would not find the seats to be the reason to stop and take a break. Its more about noise (I do wear ear plugs) and just general fatigue caused by poor road conditions, exposure to sun, wind, rain, snow, hail...OK, maybe not hail..., and creeping discomfort with being invisible in the sea of SUV's.

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 Post subject: Re: Duxbury Hodgepodge
PostPosted: June 8, 2016, 12:48 pm 
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Joined: October 24, 2008, 2:13 pm
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Location: Carlsbad, California, USA
@JPS Europa

Thanks for that information. I'm looking for way to cut down my build list and I keep wondering buying seats isn't one good avenue for achieving that goal. When I look at seats, I tend to like the $500-$700 ones, but that would take too much out of my build budget. The Kirkey-type seats with padding might be more like $250-$300, which still gets my attention, but would save a lot of time over designing/building my own seats.

Cheers,

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Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886


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 Post subject: Re: Duxbury Hodgepodge
PostPosted: September 5, 2019, 3:40 pm 
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Joined: June 15, 2010, 8:29 am
Posts: 651
Location: Duxbury, MA USA
So after the total disaster that was my son's passing, car life is returning. The Seven was titled in his name 4 years ago, since it was much, much, much easier to title this thing in New Hampshire. I took care of transferring the title to my name with a MA title while taking care of estate type stuff. I then drove it until the insurance ran out. So last week, I said to myself "This lump needs to move" after sitting a year. I insured it with Hagerty...no issues at all. Went to the RMV and registered it...no issues at all. Drove it all last week...no issues at all. Just went to inspection...no issues at all. I am stickerized and legal!
I almost forgot how much fun this thing is.

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 Post subject: Re: Duxbury Hodgepodge
PostPosted: September 5, 2019, 4:11 pm 
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Joined: December 24, 2007, 5:11 am
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Location: Seattle area
Hi Paul,


That is indeed good news! Happy driving. Now if you ever get a chance to drop in you can compare.

Cheers!

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 Post subject: Re: Duxbury Hodgepodge
PostPosted: September 6, 2019, 10:29 am 
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Location: Duxbury, MA USA
Hi Larry,
Wife is heading out there later this month, but I am stuck here working... :(
Paul

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 Post subject: Re: Duxbury Hodgepodge
PostPosted: September 6, 2019, 11:02 am 
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Joined: June 20, 2019, 12:34 pm
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Glad to hear its back on the road. Sorry to hear about your son!

We should try to connect. I'm up in Melrose now and getting ready to start finishing the partially completed car I have acquired. Your experience would be of vast help!

Thom

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 Post subject: Re: Duxbury Hodgepodge
PostPosted: September 6, 2019, 1:13 pm 
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Location: Duxbury, MA USA
Thom, if you want to swing by send me a text and we can work it out. Check your PM for phone number.

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 Post subject: Re: Duxbury Hodgepodge
PostPosted: September 9, 2019, 7:21 am 
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Joined: August 28, 2010, 7:53 am
Posts: 343
Paul - if you have feel like going for a drive, i am in stonington CT - about 1/4 mile from RI border, off of I95 - Kurtis is not on the road yet.


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 Post subject: Re: Duxbury Hodgepodge
PostPosted: September 9, 2019, 9:32 am 
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Joined: June 15, 2010, 8:29 am
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Location: Duxbury, MA USA
Sean, I drive through Stonington all the time on Rt 95. I work from home most of the time, but my office is in Western CT. So, I slog from Duxbury to Stamford on a regular basis although its usually transport by Volvo. I would like to see your car. I have PM'ed you my contact info.
Paul

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 Post subject: Re: Duxbury Hodgepodge
PostPosted: April 27, 2020, 12:12 pm 
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Joined: June 15, 2010, 8:29 am
Posts: 651
Location: Duxbury, MA USA
So in these crazy CV-19 times, it appears that the only car getting used on a regular basis is the Seven. Between me and my son's family sheltering in place with us we have put hundreds of miles on the Seven. If its a nice day, it goes out...whether for joyrides, sidewalk pickups of beer or food, or taking the 2 year old around the block. The daily drivers have not had gas put in them since the beginning of April and are still nearly full. The NSX and the Europa just dont seem to fit the mood. The Seven has had 2 fillups! Crazy times indeed.


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 Post subject: Re: Duxbury Hodgepodge
PostPosted: April 27, 2020, 2:13 pm 
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I think the "little one" has the idea that its just his size! Better hide the keys!

Thom

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 Post subject: Re: Duxbury Hodgepodge
PostPosted: April 29, 2020, 11:10 am 
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Location: Carlsbad, California, USA
Nice update. Remind us about the chassis hanging upside down in the garage.

Cheers,

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Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886


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