LocostUSA.com

Learning how to build Lotus Seven replicas...together!
It is currently Sat May 25, 2013 9:28 am

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 223 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 ... 15  Next
Author Message
 Post subject: Re: Locost (Centaur) Rebuild
PostPosted: Sun May 20, 2012 12:39 pm 
Offline

Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2006 3:56 pm
Posts: 121
Location: Austin, TX
that looks outstanding! Just the type of wheels that would have been used in the '60s and '70s.


Top
 Profile E-mail  
 
 Post subject: Re: Locost (Centaur) Rebuild
PostPosted: Wed Jun 06, 2012 9:45 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 2:34 am
Posts: 198
Location: Niagara on the Lake Ontario Canada
....well, had all the rear end heim joints replaced with teflon bushings....a chap made up the new rods for me.... What a difference.... no more banging and thumping from the rear end...and the car doesn't bounce around when hitting bumps....an amazing difference!!!

Now to tackle the transmission....still trying to determine what has to be changed using a newer Mazda RX7 5 speed, relative to the older 12A engine'd 4 speed. Some say fly wheel and starter, some say nothing....???

_________________
gblawson (Gordon)
......................................................
http://gblandco.com/gb/cent/cent.html


Top
 Profile E-mail  
 
 Post subject: Re: Locost (Centaur) Rebuild
PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 1:44 am 
Offline

Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2008 2:08 am
Posts: 233
Location: Olympia WA
Gordon,
If you are still using the 1982 12A you really should not need to change much. I think the only thing that is different is the the shifter will be about 4" further back than the 4 speed.
JEB


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Locost (Centaur) Rebuild
PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 5:34 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 2:34 am
Posts: 198
Location: Niagara on the Lake Ontario Canada
...I was told it was an '80 or '82 .... it is a 12A with the raised H's on the rotor covers.... although it has a distributor, not injected, i don't know if it was retro fitted.... Mazda couldn't help me even with the engine number?

_________________
gblawson (Gordon)
......................................................
http://gblandco.com/gb/cent/cent.html


Top
 Profile E-mail  
 
 Post subject: Re: Locost (Centaur) Rebuild
PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 9:41 pm 
Offline

Joined: Tue Sep 05, 2006 11:00 pm
Posts: 701
Location: Columbia SC
Unfortunately, Teflon is not a good material for bushings other than a liner. It will distort over time, it doesnt have good mechanical stability in a high load situation. Nylon or UHMW are much better. Although the Teflon has some give and will be more comfortable it will distort quickly. Urethane, Nylon, UHMW, or high durometer rubber are good choices. Nylon will be very hard too. I used one rubber bush and three heims on each side. Made the ride better and allowed proper articuation.

_________________
Volvo 240/P1800 Based Locost
2004 Aprilia Mille Factory
Kawasaki ZRX1200
2002 Toyota Tacoma
1999 BMW M3


Top
 Profile E-mail  
 
 Post subject: Re: Locost (Centaur) Rebuild
PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 1:41 am 
Offline

Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2008 2:08 am
Posts: 233
Location: Olympia WA
Some of the older rotaries had a top mount starter. There is still a flat spot on the top of the rear iron of the newer engines to use a top mount starter. There older cars require a different flywheel to work with the top mount starter.

Other than that the rx2, rx3,rx4, rx5 and all the rx7s use a similar engine to transmission bolt pattern. You can swap any tranny with any engine. Now, some of the trannys are different length (old school 4 speeds and 5 speeds are different I believe). There are also and two shifter positions. There are a couple different flywheels and you will want to keep the flywheel with the engine. Turbo and Rx8 flywheels are bigger and require a different starter, or an aftermarket flywheel.

I would just check to see if your 4 speed and 5 speed are the same length, so you do not need to have another drive shaft made; and then make sure the you can live with the new shifter position. The old "rib cage" trannys are really strong although they have weaker syncros. The old trannys are around if you end up needing one.

JEB (a bit of a rotary geek)


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Locost (Centaur) Rebuild
PostPosted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 8:47 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 2:34 am
Posts: 198
Location: Niagara on the Lake Ontario Canada
....have put quite a few more miles on it the last month or so....(and a lot of fuel).... am getting used to the Rotary and still can't believe how much power comes out of an 1100 cc engine.....
I'm so going to get into trouble....


Attachment:
IMG_3114.JPG
IMG_3114.JPG [ 208.59 KiB | Viewed 586 times ]

_________________
gblawson (Gordon)
......................................................
http://gblandco.com/gb/cent/cent.html


Top
 Profile E-mail  
 
 Post subject: Re: Locost (Centaur) Rebuild
PostPosted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 11:40 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jul 29, 2006 9:10 pm
Posts: 2104
Location: Oregon, usually
Gblawson wrote:
Have removed the Brooklands windscreen and fitted a Kinetic set of side staunchions (waiting for the frame to be bent to fit my pattern)...
Dang, Gordon, I shipped that frame the 9th of May. Isn't it there yet? Please advise, our operators are standing by.

_________________
Locost builder and adventurer, and owner/operator of http://www.kineticvehicles.com


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Locost (Centaur) Rebuild
PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 2:38 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 2:34 am
Posts: 198
Location: Niagara on the Lake Ontario Canada
....sorry Jack....thought I emailed you....yes, picked it up ages ago.... just finished my contract at work and now have some time...got it trimmed up today and almost ready for glass....

This is about 3/4" shorter then the original Lotus 7 glass I made the pattern from....

(What size/thread are the 6 screws for the stauntions, seem to have misplaced them....)

I added fasteners for a 'future top'....now that was not the simple thing I thought it would be.....thought I could rivet them, but the rivets don't fit into the fastener end....ended up with little self threading machine screws...seems to have worked just fine...


Attachment:
376251_10151097955446111_648126074_n.jpg
376251_10151097955446111_648126074_n.jpg [ 113.32 KiB | Viewed 525 times ]

_________________
gblawson (Gordon)
......................................................
http://gblandco.com/gb/cent/cent.html


Top
 Profile E-mail  
 
 Post subject: Re: Locost (Centaur) Rebuild
PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 6:55 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2005 8:12 am
Posts: 838
Location: S.E. Michigan
That is a great looking Seven. Before you put the glass in add more snaps to the top of the windshield frame. The large spacing will allow the wind "low pressure area" to pull the top up between the snaps.
Dave W


Top
 Profile E-mail  
 
 Post subject: Re: Locost (Centaur) Rebuild
PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 7:51 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 2:34 am
Posts: 198
Location: Niagara on the Lake Ontario Canada
....i thought that should do it on spacing, but will add a reinforcing strip to the front of the top to keep it flat (I think a snap between each of those might look a bit too much)....anyway, will be some time before I make a top....going to do just a little half one first....

Played around with a rattle can yesterday....



Attachment:
IMG_3118.JPG
IMG_3118.JPG [ 162.3 KiB | Viewed 509 times ]

_________________
gblawson (Gordon)
......................................................
http://gblandco.com/gb/cent/cent.html


Top
 Profile E-mail  
 
 Post subject: Re: Locost (Centaur) Rebuild
PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 8:24 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2005 8:12 am
Posts: 838
Location: S.E. Michigan
Gordon
I have five snaps across the top and two on the side and it is not enough, I should have put seven across the top, so putting 8, would not be that much over kill. I think Skinny G use a metal strip across the front of his top. Might want to check it out. I also had the best luck in holding the bikini top in place with turnbuckles in the back, Vs belts or rubber bungie cords.
Dave W


Top
 Profile E-mail  
 
 Post subject: Re: Locost (Centaur) Rebuild
PostPosted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 3:04 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 2:34 am
Posts: 198
Location: Niagara on the Lake Ontario Canada
....have the windshield frame drilled and tapped for the side stantions....added two small brackets for mirrors....now to have the glass cut and installed....


Attachment:
winsieldframemirrors.jpg
winsieldframemirrors.jpg [ 81.99 KiB | Viewed 451 times ]

_________________
gblawson (Gordon)
......................................................
http://gblandco.com/gb/cent/cent.html


Top
 Profile E-mail  
 
 Post subject: Re: Locost (Centaur) Rebuild
PostPosted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 6:53 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 2:34 am
Posts: 198
Location: Niagara on the Lake Ontario Canada
...Chose a glass place from my iPhone and when the young owner asked what the windshield frame was for, I told him ....Lotus 7 Replica.... he, it seems loves all things Lotus and said ... '$85.00 and a ride'.... lucked out on that one....
And the side windshield posts I dropped off for powder coating, the chap said 'your in luck....doing silver this afternoon'... so am on my way this morning to pick them up....

some days things can just go your way......

_________________
gblawson (Gordon)
......................................................
http://gblandco.com/gb/cent/cent.html


Top
 Profile E-mail  
 
 Post subject: Re: Locost (Centaur) Rebuild
PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 4:34 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 2:34 am
Posts: 198
Location: Niagara on the Lake Ontario Canada
....after a quick week's vacation in Halifax, Nova Scotia, my first stop yesterday was at the glass guy's....he had cut the glass last week and after an hour's struggle finding window frame molding...(just went with flat 1/16" rubber folded around the 1/4" glass...and lots of silicon spray and sanding) got the windshield mounted...

...oh, and it is twice as windy driving as before....don't want wind wings or visors, so will just live with it....


Attachment:
IMG_2262.jpg
IMG_2262.jpg [ 326.18 KiB | Viewed 289 times ]

_________________
gblawson (Gordon)
......................................................
http://gblandco.com/gb/cent/cent.html


Top
 Profile E-mail  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 223 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 ... 15  Next

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Mixdup, robbovius and 3 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group