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Learning how to build Lotus Seven replicas...together!
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PostPosted: May 25, 2013, 12:02 am 
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Joined: November 22, 2012, 3:19 pm
Posts: 122
Location: Far S.E.Arizona
I was not going to do a build log but my internet friends keep asking for pictures to see what I am doing so I might as well post them here also.
As some of you know I am an 80 year old antique who has an antique J head Bridgeport, an antique Atlas 12" x 36" lathe and an antique Doall 122" bandsaw. I also have a few newer tools like a Lincoln Plasma Cutter, A Hobart 190 amp MIG. A Miller Synchrowave 250 TIG, etc,etc.
This will probably be my last major project due to health issues and trying to kill myself on my Ninja in 2011 which has left me pretty crippled up.
My build is a little different than what most of you are doing since I live on a dirt road on the Western slope of the Chiricahua Mountains in far S.E. Arizona. I need more ground clearance than most of you. I am going to mount the engine with the oil pan flush with the bottom of the car and put a skid plate under the bellhousing. Consequently my hood and cowl will have to be a little taller.
I am making steady but slow progress on the chassis and mounting the 1988 RX7 rear end. I acquired some 17x7 or 71/2 wheels with used tires which are 26" diameter. What I want is genuine Minilites like I have on my 1970 Mustang but those will have to come later.
I am not conversant with all these newfangled computer programs so I do everything with pencil and paper like I have been doing since the 50's. (Thats the 1950's not the 1850's.).
The Bonneville Streammliners have no suspension so I am having to worry about camber curves, roll centers,etc. which I have not had to worry about since my circle track days in the 60's and 70's.
I will put up some pictures soon.
Howard


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PostPosted: May 25, 2013, 12:14 am 
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Howard,
Looking forward to watching your build develop.
And the '50's, those were good years 8)

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My Car9 build: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=14613
"It's the construction of the car-the sheer lunacy and joy of making diverse parts come together and work as one-that counts."

Ultima Spyder, Northstar 4.0, Porsche G50/52


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PostPosted: May 25, 2013, 5:28 am 
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Joined: December 7, 2012, 8:28 am
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Location: Sarasota
Good luck with the build Howard! I look forward to seeing your progress and learning some tricks, from a guy with more experienced than most.

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Scrap Metal Build Log viewtopic.php?f=35&t=14558


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PostPosted: May 25, 2013, 6:21 am 
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Location: Tallahassee, FL (The Center of the Known Universe)
Good mornin' Howard, and welcome to the Looney Bin!

Sounds like a good selection of toys to use in your build, and it sounds like you know what to do with 'em. Pencil and paper works fine, it just don't have all the blinky lights the computer do. The old "string computer" technology works really well in suspension design too... (Ask me how I know!)

Good luck with it, holler iffen I can help ya, and let's see some pictures!
Regards-
JD Kemp

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JD, father of Quinn, Son of a... Build Log
Quinn the Slotus:Ford 302 Powered, Mallock-Inspired, Tube Frame, Hillclimb Special
"Gonzo and friends: Last night must have been quite a night. Camelot moments, mechanical marvels, Rustoleum launches, flying squirrels, fru-fru tea cuppers, V8 envy, Ensure catch cans -- and it wasn't even a full moon." -- SeattleTom


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PostPosted: May 25, 2013, 2:00 pm 
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Saltracer wrote:
I am an 80 year old antique w...... and trying to kill myself on my Ninja in 2011



You're my new hero!

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I drive therefore I am

I can explain it to you,
but I can't understand it for you.


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PostPosted: May 26, 2013, 12:01 am 
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Joined: November 22, 2012, 3:19 pm
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Location: Far S.E.Arizona
The only pictures I have right now include some that I posted on the Megasquirt thread that I started some time ago. In my old age I am not organized like I once was and I am searching and moving my pictures into a common folder so I can post them. Please bear with me. I WILL get it done.
On the Ninja topic, I must grow old but growing up is optional. When I was 75 I went 305 MPH in my streamliner at Bonneville.
Howard


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PostPosted: May 26, 2013, 1:44 am 
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Joined: March 19, 2011, 10:22 am
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Location: Holden, Alberta, Canada
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On the Ninja topic, I must grow old but growing up is optional. When I was 75 I went 305 MPH in my streamliner at Bonneville.
Howard


WOW Howard!, "I must grow old but growing up is optional", this is another quote that I will live by. You nailed it on that one. Tell me, when you were going 305MPH in your time machine, how "old" were you sitting in the drivers seat? Fantastic! Will be watching this build for sure.

See Gonzo we can go back and save ourselves.............we just need to get over 304 MPH!

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Perry

'If man built it, man can fix it'
"No one ever told me I couldn't do it."
"If you can't build it safe, don't build it."

Perry's Locost Super Che7enette Build
Perry's TBird Based 5.0L Super 7 L.S.O
Perry's S10 Super 7 The 3rd
Perry's 4th Build The Topolino 500 (Little Mouse) Altered
Perry's 5th Build the Super Slant 6 Super 7
Perry's Final Build the 1929 Mercedes Gazelle


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PostPosted: May 26, 2013, 11:21 am 
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Location: Carlsbad, California, USA
Saltracer wrote:
. . . When I was 75 I went 305 MPH in my streamliner at Bonneville.
Howard


So, there's still some hope for me? I've got at least 9 years to get out to Bonneville. Kewl!

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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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PostPosted: May 26, 2013, 4:22 pm 
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Location: Tallahassee, FL (The Center of the Known Universe)
Howard-
You have my admiration! 300 plus in a streamliner on the salt is "Big Cojones" territory, no matter the age group.

Perry- Yep, truly admirable philosophy! Amongst Parrotheads, it's one that was expressed best by the Bard his-own-self:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLC8fJdQJ24

:cheers:
JD "About 13, Mentally" Kemp

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JD, father of Quinn, Son of a... Build Log
Quinn the Slotus:Ford 302 Powered, Mallock-Inspired, Tube Frame, Hillclimb Special
"Gonzo and friends: Last night must have been quite a night. Camelot moments, mechanical marvels, Rustoleum launches, flying squirrels, fru-fru tea cuppers, V8 envy, Ensure catch cans -- and it wasn't even a full moon." -- SeattleTom


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PostPosted: May 26, 2013, 7:13 pm 
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Geez Howard, I am moving into the latter half of my sixties, reading your post has just given me a second wind. :D
Time to get off my lazy butt!!! :oops:

Al

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PostPosted: May 28, 2013, 9:16 am 
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Joined: November 22, 2012, 3:19 pm
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Location: Far S.E.Arizona
Well my son came down for the holiday so we could watch the racing together so I did not get much done but he is home safe now so back to this thread. I am a computer ingrate so don't get your hopes up too much here. The first thing I need to do is apologize for the disaster that is my shop. I have titanium rods in my back now and it is painful to stand and more painful to walk so I just can't seem to dredge up the energy to get it the way I like it. I am not accustomed to working in such clutter. I was not exagerating when I said I tried to kill myself.
The first picture above is not something for this car but just an example of how a farmer insures the bolt holes are in alignment on the mounting tabs. A piece of 11/2" aluminum bar faced of to .002 wider than the tubing with a 1/2"bolt tightened thru it. One of several ways to ensure hole alignment.
The next picture is the engine and trans from my 2001 Ford Ranger donor vehicle. It came from the salt belt so I am going to soda blast them to hopefully remove the discoloration from the salty environment it lived in.
I tacked together the lower right rear control arm yesterday afternoon and when I get it installed later today I will get another picture to post.
Howard


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PostPosted: May 29, 2013, 9:45 am 
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Joined: October 19, 2009, 9:36 pm
Posts: 2199
Location: meadview arizona
Howard,

there is a selection of valve covers for the duratec, some with the oil filler in a rearward location which may help with hood clearence.

and remember, the further the engine is set back, the more hood cleatenc there is, just make sure there is room for the pedals.

shop tidyness is a balance of spending time working and tidying, when you'r tidying you are spending shop time not working and although being old and retired, we seem to have time in abundance, in truth it is running out fast!

at least you have done many things and still have the determination to keep going to new and exiting challenges, far too many people give up in there senior years

for me, it's the clarity of though which seems to be the problem, i just don't seem to be able to come up with the good ideas as quickly as i would like now, it takes two or three attempts before i get something right enough to satisfy me.

keep at it, we are all pulling for you, you have seen alot of ways to do things in your life and there are only so many ways of doing a task, all you have to do is choose the right way.

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PostPosted: May 29, 2013, 10:24 pm 
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Joined: November 22, 2012, 3:19 pm
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Location: Far S.E.Arizona
John,
Thanks for the tip on the valve covers. I need to do some shopping.
Made some more progress. Lower control arm is on the right side, upper is on the left and the lower left is tacked together. I cut the plates for the lower mounts for the coil overs. They need some more work but the basic piece is cut. It won't be long now until I can swap ends on the build table and decide on the front spindles and rotors and start fabriating that stuff. I intend to use 15" to 17" wheels so I will have room to deal with the scrub radius. I am leaning towards the steel Mustang II spindles and granada rotors with maybe the GM calipers. I have three sets of spindles in my pile of parts so I will check those out first.
I saved the Ranger spindles, rotors and calipers but the things weigh a metric ton. I am not fond of all that weight.
At my planned ride height the lower arms will be parallel with the ground rather than sloping up hill.
Howard


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PostPosted: May 29, 2013, 10:28 pm 
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Location: Tallahassee, FL (The Center of the Known Universe)
Quote:
steel Mustang II spindles and granada rotors with maybe the GM calipers

Not a bad choice, Sir. As you probably know, that's a common set-up amongst the roundy-round racers and there are a ton of aftermarket bits and pieces to support those parts. You can get M-II spindles with 2" drop, or various bolt-on calipers and such.
Regards-
JDK

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JD, father of Quinn, Son of a... Build Log
Quinn the Slotus:Ford 302 Powered, Mallock-Inspired, Tube Frame, Hillclimb Special
"Gonzo and friends: Last night must have been quite a night. Camelot moments, mechanical marvels, Rustoleum launches, flying squirrels, fru-fru tea cuppers, V8 envy, Ensure catch cans -- and it wasn't even a full moon." -- SeattleTom


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PostPosted: May 30, 2013, 12:00 am 
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Posts: 2386
Location: Holden, Alberta, Canada
HAH! I see you fly toy airplanes also! I've bent my fair share of them over the years. Scratch built or ARF's there's an expiry date on them :lol:
Attachment:
toyairplane.jpg

Enjoying reading your build.


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Perry

'If man built it, man can fix it'
"No one ever told me I couldn't do it."
"If you can't build it safe, don't build it."

Perry's Locost Super Che7enette Build
Perry's TBird Based 5.0L Super 7 L.S.O
Perry's S10 Super 7 The 3rd
Perry's 4th Build The Topolino 500 (Little Mouse) Altered
Perry's 5th Build the Super Slant 6 Super 7
Perry's Final Build the 1929 Mercedes Gazelle


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