LocostUSA.com

Heat lamps work well at reshaping cured fiberglass. It takes a few days of heat with it strapped into slightly tighter than desired dims. Leave it for a day with the lamps off but still strapped. It should "spring back" slightly to the desired dims.

You can do this as many times as it takes to get it right.

I like the round tube in the pax compartment.

The column switch probably has rivets you can remove the heads from to separate the halves around the column. May want to cover the opening on the column with something so nothing can get in there to affect your steering.

I know what you mean about ideas in the night. Much better to walk away than to push through.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

jd - steering wheel hub was bought off amazon.

Miatav8 - thanks for the tip on reshaping the fiberglass on the nosecone. I will try that when I am ready to do the final install on it. I was able to get the steering lock of the column no problem. Just a quick notch with the cut off wheel and I was able to unscrew them with a flat blade screwdriver.

_________________
Build on

Chris
Build: NA Miata based +221 Se7en

I have not done much work on the seven recently. Spending time with family and work around the house has kept me busy. I did get my JAZ fuel cell. I needed it to be able to fabricate the rest of the rear frame. Both the fuel cell and the diff will be removable from the rear out the top. I don't have a picture of it yet, but at this point there is nothing to see other than a black plastic tank sitting on top of the diff. Once I have the mounts finished I will add it to the build log.

One issue I have run into is with Jack's brackets. The brackets themselves are great, but they are different dimensions than the Haynes/vodou brackets. I didn't take this into account when building the frame. Luckily for me Jack's brackets are shorter than the Haynes/vodou brackets. I can easily weld on shims to the bottom of the brackets to space them out to the correct dimension.

I also picked up my front camber adjusters. It allows for infinite adjustment for the front camber instead of a full turn of the rod end adjustment. Since I just picked them up I don't have a pic, but will upload one next week along with the drawing if anyone wants it.

_________________
Build on

Chris
Build: NA Miata based +221 Se7en

[quote="FieroReinke"]I have a nose cone!!!!!!

While at the Midwest gathering I bought an Equinox nose cone from Eric (Smith on here). He bought two for his build and I was able to talk him into selling this one to me.



I am using the Equinox bodywork, that nose cone design came about by us on the Haynes forum giving Ben Copeland ( equinox`s spokes person ) loads of stick about the ugly one he was making at the time. http://www.haynes.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=8470

This is the one he used to make.



The revised one below

_________________
Build Log viewtopic.php?f=35&t=16640&p=187700#p187700

Mancave http://s1116.photobucket.com/user/mypic ... ow/mancave

Man I wish I had something worth while to post, but no such luck. I have been doing some traveling for work and so, when I have been spending a lot of time with my daughter instead of out in the shop. Nice thing about this kind of hobby is you can leave it be for weeks and it doesn't matter. Another thing keeping me busy is the normal honey do lists. Unfortunately for me one of those was cutting and splitting wood for the wood stove. Stupid me I accidentally dropped the splitting maul on my finger and after a quick 4 hour trip to the ER received 3 stitches and a cool x ray showing my broken finger. Don't ask how I did it, long story short was I did something stupid and am paying for it. Some good will come out of it though, the wife said she is buying me a wood splitter for Christmas.

I did order and receive my civic radiator and a handful of AN fittings for the fuel system. I plan to run an external fuel pump from my Jaz 8 gallon fuel cell.

I did take the frame off the build table after I located all my suspension brackets. I can now start fabricating the suspension arms.

_________________
Build on

Chris
Build: NA Miata based +221 Se7en

Not much work on the seven recently. Very cold weather and a non insulated shop don't go together. The one thing I did do recently was to put the lightweight flywheel and new clutch on the Miata 1.8 engine. I went with the F1 racing chrommoly 10 lb 1.6 flywheel and a stock 1.6 clutch kit from Rosenthal. I got my donor car for dirt cheap because it had a bad clutch. I put the tranny back on the engine, but quickly realized I forgot the lock washers on pressure plate bolts so I need to pull it back off and put those on.

_________________
Build on

Chris
Build: NA Miata based +221 Se7en

I bought a trailer last weekend. While not directly related to my build, it will come in handy once the build is complete and maybe even to help pick up supplies. It most definently was low cost. The previous owner really got his money's worth out of it and it shows. Its pretty rough. The previous owner overloaded it at some point by hauling his skid steer. This bent the side supports and one of the axles. He claims he straightened the side angle iron supports and added the square tubing over the fenders to increase the strength. It came with a new axle, but I have to put it in. I also had to weld on brackets for the storage box. The lights don't work and at this point I do not know why. Two of the tires need replaced and the spare is a truck tire not a trailer tire. There also isn't a mount for the spare tire. The rams are 3" thick rough cut oak and together probably weigh more than the seven will when its done. All he wanted for the trailer as it sits was scrap value, which in my mind was well worrth it even with all the work it needs.

Obligatory picture

_________________
Build on

Chris
Build: NA Miata based +221 Se7en

I also fabbed my upper controls arms both front and back. They are only tacked together at this point and they will remain like that until I have all the control arms fabbed and test fitted to make sure I am happy with the results. Then I will fully weld them and the brackets on the frame. No pictures yet. I will take them once I have all the arms fabbed up.

_________________
Build on

Chris
Build: NA Miata based +221 Se7en

Hurry up the end of May Gathering is coming up quick!!!!

_________________
You meet the nicest people in a Locost Se7en.

yeah that ain't gonna happen.

_________________
Build on

Chris
Build: NA Miata based +221 Se7en

Its been a long summer with little activity on the seven. Way to many other projects and honey do's. Also my 2 1/2 year old daughter is a night owl so I have spending time with her at night rather than in the shop. I ain't complaining though, she is a blast and much more important than the seven.

This past week I was alone at the house without any other projects so I made time for the seven. I finished tacking together the lower control arms, so all the control arms are done except for final welding them. I put the frame back on the build table and tackled the pedal box. I am using wilwood floor mount pedals and miata hanging gas pedal. The pedal box is removable by two bolts at the top and all the bottom bolts of the pedal brackets secure it to brackets welded to the frame. It is very secure. I am not sure if I need to do any gusseting to it or not. It seems solid as it is. The gas pedal took some pondering, but I think I have a good solution. I did slot the bracket so I can adjust the height of the pedal in relation to the brake pedal for heel toe shifting. Once I get the car on the road and test it I can lock it in place. Next task is getting the steering wheel mount done.

_________________
Build on

Chris
Build: NA Miata based +221 Se7en

I borrowed a friends OA torch and modified the miata front spindle steering arms to accept the 323 tie rod from above. And a big thank you to Roy for letting me borrow his taper reamer. I dont have any pictures to post but there isnt much to see anyways.

I also received the remainder of my tube ends and rod ends. As long as I dont screw any up, I should have enough for the build. Once I get the jam nuts I will install all the suspension arms on the car and begin measuring for the steering rack. My goal is to have the car a roller minus shocks/springs by mid October. My wife and I are expecting our next child on October 15th and I am sure work on the car will take a big hit once that happens.

_________________
Build on

Chris
Build: NA Miata based +221 Se7en

Congratulations on the new addition. You're going to have to add another seat now! Or is it time for a bigger SUV?

Cheers

_________________
Build log http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=16510

I now have a drive shaft!!!!! Powertrain Industries in Springfield MO supplied me the drive shaft from my dimensions. It is fully balanced with rebuildable and greasable joints. I hope I measured correctly. We will find out this evening.



I have also disassembled the rack and welded up the pinon shaft. Based on my front end design I need to cut out 6.5" from the rack. I plan to cut and thread the rack instead of welding the rack. I bought the correct m17x1 tap on ebay for $7 shipped, cant be that. Now all I need to do is design the mount for the rack and I can wrap up the steering. I cant wait to be able to sit in the seat and go vroom vroom while turning the steering wheel watching the front wheels go back and forth.

_________________
Build on

Chris
Build: NA Miata based +221 Se7en

Thanks, we recently purchased a Chrysler Town and Country kid hauler for the wife the drive. She is excited as she has been driving our pickup for the last 3 years.

_________________
Build on

Chris
Build: NA Miata based +221 Se7en