LocostUSA.com

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+442 - Miata

Been picking away at the frame, ordering parts, watching the news, waiting for snow.

I figure I'm ahead on my build because it has yet to snow. I said I wasn't going to start the build till there's snow and I'm glad I didn't listen to myself.

As for world news - it sucks. The more advanced our world gets the more fragile our society becomes.

The frame - set the diff in the frame to take measurements and do some figuring. I'll be trying something different this build. On the diff end I'll be using Heim rod ends and on the frame end Suspension Energy bushings. Makes for interesting building.

Today I spent some time standing in front of the lathe making the rods ends. They'll fit into DOM 1" - .120"wall tubing and welded.


Couple of pics of the diff in the frame.



Started fabbing up the diff br@cketz for the rod endz. Here's a pic just for JD.


And finally parts.
Received my DOM tubing. Using 1" - .120" for the trailing arms and 7/8" - .120" for the UCA's and LCA's. My UBJ's (TRE's) arrived.
The last item that arrived this week was one of the steering u joints I'll be using. I ordered it from a place called Gearhead Enterprises. When I opened the parcel I found a flyer inside. An add caught my attention and I went on their web site but couldn't find any info. So here's where I need some help from my neighbors south of the 49th.


Can anyone verify that Gearhead sells these coil over shocks? The price seems too good to be true, $250 for a pair? I searched their site and failed to find any info on these.

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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

Perry,
You may want to check out the reviews: https://www.google.com/search?q=Gearhead+Enterprises&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=rcs.
I have not had dealings with them, but with the reviews, I would be leery.
Walt

Gearhead is at most major rod meets. Seems like I bought a tank from them. Like everything else most stuff is Chinese.

Here is a link to a T-bucket guy with a good rep. He has QA1 for $150 Each.

http://shop.eztbucket.com/QA1-Chrome-Co ... k-4004.htm

All good advice, thanks. IMO, if it sounds to good to be true......I would end up having a cigarette.
I emailed Ron at tbucket.com about 175# and 275# coil overs and he doesn't stock the 175#, only 165#. 165# for the rear is a little light I think, too bad the price is great. Anyone ever use 165#'s on the rear?

Received the steering u joints in the mail today. Just waiting for my rod ends and wheel spacers to arrive to continue work on the diff/frame set up.

Nothing pic worthy.

_________________
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

And I 'preciate you thinkin' about me. Saved me from lot's of difficult readin'...

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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

Long day in the shop today. Started late 12 noon, came in for supper, back out at 9pm, back in the house at 2:30am.

But I got things done. I welded the trailing arm br@cketz to the diff. I tried on my wheel spacers I received from Titan Wheel Accessories (I would recommend this company to anyone, fantastic customer service, but that's another story ).



Fabbed up my trailing arms with 5/8" rod ends and Energy Suspension bushings. Tacked up the forward trailing arm br@cketz.


Then I test fit everything. Diff rolls, bounces, jounces, no binding. Pinion is at 1 1/2* down thrust from horizontal so that if it wants to rotate around the axles during acceleration it will travel towards 0* (horizontal). Trailing arms sit horizontal with diff set for 12 1/2" radius tire height, this sets the frame at 5" from Mother Earth. It seems like I've done all this before...........



All the result of lots of measuring, re measuring, jigging, figuring, scratching, and more scratching.

Next project is the panhard bar. I'll be using 1/2" rod ends and 1" tubing for this.

_________________
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

Perry, your going to have to decide to quit building a car for each grandkid or tell YOUR kids to slow down! You just can't continue at this pace.

Bill

Good one Bill, once those kids find the recipe they can't put in down I guess. Anyhow building on these here cars keeps me out of trouble.

Fabbed up the panhard today using one rod end and one poly bushing. Made the br@cketz, measured and tacked everything in place.



Again I used the same geometry as the last 2 builds, happy with how the cars handle.

Marked a center point at the front of the frame and took measurements of the center line of each backing plate axle tube flange to the front center point, I'm within 1/16" square with the diff. Happy with that.

Think I'll take the rest of the weekend off.

_________________
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

Ordered my coilovers yesterday from Dennis Brunton of Brunton Performance Products.
http://www.coilovershock.com/
I'll give them a try.

_________________
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

I hope his service/products are better than his website....

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Trochu Motor League

So it's not just me? I was looking at that and found it difficult to figure out just how much a shock cost. Is I dense?

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-Keith

That website is a steaming pile of poo

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Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

I know it has been five or six years since I ordered my shocks but I found it cheaper to get them from Dampertech in England at the time directly to my place in BC.
I haven't priced them as of late, so every day is new day, but when shopping we have to analyze the whole nine yards from the currency to shipping to customs to get the best price.

Al

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Super Seven 3.4

At Team Slotus we just say "Uhhh.... Stupid?" whenever one of us can't get something to work right. It ain't just you.

I talked with Denis Brunton several times a few years back, when I was day-dreaming about building a Stalker. He was a good guy to deal with, straight talker, no problems. During that same time period, the Stalker website was a bit of a mess as well. I recall every time I clicked on one of the buttons, it opened an entire new IE window. I'd wind up with four or five of 'em open!

Perhaps callin' the old boy would be better than trying to figure out his web-site.

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