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Learning how to build Lotus Seven replicas...together!
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PostPosted: October 10, 2017, 9:24 pm 
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Joined: January 14, 2016, 4:16 am
Posts: 118
Location: Brandenburg, KY
I'm starting this build thread to continue the awesome work done by Howard Nafzger (Saltracer).

Howard was kind enough to sell me his project along with all of the parts, the build table and even a couple nice tools to get me started.

I will be teaching myself to weld as I go, so hopefully I won't mess up Howard's work too much. You can see Howard's original build thread here:

viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15080

Progress may be slow, but I'll get there.

Rob
in Brandenburg, KY


Last edited by Dudefladge on April 16, 2018, 11:04 am, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: January 15, 2018, 9:32 am 
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Location: Brandenburg, KY
I've finally gotten things figured out enough to start welding on the frame. I sent Howard some pictures of my work. He was kind enough not to comment on the quality of my welds and just said that it was nice to see me making progress. :lol:

I will post some photos soon. Probably of the finished, ground welds rather than the in-progess stuff... I'm teaching myself to weld on this, so it ain't real pretty!


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PostPosted: January 15, 2018, 2:38 pm 
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It's great you're carrying on this project! Welding gets better with practice. A single length of square tube from a home depot or wherever will let you practice hundreds of weld beads. What I did for a long time was take a piece of tubing and weld one side at a 90 degree angle to the other piece. Then just grab the pieces and break them apart. It doesn't use much metal. You can do this a couple of times and then you shorten the piece you broke off by just a little and do it all again.

It takes a little time, but if you practice welding on the frame you will get to the end and say "I'm so much better now" and somewhere you should be wondering about those first welds.... :roll:

Practice is easy and a couple of hours will go a long way. Also you only get so much better in any day. The coordination and visualization of what you do is something you learn while you are sleeping. The next day things just seem to work better because while sleeping you learned how to do the work at a more unconscious level. When I raced a new track I could often gain 2 seconds between the last lap on the day before and the first couple laps the next day. Not bad for the price of a nights sleep!

Keep at it, don't give up and do some practice!
:cheers:

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SketchUp collection for LocostUSA: "Dream it, Build it, Drive it!"
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PostPosted: January 15, 2018, 5:42 pm 
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We are Slotus!
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Location: Tallahassee, FL (The Center of the Known Universe)
Welcome home Rob!

Good on ya for taking Saltracer's project over. Glad the frame went to a good home. Please keep us updated on the car and "The Man" when you hear from Howard.

I'll echo everything Marcus said, practice your welding on various scraps until you feel like you're ready to weld the frame. Remember the story about the guy carrying a violin case that asked a NYC cabbie how to get to Carnegie Hall. The cabbie looked at the violin case and said, "Practice, practice, practice!" Applies to welding too!

You should listen to me, because I can't weld worth a damn...
:cheers:
JDK

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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: April 15, 2018, 8:07 pm 
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Joined: January 14, 2016, 4:16 am
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Location: Brandenburg, KY
We actually made some REAL progress on the frame this weekend! :D

My son, Michael, is studying welding in the Job Corps and was home for the weekend. He gave me a few pointers and let me make a couple ugly (and a couple not so ugly) welds. He, on the other hand, made quite a bit of progress on the frame.

We are just about at the point where we can flip it on its side and top to finish things up. Then I'll look at fitting the suspension and drivetrain. Still a LONG ways off and this is supposed to be roughly third or fourth in line of the projects. Mike brought his welding helmet and gloves, so we re-prioritized things for the weekend.

Image

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PostPosted: November 8, 2018, 10:08 am 
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Location: Brandenburg, KY
Big Mike finished up welding the frame the other day. :D

Progress is slow, but it is progress.

Image

Image

Image

I'm still fiddling with the idea of moving a couple things on the firewall and trying to shoehorn a Slant 6 in this thing to make it "The Leaning Locost".

More to follow...


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PostPosted: November 8, 2018, 11:10 am 
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Looking forward to seeing the test fit. :cheers:

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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


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PostPosted: November 9, 2018, 7:43 am 
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Location: Atlanta GA
Looks great!

Do you happen to know the dashboard bars curve radius?


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PostPosted: November 9, 2018, 11:46 pm 
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Joined: January 14, 2016, 4:16 am
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Location: Brandenburg, KY
I’m sorry, but I don’t know the curve radius. Howard Nafzger “Saltracer” built this frame. I took it on to finish it up.

I’m deviating from the original plan a little by changing direction on the drivetrain. I may use the Duratec in the Ginetta...

I could possibly fit the Slant 6 with a manual transmission without reworking too much, but trying to fit the wide pan of a 904 takes some creativity.


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PostPosted: November 10, 2018, 7:37 am 
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We are Slotus!
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I think a Slant Six Locost would be a hoot! Put three twin-choke Webers on it... With chrome velocity stacks sticking out of the leaning-over engine... It would look like some kind of alien creature. LOVE IT!

:cheers:
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: November 13, 2018, 12:08 pm 
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Location: Brandenburg, KY
I was thinking of putting a Hyper Pak on it... I was recently given a set of headers that came off of a pulling tractor... Those two things won't work together... I sold my sidedraft manifold years ago... should have kept it I guess... :lol:

Here is the passenger footwell area that will have to be moved around. I'm not going to mess with the driver side. I read that the Lotus Valiant had the Slant 6 offset by 6 1/2 degrees from the rear axle, so I think I'll be okay shifting mine over a couple inches...

Image

Image

Image

Image

Here are the headers.

Image

Image

Image

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PostPosted: April 17, 2019, 10:40 am 
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Joined: January 14, 2016, 4:16 am
Posts: 118
Location: Brandenburg, KY
I did wind up cutting out the passenger footwell supports to fit a Slant 6 with 904 automatic transmission. The engine will be tilted a bit, but should still be workable. I won't know for quite some time...

We are moving into a house without the detached three car garage I've enjoyed the last couple years. Last weekend we stacked the build table, Locost frame and Ginetta frame in a storage unit. Yes, "stacked" with the Ginetta sitting atop the Locost. Ya gotta maximize space when you're a hoarder... :oops: :lol:

I have a set of headers on the way from another Slant 6 HA/GR friend in California that will fit with a standard type intake and I managed to pick up a couple 3 speed options recently.

Since the Locost has begun the "Leaning Transformation", I will likely continue the "Leaning Locost" thread once I pick this project up again... someday...


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PostPosted: April 17, 2019, 4:03 pm 
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Good luck. I hope we see ya back here.

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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PostPosted: April 17, 2019, 5:38 pm 
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It is for fun. No rush :cheers:

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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


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PostPosted: April 25, 2019, 9:09 am 
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Joined: January 14, 2016, 4:16 am
Posts: 118
Location: Brandenburg, KY
I ain't goin' nowhere. I just won't have much of anything to post on progress for awhile... Not that it's any different than the last few years.... :oops: :|


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