LocostUSA.com

Looking forward to seeing how this one works out. If you need a hand with anything let me know. Laser cut parts, Tig welding, etc.

I've already been going down that thought path. Splitting the body does quite a few things for me.
1. I can create a tunnel and get everything much lower to the ground than having body sitting on rails.
2. The extra width gives me enough shoulder room for the seats.
3. Extra width gives me foot space. Anyone who thinks the footwell in a 7 is small has never been in a t bucket.
4. I get to build in more stiffness and torsional rigidity.
5. I can add some good bolt in crash protection. A hidden front roll hoop and some side impact bars.
6. If I want I can add top rails back from front suspension to firewall. Again, more torsional rigidity. Added bonus it keeps the front suspension from looking like its just hanging in space as an after thought.

The big con is more bodywork and smoothing. I'd split it, widen to my needs, then rejoin with a cut out center floor to clear the tunnel. I "almost" left the tunnel in place, but it was just far too wide.

Looking at the Voudou rear suspension I believe I want to lower the center section. Even though I'm planning to add a tunnel I don't want it to be very tall.


I can lower the center section and put the bottom even with of very slightly above the frame rails.

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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

Not sure any crash protection would be worthwhile, It will make it heavier and not likely hold up well without a full enclosure and complementing members.

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Honey anyone?

It looks like the ideal location for that diff is simply mounted under the rails it is on now. Install and removal access might be a small challenge. I'm sure you are up to the challenge though.

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Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

Yes, I'd like to see the axles run straighter at ride height.

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Honey anyone?

I haven't updated here in a month and haven't done a great deal of work in the garage either, but I have dome some.
First I spent some time just staring at the chassis, thinking about it an envisioning what, where, how, etc.
Then the tape measure, pad, and pencil came out comparing and sketching rear pickup point locations, front pickup point locations, chassis width needed for body as it is, and chassis width needed for a 4-6" wider body. I determined fairly quickly that I shouldn't have started cutting on the chassis, as basically almost none of it was going to work on the future build.



So I began stripping the rear end. I thought I'd pull the diff and test fit it under the rails in it's current location. Turns out that it's dam near impossible to get the rear end out of a Voudou build. Apparently you put the rear end on the build table and assemble freakin every other member around it.
Sawzall to the rescue. I salvaged the control arm mounts, the diff pickup plate, and the diff reinforcing angle iron piece. The rest of the rear chassis is cut into small pieces and chucked in the trash can.

Now I'm sitting at Fusion 360 and converting by sketches into drawings. With any luck I'll cut 2x3 frame rails this weekend. There will be primary rails, kick ups, rear extensions, and outriggers similar to what you'd find on a Triumph or early Austin Healey for the body mounts. Frame rails at the front will taper to width of bottom a arm pick up brackets locations. Basically will taper from 30" wide at the rear to 20" wide at the front. If I don't like the appearance I'll make it a 26" to 20" taper, more in line with a traditional T bucket. A little narrower than some early frames, but not a ton.
If I don't like the looks of that it will get a 26" to 24" taper common for later T Bucket chassis. That will require a complete redesign of front suspension geometry. Not excited about that one as I'm quite satisfied with the current design.

Sorry for killing a Locost chassis. I should have pulled out the tape measure sooner in the process.

_________________
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