LocostUSA.com

It seems the paint wrinkling problem is industry wide and probably related to the EPA volatiles regulation. I think the industry has switched to chemicals that are unregulated but are a tad hot and unpredictable.

Bill

Hi Bill-- Wouldn't surprise me if that's exactly what the problem is... I certainly can tell there's a difference in modern paints and the cans I used as a kid, painting model cars, bicycles, etc. I'm sure I didn't pay any attention to the instructions then, and didn't have the problems I'm having now.

Wish I could negotiate with the EPA... "Look, guys, I bought a hybrid car. Can I have the old paint formula back again?" Seems like a fair swap...

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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

Hey EPA guys... why don't you cut your personal CO2 emissions by not exhaling for, say, about 10 minutes?

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***************
Geek49203 aka
Tim Wohlford
Louisville, KY
Hayes front, S10 +2 rear, Lalo body.

Uhhh, JD, depending on the problems you're referring to, that could explain a lot.

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Cheers, Tom

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

Hi Tom- I was actually referring to the problems I have with painting stuff but I can see how the reference might have been confusing. Those "other" problems are, for the most part, related to the number of orbits I have made around the sun... But it beats the hell outta the alternative, doncha tink? Now, can somebody tell me why I walked into the kitchen???

In some car-related news (How odd...), yesterday evening I put the Dog A$$ Slotus on the scales and had a try at corner balancing it. As I told Earl later that night, "I think there's a 40 lb rat hiding in the car, running to whichever end I'm not working on." After endless rounds of climbing in and out of the cockpit, or as Earl put it, "Dragging my fat over the side of the roll cage", I got it down to an 8 lb rat sitting on the right rear corner. How the right side could be heavier with me sitting on the left is a bit weird to me, but there it is. I also noted that when I reached out my arm to the right while holding the steering wheel, the right rear weight went DOWN a pound or two. Still ain't figgered that one out...

True story-- I was talking to James/Earl on the phone whilst I was weighing the car. I was sitting in the car, looking at the scales beside me and during the conversation he made me laugh. I told him "Stop it! The rear weights changed 3 lbs when I laughed and only just now settled down!" He told me to stop jiggling my fat like that or I'd never get the damned thing balanced. Ya need good friends like that in this world...

And a quick re-visit to the spray can thread, I found some small flaws in the paint from the "crazing" problem that I missed the first go-round. Found 'em just as it started on what has turned out to be three days of rain here. In other words, I haven't tried to fix 'em yet. I'll get around to it one day soon. Maybe...

And that's the news from rainy NW Florida...

Peace, Love, and Corner Weights-
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

Yo, Team Slotus!
There's a local autocross this weekend in Moultrie GA. I started the loading process yesterday... Because "old and slow"... In the process, I hooked the RV up to the car trailer and checked the lights. Discovered I had no turn signals. Unhooked the trailer. Still no signals on the RV. Much head scratching and circuit testing and in and out of the floor of the drivers seat, it seems the 12v feed to the flasher unit has broken. The wire isn't more than 4 inches long, but it's bundled into the harness for the main fuse box under the dash. How/why it broke is beyond me. Just reaching the sumbich is nearly beyond me... Perhaps that 40 lb rat I was chasing around inside the Dog A$$ Slotus chewed it in two when I ran him out of the car...

On top of that, I have to go to a class this morning for "Continuing Education" so I can renew my FL well drilling license. So the morning is shot... Then to the parts store for a "fuse tap" and I'll run a new hot wire to the flasher. Then back home to install the new wire, then load the car and a few more things on the trailer. Early Sunday morning, I'm off to Moultrie for another try at actually driving the Dog A$$ Slotus instead of working on it. Won't that be novel...

So, a busy Saturday and a racing Sunday. Stay tuned, something interesting might happen. Or not.

Peace, Love and "Fuse Tap" --
JDK

*I guess a fuse tap is wwwaaaaa-aaaay better than a spinal tap, now that I think about it.

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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

Sort of the same thing, I suppose. Good luck! Think how much better you are going to feel with 18 square feet of shade!

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Marcus Barrow - Car9 an open design community supported sports car for home builders!
SketchUp collection for LocostUSA: "Dream it, Build it, Drive it!"
Car9 Roadster information - models, drawings, resources etc.

Somehow I don't think "This Is Fuse Tap" has the same ring...

Good morning Gentlemen!
It was a purty good day racing... Started out cloudy and damp, but dried before we got going good. I was in the second run group, so the first bunch did a good job of drying the track for us. The sun came out late morning and finished the job.

Let me start off with my "show off" pictures... And
My first run of the day was a 46 second effort. Subsequently got a 44 and then two 43's. That was the morning session. Lunch break was sitting in the RV... Uhh... I mean the Team Slotus mobile headquarters having sammiches prepared by TWWTFM the night before. In an arm chair, feet propped up, cold drink. I could get used to this RV stuff!

Afternoon started with a 45, then two more 43's and last run of the day, after giving myself a good talking to, was a 41.7. I suspect the car would go faster if Team Slotus would ditch the old fat guy that drives it, but he comes with sponsorship and his sponsor feeds him... While I'm happy with the improvement, I am still running mid-pack. Both me and the Dog A$$ Slotus can do better. Although I made all 8 runs, nothing broke, fell off or caught fire and I drove the car back to the trailer at the end of the day. If this keeps up I may have to promote the Dog A$$ Slotus back to full Slotus status. Maybe...

Speaking of reasons NOT to promote the Dog A$$ Slotus, on the 4th run of the day, the tach quit. Noticed it as I was slowing down to roll thru the grid. I went the rest of the day without it. The course was busy enough I didn't really have time to look at it anyway. Bugs me though, when something obvious like that isn't working. I'll look into it later this week. Hopefully, it's just a loose wire... Hopefully... Dog A$$ Slotus...

The car did fine. Engine is strong, pulls really hard at low RPM and on up. I usually start in 2nd, and can induce wheelspin off the line easily. Actually, on that fastest run, I intentionally "feathered" the launch a bit to avoid spinning the tires. Not sure if that helped or not. Handling wise, it's much more stable, but still a little bit loose. It's controllable, I can steer my way out of it, and did a couple of times. I think I mostly need to just drive the damn thing more, learn its limits and get used to its habits. I noticed in some of the wider turns, I would "goose" the throttle in the middle. That tells me two things, 1) I wasn't going fast enough, felt like I needed to add power and 2) I might be resorting to my old habits from driving the MG which had a locked rear end. I would goose the throttle to rotate the car. That wasn't the problem with my loose condition, it was just an indicator that I wasn't necessarily doing things right with this car. (Old dog, new tricks, etc...)

On the subject of that "18 sq ft of shade" -- I talked about wings a bit with a buddy who has a (highly modified) Lotus Elise. He commented that he had a splitter and air dam combo on the front and the car was loose. He added a wing at the back and it was cured. Hmmmm... Sound familiar? Aero balance, anyone?

All in all, a good day racin'... And TWWTFM had a really nice beef roast just about ready when I got home. Life is good!

Peace, Love and "a 41.7" --
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

Hurrah!!
Good to here you had a successful (and fun filled) time at the track.

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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

Congrats. Finally a great report.

Why only 18 sq-ft? You are allowed 20 sq-ft of shade

I always enjoy reading of your successes here, however infrequent it they show up. Congrats on another one.

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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

Awesome news, JD! It's gonna be a great season for Team Slotus.

_________________
Cheers, Tom

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

Congratulations, JD. I guess it's time for me to send that Voodoo guy back to Haiti.

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

Yo, Team Slotus!
Good to hear from y'all, and thanks for the congrats and good wishes. I appreciate your support!

@ Perry- Yeah, you nailed it. I had a good day with my friends, doing what we enjoy. That's really all that matters... Well, that and dinner... And an occasional Margarita... And scantily clad females... And...

@ Lonnie- Nahh, keep "Voodoo Guy" around. He's gotta be a hoot to have at parties. And I might wanna borrow his hat...

@ Chuck- Yep, I gotta work on my "frequency"! (That's what she said...)

@ Ron- Marcus and I have been throwing around a 6ft span with a 3ft chord, or maybe a 2.5 ft chord plus a second tier with a 0.5 ft chord. None of that is pushing the boundaries of the A-Mod rules, but I can always add and inch or three here and there to make the 20 sq ft... Or just go with what I got and not worry about it! You'll have to discuss it with the Team Slotus Aerodynamics Lab (Marcus) and with Team Slotus Manufacturing and Fabrication (Me, mostly) to find out what happens in the end. (I wouldn't trust either of them to tell you the truth though... )

@ Tom- Thanks! Yeah, I sure hope it's a good season... Although, as Perry said, it was a fun day and it realllly doesn't matter that much if I'm the fastest guy there or not. Well, sort of... I can at least fake it well... See, I'm smiling... How much was that supercharger again???

Stay tuned, we'll all* find out what happens next at the same time.
*Me included!

Peace, Love and "Fix the Damn Tach!" --
JDK

_________________
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