LocostUSA.com

Learning how to build Lotus Seven replicas...together!
It is currently March 29, 2024, 12:38 am

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 402 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1 ... 23, 24, 25, 26, 27
Author Message
PostPosted: June 18, 2015, 2:11 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: November 13, 2009, 8:43 pm
Posts: 505
Location: Sunnyvale, CA
danderson wrote:
Would you mind sharing how you routed the park brake cables??


Not at all.

Does this provide enough information?

I had to chop a frame member to get the cable and caliper cable stop bracket clearance on the outboard side (you can see where the tube used to go). The cable passes right underneath the differential ear. I'm planning on clipping the cable to the differential ear lower mount with the two holes. Then it snakes back over the differential and mounts to a plate at the back of the tunnel (left cable is on the right, right is on the left). I shortened the front cable after the splitter to account for the positioning of the handbrake itself.


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: June 22, 2015, 1:09 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: November 13, 2009, 8:43 pm
Posts: 505
Location: Sunnyvale, CA
Whee, super progress over this weekend.

I found someone who could help weld up my intake tube for the idle air takeoff, so that's now done. That gave me the excuse yesterday of firing up the engine (5 minutes after my daughter went to bed, natch) with no muffler. I had to find a few electrical issues first (intake wiring came undone, fuel pump came ungrounded). It's loud, but it idles! I let a neighbor kid start it up a little bit later too. He was super excited.

Today, I made progress on the exhaust after realizing that the internet lied to me and gave me the wrong thread for the Miata exhaust header flange studs.They're actually M10-1.5, in case you're wondering. The local McParts store had the right nuts, and I can bike there, which is convenient. I also returned some hoses, so the nuts cost me negative money.

Flex pipe is fully welded; catalytic converter is tacked. The cradle behind the straight tube coming out of the catalytic converter is my 'muffler cradle'. The muffler is chilling in the driver's seat for now. I'm going to get the muffler cap plate on next and get that all tacked together and I'll be able to fire up the engine with a hopefully much quieter result soon! After that, I'll get mounting for the exhaust system done and (maybe) worry about adding another flange connection for disassembly, maybe.


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: June 23, 2015, 10:04 pm 
Offline
We are Slotus!
User avatar

Joined: October 6, 2009, 9:29 am
Posts: 7651
Location: Tallahassee, FL (The Center of the Known Universe)
Quote:
and I'll be able to fire up the engine with a hopefully much quieter result soon
Ehhh, I find that mufflers are really over-rated... Straight pipes are safer, lets folks know you're there! :mrgreen:

_________________
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


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: June 23, 2015, 10:20 pm 
Offline

Joined: August 11, 2012, 4:44 pm
Posts: 1422
Location: Charlotte, NC
GonzoRacer wrote:
Quote:
and I'll be able to fire up the engine with a hopefully much quieter result soon
Ehhh, I find that mufflers are really over-rated... Straight pipes are safer, lets folks know you're there! :mrgreen:



I heard turbos make great mufflers.

What kind of muffler did you get?

_________________
30 years old, not sure what I want to be when I grow up…


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: June 24, 2015, 12:15 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: November 13, 2009, 8:43 pm
Posts: 505
Location: Sunnyvale, CA
Briggs wrote:
GonzoRacer wrote:
Ehhh, I find that mufflers are really over-rated... Straight pipes are safer, lets folks know you're there! :mrgreen:

What kind of muffler did you get?


Coming from owning and working on electric vehicles, any noise is insanely loud to me.

I got a Jones Turbo Tube. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/JEX-ATT5018B the 5" width allows it to be not "straight-through". Which I think quiets it down. I fully welded the assembly last night and fired it up this evening. It seems quieter and decent-sounding, but then something went wrong and wouldn't start again to allow me to take a video for noisiness.

I think I'll run with this for now and see how it goes. If it's annoying, another muffler is only $50. Hopefully a video soon.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: March 18, 2018, 3:54 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: November 13, 2009, 8:43 pm
Posts: 505
Location: Sunnyvale, CA
Holy cow--it's been a while. Looking back since I last posted on here, it's been just shy of three years. Sheesh, what a slacker!

Life updates:
I moved about a year after last posting: Sunnyvale wasn't a long term solution and wasn't very emotionally or financially satisfying for me or the family. We moved to Reno, NV where things are a little calmer on the personal and domestic front (and I could also afford to y'know, live). I had a list of domestic things to take care of, and also some garage upgrades necessary to make working on the project sustainable again. I also got a sweet new bicycle for the kid and I to bike around Reno in--I live about 250ft up a hill, so the e-assist upgrade was essential last summer.

My commute takes me right past Summit Racing, so I believe I'll be doing a lot of will call there for race car parts while I work on this.

Actually, starting right around the time I last posted, I got reallllllly busy with another car project at work (The ones shown here: [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4VGQPk2Dl8[/youtube]). As you might have read and can imagine, that's been keeping me busy even afterwards until now. I felt like I could spend an hour on the Lotus, or an hour at work, and usually work felt more important and critical.

The garage, while spacious and accommodating, was lacking in electrical amenities, so I now have two 220V circuits (EV charger and air compressor, nominally), and added 18 outlets on three circuits of 110V for powering all sorts of tools and chargers at once. That was one of my last hurdles to starting working on the car: I needed a line and outlets run next to my new garage desk so I could do CAD work right next to the car.

The car got moved to the big bay last month in hopes that looking at it more would foster work. Now begins that work...


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: March 19, 2018, 4:57 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: July 4, 2006, 5:40 pm
Posts: 1994
Location: Novato, CA
Hey, Matt, great to see you're back at it. Reno and Sunnyvale. Couldn't be farther apart if they were on two different planets. Congrats on getting out. Looking forward to more updates, At my place north of Sacto I'm only two hrs. from Reno by Locost. If it's not snowing.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: March 19, 2018, 9:02 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: October 19, 2010, 11:57 am
Posts: 507
Location: Waterloo, WI
Nice bakfiets (cargo bike)! Is it a Bullitt?

(we're also an Outback/Mk6 golf family!) :D

Nice to see you back. :cheers:

_________________
-Keith


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: December 26, 2020, 2:35 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: November 13, 2009, 8:43 pm
Posts: 505
Location: Sunnyvale, CA
Welll...for Christmas, I'm giving myself the gift of "being okay with not finishing a project".

I think I've reached a point in my life that I need to actively move on from this project and sell it as a whole, or the parts. It's taken a while to reach this decision, but I probably should've made it sooner, perhaps even before my last move from Reno back to Portland (oh yeah, I moved back to Portland, too).

It comes down to three main reasons:
  • My hobbies and interests have evolved since I first started this. Especially in the last few years, I've been getting more involved in bike advocacy and city-related work, as well as other crafty outlets, including woodworking and cocktails. There just isn't enough recreational time and, more importantly, initiative to get out to the garage to plan and execute each step to getting a functioning vehicle. Having more garage space for other project types is also pretty valuable, now, too.
  • I've "scratched the itch" of designing products and helping build complex vehicles and other products from scratch at work. At this point, drawing up part for my personal car project in CAD, or sourcing components just seems like an extension of my job and I'd rather do something else in my free time.
  • I still have a desire for a project car, or other fun vehicle for sport (as opposed to mere transport), but I've also gotten to a point of financial stability and support such that it's now more efficient for me to start with an extant vehicle, and maintain and modify it, rather than build one from scratch. The number of hours that it would take to get the Locost to done just seems not worth it, any more. One avenue I might pursue is go find a premade Lotus/Caterham from somewhere on the planet and drive it back or have it shipped back, depending on location.

So, that said, I'll be actively parting with Locost-related parts, and even the whole car in its current state. I'll take inventory this weekend and make a For Sale thread. I'll probably give priority to someone who wants to take the car over as a whole, but completely willing to sell off installed components if it's compelling.

I've learned a whole heck of a lot through this process, and won't forget the camaraderie that this forum has provided, including a number of in-person meetings with some of you. Those memories and impressions are indelible.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: December 26, 2020, 2:18 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: April 22, 2010, 4:43 pm
Posts: 432
Location: Livermore, Calif.
Quote:
I've been getting more involved in bike advocacy and city-related work, as well as other crafty outlets, including woodworking and cocktails.


Since when has "cocktails" been a crafty outlet?

Pass me the screwdriver!

Hate to see you leave the fraternity but good luck. I've been following your project since you lived in Sunnyvale.

Cheers,
Roy

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


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: January 1, 2021, 8:19 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: November 13, 2009, 8:43 pm
Posts: 505
Location: Sunnyvale, CA
RoyzMG wrote:

Hate to see you leave the fraternity but good luck. I've been following your project since you lived in Sunnyvale.

Cheers,
Roy


Thanks dude! It's been incredibly fun, and the lessons I've learned will lived with me forever.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: January 1, 2021, 9:09 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: November 13, 2009, 8:43 pm
Posts: 505
Location: Sunnyvale, CA
Annnnd for sale here:
viewtopic.php?f=40&t=20802


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 402 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1 ... 23, 24, 25, 26, 27

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 53 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
POWERED_BY