LocostUSA.com

Last night I took delivery of the sports racer chassis with mid-1960's Beach Mk4 bodywork that I purchased from Hayes Harris at http://www.wirewheel.com. For more information on Beach Mk4 sports racers, go here: http://www.virhistory.com/beach/photos.html



As expected (and advertised, and then reiterated again), the chassis is a big pile of rust with virtually nothing usable from it. As mentioned in a previous post, I purchased this for the bodywork.





Were it an original Beach chassis, I would make an effort to save as much of it as I could. However, it's not -- so I'm free to be creative Before it meets the Sawzall of doom, however, I am recording a few basic dimensions in case they are useful later.

The fiberglass is in fair to poor shape, but salvageable. I'll have to create a rear clam as well, but that's not all bad as I can design it to suit my engine (and tastes).

Apart from the front bodywork, everything is completely open right now! Like automotive engineers, I'm starting with [not much more than] a design sketch and having to turn it into an actual car. No doubt it will be a huge undertaking... wish me luck!

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My Mazda BP-powered Triumph Spitfire project: http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/1976-triumph-spitfire-50-v8-miata-18/54640/page1/

It's corrosion like that that makes me glad I started from scratch!

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Midlana book: Build this mid-engine Locost!, http://midlana.com/stuff/book/
Kimini book: Designing mid-engine cars using FWD drivetrains
Both available from https://www.lulu.com/

I realize that was a light-hearted comment, but I'd recommend keeping it whole until the new chassis is finished, or even longer. (If you have the room, of course.) Ya just never know what you might wanna measure/look at/copy somewhere down the road... Even if you're totally changing something, I can see "test fitting" it on the old chassis before you commit to welding it onto the new one...

Then again, maybe I'm just an old pack-rat... OK, I am an old pack-rat, but I still suggest keeping the rusty ol' thing...



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

I don't have room to keep it, or else I might consider it. Plus, as one of the main points of this project, I'm doing a clean-sheet chassis design. There is some incorrect design in this chassis, and I don't want it to be a corrupting influence on my own design. Plus, I want to create something new myself (with help from you guys ), not just copy what has already been done. The measurements that I'm taking are the basic ones for making sure that the new chassis is properly sized to support the bodywork.

Reasons for doing this project:

1. Design a chassis myself
2. Build my own car from scratch
3. Have a capable, good-looking mid-engine race car to take to the track

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My Mazda BP-powered Triumph Spitfire project: http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/1976-triumph-spitfire-50-v8-miata-18/54640/page1/

Are you sure it is not a beach chassis? It looks as though it sat in the ocean for a while If you are 100% sure it is not a Beach or partially a Beach then I guess it is OK to pitch the S-O a Beach. Good luck either way

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Graham,
www.earleymotorsports.com

It may be a beach chassis, as it came from Florida, but I am certain that it's not a Beach chassis. It truly bears no resemblance. The original Beach chassis were classic '60's works of round and square tube art. This is a square tube chassis of [in some cases] questionable design and welding that could have rolled out of a beginner's garage. This is what a Beach Mk4 chassis looks like (from the rear, the one on the right):


The front (as viewed from the "passenger's side"):

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My Mazda BP-powered Triumph Spitfire project: http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/1976-triumph-spitfire-50-v8-miata-18/54640/page1/

Are you able to get hold of the Beach plans. It'd be cool if you could recreate it. It has resemblance to a Lotus 19(I think......) What ever you do, congrats on trying to salvage a piece of history. I'll be watching your build thread. Good luck!!

YEP, quite a bit different. It would be neat to get a copy of the original plans or some decent photos of the original and figure out the frame. Most old historic racers have newer frames copied as the originals were either stuffed into a wall, another car, or cracked so they just built another. There isn't too many around with the original chassis. I have the other side of the coin, I have the chassis but can't figure out what it is. It will be easier once my son sends the car but until then I just keep searching and try to figure it out.

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Graham,
www.earleymotorsports.com

Yes, it's a lot like a Lotus 19. I've been writing some Beach vintage racers looking for parts and info, I'll sure post here with what I find out. The Beach Mk4B (which I find the most attractive, and most appropriate for a street car, of that series) was available in plans form back in the mid-'60s, I'm hoping there's still a set of them around somewhere. I'm working (slowly) on a couple of middy roadsters (Skate and CheapSkate; the latter with a Geo Metro engine) and I think the Beach Mk4B would be considerably cooler than a Lotus 19 for the basic Locost treatment (that is, a layman's look-alike made simple). So I'm following this thread with great interest.

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Locost builder and adventurer, and founder (but no longer owner) of Kinetic Vehicles

Part of me really likes the idea of re-creating the Beach chassis, but I'm just not sure that I'm warmed up to that path this first time around. First and foremost, I really want to design my own chassis (which I have started to do). Secondly, it would severely restrict my powertrain choices. I would be forced to go with a longitudinal engine/trans or a bike engine -- in general, both are more expensive options than a cheap transverse setup. Lastly, making one of those '60's round-tube chassis takes some additional skills and tools that I don't yet have (weakest argument saved for last ).



Thanks a ton, Jack. If you were able to dig up some original plans, I might be swayed. Oh, and if you would like to pull some molds from my bodywork (once it's repaired), you are more than welcome to. The only issue is the little bit of distance between us

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My Mazda BP-powered Triumph Spitfire project: http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/1976-triumph-spitfire-50-v8-miata-18/54640/page1/

winston

Do not hold it against me for posting that car in the for sale section Just one question, did you get four wheels with the car, one of the rears was missing in the picture.

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"Make it a GREAT day"
Tony Chiles

You posted it here? I didn't even see it! I have been eyeing it since... this summer? A while anyway. The price finally dropped enough where I thought it was worth it. I only got three wheels... just as well, they are scrap anyway. I may turn the one rear wheel+tire into a garage decoration, though. It's really wide, is in decent cosmetic shape, and has cool raised white letters.

One interesting thing that I noticed while examining the damage to the front clam was that the instrument pod appears to have originally been RHD and was switched to its current LDH position at some point. I believe that these cars came from the "factory" in either form, so it's possible that was a factory modification (it seems reasonable to assume that they only had one set of molds).

For those of you used to working with fiberglass, what would you think that a reasonable weight for the front clam would be? It seems a bit heavy and thick in places, but I haven't weighed it yet. The doors even more so, but there's been quite a bit of repair to those. So much so that I'll probably re-mold them -- they weigh a ton. Also, their curvature seems to have warped outward over the years. The upper half matches the rear bulkhead, but the lower half does not. Probably due to how they were stored.

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My Mazda BP-powered Triumph Spitfire project: http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/1976-triumph-spitfire-50-v8-miata-18/54640/page1/

link to SOB car viewtopic.php?f=40&t=11440

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"Make it a GREAT day"
Tony Chiles

Looks like I'll be picking up a Miata (1.6L) power steering rack, spindles + brakes, and steering column this coming Saturday. I figured that there are a few folks here that are familiar with the Miata steering geometry just in case I have any questions

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My Mazda BP-powered Triumph Spitfire project: http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/1976-triumph-spitfire-50-v8-miata-18/54640/page1/

WOW I have been watching this thread closely since the start. I havent chimed in with my 2 cents worth because like you I am not entirely sure what I would do with it either. If you keep the horsepower low enough you could go longitudal and use the volks transaxle.Another idea would be to go with a subaru transaxle and drivetrain. With the suby it would mostly be below the deck with only the induction sticking out, which would be really cool. On the other hand a dohc inline with webers would also look the part. As for a motorcycle powerplant it could also be done but would it look OK????. I know its yours but we all would like to help you along...............maybe a big block and a hewland.....HMMMMM.

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The biggest thing in motocross.