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Learning how to build Lotus Seven replicas...together!
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PostPosted: October 22, 2013, 7:56 pm 
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Joined: October 2, 2011, 3:33 am
Posts: 52
calgarylocost wrote:
after a suitable period of contemplation....the build of a thousand tasks begins this evening with the construction of the build table.

No promises on regular posting....being "low cost"....adhering to convention ....or even displaying a modicum of common sense.

It's about the journey.

Jamie



very cool.
a couple years ago I saw a 'locost' , it may not have been , but lets call it one..
all polished aluminum skin, Alfa v6 motor and transaxle, inboard rear brakes, a clever bit of woodwork inside making a floor with storage underneath it, lets see, I recall exposed shift linkage, it had ugly headlights, the only thing detracting from a fine build. the builder , if I recall was an aircraft restorer, and he was selling his vehicle on ebay I think for 14k. I did have pictures and a vid saved, but I can't find them.
the video showed it running and driving, and it sounded sweet!
that said, I look forward to seeing yours, and I know where I can find an Alfa Milan for less than a grand..
a v6 is almost like half a v12, right?


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PostPosted: October 25, 2013, 10:15 pm 
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Joined: December 23, 2012, 6:04 pm
Posts: 20
Easy stuff this evening getting ready for donor engine removal.... tomorrow is driveshaft disconnect, hoist, move engine outside, clean engine, move engine to build garage....all that will be easier said than done..... winter arrives this weekend in the great white north....so hoping to be done this task before Sunday snow.

calgary locost


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PostPosted: November 8, 2013, 7:23 am 
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Joined: April 14, 2010, 11:15 pm
Posts: 2
Please tell me that GTV6 is rusted beyond repair!?!


... sorry I have a GTV6, so kinda a soft spot :cheers:


Good luck with the build! Are you going to incorporate the de dion rear suspension?


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PostPosted: November 8, 2013, 1:43 pm 
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Joined: December 23, 2012, 6:04 pm
Posts: 20
Hi CaptainKarl,

We are hard core alfisti....so did not make the donor decision lightly.

Given enough time, metal and expertise....not much is "beyond repair".....(just google ferrari recreations). In this case the Red GTV6 was more rotten than our black gtv6....which required inner and outer rockers, rear quarters, floors, battery box, spare tire well....and the front quarters from our red gtv6. Some fiddling with the side crease left to do..... plan is to shoot it with high build epoxy primer / paint in the spring.

We do plan to use the rear transaxle dedion suspension. Engine was liberated from the red gtv6 a couple of weeks ago.... this weekend we plan to remove the front end suspension / steering rack....and start the chassis mockup. Recovering from a bit of a bug....so depending on how far we get will update the build.

calgarylocost


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PostPosted: November 10, 2013, 8:07 am 
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Joined: April 14, 2010, 11:15 pm
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calgary locost, cool GTV6 project, both live on! Best of luck!

This is a picture of my 86, had it for just over 2 years and love every time I get in it to drive it.
Attachment:
DSCN0840.jpg


-Karl


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PostPosted: November 10, 2013, 8:46 pm 
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Joined: December 23, 2012, 6:04 pm
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Hi CaptainKarl,

Your gtv6 looks awesome!! Black is the best colour to show imperfections in the body work.....would that ours will be a straight, shiny and original as yours....when we are done.

Not much progress on the project this weekend..... had to build a dataserver.

calgarylocost


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PostPosted: November 24, 2013, 11:02 pm 
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Joined: December 23, 2012, 6:04 pm
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Not much to show for this weekends efforts......much harder to liberate front suspension parts for the donor GTV6 than one would think.

Tip for whoever foolishly follows in my footsteps..... undo the torsion bars when the engine is still in the car so that there is enough weight to be able to jack up the front suspension off the stops.....and THEN undo the upper ball joint that holds it all together. Nervous moments while undoing that nut.... but the ball joint held by friction long enough to let the jack down...a squirt of wd40 and a couple of hammer taps ....and the bars unloaded dropping the a-arms another inch or so.....with suitable sound effects.

Torsion bar removal required some tool making.....and application of heat....and after a couple of hours the lower a-arms were free... Pressure washing of the steering rack, and other greasy bits.....welding of table reinforcements, creation of an engine cradle (to set ground clearance).....and rough placement of bits filled out the weekend.

It looks like I will be able to build this as a front mid-engine.... In the GTV6 the steering rack is place in the gap at the rear of the oil pan.... for this application the rack will be in front of the engine.

Next steps are to mock up the front frame rails - and put the full (and heavy) engine back on the ground....replace with spare block for measurement purposes.....grab the upper a-arms from the donor.....+999 other steps....

No Guinness in a wine glass this weekend..... calgarylocost is on a diet.

g'nite all
calgarylocost


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PostPosted: November 25, 2013, 8:03 am 
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We are Slotus!
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Joined: October 6, 2009, 9:29 am
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Location: Tallahassee, FL (The Center of the Known Universe)
Quote:
No Guinness in a wine glass this weekend..... calgarylocost is on a diet.

Sir, there are some four-letter words that I have to ask you not to use in my presence. That last word above being one of them! :mrgreen:

Besides, after that adventure with Italian torsion bars, you deserved a taste o' the brew! Sounds like a pretty good weekend's work!
:cheers:
JDK

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PostPosted: November 26, 2013, 7:00 pm 
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Joined: June 15, 2009, 10:52 pm
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Location: RTP, NC
This reminds me of the Maxton Mule from the Late Eighties...

bnc


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PostPosted: December 14, 2013, 10:51 pm 
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Joined: December 23, 2012, 6:04 pm
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subtitle - Temporary Distraction......

Mrs. CalgaryLocost and I TSD rally (Time-Speed-Distance) in our ?spare? time....and I have been on the lookout for a replacement for our trusty but rusty audi 4000 quattro...

About two weeks ago a 1996 BMW 318TI followed me home .....quite literally... as it was a condition of sale.... car runs well but had a rusted sway bar bracket....and some front end parts to be replaced....and the previous owner gave up on it after a ridiculous quote to fix it. Including cost of acquisition ($350 big ones) should have it on the road for under $1000... a couple of more days fussing with it and I should be back to the regularly scheduled build.....

calgary locost


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PostPosted: December 29, 2013, 10:00 pm 
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Joined: September 6, 2010, 4:15 pm
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Hey, very interesting project! No doubt you are familiar with Ronny's Swedish build using the transaxle?

http://www.automobiliac.com/automobilia ... seven.html

His own site has some great pictures too. http://www.illustrera.se/konstruktion/alfaseven.htm. Use google translate to read the Swedish in English. And his new site about a mid engine v8 project: http://www.roxgt.se/index.htm.

I look forward to reading your build diary. It'd be great to share drawings, dimensions and profile pictures of the running gear etc. so those of us passionate about Italian cars can plan our own builds!

All the best - Ross in NZ


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PostPosted: December 30, 2013, 12:13 am 
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Oh, and if you search on the UK locost forum you'll find people like johnmor making an Alfa V6 out of the front wheel drive 164 fit a locost. He used the front part of the front wheel drive gearbox ( bell housing roughly) cut off, added an aluminium adapter plate and then a rear wheel drive gearbox ( a standard Ford 9 in his case but the principle is adaptable to any).

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/photos. ... x%20(WinCE).JPG

Others such as Owelly and Trev Borg made a custom bell housing and low profile sump as the height of the package is an issue as GTV6 owners can attest.

Markymark is using just an adapter plate and Mazda RX8 gearbox. http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/photos. ... =Markymark

And Dino, in Australia, markets a kit with custom bell housing to fit the Alfa V6 to an Alfa 105 gearbox

http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/engine- ... pider.html

Lots of info might be useful
Cheers
Ross in NZ


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PostPosted: December 30, 2013, 3:33 pm 
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Joined: December 23, 2012, 6:04 pm
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Hi Ross,
Thanks much for the linkage!

I was familiar with the Swedish build (and listen regularly to his videos for inspiration)....and the transmission adaptor efforts...but did not have all the links / pictures properly to hand. Right now the plan is to take inspiration from the mid 50's ferrari 196.... that has a rear transaxle setup....but failing that.... the rx8 six speed option is intriguing to anyone who has ever crunched an alfa second gear synchro.....

jamie


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PostPosted: January 6, 2014, 2:06 pm 
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Joined: February 8, 2012, 12:35 am
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Location: Langdon,AB
Great project!! Cool to see an Alfa build locally. You are in good hands with the local 7 group.

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PostPosted: January 6, 2014, 5:20 pm 
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Joined: February 11, 2010, 1:45 am
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unobtainium wrote:
Great project!! Cool to see an Alfa build locally. You are in good hands with the local 7 group.


time to stop lurking and start building Chris, you know you want too.

Bill.


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