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Learning how to build Lotus Seven replicas...together!
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PostPosted: April 11, 2016, 3:08 pm 
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Joined: January 1, 2015, 1:55 pm
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It's 4 weeks today since my surgery. I've been working hard on rehab. And, working hard on off days to get better. I haven't used crutches or other aids for 2 weeks. Now, I'm up to walking a mile a day. I've been given the OK by my therapist to start working in my shop. It will only be a little while a day right now and I have to be careful to not over do it. I've been bored stiff so I'm looking forward to get back to it.

I hope that I have some progress to report soon.


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PostPosted: April 11, 2016, 3:58 pm 
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Joined: March 28, 2012, 5:29 pm
Posts: 316
Location: East Lansing, MI
stinger wrote:
It's 4 weeks today since my surgery. I've been working hard on rehab. And, working hard on off days to get better. I haven't used crutches or other aids for 2 weeks. Now, I'm up to walking a mile a day. I've been given the OK by my therapist to start working in my shop. It will only be a little while a day right now and I have to be careful to not over do it. I've been bored stiff so I'm looking forward to get back to it.

I hope that I have some progress to report soon.



I don't walk a mile a day (OK maybe when I'm in the garage and the sharpies are hiding), and I haven't had surgery!
Keep it up. Exercise and physical therapy is the way to healing faster. Keep your eye on the prize.
Cheers,
Stewart.


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PostPosted: April 13, 2016, 8:30 am 
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I had a stroke of luck yesterday. We have a family lake camp on Lake Champlain. I met with a contractor to go over some work were having done. He's a friend and he's done a lot of work for my family. We got talking and I found out that he had purchased a 51 Ford Hot Rod truck. He's a Ford guy and this truck had a Chevy engine and a rebuilt, with shift kit 700r4 transmission in it. He pulled the drive train out to install Ford parts. Bottom line, I purchased the transmission and torque converter for $300. My car is running a Small Block Chevy and uses C4 Corvette suspension. The C4 used the 700r4 transmission. Using this transmission solves my foot box problem and gives my car the stock C4 gear ratios. I ordered a shifter for it yesterday. I'll be able to run it in automatic mode or manually shift it. I know that it's a heavy set up. But, this is not a race car and I think that I'll be around 1600lbs when done.
The trans is in my shop now. I hope to have the frame finished to fit the new trans by the end of the weekend.

Summer is coming! I need to get going and finish my car!


Originally I was using a Richmond T10 transmission. The frame had been built around it. I'm having to change it. This picture shows the 700r4 test fitted. I was too tired to start on the frame today. Hopefully I'll be up to it tomorrow.

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PostPosted: April 24, 2016, 10:03 am 
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Joined: January 1, 2015, 1:55 pm
Posts: 327
On Monday it will be 6 weeks from my surgery. I'm doing well. I played 9 holes of golf yesterday and walked every hole.

My son, youngest of 5 children, grew up racing. First karts, then motorcycle powered sprint cars then asphalt late models. We've never had the money to do it right. Fortunately he's done well and has had some people have him drive their cars. He won 3 championships driving a 600cc sprint car for a gentleman. The guy was building a full size sprint car for my son (Johnny). But, when he went away for the winter his drug addicted son sold all of his racing stuff.

Johnny and I bought a 2002 Bicknell dirt modified for cheap money. While I"m waiting for parts for my Hot Rod we tore the modified down. We took the chassis to Bicknell in Canada to have some safety updates done and to have the chassis checked on the jig. Fortunately the chassis is in great shape. This week we will reassemble it and replace some damaged parts. Practice is in 2 weeks and racing starts in 4.

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PostPosted: April 25, 2016, 10:33 am 
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Joined: October 24, 2008, 2:13 pm
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Location: Carlsbad, California, USA
Wow, you're an ambitious guy. Good luck! I'll just struggle along with my humble, little one-off. Are you related to Perry? :lol:

Cheers,

_________________
Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886


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PostPosted: June 4, 2016, 7:08 pm 
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I got to work on my project today. It felt good to finally get back to work on it.
The body has had some body work done. Lots more to do on that.
I worked on the frame and am close to having it completed and ready for final welding.

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PostPosted: June 25, 2016, 10:10 pm 
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I got a few hours in the shop today. I cut a driveshaft that came with the trans to fit my application. Cut it a little short. I'll have it made a little longer. I tacked it together and installed it to check for length. I'll send it to a driveshaft shop to have a new one made.

I tacked together the trans tunnel. This is a bolt in piece. I want to be able to remove the trans with out removing the engine. Then I tacked in some plate that the brake pedal will bolt to.

Not much done but it felt good to get back at it. Its been a little over 12 weeks since my knee surgery. I'm pain free, have full range of motion and doing great.

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PostPosted: August 21, 2016, 5:03 pm 
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Joined: January 1, 2015, 1:55 pm
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Hello everyone, I haven't done anything on my Hot Rod until the past couple of days. I spent the end of June and most of July in Norwich, VT remodeling a house that a daughter and her husband purchased in June. Then spent a couple of weeks with all of my family as they congregated at a family camp on Lake Champlain to help me celebrate my 60th birthday. Time is flying by.

I started on Friday by removing the trans tunnel that I had tacked into the frame. I've redone that. The next step was to modify the body. I decided that I wanted a more "Tbucket" looking cowl. I also wanted to create a built in dash to create enough room for gauges and switches.

It doesn't look like it in the pictures but the dash in angled for easy viewing. The cowl is angled as well where it meets the top of the body. I created the basic shape with foam and glassed it. I will use body filler to get the final shape and to blend the cowl into the body. This body will become a the buck that take a mold from.

Tomorrow I'm working on the back of the body. I want as much room in the cockpit as possible so the seats will be angled rearward. I'm changing the body to allow the more laid back angle.

Having fun!


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PostPosted: September 2, 2016, 2:03 pm 
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I've been working on the Hot Rod a couple hours most days. As usual there are constant modifications.

- I've welded up some seat bases
- I am using the C4 Corvette torque arm. I cut off the end that mounts to the transmission and have bolted it to the frame and the trans tunnel. I set the pinion angle at 2 degrees negative in relation to the trans angle.
- I made floors out of 1/4 inch MDF. They will get a layer of glass then be coated with bed liner for a non skid and water resistant surface.
- I worked out the steering shaft angles and mounts.
- I made a drop down compartment in the trans tunnel for the shifter. This puts the lever at the proper height for me. The knob is position in relation to the the steering wheel.
- I've mocked up the gauge cluster. This will be mounted to the trans tunnel. The body will be cut so that it fits over the edge of the gauges. The body will be able to be removed with out removing any wiring or gauges.
- I'm working on the aluminum skins. The goal is to have it conform as close to the transmission as possible. I need all of the room that I can get in the foot boxes.

Having fun.
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PostPosted: September 2, 2016, 3:36 pm 
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Location: Fort Worth, Texas
That Corvette PPF mounting is AWESOME!

I've just been reading in the Australian forum about issues with using the Miata diff without the PPF. It seems the ears aren't meant to take all the load and tend to break off. But if you aren't using the Miata transmission there's no place to mount the front of the PPF.

Since the Diff is hard mounted mounting to the frame makes a world of sense as a way to spread the load.

I'd worry about using MDF for the floor. It tends to swell when it gets wet or in high humidity situations. I'd think 1/4 plywood or even 3/8" foam would be a better choice.

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I drive therefore I am

I can explain it to you,
but I can't understand it for you.


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PostPosted: September 11, 2016, 10:53 pm 
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Thank you for your comments. I agree about most MDF. However the MDF I had laying around is specifically made for exterior applications. It will also be glassed for added resistance to moisture. Then bed liner for a non skid surface.

I have finished mock up. I rolled it out side and had my 6'2" tall son sit in it. Leg room is great. I'm going to fab new seat bases and lower the seating position by 3 inches. Then disassemble it so that I can finish welding. Then its painting, finishing the body, and reassembly.

I put the car on my racing scales. As is it weighs 1480lbs with 45% on the rear. When complete I believe that it will be well under 1600lbs. And, with me and fuel in the car that the rear weight will be over 50%. It's not a light weight. The engine/trans combo is pretty heavy.

I'm gone until Oct 3rd selling a product that I invented at a large fair. Then I'm going on vacation. So, not much more will get done until November.

Having fun.
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PostPosted: September 29, 2016, 4:00 pm 
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I love the looks of the late 50's and 60's sports racers. While at the fair I came across a body for a Cheetah Roadster that I think I can make to fit my chassis with out much work. The idea is to be able to easily switch from the Tbucket hot rod to the Cheetah I ordered the body and I pick it up in Dec.

Here is a picture of a Cheetah Roadster. Having fun.

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PostPosted: September 29, 2016, 9:48 pm 
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Joined: October 24, 2008, 2:13 pm
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Location: Carlsbad, California, USA
That Cheetah roadster is very interesting. Is it produced for a particular chassis?

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


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PostPosted: September 29, 2016, 10:14 pm 
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Location: Omaha, Nebraska
1600 pounds is extremely light for a car with a SBC and heavy-duty running gear. That's 500 pounds of engine, 150 pounds of trans, and 200 pounds of wheel/tire you've got there. The C4 IRS is not a lightweight setup either.

Very cool that you'll manage to get it balanced as well. Should be a fun ride.

-Graveyard

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PostPosted: September 30, 2016, 12:52 am 
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Your work and your car are an inspiration to me, as it is to many others here.
stinger wrote:
I'm gone until Oct 3rd selling a product that I invented at a large fair.
I admire your focus. Even with Ritalin taking the edge off my ADD, whenever I'm at large fairs, I get too distracted to invent anything--much less invent something worth selling.

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


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