LocostUSA.com

Hello

While this isn't a Locost I wanted to share my mid engine build progress and get some feedback.

The project is a 2.5 seat, longitudinally oriented mid engine, tube frame car with a fiberglass body. I'm just getting started on construction after spending a few years on design and modeling.

I have a website with photos and details at: http://opencarproject.org

I'm going to be hosting all of the 3d models, plans, schematics and instructions at that site.

I'll bite, what's a 1/2 seat?

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mobilito ergo sum
I drive therefore I am

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

I'm planning on having three seats but the one behind the passenger will be cramped. The back seat passenger will have to put their feet beside the front seat and the rear firewall will be contoured around the engine to some degree. I will also mount the alternator and pumps on the left side for this to work.

I actually haven't cleared it with the structural/mechanical inspectors i'm working with yet but I want three seats just in case I need them. Ill lengthen the car worst case to make it work too...

So like.. some gaffed up version of an s10 jump seat?

I can dig it.

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Tucker

I can't see a typical home builder completing that body in glass/epoxy or glass/polyester from the buck on your website.

That is a boatload of work. Pretty model, but a boatload of work.

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Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

It essentially just looks like a Locost Ferrari 458, no?

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Tucker

I can think of a number of builds here that showed the skill and patience to make this body. Typical home builder no, but some here could. Airframefixer's build comes to mind.

I'm curious about the drive components. A mid engine V8 isn't what I think of for low cost. Is there a donor that the drive can be taken from or is this going to be a V8 on a Porsche transaxle or the like?

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My car viewtopic.php?f=37&t=16434
1930s Style Sports Car viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16888

I was thinking AFF , Moti / Blackbird, or Jack

Not many others come to mind.

Now if you get those models to a glass specialist and cough up 15k-25k to get molds built. There may be a market for $4k bodies

_________________
Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

@1055 Yeah pretty much a jump seat but it will be front facing. Yeah it's like a Locost Ferrari although I am changing the model so that is going to be different than a Ferrari. I don't want it to be a replica. I'm also going to be spending money on a few things like front windshield and nice wheels so it's not strictly budget first.

@TooBusy There are a lot of unknowns still around the construction method the finish quality so Ill have to try a few things. I'm working on 1/5th scale body models at the moment to experiment with the mold and lay up process. I'm on a second version and there will be many more before full scale. It will probably take a long time.

@Run87k Yup, it's going to be a Chevy 350 mounted to a Boxster S transaxle. I'm going to get a custom plate to mate the two along with a flex plate flywheel to use the Porsche clutch. I'll be paying an engineering shop for that because my CNC router can't do steel. I could have grabbed a cheaper drive chain but I just want a longitudinal V8 in the thing.

The best luck I've ever had with complex 3d shapes has been wood strip with glass / epoxy

Some of my canoes had a lot of reverse curve. 3/4 x 1/4 strips took a while to lay up, but very little time with the long board to make smooth.







I was about 30 seconds away from building a buck for the bonnet on my R1 project before I got the aluminum to cooperate.

_________________
Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

Seems like we had a thread recently on wooden cars.......

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My car viewtopic.php?f=37&t=16434
1930s Style Sports Car viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16888

Vroom has a nice buck for his little Ferrari.

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My car viewtopic.php?f=37&t=16434
1930s Style Sports Car viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16888

I guess the "wider stance" will come from a different wheel offset, since the c5 has transverse leaf springs.

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Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

Right. I'm just using the C5 control arms but still have to find suitable coil suspension. I have taken the C5 mount points and moved them out slightly wider to fit the new chassis/body. I won't be using leaf springs.

Moving the suspension point also shifts the RC height, if you care.

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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/