LocostUSA.com

No drama, I'm waiting for Dave to login and straighten it up, he's just not around a whole lot...
I didn't say that I'm leaving the site, but thanks for the warm request

Moti

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Moti

My R1 powered Locost build log

Visit the Blackbird Fabworx Facebook Page!

Perspectives being what they are, I'm afraid Moti's seven is on the porky side... I wish we had a good ROTFLMAO emoticon. No disrespect intended at all actually. I think I've seen pictures of UK locosts that came in under 900 lbs. That would take some real effort.

I used to practice wheel to fender with stock cars and Corvettes etc. sitting on an aluminium fuel tank. These days they hardly let amateurs on the big oval at the local track...

We have prints for original sevens and posts that would give answers to the size increase of an SV or Locost, you just need to dig around. The original seven was small, I think 36 inches across the cockpit.

Try searching for "Prince blueprints" or some such and you should et some ideas and maybe pointers to better copies. Keep reading and ask some more questions. I think you can build these to the size you want.

I think the Seven and Caterham frames are more elegant then the Locost, but when all is said and done it may or may not matter much. It's a personal decision how much you value that as opposed to a car you can enjoy and drive around. It's up to you.

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Marcus Barrow - Car9 an open design community supported sports car for home builders!
SketchUp collection for LocostUSA: "Dream it, Build it, Drive it!"
Car9 Roadster information - models, drawings, resources etc.

He says, from one drama queen to another.

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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.

Without wanting to fan any flames I will also state that I think a V8 engined Locost is not really a Locost - it's more of a Hot Rod with simpler bodywork and a tube frame instead of twin rails. To me (and I'm confident the vast majority of builders here in Australia and probably the UK would concur) anything over about 750kg (1650lb) is getting pretty darn lardy for a Locost. You can't put a heavy V8 in a Locost and keep its essential character anymore than you could put a 2 litre twin cam four into a Corvette and keep its character! Locosts are meant to be small, light, and nimble - not lead tipped arrows

Anyway, returning to the original poster, I'll rephrase my question a bit:

What aspects of a Caterham are you hoping to emulate?
- If it's just the appearance then just modify the "book locost" dimensions to suit.
- If it's the handling then copying dimensions alone won't get you there. You'd need the same suspension components, wheels, tyres, spring rates, and damper settings as well as having something close to the same weight and weight distribution. Once you start changing major components you're off on your own for tuning the handling.

I think you need to properly quantify your needs and wants (e.g. are you intending to use the car for road only or track events?) before anyone can give useful answers.

Dominic

After pulling the "I'm going!" stunt himself not too long ago -

Yet somehow he got back after a couple months or so of not posting anything...

Some people's memories aren't that short...

Moti

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Moti

My R1 powered Locost build log

Visit the Blackbird Fabworx Facebook Page!

Can we get back to talking cars?

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Steve

Right on Dan. What's up with these guys that want to tell everybody else what "right" is ????

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Ray +402 chassis, 2.8 v6

Good question, I like the appearance of the Caterham (S3 chassis) more than the locost because of the smaller size etc. I don't care about making the handling EXACTLY like a Caterham though, I think that through IRS and good tuning my suspension setup would surpass that of a Caterham. I am more worried now about the dimensions of the car, later (I think) I can make the car outhandle a Caterham.

Please tell me if I am way off the mark! You know way more than I do.

Thanks
Joshua

I don't think you're way off the mark.
What will help you is to define the main use of the car.
Different environments call for different compromises, and it goes more than skin deep.

Let me give you an example for such compromise on a very basic item as your driver seat -

* If you built your car for street use you're likely to want some ride quality, so a seat with a reasonable amount of support and good cushion is the way to go.

* If you built your car for autoxing you're going to want the lightest weight possible so something like a go kart seat is a reasonable - it's supportive though not really comfortable but you're only going to drive it in anger some seconds at a time so who gives a damn..

* If you built your car for race track use you'll want to place safety high on your priorities.
Tracks have walls, elevation changes, other cars and plenty of other hazards that you'll deal with.
You'll need maximum support and maximum safety but also to be comfortable for a length of time of 20 minutes of hard hitting G-forces.
This calls for a good racing seat, and the more hard core you go (read spend more) the better you are.

This is just one example, there many more.
The thought process is an important part of the project, don't skimp on it just because you want to start building something..

Moti

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Moti

My R1 powered Locost build log

Visit the Blackbird Fabworx Facebook Page!

As Greg mentioned, i built one using all the "correct" parts other than the motor and gearbox. I can tell you one thing, trying to make one exact costs more than just making one that looks the same. As its been mentioned, go to http://www.diyse7ens.com and download the prince blueprints. They're a good starting point, as they will provide you with enough dimensions to make a car that looks like the real deal. As was discussed in another thread, there are some measurements that are questionable, but at least they're available on the open market.

Good luck with your build and send along any questions you might have.

Cheers,
Rod

Just a bit of perspective: We're all building cars. Most of us from scratch. We're all working on the same basic challenges:

1. Mount a powertrain
2. Get some sort of suspension to hold the car up
3. Find a place to sit
4. Plumb fuel, exhaust and coolant, route electricity
5. Make the car look nice.

Some of us are shooting for a super-lightweight car, some of us are shooting for crazy amounts of horsepower. Some of us even have the engines behind the seats!! But please remember that we're all building cars, mostly from scratch. And regardless of how much horsepower we have, or how light the car is, once we have built the car, we've accomplished something that very few have.

Personally, I've struggled with the whole lightweight thing. I figure that I'll build my +442 without much regard to weight, see how I like it, and if I'm so inclined, build another one that's better, faster, stronger, lighter, or more whatever-er than my first car. After all, even Caterham builds continuations of the Series 3, not the 1 or 2. We have several different engines in use here, and several different chassis sizes and layouts. But, honestly, I've learned stuff from the +442 Miata builders as well as stuff from mid-engined BEC builders.

So go on, build yourself a car, from scratch. That's a journey upon which few have embarked, and even fewer have finished. You'll be in pretty rare air.

To the OP: Yeah, check out your neighbor's Caterham, make sure you fit in it, and then adjust to suit your size and desired engine platform. I would recommend checking our Rust_bucket's build. His is 2" wider, and a whole lot shorter than the book dimensions--with a Miata engine. Square tubing is fine.

Still here? I understand you are or were a mod... can't you remove yourself?

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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/

Kurt and Moti - i respect the hell out of both of you guys, but please stop and let the OP's discussion continue. If you guys want to keep battling this out, do it over PM.

Ditto, especially the respect part because of your knowledge, but you guys need to know when to take it outside. please.

Tom

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Sometimes, I'm as confused as a baby in a topless bar.

My short term memory is absolutely horrible and so is my short term memory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG16m2e4O6I

Sorry about that other stuff. Occasionally some flamefest will happen that I'm later ashamed of, or suspect which raised my blood pressure. A good test of whether something should be posted is if I hover over the Enter key at all, or dread going back later to see what was said... all signs that I shouldn't have posted anything at all.

Anyway... back to the OP's post.

The most important thing to do is to sit in a Caterham, because some are very tight. Since you know someone with one I assume that you have and find the fit acceptable - this is very important. The only other issue is the chassis integrity. Some Lotus Seven chassiss would literally break, or at least crack. Presumably Caterham has solved that, though it might bear looking into.

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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/