LocostUSA.com

Good morning everyone,

So I’m debating on making myself a Locost. The Donor is a Datsun b210, and if I go through with it all I want the weight to be extremely low. And I want the car to be extremely simple. Hopefully 1000lbs. The engine in these cars, an A12 is extremely light, the transmission and rear axle as well. Very lightweight with a 145mm ring gear.

I have a lot of upgrades for the engine and car already. I want the front to be based on a solid axle so that I can run a very simple steering and suspension setup. Ultimate performance is not the goal. Simple to setup and simple to handle is the goal.

With the anemic power plant and light weight I plan to modify a “book” chassis and reduce weight in a few areas. And add a few extra things to make it slightly more comfortable and quiet (floor reinforcement)
I have 10” wheels for the car that just barely clear the brakes and I would like to use them as well.

So the question is,
What locating and suspension method would be very lightweight and simple. My mind keeps going to the tried and true transverse leaf. It would be situated in front of the crank pulley in between the engine and the radiator.
Are there any decent lever shocks available?
I’m hoping for about 6” of wheel travel.
I’m also hoping for a high front roll center to keep the front level when cornering and soft over expansion joints etc.

Thoughts?

Six inches of wheel travel and light weight are probably conflicting requirements with a transverse leaf spring. Coil-overs would give you a better shot at it but they would need to be REALLY long. Six inches of wheel travel may be extraordinarily big for a road going vehicle in any event. Ordinary IFS might be simpler and even lighter in the end, with care. But that is speculation on my part.

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Warren
Isuzu Pickup/SR20DE, +401 COLD frame
Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11601

The transverse leaf goes against the lightweight theme also. Better would be Coilovers. There's a reason that lever action shocks are rare these day. For even less weight, look at torsion bars. For inspiration, check out sprint cars and midget racers. That's one place that "lightweight and simple" are the rule rather than the exception. It sounds like an interesting project, keep us posted!!!

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Mike - Read my story at http://twinlakesseven.blogspot.com/

I was thinking 6” didn’t seem like much!? Haha! I’ve seen locosts often run 4” which is hard to imagine! I read that F1 teams were complaining about having only 5” or something once.

I figured if it only weighs 1200~ with me in it... I’d run a pretty soft mono leaf up front (stock rear from the Datsun maybe? Weighs probably 20-25lbs)

It definitely doesn’t need to have great geometry. I just want all 4 wheels squared up and for it not to have bad roll steer. Letting tire compound do the work!

Cat daddy
I think you missed a decimal point, on the 5" . The F-1 was .5" if lucky.
The B-210 should be a really good donor for a Locost.
Before you jump off the deep end spend some time reading different suspension design books.
In the long run you will save time, $$$, and have a much more enjoyable car.
Any of these will be worth the effort.
Race and Rally Source by Allen Staniforth is excellent
Race Car chassis by Forbes Aird
Chassis Engineering by Herb Adams
New Directions in Suspension Design by Colin Campbell; more advance but actually compares all the different types of systems.
These are probably the best out of the 15 or so design books that I have.
What is your location? The crew here can be very helpful, and possibly close by.
Davew

Let's make sure we're all talking the same thing here too. Six inches of wheel travel can be interpreted two ways. A combined 6 inches of bump and droop, or just 6 of just bump. The former would be entirely reasonable for one of these cars, the latter not so much.

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-Justin

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