LocostUSA.com

Hi Guys,

I thought I ought to post up a little introduction of myself and also my Ideas/plans.

First off, a bit about me. I am a fabricator/welder by trade and I own my own business doing just that, I also teach a class at the local community college called "Principles of Fabrication". I have been into cars for as long as I can remember and have built/rebuilt a few over the years for myself, which is really how I got into fabrication in the first place. If you want you can check out some of my work on my website http://www.shadowwerx.com and check out the galleries.

Lately, the last 3 years or so, I have really wanted to build an entire car from scratch and the Locost 7 approach really appeals to me. However, I have to say that I am really not that into the style of the 7 cars and would like to apply some more of my metal shaping skills and build a full body as well. So, with that said, I really like the early Lola Mk1 cars and think I want to apply the locost approach to it by using a more readily available donor drivetrain and suspension parts. I happened on a Fiat 124 Spider that is a runner but needs quite a bit of attention, I really like the little Twincam engines used in these cars and I think it would do well in a very light car plus it has a 5 speed. The front uprights, hubs and brakes I think will work well as well. There is quite a few other parts that should come in handy as well. Something I am torn on though is that the original Lola Mk1 used independent rear suspension and the Fiat has a straight axle. It would probably be easier (and cheaper) to use the straight axle but it might be better/cooler to stick with the IRS. What do you guys think and what diff would you suggest?

I have looked at several builds here in the Non-Trad builders section the one that sticks out the most is CS3's Lotus 11 build but I also like the lalo build by Mr. McCornack. I really like that CS3 built a chassis that was close to the original 11 chassis and I would prefer to go more this route with mine and build close to the original MK1 chassis but the problem is that I can find very little in the way of chassis drawings and only a few pictures that I might be able to make drawings from. Would anyone know where I might find said drawings or do you think I should start from scratch and completely design around the parts I have and build a Lola MK1 "inspired" body?

Anywho, I have probably bored you enough with this long post but I look forward to hearing what you think and feel free to ask any questions that you might have.

Thanx,
Jaysin

When it comes to an independent rear suspension car, your best bet is the Miata. There's just so many of them and they are the right size/shape/proportion/availability they are great donor vehicles.

If you don't have your heart set on re-inventing the wheel.... you ought to check out the body and kits for the Kokopelli 11. In my mind the Lotus 11 had it all, way over the Lola!

You would be crazy to stray away from a complete standard driveline front to rear on your first build, you have enough work cut out for you without adding to it. 5 link rear ends can be made to handle just brilliantly and totally adjustable while always keeping maximum footprint on the deck so don't get led astray by the "independent is better" crowd.

Go to http://www.the-blueprints.com/search/ and punch in Lola and see how you go.

Glad to see someone not doing a Lotus but I bet the first person comes up to you and says "What model Lotus is that Mate?"

Hey Jaysin, welcome! Glad to see someone finally doing a Lola. I almost bought a Mk1 body before ultimately deciding on the 19. I say do it! You can get the Lola body from Curtis for $2000. Good luck!

Joe

Jaysin,
A Lola Mk 1 would be awesome. Like Joe said, Curtis does the body. I think i've got some Lola pics somewhere, failing that, if you can wait till June, there should be one at the local vintage races and i can take a ton of pics for you. Of course there is the book "Lola's First" dedicated to the mark 1. Also, there's a guy on ebaymotors.co.uk selling a Coventry Climax firepump (for a wee bit too much $$$), but he's "duplicated" a Mark 1 (with a very small part of an original chassis), so he might be a good contact for chassis pics/drawings. (ebay link: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LPP-FW-Coventry-Climax-Pump-Lola-Lotus-Brabham-Cooper-/180639834058?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2a0ef91fca.

Cheers,
Rod

Jaysin,

Welcome. How will you create the body? Wooden buck, wire shape, or from a fiberglass body?

I'm a shaping beginner currently planning a Porsche RS-60 build. I'm leaning toward a full wooden buck. Mainly because I think that hammer forming the tricky areas against the wood would be easier for me. I'd appreciate your thought process behind the body planning.

I have found two books about the RS-60 and downloaded 150 to 200 photos of the car from the net. You might be surprised how much info you can find if you spend some time. I will build a car with the dimensions of the original and use a 914 drivetrain. It will look authentic from the outside but will have IFS, IRS, wide-5 wheels, and 4-wheel disc brakes.

For your car, Miata components are readily available but the engine might be too tall for the body.

And how! I had to fudge the body some to get an 1100cc pushrod diesel in mine. Also you're going to find narrowing the Miata rear suspension will be a challenge (I believe...but might somebody here know a trick to it? Some interchangeable fwd half shafts or some such?)'

Jaysin,

I forgot I have that book. There are a lot of pics and chassis drawings. I think your shop is pretty close to me, so I can mail it to you if you want to borrow it.

Joe

Joe and Jaysin, please put me next on the loan list. I will take very good care of it, and won't eat any chili dogs while reading it. I'd like to see just how non-spec my Lalo is. I bet plenty non-spec...did they put any diesels in the Mk1?

Just a quick post here, I'm working. First I wanted to say thanx for all the replies. Second, CS3, I have an email out to the guy with the Climax we shall see what I get back, thanx for the link. I searched the blueprint site to no avail, lost of other Lola stuff but nothing for the MK1.

Joe, I would love to borrow your book and I would happily pay shipping both ways and take the best care of it while in my possession. I will PM you my address.

One of the reasons I am thinking that I might go with IRS is to match the 47 1/2" rear track width. The front will be easy to narrow but I am not sure that I would want to go through the trouble of narrowing a straight axle for the rear. IRS is easier to make the width I want, and it would be truer to the original Lola, but that doesn't mean straight axle is out of the question we will see as the plan starts to come together.

Back to work,
Jaysin

Jack,
I'll send my copy with the panels. I might be making a trip south sometime in the summer, so i could pick up from you then.

Jaysin,
Dont know if these are any help to you:





I've got a zip file somewhere of a Lola replica that someone was marketting a number of years ago. When i find it, i'll try to post it.

Cheers,
Rod

Wow everybody,

Thanx for all the support. I wasn't sure what kind of response I would get posting here about building something other then a Seven. It seems that many of you are in the same boat about full bodies that I am, the seven is intriguing but...

Jack, while I understand the height issue with such a low car as the Lola I have to say that most diesels are really tall to encompass the long strokes that diesels utilize. And really I am pretty set on using the engine and trans out of the Fiat that I already have, but wanted to know about donors for the IRS rear diffs.

On that note, has anyone used the rear differential out of a Subaru? They seem fairly small/light and I know they stand up fairly well to moderate power (more then the Fiat ever will put down) and they are well supported by the aftermarket with LSDs and gear sets (3.54, 3.9, 4.11, 4.44). Plus the last time I hit the junkyard there were 3 or 4 complete Subies there. Anyone?

Thanx again,
Jaysin

The Subaru diffs are good for this use. They are 10 lbs. lighter then the Miata seems to be the gist from one of our threads. I think their shape lends them to easier use for us. They have a longer nose, which isn't very wide and they do not have the wide main supports (wings) the Miata has.

The Subaru diff is actually the Datsun/Nissan R160 or R180 depending on which model, R160 will take the FIAT power no problem and the R180 will take serious upgrades. You will find the whole setup quite easy to fit as it's all attached to the one main crossmeber and a small sub member for the rear of the diff and the first gen ('74 to '78) Subaru DL Station Wagons (R160 actually made by Nissan too) were quite narrow track so that may be a winner for you. I have one track listing as 48" but you had better confirm that yourself, I take no responsibility for that.

Theres more than one live rear end for the FIAT, maybe a 124 sedan or early AC or BC 124 Coupes as they had a quite narrow track thats besides the many other choices of live rear ends.

This is a Datsun 610 R160 which is similar to the Subaru setup and as you can see is very low line ..