LocostUSA.com

Okay I have been eyeballing the Locost for several months now. I've had some difficulty deciding on what combination to build upon. I have finally settled and already starting the buying process! I'm basing the front suspension on 2nd gen rx-7 spindles. I've tenatively bought a donor car, a 1990 RX-7 that's pretty complete but has a blown engine.

I don't care so much about the engine as I plan on using a 12a instead of the 13b. I've decided the only chance I'm really going to complete this project is to keep it as simple as possible. So carb'd it will be. Weber IDA, I even have the manifold already. I have an 84-85 GSL-SE rear end that I'll be using to keep the rear stick axle in line with the keep it simple principle.

The donor has 5 bolt wheels. I may have some custom axles made by moser, and redrill the rotors for the rear to match. Or I might swap somebody for 4 bolt 2nd gen hubs and keep the rear stock. Lots of thinking here to do.

The origination for the 12a is from a friend (who's also providing the GSL-SE rear). I have quite a bit of 12a parts laying about, and I'll do a fresh rebuild with a street port. Probably the first thing I'll do before building the frame just to have something to test fit.

That is pretty much it for now. Obviously I haven't really done any 'building' yet, but the wheels (lame pun intended) are in motion. I'll be posting regular updates here, as well we my website at http://www.everysky.com (personal plug )

dale

I now have a donor car, and a 12a street port engine. Yay. Updates and photos here: http://everysky.com/category/hobbies/cars/locost/

dale

Looks like a good start Phooka

Congrats

The weather here has turned sorry. Rain.. cold.. they are threatening SNOW!!! Arrgh.. I dunno how you canucks and others north can stand it.

I'm hoping it dries up enough, and the wind drops below 150mph so I can get some MDF and 2x4's for this coming weekend. Next for me is the work table! Anybody have any good pix of what they have done? I have one hell of a back problem so I need things to be at a level I don't need to bend much. Tips are appreciated

dale

some tips:

1 - make sure the table stays level/flat. when you build your table make it with 2 3/4" sheets screwed together and 2x4's running along the bottom, front to back and side to side.n (add 2x4's after you have layed out the car on it.

2 - use 4" long pieces of 2x4 as supports for the frame, on smaller frame rails use 1x2's

3 - make sure that your lines are straight and true, that your angles are right

4 - Use small pices of aluminum under your joints where you will weld so that your table doesnt catch fire (I wish I would have done this myself)

5 - 90 degree triangle magnets will make your uprights stay upright until you try and weld them, then they will warp slightly

6 - use a hole saw to drill 2" holes in your table and use longer wood clamps to hold the upper frame rails in place

Thats all I can think of for now, but if you dont understand anything I wrote here let me know I can try and clarify

Still needs leveling. It's screwed together with deck screws, so if need be I can easily move boards around.

I have new parts!





More photos here:

http://www.everysky.com/photos/v/cars/locost/

can you post up other photos of the nosecone, more specifically from the side, and inside, also who made it?

More photos here of the nose http://www.everysky.com/photos/v/cars/locost/nose/

I bought it from coveland.

dale

nice, what is the size relationship to a cmc nossecone.

Also i can tell that the 2 cutouts on the top rails are for the headlighs, but I'm guessing that you made the ones at the bottom by the front? for suspension?

cone is supposidly based on 'stock'. How you see it in the photos is how I received it. I haven't done anything to it.

dale

I bought steel today. Much more than I need I think. Local steel place doesn't care round tubing stock. Weird. I have an online place that is in KY I might try (I'm lazy).

https://www.metalsdepot.com/index.phtml Anybody ever use them?

dale

Where did you get the adapters for the rod-end?

If you don't mind me asking what did you pay for your RHS tubing?

http://www.midwestcontrol.com/