LocostUSA.com

So would there be general interest in developing aluminum nosecone for the seven?

Would YOU be interested? Do you think others would be interested?

The price would be about double a fiber glass nosecone! (estimate)
(Still interested?)

I am going to build a buck for a McSorely+ 442 nosecone...I will post my results here.

An Aluminum scuttle too...

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I'll keep an eye out for you!

To err is human...
I am more human than most.

I have heard the number of manhours involved in making an aluminum nosecone. I doubt you can do it for double the price of the fiberglass one. If you do, congrats, but the entire thing is compound panels.

CAre to elaborate?

How many man hours do you think?

How many peices do you think?

About how many manhours?

Curious before I leap into a mini project...

Do you think a "buck" would be helpfull?

_________________
I'll keep an eye out for you!

To err is human...
I am more human than most.

well, I can't find the article, but it was buy a locost body part manufacturer. I forget which one. Basically they said that the nose would take about 10 times he number of hours of the aluminum fenders. I think it was a post by someone from coveland motorsports. I think they said 8 hours per fender and 80 hours for their nosecones and expect the prices to be according to that.

So the aluminum fenders are what??? $250 so expect maybe $2500 for the nose.... I seem to recall that was their estimate, but search. I know there are a couple of sites from people who tried, and then in later entries of the build log they put a fiberglass nose on the car.

http://www.coveland7.com

Those guys sell custom sized aluminum fenders and I've heard them say they planned an aluminum nosecone. I'm ready to agree with Calvin and say it'll be big bucks ... (no pun intended) ... but the fenders look very nice.

-Steve

Agreed, they are gorgeous. I think if I were to consider and aluminum nosecone (which I am not), I would build the car with a fiberglass one, start driving it, etc and then try the nose as an upgrade later when I had all the other problems worked out.

But I might instead put the effort into a set of carbon fiber parts. I loved the way this car looked:

http://www.highrpm.net/photos/displayim ... m=33&pos=2

with CF parts. But considering I want to autocross whatever I finally build. I like the strength (read pylon resistance) the stronger fenders might offer.

Just personal tastes.

mmm.. carbon fiber. looks particularly nice on locost. me wants.

dale

I don't remember that guy's name, but he homebuilt those CF parts. He was from PA if I remember right...... I could probably get a contact if you remind me some time.

I wanna a monocromatic midcost with "sunrise red" accents.... and aluminum buckets (seats) with red roll bar and red highlighted rims.

Carbon fiber smells too much like money.....maybe three months I will check my mexicali (mexico) contacts for lower labor costs. A sheet of Aluminum is $65ish dollars..the rest would be labor. The average factory worker makes $100 dollars per week. Semi skilled labor depends on experience varies....

_________________
I'll keep an eye out for you!

To err is human...
I am more human than most.

Hey we already hate you because of your favorable climate. Don't further taunt us with your access to cheap skilled immigrant labor.

Seriously though I think you can get CF parts MUCH cheaper than aluminum. Especially the Nosecone. If you seriously want to have a one off aluminum one made you need to look to the aircraft industry for help. Making an AL nosecone for a single engine aircraft will be very similar in process to making one for your Midcost. They are made by annealing and forming smaller pieces of aluminum and then tigging them together. It is a very tedious process from what I've seen.

I found some prices on the Caterham site:

A76101 "NOSE CONE - aluminum, S3" "$2,923.20
F76101CF NOSE CONE - carbon fiber "$1,253.00

translation
option one harm leg and testicle and a half....
option two Arm and leg....

Damned that more than i wanna pay.....(with either option)

_________________
I'll keep an eye out for you!

To err is human...
I am more human than most.

On page 181 of the book there is a page of an aluminum nosecone that someone made. It looks a little different that typical, but could be made fairly easily by someone with a fair amount of metal working skills. It gives a little different look that some might like (I'd prefer the stock nose, but to each their own).

Cutting cardboard.....wetting it and bending it to shape.....

Cutting cardboard.....wetting it and bending it to shape.....

Cutting cardboard.....wetting it and bending it to shape.....

Hmmmmmm.......ideas, ideas, ideas.

Cardboard and posterboard are not Aluminum!!!!.....(no even close). To be honest the process scares AND excites me. I am thinking of a wooden buck with a metal subframe using reuseale (rivet type joints to hold the annealed aluminum into place) and then tack it together. (maybe welding in on the buck to prevent distorsion......


In my minds eye I see it clear but I have yet to make my first cut for the BUCK.

Calvin I saw that nose cone and I think it is a good first attempt....
I was thinking about something like this.....

Found at....
http://members.aol.com/COUPECHUCK/front-end.htm
NO WAY I am this guy.....but everyone starts somewhere.

VERY inspirational site!!!

_________________
I'll keep an eye out for you!

To err is human...
I am more human than most.

You will need a hammer and a shot bag. They anneal the aluminum and then hammer it over the shot bag to create the 3D shapes until they lay flat on the buck. I saw a pretty good website detailing this process not long ago. I'll see if I can dig it up for you.

two of my most enjoyable aluminum forming websites are these....


one guy builds a Cobra Coupe with bucks and aluminum ....

http://members.aol.com/COUPECHUCK/

and another guy build a Austin martin DB1

http://www.dbr1.com/making_01.htm

both offer a good veiw on the process.....


not quite to scale though....

_________________
I'll keep an eye out for you!

To err is human...
I am more human than most.