LocostUSA.com

I thought you'd built a traditional Locost first and therefore would be a good resource to see the differences. I'm expecting we'll see more and more of these exoskeleton cars/trikes so I was wanting to get a head start on the learning curve.

I got another kitchen pass last weekend and started on the triangles, still have a bunch more bracing yet to do but thought I better set the engine in place and see if anything could pull double duty (brace and mount)
If I had knows these R1's were this small I would have bought two I bet its not 150 to 175lbs!
PooK

Hey guy's I need some help, I know how important triangulation is (something I didnt do much of on the first build) but I belive I could triangulate myself out of a place to sit if I keep going!
this is what I keep coming up with in the back, It just looks like to much???? any help would be appreciated....
PooK

I'm no expert but that does appear to be a lot of tubing going on back there. What is the target weight for the chassis?

-Hong

no real target as much as safe and rigid, I'm guessing the weight right now at 80lbs (This is based on my ability to lift it and could be more or less) I'm with you though seems like A LOT of tubing, thats why I was hoping to get some help to omit the non essential sections.
PooK

Have you ever seen footage of the 1950's Indy cars when they crashed? Nothing absorbed any energy....if they ever started rolling,they kept flipping forever.

Something needs to bend if "stuff happens". Protect drivers compartment, but let something else give.

VERY TRUE! I think I've got it figured out but held off till the rear susp is in so I can tie the shock mounts to the bracing.
I started on the swing arm and it's going pretty well except running 50 miles for a broken saw blade (cutting four swing arm braces back to back took its toll on the poor saw!)
PooK

I think you can get by with bigger triangles. You're going from the corners to the center, then you have a stress point in the center, so you have to do more triangles at that point. How about one tube from corner to opposite corner of each bay?

yeah that will prob work, I tend to over do things! I got to work on the swing arm a bit more today and even started on the jack shaft bracket and axle, the right side just gets a 1" bolt but the left uses a 1 inch axle that will double as the swing arm mount and the jack shaft axle.
Wish I could weld better... I can weld solid or pretty, just not both???? so I'm double passing everything and throwing pretty out the door! after all I plan to pump 250 plus ponies out of this mill (did I tell you I figured out what to do with all that extra space in the engine bay?) I got my hands on two mini spools!! little 600 to 700cc bike turbos I figure twins with about 5lbs of boost ought to work. I want to wheelie damn it!
PooK

That thing is amazing!

Thanks!
I played today and got the rear shocks mounted (well almost, still have the bracing to do) I'm getting about 2.5" up and down at the axle and the shocks travel 1" either way.
I used mid compression as my mount point. I still cant find a valid spring rate for these shocks but I'm sure they make others if these are wrong
PooK

Thought I better mount the engine and susp before I finish the bracing (wouldn't be the first time I had to cut something back off )
So far so good!
Wish I would have mounted the jackshaft mount more to the left....oh well.
I still have another tube that goes on the swing arm to help stop twisting but Im holding off because I think it'll double as the fender mount.??
PooK

Decided to take a break from the engine side and do something fun like mount the pedals (how you gonna make vroom vroom noises without pedals?)
PooK

uhhh use your mouth? lolololz

Yeah but having pedals increases vroom hp by like 50hp easy!...
If I could get the shifter in then it would go Whaaaa....whaaaaa....whaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! and thats like 100hp!
PooK