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Learning how to build Lotus Seven replicas...together!
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PostPosted: November 16, 2022, 7:35 am 
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What are the rules? If there won't be bumpers, I'd shorten the horns to fit inside the body. Could always extend the bumper tabs inside versus the horns sticking out. These rails are much wider than a jeep as is the track.
If there will be bumpers, once you decide on a design, trim the skin back that will be completely hidden by the bumper. I'm thinking 2 inch pipe or 2x3 14ga with slant cut ends with the top one inch vertical cut and boxed.
If there will be fenders hiding the inner fender, I'd leave it as long as practical. Also leave a 1/2 inch on the straight edges to bend a flange to make it more rigid.
The spare, tag and lights will completely fill the back panel. You might look at a suzuki vitara spare hard cover.
Here is an old pic of my dj for comparison to "normal".


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360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
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McSorley 442:122x46x14
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PostPosted: November 17, 2022, 12:56 am 
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Miatav8,MstrASE,A&P,F wrote:
What are the rules? If there won't be bumpers, I'd shorten the horns to fit inside the body. Could always extend the bumper tabs inside versus the horns sticking out. These rails are much wider than a jeep as is the track.
If there will be bumpers, once you decide on a design, trim the skin back that will be completely hidden by the bumper. I'm thinking 2 inch pipe or 2x3 14ga with slant cut ends with the top one inch vertical cut and boxed.
If there will be fenders hiding the inner fender, I'd leave it as long as practical. Also leave a 1/2 inch on the straight edges to bend a flange to make it more rigid.
The spare, tag and lights will completely fill the back panel. You might look at a suzuki vitara spare hard cover.
Here is an old pic of my dj for comparison to "normal".

Thanks mate! I think I'll be going for a bumper like you describe, angled ends similar to old MB Jeeps. I can probably shorten the chassis a little more, it used to be ~300mm longer, but with a bumper it probably doesn't matter. I want to use a bumper so I can put a tow hitch tied back to the main rear crossmember.

Fair point on leaving the rear panel longer, it will be covered by the bumper and all the ancillaries on the back anyway.

Unfortunately I don't really have the tools to make a neat 90 degree fold along the panels and I haven't left the panels long enough to do so :( but I am planning on making a steel 20x20 square tube frame that follows along the top of the body panels to hopefully stiffen it all up. I think it will also look better and closer to how the originals had that fully folded over top edge.

I wish I had an enclosed body like that pic, but by having the car open I can escape all our regulations regarding windscreens, demisters, wipers, anti intrusion door bars, etc. which makes it much cheaper to get on the road.

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PostPosted: December 4, 2022, 9:17 pm 
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I've made a start on the top rail around the body to stiffen up the flat panels and get rid of the sharp edge along the top. I don't have a tube bender (and bending square tube never ends up perfect) so I'm trying out this method.

Image

I'm still not sure how well this will work, but I don't have any 1.6mm sheet to make up the bends.

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Hopefully with careful welding it won't warp too much... Worst case I can cut out the corners and fabricate a bent piece from sheet metal.

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I also mocked up the bug catcher scoop I've had for many years.

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I think even though I'm going turbocharged I'll make an air intake which sits on top of the engine with this scoop over the top.

Is it really a hot rod if it doesn't have 3 big butterfly intakes on top? :lol:

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PostPosted: December 29, 2022, 1:25 am 
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Just messing around this morning with my M122 supercharger to see how it would look and to confirm just how difficult it would be to fit to the 1UZ.

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It has an integrated water to air intercooler and would make more than enough power for me, but the fabrication required would be far more difficult than a turbo setup.

So, I put together some radiator mounts:

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They'll probably need to be shortened about 40mm once I've drilled the mounting holes, then I'll round the ends over. I also made sure to leave just enough room to access this power steering bolt.

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I think I have another free day tomorrow so I'll try to get the holesaw I need and make the intercooler lower mounts as well.

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PostPosted: December 29, 2022, 8:10 am 
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Have you already chosen a radiator? How much room is there between the rails and vertically? It looks like you could have a much larger area rad by reworking the rack lines, putting a 2 inch thick core in front of the rack with the core tilted back a few degrees, leaving more room for accessory access and a more efficient puller fan.

The brackets can attach with 3/8 blind nut plates welded into the rail boxing so it all comes off if necessary for access. You could just drill holes large enough to clear the nuts, then weld the plates on top of the boxing.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12


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PostPosted: December 29, 2022, 10:11 pm 
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Miatav8,MstrASE,A&P,F wrote:
Have you already chosen a radiator? How much room is there between the rails and vertically? It looks like you could have a much larger area rad by reworking the rack lines, putting a 2 inch thick core in front of the rack with the core tilted back a few degrees, leaving more room for accessory access and a more efficient puller fan.

The brackets can attach with 3/8 blind nut plates welded into the rail boxing so it all comes off if necessary for access. You could just drill holes large enough to clear the nuts, then weld the plates on top of the boxing.

Thanks mate, the radiator is already purchased, being one of the cheapest and most available aftermarket aluminium radiators in available to me with the outlets in the correct locations ($90 AUD brand new). It fits in between the frames with ~20mm each side but there is HEAPS of room above it to go taller... however I have no doubt this radiator will have zero issues cooling the turbo V8, it is nearly 50mm thick and a similar size to what I've used before on LS1 swaps.

There is also a lot of space between accessories and the radiator for an electric puller fan, I think the pictures are a bit deceiving. It should become clearer when I fit the radiator, it will be located towards the front of those brackets :D

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PostPosted: January 15, 2023, 6:56 pm 
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New toy day this weekend!

Image

Nothing too exciting, but this should be a vast improvement for cutting timber over the jigsaw I've been using.

I also finished the lower radiator mounts on the hot rod

Image

Also finished off the rear bumper mount crush tubes

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Then I bolted on the front shocks, wheels and sat the supercharger on top to wheel the car out into the sunshine

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It definitely helps with motivation to take a step back and look at the project as a whole. Unfortunately I need to put the hot rod on the trailer for the next ~6 weeks while we get our bathrooms redone, but I'll be trying to do some CNC projects on the weekends.

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PostPosted: January 16, 2023, 9:04 am 
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Looking good. :cheers:

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Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12


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PostPosted: February 2, 2023, 6:23 pm 
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Miatav8,MstrASE,A&P,F wrote:
Looking good. :cheers:

Thanks mate, I really appreciate you following along and commenting! :D

Over the next 4-5 weeks we are having our bathrooms redone and the space in the garage is needed for storage... so the hot rod needs to go back on the trailer :cry:

Getting it up the driveway was simple, I just chained it to the tow bar of our Mazda and dragged it up, but then pushing it the ~25m to the trailer was a mission.

Image

I thought because it was downhill slightly I'd have issues with the car running away from me, so I neglected to pump up the front tyres before I started.

Image

This was a mistake, it was really difficult to push in the soft grass.

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But I got it done! Now I just have to tarp it to protect it from the elements - not sure it even has spark plugs in the engine so definitely don't want it to get rained on.

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I must say it's nice to see that without a car in the space I actually have a reasonable amount of room to move around :lol: I'll give the place a big clean after the bathrooms are done before I bring the hot rod back down.

I'm staying at my parents place while the bathrooms are being redone, but hopefully I can make it back on a few of the weekends to play with my homemade CNC machine - I've nearly got all the kinks worked out.

So far I've half made an Aztec calendar before the machine had an issue... pretty ambitious first thing to cut on a totally unproven machine
Image

And made a board game called iso-path:
Image

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PostPosted: March 19, 2023, 10:36 pm 
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I ended up putting plugs in the engine and tarping over it, so although the rest of the car has a bit more rust on it than when it last left the garage, it's now back where work can resume.

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~4 weeks away from baby due date so I'm not sure how much progress I'll be able to make in the short term, but I'll continue plugging away at it slowly when I have free time.

In other news I've replaced our daily driver 2012 Mazda 2 with a 2013 Fiesta ST.

Image

It's put a lot of fun back into my days commuting to work and I'm looking forward to a few track days hopefully later this year.

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PostPosted: March 20, 2023, 1:33 am 
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I think everyone should have an Aztec calendar or two to hand, how did yours turn out? The mighty fiesta is very sensible and fun choice, I wore out my mk1 in what seems like a previous life, small and nimble is a good way to travel.


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PostPosted: March 20, 2023, 9:36 am 
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Mazda2 to FiST should make daily driving a bit more exciting.
I briefly looked for one, but they're still commanding a premium around here.

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PostPosted: March 21, 2023, 3:48 pm 
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Grab a copy of FORScan and an adapter cable, so much tweaking! :cheers:


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PostPosted: March 21, 2023, 3:58 pm 
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300D50 wrote:
Grab a copy of FORScan and an adapter cable, so much tweaking! :cheers:

Yup!
Have played around with it in all my Fords
16 F150
13 Flex
18 Expedition Max
20 Explorer

Easy mode with the taggles is, well easy.
Changing the actual code, I only venture to use the tested & confirmed changes.

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PostPosted: March 21, 2023, 4:16 pm 
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Did you get the lifetime license option before they pulled the plug?


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