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My Locost dream started back in 2001. Right about the time that CMC started advertising their basic frame kits in Grassroots Motorsports. That peaked my interest and I began to research the subject. I bought “the book” and read it cover to cover several times. Along the way I began to search for donor vehicles and powerplants. One of my first directions was using a 1st gen RX-7 as a complete donor. A friend had one of those that had been sitting (and not running) for a few years. He was willing to let it go cheap. Once I started researching the cost (and potential cost) of rebuilding a rotary, I was kind of turned off to the whole thing. Then another friend told me of a ’81 Corolla that his brother had that I could acquire for merely a case of beer. Well, that was easy enough, so I went and picked up the car. So that is it right?...read on…
I stripped the corolla down and pulled the 3TC and T-50 trans out of it along with anything else of value that I could use and quickly disposed of the carcass. The 3TC did not seem sexy enough, but I liked the idea of Toyota power. I happened across a guy that was selling the original 4AGE out of an MR2 and picked that up. It was considered one of the best little 4-cylinder engines for a seven type car at the time. Since I wanted disk brakes all the way around and a limited-slip diff, I happened across a 1st gen RX-7 rear that had both and picked that up. Another friend gave me a set of Mustang II spindles (for the price of simply pulling them off of the car) and now I had a good pile of parts to start with. Now all I needed was a kit.
In December of 2001 my wife and I picked up the CMC Stage 1 kit from the closest freight terminal and the journey officially began. Initially, CMC priced the stage 1 kits pretty cheap. Just over $2k got a frame, fiberglass, suspension bits, and most all the other steel parts on the car…shipped. Quickly I learned that it was not going to be an “easy” project. I was a little disappointed in the quality of the kit (get what you pay for…right) and some things did not fit too well. Additionally, the kit was based on “the book” which was based on a car that we can’t get in the USA. The parts that I had chosen were not going to work out well with those pieces either. It was probably a good thing, as I started discovering a few things about the design that made me want to rework a few things anyway.
The basic frame was good, but both the front and rear suspensions needed to have some redesign to work with the components that I had chosen to use and for additional strength. I strengthened the frame in a couple of places and angled the side rails to look more like the original seven as well. When I started this project, I was still shopping for welders and did not anticipate that much fabrication along the way…boy was I wrong. J
Over the next few years, I dabbled at the car bit by bit. It seemed that life and other interests kept getting in the way. If I had the money, I did not have the time…if I had the time, I did not have the money. And so on, and so forth. A project that should have taken a couple of years takes just over five…
Sometime during 2003 I got a chance to ride in a Locost that was powered by a Yamaha R1 motorcycle engine. It was one of the coolest things I had done in a long time, and it really opened my eyes to the whole BEC thing. The car was a rocket and we pretty much owned everyone that was sharing the track with us. When I discovered that I could shed over 200lbs of weight, 160hp, have a 6-speed sequential gearbox and buy a low mileage engine for less than it would cost to rebuild my 4AGE, I was sold. A fuel injected 2003 Yamaha R1 engine was purchased along with all the bits to run it with only 900 miles on it. A bike engine in a seven makes it close to being a sports racer, but with bad aero. J
The last year or so has seen me pretty dedicated to the project. Honestly, other than going to the track, I have sworn off all other interests until the car was done. And now it is about as “done” as it is going to get. It may be done, but there is plenty more work ahead. Now the car will enter the development stage and I will get to see weather or not my assumptions and designs are right or still need some more work. Also, I (hopefully) get to enjoy the car for a while. I enjoy the building, but dang it, I want to drive it!
Building this car has been a great experience. When I started it, one of the goals was for it to be a learning experience. It has definitely been that and more and I consider myself the better for it. Would I do it again? Yes!
Some folks ask “do you have any regrets?” or “would you do anything different?” I don’t have too many regrets because I feel that I did the best I could with the knowledge that I had along the way. If I would have gone back and redesigned every time I learned something new…the car would not even be close to being done right now. If I were starting fresh today, things would be very different based on what I know now vs. then. What would I do different? I would probably do IRS. I feel more comfortable about that design now as compared to when I started the car. I would probably use a Miata as a total donor (might still use a bike engine though). The Miata is probably the best single US donor for a Locost as far as I can see. Lastly, I would build from scratch and probably from a clean sheet of paper. I think that the end result would be even better.
Well, that is my story. Thanks for reading, and thanks for choosing me for BOTM. I feel honored to be in here with the quality cars that have already graced this section.
Take care,
-Jeff Underwood
Click on photos to see larger version.
For more information on his build see Jeff's website:
http://www.project-seven.goof.com/