LocostUSA.com

Thanks, Ron. It is a major milestone. But a little intimidating at the same time. I'll need to reorganize the garage, tear the assembly down, store all the stuff and setup a functional rotisserie/workspace. Then in addition to lots of finish welding, floors and a diffuser will be added plus some filler panels on the dash Terry hoop. (Did I over state "completes the fabbing" )

That should complete the "kit." Then I can begin building a kit car.

So maybe that puts me at 80% completed with only 80% left to do.

Happy Holidays All!

_________________
Cheers, Tom

My Car9 build: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=14613
"It's the construction of the car-the sheer lunacy and joy of making diverse parts come together and work as one-that counts."
Ultima Spyder, Northstar 4.0, Porsche G50/52

Between the holidays and a cold garage progress has slowed down a bit. So moved to the inside shop and some warmth. Added the rivets to the boot cover, smoothed up the bullnosed corners and gave it a Scotch Brite (white) rubdown with a little WD40 for lube and detailer spray wax for a finish.
Time to move the boot cover to storage. Then start taking other panels off, padding them up and putting them in storage, too. The dismantling has begun, albeit slowly.

The inside shop time also gave me a chance to finally start on a nosecone grill insert. It was on the list for last winter.
Once some brazing rods arrive I'll glue that together and have something to show.

_________________
Cheers, Tom

My Car9 build: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=14613
"It's the construction of the car-the sheer lunacy and joy of making diverse parts come together and work as one-that counts."
Ultima Spyder, Northstar 4.0, Porsche G50/52

Very nice job on the boot Tom.

Yeah I never really counted how may times a person assembles and takes apart on these builds but it's a lot.

You'll be grinning when you'll be telling us about 'final assembly'

_________________
Perry

'If man built it, man can fix it'
"No one ever told me I couldn't do it."
"If you can't build it safe, don't build it."

Perry's Locost Super Che7enette Build
Perry's TBird Based 5.0L Super 7 L.S.O
Perry's S10 Super 7 The 3rd
Perry's 4th Build The Topolino 500 (Little Mouse) Altered
Perry's 5th Build the Super Slant 6 Super 7
Perry's Final Build the 1929 Mercedes Gazelle

Looks fantastic Tom! and you won't be surprised to hear that I like the dull finish the white Scotch Brite leaves

_________________
Peace, Ron

Really like that boot cover, as I think I said previously.

Wrap it in a marine vinyl, or something that can withstand the elements & it's a winner.

_________________
1975 MG Midget
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=24382
13B Powered Rotus Geauxkart
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=20899

Definitely, a real craftsman works here. A fine job!

_________________
Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

Thanks for the kind words, all. Most of the panels are now off and stored. Sure are a bunch of them.

As I dig deeper into 9 years of building I've uncovered a few items that I must have decided to get to later. Trying to get those completed during dis-assembly so final assembly goes quicker. Also making a list of all the fastener types/sizes I'll need and get them in-house. Storage space is becoming a problem, too.

The chassis needs to be put on the floor to pull the drivetrain. I had hoped to have a major vroom-vroom session then with all the panels, etc. in place. But since it will be stripped down, serious vroom-vrooming will have to wait until after final assembly.

Onward into the wayback machine.

_________________
Cheers, Tom

My Car9 build: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=14613
"It's the construction of the car-the sheer lunacy and joy of making diverse parts come together and work as one-that counts."
Ultima Spyder, Northstar 4.0, Porsche G50/52

A cold garage and some wet and snowy weather put a hold on the disassembly process and I moved inside to do a craft project—making the grill insert.

So some brake line got chopped up, bent up and brazed together in a shamelessly adaptation of Shevalev’s grill concept -- widened and shortened to fit my modified nosecone opening. Botbasher’s stainless steel “7” emblem provided the template for the centerpiece.
Mounting studs still need to be brazed onto the backside of the grill insert’s corners followed by preping, priming and painting before it’s done. But the arty-farty part is out of the way.
The grill insert will mount to the front side of the nosecone flange. The plan is to have a blacked out stainless steel mesh (1/4") mounted on the backside of the flange as a stone guard for the radiator.

Ok, now back out to the cold garage and some more disassembly. There's a rotisserie in my future.

_________________
Cheers, Tom

My Car9 build: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=14613
"It's the construction of the car-the sheer lunacy and joy of making diverse parts come together and work as one-that counts."
Ultima Spyder, Northstar 4.0, Porsche G50/52

Tom,

That grille piece looks terrific! Often I've thought about making a grille but the tough part for me to grasp my head around was the outside. Never thought about the brake line material. I like that stuff and it looks great in your grille.

Is that copper/nickel tubing like Fed HIll sells?

Cheers!

_________________
Larry in Seattle

Thanks, Larry. I just bought some straight sticks of 1/4" steel brake line tubing from the auto parts store and cut the flared ends off. I'm sure the steel is alloyed with something because it's relatively easy to hand bend to shape yet doesn't collapse when heated red hot for brazing. And it seemed pretty tough when cutting and coping all those little ends. Most of the bends were subtle enough that starting from straight stock was helpful.

_________________
Cheers, Tom

My Car9 build: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=14613
"It's the construction of the car-the sheer lunacy and joy of making diverse parts come together and work as one-that counts."
Ultima Spyder, Northstar 4.0, Porsche G50/52

I used the brake line on my grill too, albeit a different design. Steel lines worked well for me. I could tack weld it in place (back side) to fit it all and then fully brazed it to finish it off. I think steel would work best over time as it is stiffer than the Copper-nickel lines from FedHill. I suppose one could silver solder the FedHill too is desired.

_________________
Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

Thanks guys.

The steel lines look like they better choice. Another draw back to the copper-nickel line is they com in coils and it's s bugger to get as straight as the straight runs in the grille.

I have some nice straight steel lines somewhere in the disaster I call my shop. I don't have a torch anymore. Do you think it can be brazed with MAPP gas or its replacement?

_________________
Larry in Seattle

MAPP will work just fine. FWIW, I also brazed on 4 screws to the backside of the grille at the same time. They poked thru holes in the fiberglass flange, and nutted from inside the nosecone., to secure it.

_________________
Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

Hi Chuck. I fired up my old oxy-acetylene rig for the brazing. Plenty hot I did tack a few joints with the Mig, but that didn't go cleanly. Arc burns at the ground points and funny tacks even at a low setting. I expect the "steel" alloy was the issue with the Mig. So I clamped things the best I could and brazed 'em up.

For the studs, I'm going to use some 8-32 stainless steel set screws (1" long) poked into holes drilled in the back side of the perimeter grille tube and brazed into place. Then drill the nosecone flange and attach as you did. The ss mesh radiator guard should attach to those same studs but inside the flange.

_________________
Cheers, Tom

My Car9 build: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=14613
"It's the construction of the car-the sheer lunacy and joy of making diverse parts come together and work as one-that counts."
Ultima Spyder, Northstar 4.0, Porsche G50/52

Imho, solid 5/16 rod would be easier to work with than brake line. No chance of pinch and easier to weld and braze. Westy's zip tie essentially gutter guard weight mesh thru holes drilled in the nose flanges. Works good and light but don't smack a bird or catch a rock.

_________________
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
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McSorley 442:122x46x14
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