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Learning how to build Lotus Seven replicas...together!
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 Post subject: More photos
PostPosted: November 25, 2007, 2:59 pm 
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Joined: December 2, 2006, 12:05 pm
Posts: 60
Location: Morgantown, KY
Here is a few more photos of my car


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: November 25, 2007, 3:01 pm 
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Joined: February 10, 2007, 10:57 am
Posts: 610
Need some video of it driving so can see and hear this beast run!


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 Post subject: Video
PostPosted: November 25, 2007, 3:09 pm 
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Joined: December 2, 2006, 12:05 pm
Posts: 60
Location: Morgantown, KY
I don't have any video at this time. I won't be driving the car again until the spring since it is too cold in Michigan and the snow is already on the ground. I will try to get some video in the spring.

The car is so load that I often wish I had worn ear plugs after driving it.

Jerry Coons Jr. Wrapped up the USAC Midget Championship on Thanksgiving day w/ this type of engine, at Irwindale Speedway in CA.


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 Post subject: Nice Locost
PostPosted: November 26, 2007, 10:30 am 
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Joined: September 22, 2005, 8:12 am
Posts: 1879
Location: 4AGE in S.E. Michigan
Jim

That's a nice looking build. I like the axle installation and mounting. What shape aluminum did you use for the windshield and type of gasket(s).

Ditto on the Michigan cold.

It Looks Good, Dave W


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 Post subject: Windshield
PostPosted: November 26, 2007, 11:46 pm 
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Joined: December 2, 2006, 12:05 pm
Posts: 60
Location: Morgantown, KY
Dave:

The windshield frame was made by Bugshields by Dino in CA - phone 714-854-0519. This company normally makes windshields for dune buggys. The special extrusion for the frame is a flat oval shape and the bottom portion is U-shaped. I think it would be difficult to bend this frame without special tools. I made a cardboard template for the shape of the windshield and had this guy bend it up for me. The gasket for the bottom also came from the same place.

This windshield is probably a little heavier than the one in the book, but it made it easier to mount since the mounting screws don't fit into the glass channel, and the there is more room to fit the wipers & mirrors (channel is not so thin).

Attached is a couple of more photos of the windshield when I was fitting it on the car.

Thanks,

Jim


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 Post subject: windshield
PostPosted: November 27, 2007, 9:38 am 
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Joined: September 22, 2005, 8:12 am
Posts: 1879
Location: 4AGE in S.E. Michigan
Thanks Jim

That sure looks a lot stronger then a thin piece of aluminum channel. I like the idea of have the extra space "width" on the sides to give you area for mounting an assortment hingers.
Thanx Dave W


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PostPosted: November 27, 2007, 11:20 am 
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Joined: March 25, 2007, 12:36 pm
Posts: 562
Location: Phoenix, AZ
How much did the windshield setup set you back?

_________________
Georgia Tech
Ride and Handling Engineer for a major car company
Locost finished - book frame, IRS, '84 celica GTS donor, '99 tacoma 2rz motor with a turbo, megasquirt DIYPNP. Getting rebuilt with new IRS, F20C
"the all-consuming time-sucking car, which I really enjoy working on" -KB


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 Post subject: Windsheild Frame Cost
PostPosted: November 29, 2007, 11:10 pm 
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Joined: December 2, 2006, 12:05 pm
Posts: 60
Location: Morgantown, KY
eVox:

The windsheild frame was $100 prebent w/ the bottom gasket from Bug Sheilds by Dino. I bought the frame without any glass since I was not sure it was going to fit & was concerned about the glass getting broken in shipment. I made the side brackets from sheet aluminum. I used stainless fasteners to mount the windshield frame.

I had the laminated auto safety glass installed after I fitted the frame to the car. The cost from a local glass shop was $59 ($31 for parts and $25 for labor to install it in the loose frame). This glass shop used special rubber gaskets around the edge of the glass where it fit into the frame (included in the parts cost).

Thanks, Jim


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PostPosted: December 4, 2007, 9:37 pm 
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Joined: December 2, 2006, 12:05 pm
Posts: 60
Location: Morgantown, KY
Here is a photo of the front suspension & front end w/o the body work on. The control arms came from CMC & I modified the upper shock mounting points to use shocks that were longer than needed (my dad gave them to me for free). The steering rack is from Coleman and is normally used in a Late Model stock car. I also used a tappered stud from Coleman on the front spindle at the top. This allows some adjustment of the angle on the upper contol arms by putting shims on the stud. These studs also gave me an extra mounting point for the front fender brackets.

The spindles and brakes are stock Mustang II stuff. I redrilled the Mustang II rotors to match the bolt pattern on the Toyota Corolla GTS rear axle 4 x 4.5" bolt circle. The tie rods are a swedge tube from UB machine. I also used the same swedged tubes on the rear suspension with hiem joints.

The only thing that I don't really like is that there is no "easy" way to adjust the caster in the front suspension. If I did the front suspension again I would use a fabricated upper control arm that had a swedge tube on one side for easy caster adjustment.


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 Post subject: Mopar A4
PostPosted: January 3, 2008, 6:57 pm 
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Joined: January 3, 2008, 6:08 pm
Posts: 2
Location: Chino Valley Arizona
Hi,
I just joined and found this forum. I have a few questions you may be able to answer.
You stated you used a P5007636 block.
I thought the P5007636 was the drag race block with a 9" deck and bell housing and the P5007466 was the midget block with an 8.4 deck?
The reason I'm asking is you have the engine at the 45 degree midget stance.
I'm trying to find one for my altered and talked with Gary and he stated it would be February or March before any were available. Do you know of any?
Do you know if the block will clear a 4" stroke or more?
I found one At Mancini and a friend bought a block and W9 head. I have to build it for him and after inspection it looks like the lifter bores should be bushed, Did you do this?
Did you use an aftermarket billet crank?
Also if you have your build sheet I'd love to see your specs.
Thanks! Phil

Sorry this is so long.


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PostPosted: January 3, 2008, 9:34 pm 
Congratulations on finishing your car. This is an interesting build and it looks really good.
Hope I get to see it in person next spring sometime.


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 Post subject: Mopar A-4 Engine
PostPosted: January 6, 2008, 1:33 pm 
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Joined: December 2, 2006, 12:05 pm
Posts: 60
Location: Morgantown, KY
Phil:

I used the P5007636 block, but machined the deck height down to 8.400" so that the engine was a little shorter (cylinder sleeves removed and deck height machined down & sleeve re-installed). The shorter deck height block is now avaialble from Mopar w/ part number P5007636AB. I think there is a piece or two in stock at this time on either of these two blocks (the midget blocks are out of stock for a month or so - i.e. P5007466).

The engine is my car is mounted strait up (not at the 45 degree). The bell-housing is made so that the block sits strait up when a transmission is mounted to it. The midget blocks have the bell-housing machined away and the engine is tipped over at a 45 degree angle for left side weight for oval track racing. I had to add a bleeder screw in the end of the head and mount a high fill point for the cooling system to get the air out of the head since the radiator is lower than the head.

I don't think a 4.00" stroke crankshaft would fit, but I have never tried this. We designed the block to work with about a 3.50" max. stroke, but maybe you could use a little bit more with a small rod pin and a rod that is narrow.

I used the Mopar Forged crankshaft forging (P5007573) and had it machined by SCAT. I didn't bush the lifter bores. I just honed them to the disired clearance (about .0006"-.0007") and run them as is. Aluminum is a pretty good bushing matieral and doesn't normally need to be bushed except as a repair.

Jim Szilagyi’s LoCost 7 - Specifications:

Chassis:
Frame / Manufacturer: CMC Pre-Cut Tube
Front Suspension: Mustang II w/ fabricated dual “A” arms
Rear Suspension: 4 link w/ panhard bar
Front Brakes: Mustang II - Vented Disk
Rear Brakes: 1985 Toyota Corolla - solid Disk
Master Cylinder: Dodge Omni
Rear Axle: 1985 Toyota Corolla GTS
Final Drive: Toyota Limited Slip w/ 4.30:1 ratio
Steering Rack: Coleman Rack & Pinion
Vehicle Weight: Approx. 1,375 lbs.

Engine:
Engine Type: I-4 Pushrod w/ cam in block
Engine Block: Mopar A-4 Aluminum Block
Engine Design: Jim Szilagyi/Gary Stanton/Tim Zuehlke
C.I. Displacement: 170 C.I.
Estimated HP 260 HP (est.)
Deck Height: 8.400”
Bore: 4.135”
Stroke: 3.150”
Pistons: Wiseco - Forged
Connecting Rods: Scat - Forged H-Beam
Crankshaft: Mopar / Scat - Forged 4340
Camshaft: Crane - Mechanical Roller w/
60mm roller cam bearings
Cam Specifications: .672” lift w/ 248 degrees duration
@ .050”
Rocker Arms: T&D 1.6:1
Cylinder Head: W9 Aluminum - Mopar
Valves: 2.15” Intake / 1.60” Exhaust
Carburetor: Holley 350 CFM 2 bbl
Intake Manifold: Custom Made - Jim Szilagy / Arrow
Racing Engines
Distributor: Belt Drive - Jim Szilagyi
Ignition: Mallory Hyfire w/ crank Crank
Trigger
Oil Pump: Barnes - 3 stage Dry sump w/ Cam Drive
Oil Pan: Moroso - Aluminum Dry Sump
Machining: Arrow Racing Engines
Engine Weight: Approx. 245 lbs

Transmission:
Make: 1992 Dakota V-6 5-speed Manual (AX-15)
Clutch / Flywheel: 1992 Dakota V-6
Starter: 1992 Dakota V-6

Body / Interior:
Fenders: Fiberglass - CMC
Nose Cone / Cowl Fiberglass - CMC
Aluminum: Hand Formed by Jim Szilagyi (used aluminum)
Windshield Frame: Windshields by Dino
Wiring: EZ Wiring
Seats: Connolly Leather - Jim Szilagyi
Instrument Panel: Hand Made by Jim Szilagyi
Pedals: Race Car Products / Speedway Motors
Gauges: Mopar / Autometer


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 Post subject: Stock at Mopar
PostPosted: January 7, 2008, 9:33 am 
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Joined: December 2, 2006, 12:05 pm
Posts: 60
Location: Morgantown, KY
Phil:

FYI: Mopar currently has 1 piece of block P5007636 in stock.

Jim


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 Post subject: Jims A4 powered Locost
PostPosted: January 16, 2008, 11:13 pm 
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Joined: January 3, 2008, 6:08 pm
Posts: 2
Location: Chino Valley Arizona
Hey Jim,

Thanks for the information. There's very little information available in print for these engines. I also want to commend you on what looks like an excellent build. It's always exciting to get a car finished and start driving it and working out any bugs. I looked at your installation again and now see it was set straight up. (I must have been brain dead) With the W9 head, it looked heeled over. I'll try and contact someone at mopar and find that block.
There was a complete engine with a P5 head in Mesa AZ but at 25K I let it go.
I think I'd prefer W9 anyway. Gary Stanton would probably know the maximum stroke that block would swing. I was just hoping for at least 4"
No point worrying about it unless I find a block.

Anyway, thanks again for the information!

Phil


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PostPosted: June 23, 2008, 8:58 pm 
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Joined: December 2, 2006, 12:05 pm
Posts: 60
Location: Morgantown, KY
I added a more powerfull electric fan to the radiator and made a shroud to force the air to go though the radiator. I did this since the engine was running a little hot on hot days or sitting in a traffic jam.

This fan is rated at 3000 CFM and is 12" in diameter. This fan is part number Perma-Cool # 19008. The efficency of the fan is about 80% when setup a pusher, but there is no room to mount it behind the radiator.

A couple of photos are attached of the fan and shroud. I used weatherstrip to seal up the shroud to the nose cone. I still want to add more outlets for the air behind the radiator since the motor plate blocks off some of the airflow.


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