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A Berkeley with Bite! (ccrunner)
https://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397		 Page 56 of 88
Author:  JAMADOR [ October 26, 2021, 2:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Berkeley with Bite! (ccrunner)
Tundra 7 wrote:
I get the same thing with the pull for building. I think I went 2 months on the 7 without even looking at it. This looks awesome as usual. The breaks are good, even just sitting in a chair next to it with your favorite beverage you see stuff you’ll want to write down and do later. If you don’t write it down you’ll forget,LOL.

Haven't touched the 7 in probably 2 months. Not for lack of wanting to, though.
We had a solid 6 weeks of weekend commitments, then we were both down with the 'Rona
Then 2 4-day weekends away from the house.

Hoping to find the time to get my dad down with his MIG so we can tackle the rest of the frame & I can get it painted & begin reassembly & skinning.
Author:  RocCityMsport [ October 27, 2021, 12:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Berkeley with Bite! (ccrunner)
Hello CC!
Imagine my surprise when I saw a beautiful Volvo on BaT and it led me here to a Berkeley build that is almost identical to the one that I am planning! The trials and tribulations of your build over the past three years are ones that I have been mulling over in my head (motor size, suspension component selection, to use a tube frame or not, yada yada yada)so, thanks for doing the homework for me;). I just saw this on one of the other sites, again a Berkeley build with a different direction taken.
https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/d/den ... 96603.html
You are doing great work and I wish you the best of luck!
Author:  ccrunner [ November 3, 2021, 5:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Berkeley with Bite! (ccrunner)
RocCityMsport wrote:
Hello CC!
Imagine my surprise when I saw a beautiful Volvo on BaT and it led me here to a Berkeley build that is almost identical to the one that I am planning! The trials and tribulations of your build over the past three years are ones that I have been mulling over in my head (motor size, suspension component selection, to use a tube frame or not, yada yada yada)so, thanks for doing the homework for me;). I just saw this on one of the other sites, again a Berkeley build with a different direction taken.
https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/d/den ... 96603.html
You are doing great work and I wish you the best of luck!

Hi RocCityMsport, welcome to the board! :cheers:

So, another Yank planning to corrupt a Berkeley, heh?! :lol: Do share!.. do you have a build log on it somewhere else? Maybe start one here? At very least, please share the main stuff here to help inspire others.. engine choice.. suspension sources.. tube frame(?).. what year is your Berk body? Slant or straight (vertical) doors? Almost an aside; I don't know if you've caught the vibe yet, but some of the purist Brits can get a little bent out of shape when we reconfigure one of these wee beasts... What the purist Brits do not do, however, is try and take one of these wee beasts out on an 8-lane expressway in 100 degree weather.. crazy? yes! Fun? Yes! :lol:

I don't want to be off-putting with my barrage of questions, but to be honest I have not come across many people who are doing what you're scheming to do.. If you have any insight, or tips, or questions, or you just want to commiserate how damn tiny everything about the Berkeley is, come back and check in 8)

--ccrunner
Author:  ccrunner [ November 3, 2021, 5:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Berkeley with Bite! (ccrunner)
Re-Tired..

Not that kind of retired! (not yet anyway).. Re-Tired as in a new set of shoes..

I'm working on putting together the 'main' (street) tires and wheels for the Berk, and I've landed on these little E-Bay special steel wheels.. They have the look I'm after, but the offset is wrong, so I'll have to reverse them to get what I need..

--ccrunner
Author:  JAMADOR [ November 3, 2021, 5:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Berkeley with Bite! (ccrunner)
The steelies look huge next to the 'minilites'

Have thought about finding a set of cheap steel wheels for the 7 as an interim option when I get to the test & tune phase, then source some minilites for the final product.
Author:  Miatav8,MstrASE,A&P,F [ November 3, 2021, 5:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Berkeley with Bite! (ccrunner)
Be sure to adjust the run out with a dial indicator and mag base, wheel mounted to hub so you can rotate it slowly watching the gauge. Check radially and thrust, starting from the first tack going to opposite sides, tweaking the center to hoop position with a piece of wood or rubber mallet. After four corners tacked, continue back and forth with one inch stitches to minimize heat distortion. This will keep it from wobbling or lobbing out of round. Shoot for as little as possible. Be satisfied with .020-.040".

It will be worth the tedious process of mount, check tweak, check, pull, tack, mount, check, etc.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/172010407341?_ ... 4015098974
Author:  ccrunner [ November 3, 2021, 6:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Berkeley with Bite! (ccrunner)
The 'interim' steelies may be the way to go JAMADOR- they'll get the wheels on and rolling for little $$ :cheers:

Miatav8; tedious is a good word for it!! :shock: It took most of a day to make these mods, and most of that day was spent bent over my super-fantastic bench vise wheel-truer-upper :lol:

3 of the wheels trued up really nicely- less than 1/16th" runout, which seemed as about as good as I was going to get.. The fourth wheel had an odd little bend in a small section of the outer lip, but other than that it seemed to come in pretty nicely.. I'm guardedly optimistic that it will be acceptable once in service..

--ccrunner
Author:  Miatav8,MstrASE,A&P,F [ November 3, 2021, 7:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Berkeley with Bite! (ccrunner)
:cheers: That works too. Stockton Wheel would be proud.
Author:  JAMADOR [ November 4, 2021, 11:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Berkeley with Bite! (ccrunner)
Nice work, looks good on there.

Currently I've got the Bassets & 15x9.5 Hoosiers, should suffice for rolling around the neighborhood on initial runs, but a temp set will be needed for any ventures outside the gates.
Author:  RocCityMsport [ November 7, 2021, 10:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Berkeley with Bite! (ccrunner)
I don't want to be off-putting with my barrage of questions, but to be honest I have not come across many people who are doing what you're scheming to do.. If you have any insight, or tips, or questions, or you just want to commiserate how damn tiny everything about the Berkeley is, come back and check in 8)

--ccrunner[/quote]

Where to start?
I have a 1957 SE328, and it did not have any drivetrain when I bought it 6 years ago. My intention was to turn it into a vintage sports racer to run at smaller venues, such as Put-In-Bay, Pittsburgh Vintage Gran Prix, etc. Unfortunately, I found out the hard way that they will not let me race with them because it would not be true vintage racer(no provenance). When I came across your build log, a light bulb went off and I began to think about a different path forward, but which direction to take?
Reading through your log, I can't help but be surprised of how many similar thoughts that not just you and I have had, but several of the contributors as well. Lengthening the punt, a true 4 wheel independent suspension, proper brakes, converting to rear wheel drive, a proper fuel cell, even the LeMans style fuel cap! One thing that I have been toying with is converting the front end of the car to a front hinge style hood, like the older E-Type Jaguars.
Where I am indecisive is engine size. Increased power leads to increased reinforcement which leads to increased weight. Your trip to the scales surprised everyone! I have two Honda Valkyrie motors, which have 100 hp and 95 ft/lbs of torque, but they weigh 300 lbs! I would also have to have a substantial frame work to keep that big torque from twisting the car in half, not to mention that much weight forward would make it very difficult to get a proper balance for handling. But they are so darn pretty! Thus, I am starting to lean toward a small motor with 35-50 hp so I can stay with the aluminum/fiberglass monocoque. Also, I keep going back and forth between a more modern motor vs something vintage, like an older BMW airhead twin. Down side of vintage is availability at a reasonable price. I have even done some research on the possibility of an EV conversion.
Unfortunately, my build is on hold until I finish my home remodel, as I have a large portion down to bare studs and joists. I call it "finishing my broccoli before I can have my desert". Hopefully late spring will find me back in the shop!
Author:  ccrunner [ November 8, 2021, 6:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Berkeley with Bite! (ccrunner)
November 7, 2021

White Wheels, and fuel, and Scale..

I've removed the bike gas tank and I'm installing an 8-gallon 'car' fuel tank.. Need to do a bit of fabbing to have the new tank fit into its small area.. (I'll soon relocate the battery off of the firewall and into this rear section to make it easier to reach as needed)

So the skinny wheels are modded and ready to model for color.. Normally on these cars you see either black wheels with no wheel covers, or black wheels with stock Berk hubcaps.. I can't affix OEM hubcaps as I've cheated up to 13" wheels, so I'm simply going to run the wheels naked, but I'm thinking they'll look nice in a lighter color-- maybe cream-white??

At any rate, here are a few shots of the car with white wheels to see if I like them..

--ccrunner
Author:  JAMADOR [ November 8, 2021, 6:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Berkeley with Bite! (ccrunner)
I think the white wheels are a nice touch, just tough to tell with the rough body.
Author:  ccrunner [ November 8, 2021, 6:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Berkeley with Bite! (ccrunner)
How does it compare in size to a 'real' car?

While taking in the new white wheels, I had it down on the street, so for grins, I took the opportunity to wheel it up next to my daughter's 2018 Ford Mustang and take some pictures for scale.. I'm really hoping I never have a collision while driving this tiny toy :shock:

--ccrunner
Author:  JAMADOR [ November 8, 2021, 6:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Berkeley with Bite! (ccrunner)
:shock:
Some of the prior shots with it parked near a modern car make it look diminutive, those make it look like a toy.

RE: Wheels: The silver looks better with the rough body, but I think the white will look great on the finished product.

I think we all hope to avoid any kind of collision in these toys. I saw it written somewhere that you put it more in the risk category of a motorcycle, instead of a car, with how much more you're exposed.
Author:  ccrunner [ November 8, 2021, 6:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Berkeley with Bite! (ccrunner)
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