Glad to see that the forum is back!

[KB58]

That's half the battle... the other half is getting new people involved, and I'm not sure how to do that. There's the traditional Locost approach, and my mid-engine "Seven" approach, so between the two, new builders have options, but we need to get them in here first!

[Kinetic Research]

I have lost count of how many major outages have occurred up till now, but Dave keeps rescuing it. Legend.

[tibimakai]

Yeahh, the forum is back!!
Did you guys saw 7spot on Youtube, I believe he is trying the same thing. Dave sometime shows up in those videos.
He wants me to "show up" in his videos, but I'm a timid person and my knowledge is not where it should be.
Since the weekend, my car is a roller. A bit soft at the front, and a bit to hard at the rear(no sway bar yet). Will deal with it, when I will drive it.
Purchased a Creality K1 3D printer and I'm learning how to use it. Will print some parts for my car, right now I'm trying some angled gauge rings out.
Next will be a mounting bracket behind the third brake light on the roll bar. Eventually I will print a surround for the shifter. For that, I will have to learn how to use Fusion 360.

[Driven5]

It's certainly good to have the site back, even if it keeps getting quieter around here.

I took am at a loss for how to attract more interest in building cars. I see a lot of contributing factors. I don't even know how to identify which are the most important though, let alone have any idea how to fix them.

[KB58]

To be brutally honest, I'm not sure there is a future for this specific hobby - times are a changin'. In the US:

- Gradually tightening emission regulations making it or difficult or outright impossible to do a build.
- The ability to walk into a showroom and buy something "fast enough". Even a Miata will beat most Locosts on typical (non-twisty) tracks.
- There are fewer and fewer tracks. Of the remaining ones, few have tight turns where Locosts would excel. The tracks around here are very high-speed, and aerodynamics is definitely not the Locost's strong suit.
- Heavy traffic sucking all the fun out of driving any hardcore sports car.
- The perception that, "it's too much work"
- People are less handy that we once were
- More people live where they don't have a place to build (related: rising housing costs)

A buddy in Britain said that he's seeing similar shifts there, with attendance at kit car shows dropping off significantly. As far as I know, emissions aren't an issue there. Housing costs are (probably) more reasonable, they have many tracks, with some more suitable to Seven-type cars. So, what's left? The ability to buy something "fast enough" and have it today; the perception that "building a car is too much work"; people are less handy.

Lastly, Lonnie, whether he knew it or not, was singlehandedly keeping things bumping along, as we could always count on at least his build diary being updated, all 13(!) years of it! Anyway, many of the above factors are outside our control, and I really don't know of a solution.

[Bent Wrench]

Metro must think we all will ride electric bicycles...

[PhyrraM]

To be brutally honest, I'm not sure there is a future for this specific hobby - times are a changin'. In the US:

- Gradually tightening emission regulations making it or difficult or outright impossible to do a build.
- The ability to walk into a showroom and buy something fast enough. Even a Miata will beat most Locosts on typical (non-twisty) tracks.
- There are fewer and fewer tracks. Of the remaining ones, few have tight turns where Locosts would excel. The tracks around here are very high-speed, and aerodynamics is definitely not the Locost's strong suit.
- Heavy traffic sucking all the fun out of driving any hardcore sports car.
- The perception that, "it's too much work"
- People are less handy that we once were
- More people live where they don't have a place to build (related: rising housing costs)

A buddy in Britain said that he's seeing similar shifts there, with attendance at kit car shows dropping off significantly. As far as I know, emissions aren't an issue there. Housing costs are (probably) more reasonable, they have many tracks, with some more suitable to Seven-type cars. So, what's left? The ability to buy something "fast enough" and have it today; the perception that "building a car is too much work"; people are less handy.

Lastly, Lonnie, whether he knew it or not, was singlehandedly keeping things bumping along, as we could always count on at least his build diary being updated, all 13(!) years of it! Anyway, many of the above factors are outside our control, and I really don't know of a solution.

As a long time lurker, that lives in SoCal, I agree with the above list. My personal hurdle this moment is a place to build. In years past it was financial, and before that trust in my skills and knowledge. The whole time it seems like the landscape has been changing right under me. When offered the opportunity, my own sons chose a Miata and a Boxster over building a Locost (or Midget restoration) with good 'ol Dad. I mostly don't blame them.

That being said. I love this forum....even as a lurker. Much appreciation to those involved in maintaining it and getting it back up.

And...anybody know a cheap garage in the Inland Empire that isn't "For storage use only"?

[Bent Wrench]

Calif is no longer a friendly place to set up shop.

Networking as you are doing here will be your most productive, short of knocking on doors.
Look for a place close to where you live if you can't do stuff at home.
Work friends neighbors and family (and the local bar)
Find some private property to rent.
Or find a mutually beneficial partner, neither of which I find desirable.

My dream property has enough room to turn around a semi and the shop would be the focal point of the property, in a county that will not jack the taxes 10% a year. (Preferably adjoining BLM land or a forrest) Water rights are a hot commodity, I see where things are headed (a spring would be ideal).

[KB58]

Calif is no longer a friendly place to set up shop...

Though ironically, it's also one of the easiest states to register a self-built car and don't require emission controls.