LocostUSA.com

Well, I've been trying to build this car for several years now, and this time I'm seriously gonna build it. My plans:

- Haynes chassis, more or less.
- GM 3.4 out of a 93-95 Camaro, hopefully still running fuel injection. I am considering a cam change to allow the motor to run to redline a bit more easily than the stock engine -- but it probably doesn't need any more low-end torque.
- T-5 Transmission out of said Camaro
- Jack's Lola-style body (hence the reference to "drink Champagne and tastes just like Cherry Cola")
- Ford 8.8" rear end, probably out of a later model Lincoln LS

My stated goal is to have this thing running by spring 2014 -- any longer than that, and life is likely to throw me another curve, which is what happened last time I tried this.

This car will be a street car, with occasional bursts of insanity on a track day somewhere. VIR is about 100 miles away, and I have this IndyCar habit that takes me to lots of other tracks. Therefore, I'm gonna make some concessions to comfort and driveability and such.

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Geek49203 aka
Tim Wohlford
Louisville, KY
Hayes front, S10 +2 rear, Lalo body.

So here is what I've got going so far:

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Geek49203 aka
Tim Wohlford
Louisville, KY
Hayes front, S10 +2 rear, Lalo body.

Sounds like it should be a fun build! I'm particularly interested to watch as the bodywork comes together. Any plans to gain a few ponies and lose a few pounds by swapping on a pair of aluminum heads?

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-Justin

"Orville Wright did not have a pilots license." - Gordon MacKenzie

Another v6 build ..SWEET... like the garage ..those lost sharpies i think you will find them round at Gonzo's place..he has a thing about sharpie's.. and goats .. and all things slotus..

Kiwi Dave

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I USE TO HAVE AN OPEN MIND ..BUT MY BRAINS KEPT FALLING OUT

Yo Tim!
Hey Buddy, congratulations! You've joined the builder's ranks! (Some builders are more "rank" than others, but we won't talk about certain Kiwis that hang around the livestock pens after dark... ) A buddy of mine rented a storage place similar to yours for a rebuild once, of an old VW bug. It worked out great, he had plenty of room, no utility bill and he was out of shouting range of his house.

I'm definitely pullin' for ya to get the car built, it sounds like a really, really interesting build, especially the "Lalo" body from Jack McC... Good stuff!!!

Hide-A-Sharpies are insidious creatures. That group probably felt safe because there were so many of them. Sometimes when they hide, they take other objects with them. (Usually measuring slinkies!) When you go back tomorrow and the Sharpies are gone and SO IS YOUR TOOLBOX, you'll know why we never had that many at once...

Keep the pictures comin! (Until the Sharpes take your camera, anyways...)
Good Luck!
JD Kemp

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JD, father of Quinn, Son of a... Build Log
Quinn the Slotus:Ford 302 Powered, Mallock-Inspired, Tube Frame, Hillclimb Special
"Gonzo and friends: Last night must have been quite a night. Camelot moments, mechanical marvels, Rustoleum launches, flying squirrels, fru-fru tea cuppers, V8 envy, Ensure catch cans -- and it wasn't even a full moon." -- SeattleTom

Sounds like a plan!

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Marcus Barrow - Car9 an open design community supported sports car for home builders!
SketchUp collection for LocostUSA: "Dream it, Build it, Drive it!"
Car9 Roadster information - models, drawings, resources etc.

Maybe. Maybe after I get the car running and on the road. I figure I'd pick up maybe 20 hp and lose maybe 20 pounds if I do that.

However, unless I want to run racing fuel, I'd have to swap the pistons too 'cause (I'm told) the FWD heads with the RWD pistons yield something like a 12+:1 compression ratio. And then I'll have to source some custom-length push rods too.

However, if I get into this Camaro motor and notice that the pistons need to be swapped... who knows? Right now that motor is sitting in a motor stand, upside down, where I left it after taking a whole day removing they harmonic balancer -- which is my clue that no one ever changed the timing chain on that thing, much less opening up that motor.

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Geek49203 aka
Tim Wohlford
Louisville, KY
Hayes front, S10 +2 rear, Lalo body.

Would you like a pitch on considering the frame from Car9 on your build? Since you're choosing alternative body work maybe it doesn't matter if the frame looks a bit different then a traditional Locost or Haynes. I think there might be some advantages, but I don't want to pollute your build log with my pushing my ideas here.

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Marcus Barrow - Car9 an open design community supported sports car for home builders!
SketchUp collection for LocostUSA: "Dream it, Build it, Drive it!"
Car9 Roadster information - models, drawings, resources etc.

Oooooh... A real, live Car9 build?!?!?! Do it Tim, do it!!!!
(I might be biased...)

JDK

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JD, father of Quinn, Son of a... Build Log
Quinn the Slotus:Ford 302 Powered, Mallock-Inspired, Tube Frame, Hillclimb Special
"Gonzo and friends: Last night must have been quite a night. Camelot moments, mechanical marvels, Rustoleum launches, flying squirrels, fru-fru tea cuppers, V8 envy, Ensure catch cans -- and it wasn't even a full moon." -- SeattleTom

Ok this might seem like a dumb question ..but ...what is car 9...????

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I USE TO HAVE AN OPEN MIND ..BUT MY BRAINS KEPT FALLING OUT

Oops, I never formally introduced a name or anything, but it's what I've been referring to my work as in the "messy shop" thread. Not really sure if the name has any significance. I just have a hard time naming things. I should start a new thread with a new title soon.

Apologies to Geek for using up space in his thread...

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Marcus Barrow - Car9 an open design community supported sports car for home builders!
SketchUp collection for LocostUSA: "Dream it, Build it, Drive it!"
Car9 Roadster information - models, drawings, resources etc.

Uh, yeah, what is a "Car 9?"

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Geek49203 aka
Tim Wohlford
Louisville, KY
Hayes front, S10 +2 rear, Lalo body.

Today I tore down the donor motor. The seller said, "Yeah, it runs great, the lady just wrecked it, it only had 114,000 miles on it!" Uh huh. Yeah. Among the findings:

- The PCV and ERG systems could not possibly have been working. Not a chance.
- A squirrel had once lived between the upper and lower in take manifolds.
- Someone dropped a glass marble into the oil fill. I'm betting that this didn't help the oil return passages.
- The last owner changed oil at least once since it was new. I'm not betting on a second change. Fortunately, an oil leak seemed to have provided an opportunity to add new oil.
- There were 2 broken studs on one of the exhaust manifolds, so it had to be noisy.
- The timing chain was OEM, based on the fact that it took lots of cussing (and heat and hammering and PB Blaster and 2 broken pullers) to get the harmonic balancer off. The chain was very loose.
- There was rust on top 2" (50 mm?) on the inboard side of #2 cylinder. Not so much that the motor wouldn't turn, but enough that I'm betting that the cylinders now get a bore.
- Broken compression ring on #2. Broken spacer ring too.
- Water squirted out around a couple of head bolts when I unbolted one of the heads. Probably another blown GM intake manifold gasket?
- There was rust in the cooling passages, meaning that the previous owner probably didn't use antifreeze.
- There was rust on a couple of bolts holding the water pump on, meaning probably a water leak there too.

Soooo......

My local machine shop sent me a list of prices for various services. I'm starting to wonder if buying a rebuilt long block would be better -- I guess I will know more when the crank, heads, block and pistons are inspected by the shop.

Here is their list of services and associated costs (parts extra):
10 1 999 6101/6 VAT 6 CYL BLOCK 40.00
11 1 999 6103/V6 BORE & HONE V6 135.00
12 1 999 1602 BALANCE 6 CYL 175.00
13 1 999 1400 GRIND V6 CRANK 135.00
14 6 999 3106 R&R 2 OR MORE PISTONS 60.00 set
15 1 999 3000-6 CHECK ROD BOTTOM 6 CYL 40.00 set
16 1 999 2221 CLEAN P/TEST-SURFACE 145.00 pair V6
17 1 999 2201/12 VALVE JOB 12 V 96.00
18 6 999 2213 INSTALL VLVE GUIDE 48.00 set
20 1 999 L PORT AND POLISH HEADS 400.00 pair
21 1 999 6106 INSTALL CAM BRNG labor 35.00

Oh, and if the pistons need to be replaced -- ESPECIALLY if the heads are a problem -- it would be a great time to change over to the FWD aluminum heads.

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Geek49203 aka
Tim Wohlford
Louisville, KY
Hayes front, S10 +2 rear, Lalo body.

It turns out that the "garage" next to mine has a MGB in it that doesn't sound very stock. The gentleman of retirement age and his young attractive "niece" (yeah, sure guy!) got it out and drove it around.

"I came down here and was bored, and so the MG owners club invited me to breakfast, and next thing you know...."

Next time perhaps he should stick with reputable breakfast buddies... at least it wasn't a Jaguar owners club!

I let him know that VIR wasn't too far away, which was good news to him since he'd moved to NC from Watkins Glen....

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Geek49203 aka
Tim Wohlford
Louisville, KY
Hayes front, S10 +2 rear, Lalo body.

Just returned from the machine shop. The owner took one look at the crank and deemed it beyond repair, as the thrust bearing surfaces were all shot. Looks like the previous owner never changed the oil OR took her foot off of the clutch?

Sooo.... thinking I'm back to square 1 here.

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Geek49203 aka
Tim Wohlford
Louisville, KY
Hayes front, S10 +2 rear, Lalo body.