I'm building a Locost...

eMKay · March 1st, 2007, 3:12 AM

The Brits here know all about these, it's a trend that's just catching on here in America, we don't even have a national sanctioned race series yet (a big YET, we're working on it). Mine is a "book" frame (Ron Champions' book) with a Toyota Corolla rear axle, Suzuki Swift GT engine, Samurai transmission, Chevrolet Chevette spindles and brakes, Triumph Spitfire rack, and Swift electrics. It's about halfway done, here is a link to my build...

It's a lot of reading, the actual build starts on page 3...
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=922

The book, and what the car looks like...

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/1859606369.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

BlaRo · March 1st, 2007, 3:14 AM

Since you're in America (like me), you should probably take a look at this while you're at it.

images/smilies/lol.gif

"Ron Champion"? That's the most contrived name since "Scott Speed"!

No Boss · March 1st, 2007, 3:18 AM

I dunno if I would trust myself enough to race somthing I built. images/smilies/lol.gif

eMKay · March 1st, 2007, 3:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlaRo

Since you're in America (like me), you should probably take a look at this while you're at it.

images/smilies/lol.gif

"Ron Champion"? That's the most contrived name since "Scott Speed"!

That article is what actually sparked my build, I had been thinking about it for awhile and when I read that and realized people were building them here, I went ahead and started it.

eMKay · March 1st, 2007, 3:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by No Boss

I dunno if I would trust myself enough to race somthing I built. images/smilies/lol.gif

I'm going to drive it on the street too, in amongst the Excursions and Suburbans images/smilies/driving.gif

CraigB · March 1st, 2007, 3:44 AM

There was an article in Car & Driver a few months back about these cars. I really would like to build one for myself at some point...

m102486 · March 1st, 2007, 3:51 AM

Good luck with the build!, what seats will you be using?

I also wanted to build a locost and bought a escort mk2 for just $200+ but dad didnt like the plan. now I'm fixing the escort but I still plan on building a locost.

thedguy · March 1st, 2007, 4:21 AM

My brother and I are looking at building one of these. He's already got a busted miata (blown automatic trans) car for parts.

Just need to learn to weld, get money for the steel, and actually figure out how to make it images/smilies/biggrin.gif

Good luck and keep us posted.

P.S. My idea of one involved using a swift GTi engine as well. Can you get us an actual weight on the engine/trans?
edit: nevermind on the weight I saw 133lbs with no manifolds and a flexplate.

m102486 · March 1st, 2007, 5:01 AM

http://www.racetech.ee/a/fh12-index.htm

have your guys seen this site?, they've built the chassis using aluminum.

Blind_Io · March 1st, 2007, 6:22 AM

I think that the Top Gear boys should each have to build their own car. No one can pick up a spanner but the presenter who will have that car. The challenge will last the length of the season with a race at the end and a series of challenges and independent judges.

James will probably be the best, if he can finish on time and not spend the entire season organizing his bolts and naming his spanners. Clarkson will be useless and find a way to cheat and Richard ... well, I don't know, he does not strike me as being particularly handy but you never know.

fbc · March 1st, 2007, 6:53 AM

Awesome! Keep us updated as to how it progresses.

Quote:

Originally Posted by No Boss

I dunno if I would trust myself enough to race somthing I built. images/smilies/lol.gif

I know that feeling.

kaBOOMn · March 1st, 2007, 7:39 AM

O.K Here we go....8)

I work for a small kit car maker/race shop, heres some hints for you:

Don't make your floor out of alloy and for the love of God don't weld it on. Use rivits and sikaflex.

Get a power pop riviter.

Our cars use SR20DE/SR20DET's. Not bad. A CA18 is a lighter and better motor. Sadly we can't use these motors anymore due to the current pollution controls in Australia. We needs motors with pollution controls post 2003. Still we can get away with SR20DET's out of old Nissan S15 Silvia's (trumped up Datsun 120Y's)

Run your wireing loom in before the side pannels go on.

Don't go nuts with the fibreglass.

Don't make the car too small and too light. All custom made spaceframe cars are really light and will blow the doors (lol) off something but you don't want to make un-useable. 99% of drivers do not have the talent to exploit a Clubbie/Lotus 7 replica thats 400kg compared to one thats 700kg (where most cars end up dispite the claims of the owners).

Use comfortable seats.

Don't use too big brakes. Leave them un-boosted. You have no weight remember, so you want feel!

That book is really a bit of a joke, but it does have a lot of good content. If you can seek out a local kit car maker etc.

Lighter is not always better.

A review of one of our cars.....and no I didn't do the interior of that car..... images/smilies/dry.gif

http://autoweb.drive.com.au/cms/A_2176/article.html

**they got the price wrong in that review.....its a lot less than 60k!

------

I'm designing and building my own car from scratch (with complete ADR compliance), but it has some really hard design features.....Doors and a roof! images/smilies/lol.gif

You don't realise how hard it is till you try to do it yourself. Uh I'm a year in and still not much to show.

Banii · March 1st, 2007, 8:38 AM

Speaking of Australia... how expensive are cars over there? Any retard-jealousy-taxes?

Moving there in December (from Norway ^^) and i'm planing on buying a car images/smilies/smile.gif

kaBOOMn · March 1st, 2007, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Banii

Speaking of Australia... how expensive are cars over there? Any retard-jealousy-taxes?

Moving there in December (from Norway ^^) and i'm planing on buying a car images/smilies/smile.gif

Not really, what do you want? You can have anything (and I mean anything) from Japan, the odd Yank import and wierd (well to you) Aussie cars. Still some Euro's like Lancia's and mid 90's Alfa Romeo's are out which is sad images/smilies/sad.gif

Aston Martin · March 1st, 2007, 1:01 PM

I have that book... sadly nothing has materialised yet.

m102486 · March 1st, 2007, 2:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by don vito

I have that book... sadly nothing has materialised yet.

same here, but I'm still interested, there's a new book out Build Your Own Sports Car: On a budget

Beni · March 1st, 2007, 3:12 PM

I'd love to build one aswell! But people where executed over here trying to get it road legal, damn!

zenkidori · March 1st, 2007, 4:00 PM

Very cool stuff! A buddy and I are actually building a one off car but we're taking our guidance for a lot of things from the locost, since we are on a budget. Very cool shit man, have fun building it and more fun racing it!

You may also want to check out the Sylvia Mojo. Basically the same idea, only with a rear mounted engine, very cool.

jayhawk · March 1st, 2007, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eMKay

The Brits here know all about these, it's a trend that's just catching on here in America, we don't even have a national sanctioned race series yet (a big YET, we're working on it). Mine is a "book" frame (Ron Champions' book) with a Toyota Corolla rear axle, Suzuki Swift GT engine, Samurai transmission, Chevrolet Chevette spindles and brakes, Triumph Spitfire rack, and Swift electrics. It's about halfway done, here is a link to my build...

It's a lot of reading, the actual build starts on page 3...
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=922

The book, and what the car looks like...

Aw, neat!

I was looking onto building a Locost with a 3800 SC, too!...until my wife decided an S2000 would probably be a saner choice. Bah!

Good luck on the build!

eMKay · March 2nd, 2007, 2:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m102486

Good luck with the build!, what seats will you be using?

I'll be using Kirkey race seats with my own custom covers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaBOOMn

O.K Here we go....8)

I work for a small kit car maker/race shop, heres some hints for you:

Don't make your floor out of alloy and for the love of God don't weld it on. Use rivits and sikaflex.

Get a power pop riviter.

Our cars use SR20DE/SR20DET's. Not bad. A CA18 is a lighter and better motor. Sadly we can't use these motors anymore due to the current pollution controls in Australia. We needs motors with pollution controls post 2003. Still we can get away with SR20DET's out of old Nissan S15 Silvia's (trumped up Datsun 120Y's)

Run your wireing loom in before the side pannels go on.

Don't go nuts with the fibreglass.

Don't make the car too small and too light. All custom made spaceframe cars are really light and will blow the doors (lol) off something but you don't want to make un-useable. 99% of drivers do not have the talent to exploit a Clubbie/Lotus 7 replica thats 400kg compared to one thats 700kg (where most cars end up dispite the claims of the owners).

Use comfortable seats.

Don't use too big brakes. Leave them un-boosted. You have no weight remember, so you want feel!

That book is really a bit of a joke, but it does have a lot of good content. If you can seek out a local kit car maker etc.

Lighter is not always better.

A review of one of our cars.....and no I didn't do the interior of that car..... images/smilies/dry.gif

http://autoweb.drive.com.au/cms/A_2176/article.html

**they got the price wrong in that review.....its a lot less than 60k!

------

I'm designing and building my own car from scratch (with complete ADR compliance), but it has some really hard design features.....Doors and a roof! images/smilies/lol.gif

You don't realise how hard it is till you try to do it yourself. Uh I'm a year in and still not much to show.

Thanks. The floor is 16 gauge steel and is already welded on, it's an integral part of the chassis and I wanted it to add to the rigidity. It's VERY firmly welded to the chassis. I have done a lot of strengthening to the frame that is not in the book, adding gussets where I think they will be needed, Aussie mods, and it still weighs under 250lbs.

The engine and tranny combined weigh 205lbs.

March 1st, 2007, 3:12 AM	#1
eMKay Joined: Mar 17th, 2005 Last Online: November 2nd, 2009 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 219 Car: 21 laps of the 'ring Rep Power: 20	I'm building a Locost... The Brits here know all about these, it's a trend that's just catching on here in America, we don't even have a national sanctioned race series yet (a big YET, we're working on it). Mine is a "book" frame (Ron Champions' book) with a Toyota Corolla rear axle, Suzuki Swift GT engine, Samurai transmission, Chevrolet Chevette spindles and brakes, Triumph Spitfire rack, and Swift electrics. It's about halfway done, here is a link to my build... It's a lot of reading, the actual build starts on page 3... http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=922 The book, and what the car looks like... __________________ Borrowed 92 Nissan NX2000(SCCA ITA racecar) 02 Honda Odyssey EX (tows the racecar and sailboat) 03 Forester (wifes car) 91 Civic race car (SCCA ITC, under construction) 89 O'day 192 (Boat) YAaaaahh! The Miatas are chasing me!

March 1st, 2007, 3:14 AM	#2
BlaRo Lady GaGa's #1 Fan Joined: Aug 18th, 2005 Last Online: 12:35 AM Location: Assachusetts Age: 21 Posts: 11,259 Car: 1997 Yamaha Seca II, 1976 Honda CB550F Rep Power: 372	Since you're in America (like me), you should probably take a look at this while you're at it. "Ron Champion"? That's the most contrived name since "Scott Speed"! __________________ "It is impossible to describe this kind of performance to the uninitiated. Telling a traffic officer or a safety crusader like Ralph Nader that 100 mph can be safe is like reading the Constitution to a Maoist; it is a strange and hostile concept." -Brock Yates. The body was accidentally unearthed from a shallow grave by construction workers. Because of Parkinson's.

March 1st, 2007, 3:18 AM	#3
No Boss Neener, neener, I banned your title! Joined: Oct 8th, 2005 Last Online: November 8th, 2009 Location: 'mericuh, someday the UK. Age: 24 Posts: 6,859 Car: 2005 Volvo S60 R Rep Power: 86	I dunno if I would trust myself enough to race somthing I built. __________________

March 1st, 2007, 3:44 AM	#6
CraigB Joined: Feb 14th, 2007 Last Online: Yesterday Location: Asbury, Missouri, USA Age: 29 Posts: 1,023 Car: '84 Mustang SVO • '92 Mustang 5.0 • '00 Taurus Rep Power: 33	There was an article in Car & Driver a few months back about these cars. I really would like to build one for myself at some point... __________________ I've always had an irrational fear of anamorphic armadillos.

March 1st, 2007, 3:51 AM	#7
m102486 Joined: Jun 2nd, 2005 Last Online: Yesterday Age: 23 Posts: 288 Car: 75' Ford Escort 1.6 Sport Rep Power: 22	Good luck with the build!, what seats will you be using? I also wanted to build a locost and bought a escort mk2 for just $200+ but dad didnt like the plan. now I'm fixing the escort but I still plan on building a locost. __________________ http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b46/m102486/

March 1st, 2007, 4:21 AM	#8
thedguy ^ will bore you to death Joined: Jun 18th, 2004 Last Online: 7:05 AM Location: Under the Counter at McD's Posts: 7,435 Car: 1990 Mazda MX-5 & 91 318i. Rep Power: 148	My brother and I are looking at building one of these. He's already got a busted miata (blown automatic trans) car for parts. Just need to learn to weld, get money for the steel, and actually figure out how to make it Good luck and keep us posted. P.S. My idea of one involved using a swift GTi engine as well. Can you get us an actual weight on the engine/trans? edit: nevermind on the weight I saw 133lbs with no manifolds and a flexplate. Last edited by thedguy; March 1st, 2007 at 4:44 AM.

March 1st, 2007, 5:01 AM	#9
m102486 Joined: Jun 2nd, 2005 Last Online: Yesterday Age: 23 Posts: 288 Car: 75' Ford Escort 1.6 Sport Rep Power: 22	http://www.racetech.ee/a/fh12-index.htm have your guys seen this site?, they've built the chassis using aluminum. __________________ http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b46/m102486/

March 1st, 2007, 6:22 AM	#10
Blind_Io Dispenses buckshot medication for all undead patients. Joined: Apr 5th, 2006 Last Online: Yesterday Location: Utah, USA Age: 28 Posts: 10,993 Car: 2006 Nissan X-Terra - 2000 VFR800 Interceptor Rep Power: 266	I think that the Top Gear boys should each have to build their own car. No one can pick up a spanner but the presenter who will have that car. The challenge will last the length of the season with a race at the end and a series of challenges and independent judges. James will probably be the best, if he can finish on time and not spend the entire season organizing his bolts and naming his spanners. Clarkson will be useless and find a way to cheat and Richard ... well, I don't know, he does not strike me as being particularly handy but you never know. __________________ War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength

March 1st, 2007, 7:39 AM	#12
kaBOOMn Joined: Jun 29th, 2006 Last Online: November 17th, 2009 Location: Adelaide, South Australia Posts: 660 Rep Power: 20	O.K Here we go....8) I work for a small kit car maker/race shop, heres some hints for you: Don't make your floor out of alloy and for the love of God don't weld it on. Use rivits and sikaflex. Get a power pop riviter. Our cars use SR20DE/SR20DET's. Not bad. A CA18 is a lighter and better motor. Sadly we can't use these motors anymore due to the current pollution controls in Australia. We needs motors with pollution controls post 2003. Still we can get away with SR20DET's out of old Nissan S15 Silvia's (trumped up Datsun 120Y's) Run your wireing loom in before the side pannels go on. Don't go nuts with the fibreglass. Don't make the car too small and too light. All custom made spaceframe cars are really light and will blow the doors (lol) off something but you don't want to make un-useable. 99% of drivers do not have the talent to exploit a Clubbie/Lotus 7 replica thats 400kg compared to one thats 700kg (where most cars end up dispite the claims of the owners). Use comfortable seats. Don't use too big brakes. Leave them un-boosted. You have no weight remember, so you want feel! That book is really a bit of a joke, but it does have a lot of good content. If you can seek out a local kit car maker etc. Lighter is not always better. A review of one of our cars.....and no I didn't do the interior of that car..... http://autoweb.drive.com.au/cms/A_2176/article.html **they got the price wrong in that review.....its a lot less than 60k! ------ I'm designing and building my own car from scratch (with complete ADR compliance), but it has some really hard design features.....Doors and a roof! You don't realise how hard it is till you try to do it yourself. Uh I'm a year in and still not much to show.

March 1st, 2007, 8:38 AM	#13
Banii Joined: Aug 19th, 2006 Last Online: October 21st, 2009 Location: Norway Age: 23 Posts: 668 Car: Mazda 626 2.0i 16v GLX, w/ SSE Rep Power: 17	Speaking of Australia... how expensive are cars over there? Any retard-jealousy-taxes? Moving there in December (from Norway ^^) and i'm planing on buying a car __________________ I will not carry a gun, Frank. When I got thrown into this war I had a clear understanding with the Pentagon: no guns. I'll carry your books, I'll carry a torch, I'll carry a tune, I'll carry on, carry over, carry forward, Cary Grant, cash and carry, carry me back to Old Virginia, I'll even 'hari-kari' if you show me how, but I will not carry a gun! -- Hawkeye approved by NADU (Not A Dude United)

March 1st, 2007, 1:01 PM	#15
Aston Martin Wirelees noob Joined: Sep 20th, 2006 Last Online: Yesterday Location: Hull, England Posts: 2,253 Rep Power: 0	I have that book... sadly nothing has materialised yet.

March 1st, 2007, 3:12 PM	#17
Beni Joined: Dec 11th, 2005 Last Online: November 20th, 2009 Location: frankfurt am main Age: 28 Posts: 518 Car: '79 X1/9 '85 E28 '96 Fiat 126 Rep Power: 28	I'd love to build one aswell! But people where executed over here trying to get it road legal, damn!

March 1st, 2007, 4:00 PM	#18
zenkidori Banned For Trolling Joined: Jun 12th, 2005 Last Online: November 15th, 2007 Location: A mile high...and then some Posts: 4,809 Car: RX-7, Jeep Cherokee Rep Power: 0	Very cool stuff! A buddy and I are actually building a one off car but we're taking our guidance for a lot of things from the locost, since we are on a budget. Very cool shit man, have fun building it and more fun racing it! You may also want to check out the Sylvia Mojo. Basically the same idea, only with a rear mounted engine, very cool.

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