LocostUSA.com

I like your thinking, I used the 924 transaxle also in my locost. One issue I had and may be worse in your case is length of the entire assembly. I used a horizon opposed engine and still need in increase my wheel base in the rear a couple of inches to fit the entire assembly in. I did use the IRS rear suspension but flipped the rear control arms to reduce the static camber to -5 degrees. At max bump it gives me 1 1/4 degrees total.
A big bonus is the additional interior room and pedal space with the torque tube.

Best of luck with the design, I glad to here of another that choose this path.

Chris White
I should do a build log:(

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Chris White
Locost 7 type 1 power and a rear transaxle
Lotus Elise Sold
ND Club Miata
Nissan Titan Sold
Rubi Wrangler
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=13200

The footwell room is really a big draw, but now I am thinking about the K.I.S.S. acronym...

Keep It Simple Stupid

I've talked to a few people that have started first projects with very lofty goals, and I've done the same in the past. I am thinking I should scale back my efforts and build something that's dead easy to plan and build. At least for a first build. A big reason for this is that for the first time in my driving career I am without a sporty fun car, I sold my last which was an E30. I am itching to get back on the road, so the less hangups in the process the better.

Right now I am debating internally between a book framed with Miata donor (engine, trans, rearend, uprights, brakes) or a +442 framed Volvo 740 (engine,trans,rearend) with front uprights coming from either a Ford with the same bolt pattern or a Volvo P1800.

The Volvo stuff has been easier to find, and the larger frame would be nice, I also wouldn't have to deal with the IRS. And as an added plus, it's European. (always been a Euro guy)

The Miata stuff has the plus of having so many other people running that setup, it's easy to find other projects for ideas and such. For some reason I had thought that the Miata rear needed a book frame, but I suppose you can make it however wide you want. The Vodou plans are book, but who has never strayed away from the plans? hah.

on the 12th I will be going to the St.Paul Sevens Society meet and checking out Slappynuts' car. After sitting in it I think I will have a better idea of what frame to go with.

I also need to get on wiring in another outlet in the garage. As of now I only have one and it's on a 15amp breaker... not gonna work. When I built my workbench I had to run an extension cord from the kitchen (just through the doorway)

BUT... I should be able to get my build table done this weekend. I have made good progress in cleaning out all my extra parts and scrap steel I have in my garage.

man, long post with not much progress... this is probably a real boring read for you guys, hah.

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Fingers of butter and fists of ham.

My build is a Volvo 240 Book chassis. Using P1800 spindles. 240 axle works for a book frame and a 740 axle works for a 442 frame. P1800 or Volvo 142 spindles will have the same bolt pattern (the bolt pattern was different pre 1970). 240/740 strut type could be converted without much effort.

Here is my build
viewtopic.php?f=35&t=1342

I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have

My car
NA B230f K cam 530head in the works. Megasquirt in process.
150+ at the crank with these mods. That setup is typically about 125-130 at the wheels
240 rear axle
M47 trans modified to use a Saab ring slave.
P1800 spindles slightly modified.
Shortened RX-7 manual rack

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Volvo 240/P1800 Based Locost
2004 Aprilia Mille Factory
1988 Volvo 240 5 Speed ( For Sale)
2002 Toyota Tacoma
1999 BMW M3

haha! I just sent you a PM with questions on your build.

As far as front uprights go... Here is a list of cars with the same 5x108 bolt pattern as Volvos (post 1970)

90-92 Dodge Monaco
89-97 Ford Thunderbird and T-Bird SC
86-96 Ford Taurus
97 Ford SHO Taurus
94-on Ford Windstar
88-97 Lincoln Continental
99-on Lincoln LS
93-on Lincoln Mark VII
All Jaguar S-type
All Jaguar X-type
89-97 Mercury Cougar
86-96 Mercury Mystique
94-on Mercury Sable


Wondering if other uprights would work and be easier to source compared to the P1800 uprights.


Lincoln MKVII upright:

just have to bolt/build on an adapter for an upper ball joint. Chuck, you did this right?

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Fingers of butter and fists of ham.

Problem is... Those cars all have strut front suspension as well.

Crown Vics don't but They are 4x4.5 .

The P1800 hubs are nice if you can find them.
164 and 142 volvo will work too.

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Volvo 240/P1800 Based Locost
2004 Aprilia Mille Factory
1988 Volvo 240 5 Speed ( For Sale)
2002 Toyota Tacoma
1999 BMW M3

Bremms, where did you source your springs for the R1/R6 shocks you have?

Might just need to do what Chuck (and others, but this is his picture) did.


Unless I happen upon the Volvo uprights. I'll look for those too, but the big brakes from a Lincoln would be nice.

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Fingers of butter and fists of ham.

A 740 or 240 front strut/spindle is easy to make into a Dual A-arm. use a tubing cutter and weld a cap on the top with a tapered hole for the upper joint. The upper nut could be inserted through the bottom. The Volvo brakes are VERY good, the 240's have 4 piston calipers and have better feel than the 740. I'm using the P1800 disks with 240 non vented calipers.
I have a set of 164 front disks that are vented and 1/2" larger but would require an adapter and vented style calipers.

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Volvo 240/P1800 Based Locost
2004 Aprilia Mille Factory
1988 Volvo 240 5 Speed ( For Sale)
2002 Toyota Tacoma
1999 BMW M3

Ah, gotchya, yeah that does sound easy.

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Fingers of butter and fists of ham.

I thought we were doing this on the 14th?

Derp... yeah the 14th.

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Fingers of butter and fists of ham.

Got my build table built. Hard to see but there are two 2x4's strung across the bottom. Then I just shimmed the feet till it was totally level. Also added a few screws to hang some items.

Hopefully I can get another outlet put in and buy some steel soon!

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Fingers of butter and fists of ham.

You should make it like a wall section so the sides do not droop. other then that it looks ok. 2/4 sawhorses are stronger though.

Were you talking to the guard at discount steel? I was explaining to him what I was doing with all the 1" tube and he said someone else was building something like this as well?

Oh and if you dont start a thread on EW soon I will start it for you

I have 2x4's going across the bottom in 2 directions, the sides don't sag.

I had 2 2x4 saw horses but they were super flimsy. I suppose if I built some they would be ok, but these ones are solid and have a 1000lb capacity.

I don't want to put anything on EW quite yet. Maybe once I actually have some progress.

And I haven't talked to anyone at Discount Steel, maybe there's another local guy?

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Fingers of butter and fists of ham.

What Chuck said, put a sheet under those stringers and make it a box section. Glad you're getting your feet wet....

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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.

It is boxed in.

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Fingers of butter and fists of ham.