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Learning how to build Lotus Seven replicas...together!
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 Post subject: JD's 1959 Locost tribute
PostPosted: December 14, 2011, 11:35 am 
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I decided to build an old school Locost with wire wheels, narrow fenders and a leather belt across the hood. The goal is to make it look like a 1959 Seven. The front uprights and rear axle are out of an MGB and the engine is a 2.3L ford with a couple of sidedraft webbers. Orignally started with a 442 design but then narrowed things up considerably to accomodate the narrow MGB axle. I'm using the axle made for solid disc wheels with wire wheel adaptors because it adds a bit of width between the backing plates.

The uprights of an MGB are unusual in that they have a king pin. I'll adapt them by using double heim joints on top and bottom at the upright and on the inboard side of both A-arms.

Why so Old School? I did lots of car stuff in the 70s and 80s. For A time, I worked closely with Eric Broadley at Lola, but don't get excited, I helped him prototype and develop the Lola T-506--a formula car Lola built to use on a small course where you could race the car for a dollar a lap. Because the car had all the suspension elements from a Formula Ford, I spent my days plotting camber curves, setting bump steer and adjusting shocks. In the end it was all for naught, since the cars fell apart weekly. (Imagine people bouncing underpowered formula Fords off of curbs 18 hours a day seven days a week.)

Anyway I have lots of welding, machining, bodywork and fabrication experience that has been lying dormant for almost three decades. Here goes nothing.


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PostPosted: December 14, 2011, 12:00 pm 
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Welcome to the group! Anybody named "JD" must be fine folks! 8) Interesting build already, using the MGB front end pieces. I'll look forward to seeing how you connect all that business. I've owned and raced an MGB for years (her name is Lucretia), but I shied away from using parts for the build, just couldn't bear to take her apart... :oops:

I've got some pieces/parts lying around, like a complete rear axle, if ya need something, let me know and I might have a spare.

Good luck and keep us posted!

JD "Takes One To Know One" Kemp
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PostPosted: December 14, 2011, 12:47 pm 
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Sounds like a great build.

Would the king pin be difficult to adapt?

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PostPosted: December 14, 2011, 1:37 pm 
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It looks like you have a great goal to emulate. As far as the MGB kingpins, Why not just use the trunions? The control arms would just need a U-bracket at the ouside end to bolt right up. Pretty easy to implement and would be "period". Not too many Locosts being built here with WW's. Bumping up to 165-15 tires and wheels would look better than the 14" MGB wheels IMHO. Congrats for chasing your vision.

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PostPosted: December 14, 2011, 3:57 pm 
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Hoping someone would do "Old School" in spirit. Good luck and keep us posted!

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PostPosted: December 15, 2011, 12:46 am 
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This is excellent. I'll be very interested to see how your suspension turns out, since I'm also using an MGB donor. Best of luck with this.


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PostPosted: December 15, 2011, 11:27 am 
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GonzoRacer wrote:
Welcome to the group! Anybody named "JD" must be fine folks! 8) Interesting build already, using the MGB front end pieces. I'll look forward to seeing how you connect all that business. I've owned and raced an MGB for years (her name is Lucretia), but I shied away from using parts for the build, just couldn't bear to take her apart... :oops:

I've got some pieces/parts lying around, like a complete rear axle, if ya need something, let me know and I might have a spare.

Good luck and keep us posted!

JD "Takes One To Know One" Kemp
Attachment:
Crow08StraightOn.jpg



Thanks! And thanks for the offer. What I've found here in New England is that there are many rust bucket Bs to be had. I just pulled a '1971 model out of the woods with my tractor that had a hard top. I paid 150 bucks for it. It had been sitting since 1984

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PostPosted: December 15, 2011, 11:30 am 
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a.moore wrote:
Sounds like a great build.

Would the king pin be difficult to adapt?



Not for me (so far) I have a lathe> I drilled half inch holes in 7/8 bolts then bolted them into the top bushing space. Upper heims will be attached to the 1/2 holes with G8 Bolts. The same is the case for the lower trunion.

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PostPosted: December 15, 2011, 11:35 am 
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nick47 wrote:
This is excellent. I'll be very interested to see how your suspension turns out, since I'm also using an MGB donor. Best of luck with this.

I'll post more photos soon.

So far I'm using the pedal setup from A 74 B. It looks like it will work well. Beware the wire wheel rear axle it's really too narrow. The one for solid wheels is wider.

I think a B motor and trans will work well but I've gone a different route with the ford motor. I also think the rack and pinion from the B will work. I'll let you know.

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PostPosted: December 15, 2011, 12:26 pm 
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:cheers: for going with the vintage look!


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PostPosted: December 15, 2011, 12:46 pm 
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I love the period correct look you are going for. Here is a 1959 Lotus that I have saved for my someday, maybe, after the kids are gone build...


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PostPosted: December 18, 2011, 7:53 pm 
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Built a plastic room to house my car. The barn is just too big to heat. I spent Sunday adding to the back half of the frame and locating the track rods. During the week I came up with a lathe jig to notch the a-arm tubes. I used a 7/8 roughing end mill. Order one that is not center cut and You can put one end in the chuck and the other in the center. Clamp the tubing in the jig and you can notch the tubing at any angle.


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PostPosted: December 18, 2011, 7:54 pm 
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Here's a picture of the lathe jig.


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PostPosted: December 18, 2011, 9:31 pm 
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Having done all my fishmouth ends with hand files, I can really appreciate that lathe. Nice build room.


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PostPosted: December 18, 2011, 9:41 pm 
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signbandit55 wrote:
During the week I came up with a lathe jig to notch the a-arm tubes. I used a 7/8 roughing end mill. Order one that is not center cut and You can put one end in the chuck and the other in the center. Clamp the tubing in the jig and you can notch the tubing at any angle.

:?
signbandit55 wrote:
Here's a picture of the lathe jig.

Dohh! :BH:
Ok so I'm going to be copying that, sure seems a lot easier than setting up the mill (and cleaning it up afterwards) when I only need one or two tubes. ..

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