LocostUSA.com

I lost the email address for my other account (LocostJosh) and generally left the world of forums for a while, but I am back!

Between 2014 and 2018 the car didn't get a whole lot of love, as work and life took over.

I managed to take the car to Snetterton circuit in 2017 and it got its first ever trip on a race track:


This was good fun, but after changing jobs a few times and then moving to the coast my wants from the car had massively changed. I really like the idea of having a sports car that I can take out on a Sunday morning and so the long job of converting the car to road use began.

Fast forward two and half years and she is very close to being road worthy and ready for the dreaded UK IVA test.


She has undergone a complete rebuild and I have addressed many of the issues I first had with it:

• The differential mounting system is now more robust
• I have replaced the open differential with a Kaaz clutch type unit
• The engine has been replaced with a fresher unit
• The engine is now mapped with alpha-n/tps as opposed to a mixed map setup
• I made great improvements to the cooling system as I blew a head gasket a while back
• I have built and tested a dry sump oiling system that is now on the car
• All of the bodywork has been spruced up by a bodyshop
• New rear arches with built in side repeaters etc.
• The whole car has been realigned and a better setup
• I have added a thousand different things for road worthiness (lights, interior, horn etc!)

Its getting there. I can't say it hasn't been a grind, as the UK IVA test is brutal but I should be submitting my paperwork in the next four weeks and hopefully be registered in the next three months.

Oh, I have to get married next month first though!
Cheers,
Josh

Thanks for the update, Josh. The car looks really good. After I saw how clean and simple the Suzuki engine installed in your build, I was always a little regretful I didn't think of it myself.

Good luck with your IVA test. Update us on that too when applicable.

Best,

Lonnie

_________________
Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886

And congratulations...

Will do chap! I'm just fixing my final list of things from airfield testing and then i will be comfortable to submit the paperwork. I am hoping for a test late august early September but we'll see.

n/a

Passed the IVA test first time back in October and a month later I was on the road. Its been a heck of a year.







I'm really enjoying driving it. Still trying to remind myself to have a good time and not worry too much about reliability and performance!

Congratulations! Looks great! I'm hoping to join the cool kids club (registered/titled) this Spring.

_________________
Peace, Ron

It really is a stunner! You should be very proud!

Thom

_________________
Thom

That looks great from here.

_________________
Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

Congrats on getting your car on the road, awesome job!
Welcome to the 10%'er club

_________________
Perry

'If man built it, man can fix it'
"No one ever told me I couldn't do it."
"If you can't build it safe, don't build it."

Perry's Locost Super Che7enette Build
Perry's TBird Based 5.0L Super 7 L.S.O
Perry's S10 Super 7 The 3rd
Perry's 4th Build The Topolino 500 (Little Mouse) Altered
Perry's 5th Build the Super Slant 6 Super 7
Perry's Final Build the 1929 Mercedes Gazelle

Thanks guys! Yeah I am really proud and I am even a bit of perfectionist when it comes to these things. Getting it on the road has certainly created a well of positive feelings

Its bloody weird to drive, and I mean that in a good way. Its more motorbike than car? I run a 4.3 rear gear and peak power should be at around 7200rpm. With the throttle bodies, the exhaust and being so open to the elements its... an experience I barely use the brakes in traffic, just downshift and let the engine breaking do all the work.

Yes, congratulations. It's beautifully done.

Cheers,

_________________
Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886

Nicely done. I went to your build log doe better pictures.

Congratulations for achieving the major milestone. I know the IVA is a huge hurdle, a major accomplishment.

Cheers,
Eric

_________________
MGiata current build here: https://www.mgexp.com/forum/mga-forum.2 ... n.3898051/

I just put an article together on what setup changes I have made to fix the handling of the car if you are interested

https://www.ogilvieracing.com/locost-fixing-the-handling/

Nice build Josh!
Should I assume “toe in” on the chart is actual just toe with negative representing a toe-in condition or is it toe out in the front and toe in for the rear?

Have you also checked for bumpsteer in the rear as well? Rear bump steer that creates toe out is very unsettling. Consider the static toe condition does not account for the dynamic change due to compliance and the rear tires moving forward in the chassis under load and the fronts moving to the rear. A little tension on a ratchet strap can provide an indication of what actual toe will be when driving.

It appears to me that you may not be using the full tire width considering 1.1neg static and what appears to be a VSA of around 35 inches. With such an aggressive camber gain, zero static may provide more cornering ability if you can get enough heat into the tires to share with a larger area. When cornering, the outside tire will have more leverage and heat further outboard in the tire.

Does the IRS have a similar gain/VSA?

Keep your old springs in case you want a smoother ride with better traction over rough back roads, to add a front bar later and keep the springs on the seats in droop. Stiffer springs cause the chassis to move more than softer springs, so recovery from a pot hole as one example is not as quick and can cause a momentary loss of traction/skipping.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12