LocostUSA.com

Love your B3!! My friend Rick lives a few blocks away and has two Morgan 3-wheelers...a 1930s V-twin and a 1950s inline 4. They are very fun and unique cars!!

Being able to take your B3 on the track depends on the track rules/regulations and the organization sponsoring the event. In order for me to take my car on the track with the Porsche Club, I had to have a "properly built" roll cage, proper seat belts (equal for both driver and instructor) and use "arm restraints" (since I had no top of any kind.) They weren't real keen on the idea of allowing me to run, but my nephew has been one of the head driving instructors for the last 10 years (that helped), so they agreed to let me join in the fun. I had a great instructor, Mark Pebbles, and he was justifiably a bit nervous at driving flat out since there's really little protection other than the rollbar. (A full roll cage would have alleviated his concern.) So I drove very hard, but did not push it to the limits because I didn't want to (a) scare my instructor or (b) damage or wreck my labor of love! In the end, Mark said he enjoyed the experience and told me that Kate was the most unusual car he'd been in on the track (and he's been an PCA instructor for 25-30 years!)

Thanks!

helps, sometimes, to know somebody

Once I've got miles on mine, and have confidence in its solidity, I think I'd like to take it autocrossing (did that back in the late 90s with a Camaro z28), just so I beat it up a bit without fear of LEO intervention.

_________________
The B-3 build log: http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=13941

The Jag Special Build Log: http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19012

My first Autocross in Kate was very fun! The event was sponsored by the Citrus Region Porsche Club, was a 30 minute drive from home and only cost $30 including lunch! I met many real nice people and had 8 runs. Instead of taking it nice and easy on my first couple runs, I flogged it and went off course and ended up with a couple DNFs (which are frustrating!) After a couple more less agressive runs on the half mile course, I finally got the hang of the course layout. Victoria (from the Sun Coast Porsche Club) asked for a ride during the "fun-run" period and I had my best time of 45.5 - she laughed during the whole run! Unfortunately, that time wasn't counted. I think if I had a few more runs and I would have been into the 44s. But for a 62 year-old novice in a hand-built car, I felt my results were pretty darn commendable! Many much younger drivers in much more expensive cars had higher times than me.

So after running Roebling Road in Savannah and the Autocross last week, I feel VERY SATISFIED with the performance and handling of little Kate! While you don't get the same amount of seat time when you AutoX, is is certainly a great "Bang-For-The-Buck!" ($30 for an AutoX with free lunch versus $600 for a weekend at the track!)
I'm going to AutoX again soon! : - )

Woo Hoo! Way to go, Gar!
A very good showing for a first-time out! Congratulations!
And pickin' up women to boot... Don't get much better'n that!
(Do give them back to their partners before you leave, though... OK?)

JDK

_________________
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

Nice! Get some sticky rubber for Autox. You can knock off another 2-4 secs

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

Way to go Gar!

You broke the ice and now you're just going to get faster!

_________________
Larry in Seattle

Her facial expression matches that of the car. Hahaha.

Nice selection of cars you beat.

_________________
30 years old, not sure what I want to be when I grow up…

so before you go back into battle, consider why you went faster with a passenger and the extra weight?

springing and shock adjustment or ride hight maybe.

nice one Gar.

_________________
this story shall the good man teach his son,
and chrispin chrispian shall ne'er go by,
from this day to the end of the world.
but we in it shall be remembered.

Nah, he was just trying to impress her. I think the car is faster then him. (No offense to your Gar). Same deal with me and my shifter kart. Just need more seat time to get used to it. Then start making adjustments from there.

_________________
30 years old, not sure what I want to be when I grow up…

Yes, more seat time. They don't drive like street car on the track. Much finer control inputs. Mine was VERY sensitive to tire pressures and tire type. Found about 20-22 PSI was perfect for the two tires I tried. 25 PSI was jittery and front end grip was not very good compared to 21 PSI. 28 PSI was not good at all. 21PSI was a balance between tire flex and contact patch with the Hankook RS3. The Yokohama S. drives have a soft side wall and didn't have good response at under 25PSI. The RS3's were sooo much better. cornering speeds were about 5 MPH faster all around.

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

No matter what the problem is, more seat time is usually at least part of the answer... And it's the most fun!

You will have to play with tire pressures, alignment settings and even change wheels/tires and maybe springs/shocks, but the first step to to drive, define the changes you want to make and then drive it again. Tough job, but you can do it, Gar, I have faith in ya...


JDK

_________________
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

Well...yes, I learned that sometime we DO need a stinkin' jack!

On the drive home after my second autocross, I blew (and shredded) a relatively new Hankook on the left rear of Kate. I'm not sure what happened to cause the flat, I saw no nail or screw, but I doubt that the hard corning and sliding around on the asphalt track was good for the tires!

So I pulled over and thought, "I'm screwed!" I have my tools and a spare tire/wheel on the back, but I never did finish adding a jack. Luckily, an 80 year old lady pulled over almost immediately and let me use her jack! Ten minutes later, I was on my way. When I got home, I did a little research and found a highly rated scissors jack at Walmart for $20 (and yes, they actually do rate jacks!)

After looking at my options, I came up with a novel mounting location on the backside of the spare wheel under my tonneau:I'm always grateful for the assistance and magic of 'Master Welder' Tom Fine:So now I'll have a jack, jack handle and lug wrench...just in case I ever have another flat and there are no geriatric road rangers nearby to help me!

Wow...it's been almost a year since I've posted anything. I've done very little since finishing the car other than drive it! Last month one of my front fender brackets broke at the weld.I built the brackets so "heavy duty," I thought they'd never break! The worst thing about the town I live in is the damned brick roads! THEY'RE EXTREMELY BUMPY and they're everywhere! I'm certain that the terrible roads here contributed to the break. Upon close inspection, I found 3 additional cracks that had developed, so we ground the welds and tig-welded all 4 joints. I think this will take care of everything!

How many miles have you put on Kate?

_________________
30 years old, not sure what I want to be when I grow up…

I haven't take Kate on any long trips and have only driven her 1500 miles in the last year. I've had a few 60 mile trips, but most jaunts are just around town...going out to eat, running errands, mechanical test runs, etc. I describe the experience of taking Kate out of the garage as being similar to taking a puppy to a sorority house. The flattering comments and thumbs-up I get are always rewarding!

My wife Linda is pretty handy on a sewing machine and after I cut out a plywood template, she used some foam and covered it in black vinyl to make a great, comfortable center armrest!