LocostUSA.com

The finish line is approaching on the Mini project. I dropped the tub off today with the body guy. When it comes back from paint, it's just straight forward re-assembly work and a dash of real wiring.

So, good, bad, or just plain crazy, I struck a deal with Brian Gifford on his SR20 442e project.
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=17470

http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=4081

The trailer is hooked up and I roll out early tomorrow morning.

If anyone wants a deal on a Formula 500 car let me know. I'm going to finish up the 442 for a strictly autocross beast.

_________________
Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

Congratulations on getting yet another project. If things keep going like this, we're going to have to change the name of this website to "TooBusy's-projects-&-friends.com" JK.

_________________
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

I see he is in the Lake Wylie area. I am really close to Lake Wylie. If you want to stop by, I will enjoy meeting you. PM Sent with contact info

_________________
Gavin

My build: http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=16005

Loaded up at Brian's house by about 11:30

It looks a little scary with a frame sitting on a build table, sitting on a trailer... but plenty of straps and a chain fall did their jobs on the ride home.

I drafted Wifey Dearest and Andrew and the 3 of us managed a controlled roll off down the 12 foot long ramps without incident.
All I did was offload and call it a day. I really need to move everything short term into a storage unit until the Mini gets reassembled.

_________________
Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

Well, it looks like I'll get to start on this sooner rather than later.
I put my F-Mod up for sale and it was gone in 2 hours.

It heads to Phoenix as soon as the buyer can arrange transport

_________________
Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

Last week I did a little garage cleaning and built a shelf under the build table to store the various bits that came with the project


That helps a bit with organization and keeps me from mixing parts with the Mini.

Then I started gathering the needed bits for the Boosted 7

Craigslist score for a Procar seat



It's a tight fit, but it works

Then an ebay score for a stainless header


And I go this afternoon to pick up a "low mileage" factory turbo. We'll see if it's as good as advertised. If not, I've found an ISIS unit for a great price... the guy blew up his motor before he made the swap.

Tomorrow I'll pull some more measurements off the front suspension and decide to go with Brian's design, or modify to my thoughts.

_________________
Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

Got boost
turbo off low mileage car. Nice and clean with very little shaft play and no signs the seals are leaking.
A pretty good Craigslist score


Also came with the factory intercooler, so now I'll have to choose between wide and narrow. At least I have an option

_________________
Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

Garage day
Piddling with the front suspension. I took some measurements and reverse engineered the current setup. It was hmmmm Minnie Mouse divorce cause. (fuckin Goofy)

Then I went to work in VSusp using 3 of the 4 suspension pickup points and came up with this. I've got the 4th point approximated with it clamped in place.




While I had it all together I checked the track width and rack / tire rods. This is what I have to take off all the a arm pieces to get it right.


I reran my numbers in VSusp and I've got a liveable solution.

camber adjustable from 2 to -2 degrees
caster adjustable from 0 to -8 degrees

camber gain at 5 degrees caster is out 3 degrees in each direction.

before I washed my hands for the day I decided to test fit the new header and turbo... not bad


Real estate up front will come at a premium and I'll have some challenges plumbing the intercooler, but it'll all work out.

_________________
Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

SO today I headed out to the garage and fired up the cutoff wheel and chop saw.
I took 2 1/4 inches off everything and test fit it back together.
It looked good, but before welding I decided to check the steering rack... not enough thread engagement into the tie rod ends.

A little more measuring and I could still manage to take another inch out of the track width and have a square setup. Decided instead to take out a little bit less.

Here's the result, a happy front suspension.
The bottom rear bracket is just sitting there, not welded in. It will get a rework before final fitting


And the driver's side


And view from the front
passenger's side is blocked for ride height at 4 inches, driver's side set for 3 inch ride height


Like it sits as pictured
Camber -1
Caster 5
camber gain on bump or droop 0
camber gain on turn in 4 degrees in the direction of the turn

Tons of room for adjustments

Pretty happy with today's work.

_________________
Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

hey! just back from the track with the same engine in my car, it is running hot! 120C is where i got. so plan on evacuating a lot of heat! i have a civic aluminium radiator and a big intercooler, i am thinking about shrinking it and adding an oil cooler

plus running with 10/90 prestone instead of 50/50

_________________
Making a Deman SR27 lapping and street car
Any question on driveshaft, i will be more than happy to answer!

A word of caution on the SS eBay header, I've used them before in a few different applications and some of them have a tendency to crack at the welds if the weight of the turbo is not supported by a bracket or something similar.

This one comes with a BIG Griffin radiator and I have a big intercooler... I'm hoping to keep it cooler than 120C



Thanks. I plant to adapt the stock bracket to carry the weight. I held on to the stock cast iron manifold too. Aftermarket parts usually last me until I throw away their stock counterparts.

_________________
Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

Garage time this weekend.
I finished reworking the front suspension to my new numbers. On closer look, I decided to make a change from what I had mocked up before. I widened the attachment points a bit more. Welded in another frame member and welded the tabs onto that member.

A little tweaking, checking the numbers, and moving it through full range of motion and I'm pretty satisfied with the results

Once that was all set I went to work on mounting the rack. A little experimenting and I found the height without any bump steer. Took a few measurements, cut and drilled some tubes, and tack welded in place. still need final welding and some caps on the tubers


Then had to make a decision, inboard shocks or lay them over waaaay flat. I mocked it up both ways then decided on inboard. I grabbed the mock up batwing Brian had made for the test fit. I'll change the angles some, but this will work...


I've got 6 weeks til the Mini is done at the body shop, so time to get a move on.

_________________
Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

A little more ebay shopping and I picked up a downpipe for the project.
Polished stainless, welds look pretty good...

I need to get the turbo and downpipe bolted on so I can look at steering column routing. I think I'll e headed out to my friendly neighborhood scrap yard this Saturday morning to pick up some building supplies. I need a stick or two of 1" square, some 1" round tube, a little piece of 3/26 plate, and some aluminum plate if they have any this week.

Oh, and Wifey Dearest thinks now would be a good time for us to buy a smaller house and move...
Our place is paid for, so it "should" be able to buy us a smaller house from rental income.

_________________
Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

Another work day in the garage yesterday.
Hurricane Joaquin is off the coast, we have a stalled low pressure system onshore and it has been DUMPING BUCKETS of rain. I think we're at about 16 inches and counting right now early Sunday morning with another 6-12 in the forecast for the next 24 hours.

So I spent time in a nice dry garage.

First order of business it was time to finish welding the rear subframe mounts. It was just tacked in when I picked up the project.


Once that was done I moved up front to check fit of the turbo and downpipe. Here's an example of a lack of foresight. Engine and trans mounted up beautifully, but no room for exhaust.



So I pulled the header and put on the stock exhaust, still no dice. Since it won't fit with either the header goes back on and I have to decide between modifying the downpipe and moving the engine forward about an inch. I'll have to bolt on accessories before I decide to move the engine forward.

One thing about aftermarket downpipes, they are not created equal. This one looked nice at first glance. Closer inspection shows the flange is warped about 1/32 inch. I can flatten it out well enough with a belt sander though. Then the second issue. Only 4 of 5 holes line up. so out comes the die grinder.


I had the welder out and needed to put the pedal mounting bars in place. Brian had planned for 1/2 laps. I didn't like having those two bars dropped. It would make it more difficult to fit the shut panels. I cut off the tabs and welded them in flush.


I can't make the decision on moving the engine without everything up front, so back to the shocks. I'm mocking up the rockers with tube based on dimensions I pulled off Brian's jig. I'll need to remake these from sheet steel.

Looks good at full droop


And full bump

_________________
Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216