Hi,
I've been lurking here on and off since Jan 2011. I remember this date, since I was on vacation in FL, with a very pregnant girl friend (still safe to fly) and discovered this thing called a Locost. When not out doing vacation stuff, I was going through cheapsportscar.net and this site, as well as a few others.
6 years later, and a mostly finished detached garage(girl friend is happy to finally have the attached garage), I'm starting on my own build.
Chassis: well I'm 6'3, and the BMW motor is a little large, so I went with the largest frame plan I could find, with out scaling things. I may have to extend the cockpit a little after a quick rough measurement. Probably easier to do now.
Drive Train: I already have a 1973 2002tii, and have parted out another 2002, so I have a BMW M10 the drive train. I've megasquirted the motor (sitting on a test stand) using a 318 intake, but I do have a set of ITB's from a 750 GSXR on their way, so that will probably be the intake setup I'll use.
A couple things that keep me wanting to stick with the BMW drive train: Although the engine is a little large (and probably heavy), its leaned over 30 degrees to the right, which should help a little with weight distribution, and the exhaust exits on the right as well, so I won't have to step over a muffler. The shifter is connected to a shaft on the back of the transmission, so it should be a little easier to put where I want, since it's divorced from the transmission. That and I already have it.
I'll probably have to get a rear axle setup out a newer 4 cyl BMW for the width. I think the 2002's rear axle is a little narrow. I'll probably just use the whole sub frame assembly. A live axle might be simpler, but the BMW transmissions use a rubber coupler (guibo/giubo?) connected to a 2 part drive shaft. A live axle would make that hard on ujoints as the moving part would probably be < 2 feet....
Or I'll see how much a wrecking yard want for a mostly complete early(?) Miata they have sitting there....
Front spindles, I'll probably use Miata, since I've already got a few spare sets of 4x100 rims. Converting strut front ends to wishbone kind of scares me
Thats all the theory part right now. Likely to change somewhat over the next bunch of months.
So far, I've gotten the table built (2x 5/8 MDF, with 2x4 frame), but have to get it onto some saw horses. Damn thing is heavy.
144 feet of 1x1 and 40 feet of 3/4x3/4 was delivered today, so I have most of the 1x1 cut and the bottom layed out. I did rough cuts with a hand band saw, then angled and final length with a grinder and file. I still may have to add some length to the cockpit....
That's all,
Thanks for reading.
Allan