LocostUSA.com :: View topic - Moti's R1 powered (+Miata parts) track build

I'm sure I've read it somewhere, though I can't really remember where.
Either way, for such small plates, the weight difference is pretty small and the strength difference is pretty high... guess I'll stick with them.

So, after such a long time that I haven't really posted anything new I can say that newborns don't make your build progress any faster (or at all :lol:

).
On the other hand, any moment spent with my baby daughter is pur joy for me, so I'm alright with that.
Near-future projections don't look too bright for the Locost, we're planning on moving from LA to Sacramento in the next few months, all of which will take time and $$, BUT, we're getting a place with a yard big enough for me to build a workshop for the Locost.
Progress may be slow for a while, but I'm looking forward for the designated workshop

.
In any case, I'll finish the cage soon and post sme pics.

Hope ya'll made good progress with your projects lately!

Moti

Author:	Blackbird [ February 11, 2008, 3:50 am ]
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Thanks . I made some progress this weekend but not as much as I hoped for, despite the gorgeous weather (clear 80's, no wind). The cage is nearly done, a little more notching to be done but no more bending. All I need is one more weekend like that and the cage will be finished. Comments are welcome ! Moti

Author:	Tyrannosullyrex [ February 27, 2008, 5:55 pm ]
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Blackbird wrote: Thanks! The plates are 1/8" like NASA and SCCA specifies in their rulebooks. The front hoop is located about halfway between the knees and the feet. I didn't want to have it any further forward than that because I felt that the sides are becoming too open. I can always extend the side bars beyond the front hoop, that is one design that I've been considering. Moti Only specifications I see are for .080" thick for weld cages, 3/16" for bolt in, but I guess they don't make 14.353 gauge steel. There is one mention in the GT rules of the mounting plates being the same or thicker than the tubes mounted to it.

Author:	Blackbird [ May 26, 2008, 12:11 am ]
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I'm sure I've read it somewhere, though I can't really remember where. Either way, for such small plates, the weight difference is pretty small and the strength difference is pretty high... guess I'll stick with them. So, after such a long time that I haven't really posted anything new I can say that newborns don't make your build progress any faster (or at all ). On the other hand, any moment spent with my baby daughter is pur joy for me, so I'm alright with that. Near-future projections don't look too bright for the Locost, we're planning on moving from LA to Sacramento in the next few months, all of which will take time and $$, BUT, we're getting a place with a yard big enough for me to build a workshop for the Locost. Progress may be slow for a while, but I'm looking forward for the designated workshop . In any case, I'll finish the cage soon and post sme pics. Hope ya'll made good progress with your projects lately! Moti

Author:	Titus [ May 26, 2008, 10:15 am ]
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Blackbird wrote: I'm sure I've read it somewhere, though I can't really remember where. Either way, for such small plates, the weight difference is pretty small and the strength difference is pretty high... guess I'll stick with them. So, after such a long time that I haven't really posted anything new I can say that newborns don't make your build progress any faster (or at all ). On the other hand, any moment spent with my baby daughter is pur joy for me, so I'm alright with that. Near-future projections don't look too bright for the Locost, we're planning on moving from LA to Sacramento in the next few months, all of which will take time and $$, BUT, we're getting a place with a yard big enough for me to build a workshop for the Locost. Progress may be slow for a while, but I'm looking forward for the designated workshop . In any case, I'll finish the cage soon and post sme pics. Hope ya'll made good progress with your projects lately! Moti Congrats on the birth Moti. I lived in Sacramento for 12 years (up until I moved to Dallas 4 years ago). If you have any questions about different parts of town, let me know. I lived in Sac State Dorms, a frat house in Sacramento, apartments in Citrus Heights, Sacramento, and Rancho Cordova and then owned a house in Citrus Heights followed by a house in Elk Grove, so you could say I know the area pretty well . The picture in my Avatar was actually taken near our Elk Grove home.

Author:	horizenjob [ May 26, 2008, 10:38 am ]
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Quote: On the other hand, any moment spent with my baby daughter is pure joy for me, so I'm alright with that. Well, on the additional plus sides, I thought it was neat that in Chris Gibbs Haynes Roadster book he has a picture of his daughter welding on his chassis. He said she loves welding! So Just 10 more years, hang in there!

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Author:	Blackbird [ May 26, 2008, 3:56 pm ]
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Thanks guys . Titus, I'm looking at the Carmichael area, some neighbourhoods are really nice over there. Moti

Author:	Titus [ May 26, 2008, 7:33 pm ]
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Blackbird wrote: Thanks guys . Titus, I'm looking at the Carmichael area, some neighbourhoods are really nice over there. Moti Yes, Carmichael has some really nice pockets. I recall an old co-worker spent a while trying to find a house in a certain neighborhood. Apparently there is a very highly rated elementary school there (something you need to think about ). The problem was that the neighboring school was not nearly as good. He got a map from the school district so he could make sure the home was within the desired school's boundary. Also, you need to consider where you work vs. live in relation to the American River. There are a limited number of bridges, and the rush hour traffic can get really bad getting over them. You could be in an awesome Carmichael neighborhood that looks to be just 5 miles north of a job in Rancho Cordova, but in reality, its an hour commute because you have to go 4 miles East to the the Sunrise Blvd bridge or 4 miles west to the Watt Ave bridge, and both are swamped by 300,000 other commuters stuck in the same boat as you.

Author:	Blackbird [ August 25, 2008, 8:00 pm ]
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Been a long long time since I made any progress on the car, but I finally went back to work on it this friday and more today. The great news is that the entire roll cage is finished a far as fabrication and it's tacked together. Only braces that are missing are the two back braces that'll come in once the rear of the frame is built. I'm all fired up about it, it really came out as I envisioned it . More to come soon! Moti

Author:	Blackbird [ August 31, 2008, 11:36 pm ]
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I'm on a roll here! The last couple of days were just perfect for welding - dry, high temperture and almost no wind, can't ask for more. So, I pretty much went into the garage and welded about 85% of the cage, with the rest of it to be finished tomorrow. After welding everything I wanted to weld at the normal orientation, my friend came by and we took the cage out to weigh it, and followed that by putting it upside down on the table so I can finish it. So, at the current stage that you're seeing my frame weighs 124 lbs. I also subtracted the approximate weight of the braces that are not a part of the cage to get an indication how much the cage and the mounting plates weigh and got to 99 lbs. This is as accurate as we could get it on two bathroom scales, and we repeated it twice to verify the results. So there you go, that's my 99 lbs. worth of life insurance . Moti

Author:	Martin [ September 1, 2008, 1:30 am ]
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Very Cool. Martin Keller Ventura, Ca.

Author:	chetcpo [ September 1, 2008, 10:51 am ]
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That's a pretty slick method for weighing it. Glad to see you back at it, that thing is gonna be a heckuva track weapon.

Author:	Blackbird [ September 1, 2008, 10:57 pm ]
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Thanks! It is now fully welded and I can start working on the front suspension. Wishbone software, here I come (I should really say - forum members, here I come with questions about wishbone software )! Chet, this really is the only way I have to weigh things but it's fairly accurate. Moti

Author:	Matthew C Smith [ September 6, 2008, 8:29 am ]
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Looking good!

Author:	Random [ September 15, 2008, 12:44 pm ]
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Wow that looks really really good!

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Author:	Blackbird [ September 22, 2008, 1:06 am ]
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The last few weeks were spent mainly on figuring out the front suspension, and now that I have the geometry "engineered" I have started producing it. Today I took apart the miata steering rack to modify it for length, it will need to be shortened by 5.5" to work with the suspension the way I designed it. I followed the very useful FM de-powering guide here - http://flyinmiata.com/tech/depower.php?x=1 From reading about it in a bunch of threads, I always felt it was a bit sketchy, but after taking it apart I am much more confident about it, this isn't as scary as I thought it would be... The fact is, that even though I had a feeling tha welding it wasn't a good idea and that taking to a machine shop to be re-threaded was the way to go, I am now considering welding it like the rest of the folks who did, it's pretty straight forward, especailly if I get a peg that matches the ID in it. I'm looking into bike shocks right now, at the price they are it's really hard to pass. Moti