LocostUSA.com

Yo, Loco!
Good to see you back at it! Tough luck with the budgetary stuff, life kinda sux sometimes, for all of us... But hang in there, keep on buildin' when you can.

JD Kemp

Nice Work Locofinn !!!

I hear you... I haven't touched my car, since April, family comes first. I should be able to work on it latter in August.

I need to do a removable crossmember below my tranny as like you I wish to maximise my chassis stiffness. I need to figure that one out.

Cheers,

Fred

Actually worked on my car over 3 hours this past weekend. Cut and mounted the dash panel and welded on some Duzs brackets for the nose cone. Also got my aluminum sheet last week.

(2) 3003 H14 4'x8' sheet of .040 = $89.14 ea

(1) 3003 H14 4'x8' sheet of .063 = $107.44

Delivered price to my shop from O'Neal Metals, New Haven, IN

Building a homemade bending sheet break next and getting back on it. I really want to autocross it next summer!

Those prices aren't too shabby for being delivered. I think I was paying around $72/sheet for 0.040" 3003 and I had to bring my trailer to retrieve it.

Are you doing the brake from plans or your own design?

The .040" 3003H14 is great for the body sheets, especially rolling around the rear tubes. It maybe a bit prone to knee damage while pushing the car around the garage. Be carefull. You'll be glad you went with the .063 for the Bonnet. I used the .040 and it is a bit flimsy. I need to add reinforcement in some areas.

Great to see you are back to making progress.

Chuck

Yo, Loco!
Good to see you back to building. Keep us posted on your progress, or at least say "Howdy" every now and then.
Take Care-
JDK

Going with large angle iron and wood blocks, clamps, soft hammer etc. Inspired by Carrol Smith's book on "Prepare To Win" ideas. Keep it simple. Not many bends involved to justify a real metal brake set up. Just go slow like everything else I've done.

I built a bending brake for the larger sheet metal pieces. I just took 3 pieces of 4" angle iron scraps about 6ft long, attached two standard door hinges and bolted the whole deal to my build table. I loosen the bolts and pry up with a large screwdriver insert the aluminum sheet between some scrap paper to protect it, clamp it down and bend it. Very crude but it works. Cost me about $14. Does the job for the few pieces I need. I would imagine you could grind on the edge of the angle iron to get a different radius but looks OK for what I need.

Finally getting to sheet metal work. The $22 eBay used pneumatic pop rivet gun was worth every penny. Lots of rivets going into this project. My aluminum sheet came with protective cardboard paper that works great for patterns. I used an old piano hinge with pre drilled holes to locate my rivet spacing. Punch, drill, de-burr and rivet. I invested in some Clecos and they really help a lot. This takes much longer than I thought. The first piece was the rear bulkhead which took me about about 4 hours to fit, cut and rivet. I have never done this before but it is rewarding work.

Also working on the dash plate. I'm using a 1/8" thick piece of 5052 aluminum attached to the front roll hoop structure. I will add a rubber edge over the top and the bonnet sheet metal will rest directly on the dash panel when clamped down.

Mark, we're due for the next installment.

Hope to see it/you out this year.

Jeff

Planning on it. Bought lots of parts the past 2 months. Enough to finish. I just need the time to do it.

If you are the Jeff I think you are, are you going to co-drive Del's Jeep monster?

Mark

I've offered to help sort out the new Jeep but I'll be in the YC-3 for Solo Nats, Toledo Tour, etc. Glad to hear you're continuing your progress.

Jeff

Looking forward on seing some update Mark !!!!

Marc and I will be in Toledo Nats with the Locost , will we see you there ?

Jeff good to hear the YC3 will be there... Love that car, looking forward to meeting you there !!!

Cheers,

Fred

Yo, Loco!
Excuse the hijack, but can somebody (Mr. Cashmore?) post some pictures of this "Jeep"??? Del's creations are always interesting... I remember the "T Model" from a few years back... So, what's the "Jeep"??? Enquiring minds, etc.

JD Kemp