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Learning how to build Lotus Seven replicas...together!
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PostPosted: November 29, 2018, 1:57 pm 
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Joined: July 4, 2006, 5:40 pm
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Location: Novato, CA
Very nice. As anyone who's had a Locost on the street for more than a couple of years can tell you, it is possible to weld on the chassis after painting.


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PostPosted: December 2, 2018, 9:00 pm 
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Joined: February 29, 2008, 7:15 pm
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Location: Denver, Colorado
Thanks Nick - oh I'm sure I'll still need to weld on the chassis (which is one big reason why I didn't want to powder coat). I have some brush on POR15 as well for touch ups.

I got some goodies! My Megasquirt plug and play came in, along with the IAT and electronic boost controller. I bought some nice new Hawk brake pads as well.

I also received my uber-cool custom gauges from Adam at REV Limiter. Really well done and super-cool packaging!! I decided for now to do something similar to Keith Tanner on the dash. I may update to the Aim system later, but for now, the budget is getting out of control. Once I have the scuttle back on the chassis, I'll see if I can fit them behind the steering wheel, or if I'll have to go center-mount (which would look almost exactly like Keith's set up). I plan on using a Lexan sheet over the dash with the gauges mounted flush just behind the dash for those who haven't seen the Tanner set-up.

The differential strengthening kit went in too. It was fairly simple, and looks really nice. Hopefully that will prevent my diff arm from snapping!

On to the aluminum. I talked with John about how he built his panels, since his car is such a work of art! I used paperboard taped together to make templates. I have started with the floorpan and it turned out pretty well. The harder stuff will be all the interior panels I fear. Those are next. Once I have all the templates, I'll buy exactly what I need for the sheets. Here are some photos:

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On another note, I just past my one year anniversary working on the car - the progress seems pretty good so far. I'm hoping to drive it this summer!! That may be too ambitious, but one has to have goals, right?


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PostPosted: March 20, 2019, 1:47 pm 
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Location: Denver, Colorado
Work continued after finally receiving some aluminum. I also received my coilovers, which was pretty exciting! I ended up going with Protechs, who worked with me to build exactly what I wanted for spring rates and bushing sizes.

I made my first really big mistake on the project, and I'm looking for ideas on how to repair it. I'll point it out after showing to process.

First, I used my .063 6061 for the floor pan by marking it out using the template. I tried a couple methods of cutting, and ended up using an angle grinder. I quickly moved to a jigsaw with metal blade, which is much faster. That gave me an excuse for buying a new tool too!

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I also got my clecos and rivets from Aircraft Spruce - cheapest. I used Cherry rivets that were structural blind - BPSQ 43 to be exact. A friend loaned my some additional clecos from his RV build and said I would never be able to use all of them - challenge accepted!

I was shocked at how much work went into measuring again to make sure the center rivet rows required. That worked out well though.

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I punched all of the holes, then drilled along my marks. I used 2" spacing for most of it. A lot of drilling!

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I love clecos!

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And he said I couldn't use them all...

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I also bought an HF air riveter - brilliant purchase. This made it 100X easier. I had never used one, and I am so glad I followed advice to get one.

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Then I got really excited to use my new tool, which led to my mistake. I used Sikaflex 221 to bond the aluminum to the frame in addition to the rivets. Then I got into a groove, put the floor pan on and started riveting. When it was finished I was really happy with the results. I then grabbed my 5000 series .050 to make the side panels and immediately realized my mistake. And it is a doozy. I forgot to wait on the floorpan until I could mark the rivet holes on the sidepanel where it would over-wrap the floor pan, then rivet those two pieces at the same time.

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So how do I fix it? My thoughts on possible options:

1. Drill out the floor pan rivets along the side where the side panel will wrap, use measurements since I can't pull the floorpan as a template, and then re-rivet both together. Threats here would be not getting the measurements dead on, wobbling a hole, having drilled rivets in the frame.

2. Knowing that the side panel is not as structural, just bonding the side panel OVER the rivets already in the floorpan, and maybe inserting a rivnut or two in the floor panel to mount the side panel in addition to the Sikaflex. This is the one I'm leaning toward unless there is a big issue with it someone can identify.

I had already planned to use 6061 for my center tunnel side panels along with Sikaflex to create a "backbone" for strength, and I know there are guys that have built Haynes with fiberglass side panels just bolted on, so I'm thinking option 2 won't really cause any issues at all. Please advise!

The jigsaw works great for curved cuts.

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So, I'm waiting for your wise input until moving forward. Thanks for all of the help!!


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PostPosted: March 20, 2019, 2:33 pm 
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Joined: April 12, 2012, 11:56 am
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Location: Pemberton, BC
Nice work. Yes to all, clecos, air riveter and AS rivets.
I'm one, who did not rivet the side panels. Mine are removable, fastened with machine screws and nut plates; therefore no structural strength (which,unless you run a lot of rivets, would probably be neglible anyway). The bottom of my sidepanels are jutst folded over and rest on the rivets. If you are concerned about dirt collecting, you could trim your fold to the outer width of the bottom rail and use your sealant and a few rivets along the edge. I would not drill out the existing rivets. But if you are set on doing that, then there is a tool that will help, rather than measuring. Don't know what to call it, as it is hand made. In essence, two strips of SS sheetmetal, rivetted at one end with two rivets so it can't rotate, then a small hole drilled through both other ends. The bottom piece will get a rivet epoxied in (not bucked; and file down the head a bit) and the top piece will have the small hole. The bottom piece can be inserted into the rivet hole, the tool spread apart and the fresh workpiece put in place. The small hole will now be your guide for the center punch. The whole process is a lot easier than typing it :BH: Your RV buddy probably has one in his tool box.

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PostPosted: March 20, 2019, 3:45 pm 
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Joined: February 29, 2008, 7:15 pm
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Location: Denver, Colorado
I like the removable idea anyway - thanks!

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PostPosted: March 20, 2019, 8:18 pm 
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IIWM, I'd make the bend of the bottom flange and rivet between every 3rd or forth existing rivet (every 6-8"), Relieve the flange to clear the existing rivets. Trying to match the existing holes would be too iffy IMO. If you need a sketch, just ask.

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PostPosted: March 29, 2019, 12:48 am 
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Side panel issue resolved!

Now they will be removable as well, thanks for that idea. I used flush mount nutserts. I also made the bend in the side panel, which I really like the look of.

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PostPosted: March 29, 2019, 10:36 am 
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Location: Carlsbad, California, USA
Two things:

I like that bend idea. It's a little hard for me to visualize just from the photos, but I spotted a Haynes Roadster on YouTube that had a similar bend, and thought I'd look at doing the same when the time comes. Here are a couple of screen grabs from a walk-around video of the car. He has a build video that shows the bends off better, but it was before painting, so not as visible. You can find the walk-around video here ==> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyzwd3k_H-w

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Also, I've had my eye on Martin's work with the removable panels for some time. I'm planning to do something similar, and maybe just like his approach. I'll be very interested in what you do, and how it looks/works/

Cheers,


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Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886


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PostPosted: August 15, 2019, 10:11 pm 
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Not a lot of progress, because life. We ended up buying a house, which is great, but the move seriously dented my Seven schedule. So has the impending projects associated with the house. Pretty exciting though, because I'm building a 32x36' post-frame shop in the back, complete with lift and a new TIG. Probably won't be done until November though, and the garage is now filled with stuff waiting for the shop, so I doubt any work will get done on the Seven until then.

I did flip it over, mount the wheels, load it on a trailer (which meant I got to "drive" it down the hill of the driveway), and mounted some panels back on.

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So the big to-do list:

Interior aluminum panels
Hard brake lines
Fuel system
Electrical

Then comes all of the small to-do list items!

Hopefully it'll be done before the half century mark (2050)...


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PostPosted: August 15, 2019, 11:01 pm 
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Nice. Good luck with your new house and future shop.

Cheers,

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Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886


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PostPosted: August 16, 2019, 11:47 am 
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You may have said this, but were did you get your fenders, Kit Car Direct?

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PostPosted: August 18, 2019, 9:07 am 
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Location: Denver, Colorado
Yes, Kit Car Direct. Shipping was atrocious for the rear panel, scuttle, nose and fenders.

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PostPosted: July 24, 2020, 11:05 pm 
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After moving house, building a shop in the backyard, and finishing up other car projects, I am ready to get back to the Seven finally.

So I come here to check out where I left off on my build log, and !POOF! - all the photos are broken. :cry:

Is there a way to fix the build log to show all of the hard work that went into making sure it was photo documented??

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PostPosted: July 25, 2020, 8:39 pm 
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The only way I'm aware of fixing it is to go back and manually edit each photo. Easy, but time consuming.

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PostPosted: July 25, 2020, 10:52 pm 
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Yep, what Josh said. I turned it into a drinking game, refurbish a page a photos, hello Capt'n Morgan, refurbish another page of photos, hello again Capt'n Morgan. Now what was I doing? Oh yeah, watching metal fab videos on youtube.....................

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