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Learning how to build Lotus Seven replicas...together!
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PostPosted: May 22, 2015, 9:58 pm 
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Location: West Chicago,IL
Good news/bad news

First the bad: My attempts at fiberglass fenders failed miserably. I had purchased fiberglass and resin and made the mold. Unfortunately, when I went to use the glass, it was a rather unique mix. It was not flat, but fluffy and not really chopped but long strands. I could not get it flat without using gallons of resin. So that failed.

I switched modes and decided to make them from leftover sheet aluminum, the same as all the Locost body stuff was made of. That went very well. I etch-primed them and then rolled on 2 coats of Herculiner. They are now mounted on the trailer and very robust. This was only part of the good news.

I also mounted the spare tire, so that’s good too.

The other good news is we loaded up the trailer with the Locost and took a shake-down cruise of ~ 60 miles today. This was the first time that I had everything together. It went fabulously. Horray! We are now ready for the trip.

Weather forecast for The Gathering is 50-60% rain on Friday/Saturday. I hope things change for the better by then.

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“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


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PostPosted: May 25, 2015, 9:39 am 
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Always Moore!
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Well done Chuck. It looks great.

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PostPosted: June 8, 2015, 5:02 pm 
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Thanks Andrew.

A week late on my final report. My trip to the Gathering, the trailer and the Seven behaved themselves. no rattles or clunks from back there. You could feel that you were towing something 2/3rds the weight of the tow vehicle though. Not underpowered, just knew it was back there on the hills and pulling away from stop signs. Stopping was very good. The bearing hubs got only slightly warm. They do share braking so I expect them to run warmer than brake-less hubs. Had a wonderful time with old and new friends. Time to come home. I hitched up the trailer and set the ramps. Started to drive the car up. Just as I got the rear wheels up on the ramps, the hitch coupling let loose from the ball, lifting the tongue. Since I had some forward motion, the trailer moved forward into the tailgate of the Jimmy. :BH: Fortunately the safety chains prevented the tongue from lifting too high, missing the rear window by about an inch! No damage to the Seven or to the trailer. :cheers:

My fault. I used to original coupler modified to remove the hydraulic cylinder. It didn't function like a traditional coupler. And it was not adjustable. I can't really explain how it works but I thought it was good to go. And the shakedown test didn't show any issues. No visible wear on the coupler at all. My mods had nothing to do with the letting loose.

So the Jimmy's tailgate now has been pulled back into shape, is primed and ready for paint. That will come. And the trailer now has a new coupler that works like it should! The old one is in the garbage! I have no further work planned on the trailer or the Seven this year. Time for some yardwork , 1 room remodeling, a few honey-dos and a vacation.

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“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


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PostPosted: December 16, 2015, 8:39 pm 
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Location: Central Kentucky (Winchester)
rx7locost wrote:
I am, how they say, currently in between work. The strapping you see is from the shop of a friend. We stripped the car in his shop on a couple of weekends over 3 years ago. My how time flys. We ended up chopping up the body and putting it in the dumpster. You can do so much more in an industrial area than you can do in a residential area!

I have a rx7 just like it but I put a 302 in mine. Much better than chopping it up


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PostPosted: December 16, 2015, 9:07 pm 
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Much better than chopping it up
Maybe. The donor's owner was going to transplant good RX-7running gear from a rusty one into the this chassis. But, as so many things do, things changed after we removed the running gear from this one. It was his choice. There are enough RX's around, it really wasn't a real loss to society. Not as though it was one of only 5 remaining examples of a limited make/model or anything like that. His family was into Mazda rotary power. I think he still has his '91 still running the original engine.

I'm glad you are enjoying yours. :cheers:

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“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


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PostPosted: December 16, 2015, 9:18 pm 
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rx7locost wrote:
Thanks Andrew.

. I hitched up the trailer and set the ramps. Started to drive the car up. Just as I got the rear wheels up on the ramps, the hitch coupling let loose from the ball, lifting the tongue. Since I had some forward motion, the trailer moved forward into the tailgate of the Jimmy. :BH: Fortunately the safety chains prevented the tongue from lifting too high, missing the rear window by about an inch! No damage to the Seven or to the trailer. :cheers:



I had stored my boat at my uncles house for a winter. When I took it to a storage lot to toss a for sale sign on it. The trailer popped off the ball luckily it was very tongue heavy like I could just pick up the tongue empty. It dropped down and hung off the safety chains. At that point I knew why my dad shortened the chain when he welded it on for me, the old chain would not pass for a swing set, he imagined the distance of my old trucks tongue to the ground. My class 4 hitch (went from a 05 dodge ram 1500 to a 2500 diesel) only suffered a slightly bent ear where the safety chain attaches. I am now all for just long enough safety chains, I be-leave that they should just keep the tongue of the trailer from hitting the ground while letting you manuver it as you need to.


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PostPosted: April 29, 2017, 12:03 pm 
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Location: West Chicago,IL
I have just sold this build. It was a great experience. I learned a lot along the way. I got a lot of good advice from a bunch of great guys. There are some things I would do differently if I build one again. But isn't that always the case? Still, I am very happy with the way it turned out and I had some fun along the way. It is the journey more than the destination that checks all the boxes for me.


After the Cushman is finished, I'm not sure what my next major project will be, whether it will be car related or not, I'm mot sure......I'll know it when I see it. :cheers:

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“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


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PostPosted: April 29, 2017, 3:01 pm 
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Congrats and condolences. You are going to miss her. Who??? Where??? Are they on this forum? You know you can still come to future Midwest Se7ens events (if we ever have any). Russ

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PostPosted: April 29, 2017, 3:27 pm 
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Ditto what Russ said.

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PostPosted: April 29, 2017, 6:21 pm 
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Thanks Russ and Larry. It was a bitter sweet moment. But it was time to free up some space in the drive and garage. You can't keep it all, can you? Not and stay married :shock:

The sad part was I just spent ~$125 on Thursday for new registration tags for both the car and trailer that were expiring tomorrow! That would have covered a couple of dinners out with Mrs. you-know-who! Who am I kidding? I now have more than enough to cover a few dinners with Linda and to start a new project :mrgreen: See my post in "what's on ebay/Craigslist. :cheers:

viewtopic.php?f=40&t=4557&start=557

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“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


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PostPosted: May 1, 2017, 8:38 pm 
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Thank's Chuck for the amazing car! I'll have you know, both the trailer and car made it the 6.5 hours back to Central Ohio in record time. I've already disassembled the front and rear fenders, and put on some 33 inch super swampers for off roading... kidding kidding :lol: This an amazing car. The work and quality of the build are phenomenal. For all you others it now resides in Baltimore, OH near Columbus. This is my second seven and I am amazed at the luxuries of this car compared to my last one. (I owned a gxsr powered motorcycle engine locost seven). Windshield wipers, reverse, interior dash lights, and not one but two accessory sockets??! I Feel Spoiled. Just to let you know Chuck, you had me at reverse...... you had me at reverse.... I'm going to enjoy this thoroughly. Anyone in OHIO and any fun meets let me know. I lurked here prior, when I had my old one, now I'm a member...I only know one person with anything like this and Polaris's Slingshot just looks strange next to this. Just wanted to fill you guys in that Chuck's scarlet and grey seven ended up in the land of the Buckeyes. Sorry had to mention that.
Just thought I'd also mention it fell into good hands with a former and now reborn rotary wankel owner. Thanks Chuck!


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PostPosted: May 3, 2017, 1:01 am 
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cire000 wrote:
. . . Windshield wipers, reverse, interior dash lights, and not one but two accessory sockets??! . . .


Two accessory sockets? And, all this time, I thought Chuck was one of us! We true, grass roots Locosters, who consider a pair of Vise Grips an essential part of operating our Locost controls is deeply pre-turbed and O-fended. You just never know 'bout peoples, do ya?

Enjoy your new ride!

Cheers,

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PostPosted: May 3, 2017, 9:43 pm 
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Hey, you found my build log! Glad to hear you, the car and the trailer made the trip in one piece. But I really had no doubts. That rain Saturday was a biatch. Also glad to see you joined up here. Be sure to start your own threads for any upgrades you make (so long as you keep the swampers to yourself :ack: )

Hope you have as much fun with it as I did.

Lonnie, Don't go picking fights with the guy who doesn't have a locost. :boxing: I am a 'merican and we needs our luxuries! And as for 2 accessory jacks one was for the GPS cuz I can get lost sometimes and one to keep the phone charged in case I need to call for road assistance. I was going to rewire at least one of the jacks so it was live all the time. That way I could use the battery maintainer without having to open the bonnet. Never got around to it though. Maybe the new owner.........

Lest I be called out again, I did remove the 2 cup-holders a few years ago. They were too short to be of any use. I do know of at least one other Locost with cupholders, So I wasn't alone. :mrgreen:

And keep away from that JD guy. He is a bad influence. JK.

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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


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PostPosted: May 3, 2017, 11:23 pm 
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Location: Kamloops, BC, Canada
Good to hear that your car went to a good home Chuck. It probably wasn't easy watching it leave. I've thought about selling mine and building another when the kids are a bit older, but I'm a bit sure I could do it. Visegrips? Count me in.
Image
I never thought of using a 12v power point as a spot to plug in a battery charger, that's a good idea. I just might have to install one now. As for cup holders, my wife bought me one for my birthday a couple years ago, but I still haven't installed it. Maybe I can dig it out and do that too.
Kristian

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PostPosted: May 7, 2017, 8:08 am 
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We are Slotus!
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And keep away from that JD guy. He is a bad influence. JK.
No, really, I AM a bad influence... :twisted:


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