LocostUSA.com

I bought GatoEnFuego's project back in July and figured I should start a build log with my progress so far.


See this thread for his work.

http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1276


I've been reading just about every thread in this forum trying to learn as much as I can. I've changed a few things from his design, but he gave me a solid foundation to work with.

Some of the work so far. Trying to keep it simple and lightweight, will be mostly for autocross and track days, and eventually street legal.

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"Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports. . . all others are games." --- Ernest Miller Hemingway

Some more pictures. I sold off the 7.5" Ford rear end and scrounged a Dana 35 with limited slip from a Wrangler. It has the same 5 lug bolt pattern as Ford and will match the new front discs. You can get just about any ratio, this one had 3.54s, but I found some 4.10s. The Jeep guys practially give these things away, and should be plenty strong enough for this application. It has 10.25" drums, anyone know if 13" wheels will fit?

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"Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports. . . all others are games." --- Ernest Miller Hemingway

Lookin very good!

Nice so far......


and stickied

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I'll keep an eye out for you!

To err is human...
I am more human than most.

Any reason for the swap from the 7.5 to a Dana 35 with the accessibility of disc's and other mustang parts for the 7.5? Kinda thought they are similar in power limitations too. Asking as i am using a 7.5 out of a 2k mustang.

Egads man, could you spread some dirt around on your floor? You're making us all look bad...

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A man must keep a little back shop where he can be himself without reserve. In solitude alone can he know true freedom.
-Michel de Montaigne

Scratch built book frame with an 83 Celica donor 22RE. SHE'S A ROLLER!!!

I was just thinking the exact same thing. That place is spooky -I'm afraid to touch anything- clean.

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He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.

Thanks guys. The pictures are deceiving, garage is not that clean. I epoxied the floor and tried to pick a color the same as the dirt around here. I live on a dirt road, so I sweep just about every day.

As for the rear end, the 7.5 center section was big and heavy and had the suspension mounts on top, would have had to cut them off. The 7.5 had 10.5" discs and was 62" WMS-WMS. I would have had to have really radical offset wheels or really wide fenders.

The Dana 35 is 60" WMS-WMS with smaller diameter drums and axle tubes. I need 13" wheels for autocrossing, although the Mustang wheels I have fit perfect and will be for street use. The drums have huge shoes, over 2.5" wide, should have plenty of stopping power. Besides, I'm a Jeep guy, so I need at least one Jeep part.

Pictures of the Mumford link I'm building. I decided on a removable mounting bracket so I can still work on the rear end if needed. Has six 5/16" AN bolts holding it in. Side to side fit is very tight.

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"Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports. . . all others are games." --- Ernest Miller Hemingway

Got some more work done and shot a few pictures.

I put the rear suspension all together to make sure everything worked then finished up the welding on the axle and mumford parts. Put it all together again for the pictures.

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"Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports. . . all others are games." --- Ernest Miller Hemingway

Scored a Butlerbuilt seat at the car show/swap meet a couple weeks ago for $25. Even has a homemade mount attached.

I need to find a match now. Of course even if I have to buy a new one l'm way ahead.

I don't like the headrest though, sticks up too high, so I plan on cutting it off just above the chassis.

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"Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports. . . all others are games." --- Ernest Miller Hemingway

Looks really good! Its nice to see the the build coming back to life. I like the removable mumford.

Rod

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Driving a +442E with 450 Hp Ford 347 v8, T5, 8 stack EFI w/EDIS8 & MegaSquirt ITB Mode.
12,000+ enthusiastic miles as of 1/1/11
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqvYJlYc4GU
http://s124.photobucket.com/albums/p3/beergodrod/
Now building a 1953 Chevy 1 ton panel with Frito Lay truck parts and a Cummins 4BTA
and a 1963 Nova SS

Fantastic pictures!!!

Thank you very much for sharing!

Too much real life going on, so not much progress lately.

I did score another seat at the Good Guys show in Phoenix. Kirkey this time, 16" for $40. Doesn't match the other one which is a Butlerbuilt 17.5", but after I cut them down and make covers, no one will know. I used the Kirkey for the driver side 'cause I'm skinny.

For the mount I used the sliders from the RX-7 donor seats. Worked out fantastic, two 'C' brackets, two spacers, two pieces of 1" tubing, and some nuts and bolts. All I did was bend the factory mounts down to 90 degrees and enlarge the upper rear mount holes to 1/4".

So far a grand total of $65 in seat costs.

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"Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports. . . all others are games." --- Ernest Miller Hemingway

Very nicely done with the seats.

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He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.

Time to bring this thread back from the dead.

I was stuck at mounting my rotary engine and was not really excited about it anymore, lots of potential issues, and not many solutions.

Saw this article in Grassroots Motorsports, https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/articles/tamed-monster/, and I was intrigued. I realized an RX-7 transmission (I have three of them) is basically only a bellhousing away from a Miata transmission.

After the OCD kicked in and a couple months of research, I began the Craigslist Quest.

First acquisition:

2000 Acura TL J32A1 complete engine, alternator, P/S pump, wiring harness, computer, fuse blocks, even the steering column and key. Under 100K miles.






Learning that the 5 speed transmissions start to grenade above 200 ft.lbs. of torque, decided to go all in.

Second acquisition:

2000 Miata 6 speed, 104K miles, got it cheap due to someone drilling a hole in the bottom of the bellhousing for some unknown reason. I will be cutting a chunk out of the bottom for starter clearance anyway, so not a problem.




Talked to Benjamin at Super Fast Minis/Miatas and ordered the adapter plate, flywheel adapter and bolts and a flywheel. Won't get those parts for a week or so.

Anyone need a 12A, two 13B's and three transmissions?

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"Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports. . . all others are games." --- Ernest Miller Hemingway