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Learning how to build Lotus Seven replicas...together!
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PostPosted: January 29, 2007, 11:42 am 
Hi guys! Wow, Long time since I've posted.

The car is still here and I am still here.. Long story short, some other projects got in the way and then I got sick and had to have some minor surgery. That all put me out for 6 months or so. But, now I'm back.

Thats all over and done with and I'm good as ever now, so hopefully I'll get back to the Locost project shortly. :) I really miss working on it and have a lot of great ideas for it that I'd like to see through. The pace might not be as frantic as it was, but I promise I'll get some work done on it soon.


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PostPosted: January 29, 2007, 11:55 am 
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Joined: August 15, 2005, 10:13 pm
Posts: 7043
Location: Charleston, WV
Great to have you back John. :thmbsup:

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PostPosted: January 29, 2007, 1:40 pm 
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Joined: August 17, 2005, 1:30 am
Posts: 2397
Location: So CALIFORNIA
Glad to seyou back Datz510!

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


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PostPosted: January 29, 2007, 5:16 pm 
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Joined: December 12, 2006, 2:27 pm
Posts: 5
Location: Toronto Canada
Welcome back datz510, your project was an inspiration for me and I already started parting out my 240sx that I purchased for 150 Cdn. I hope to have enough room to even use the stock steering rack.

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Project Donor: 240sx - Engine: SR20det - Size: 442.


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PostPosted: January 29, 2007, 10:36 pm 
Yeah, its good to see you back. I was considering to redo my rear suspension similar to yours.


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PostPosted: January 30, 2007, 4:19 pm 
Last night, I got the garage cleaned up. The Locost had started to become a storage shelf. (Dont you hate it when that happens!). I rolled the car out into the driveway and got all the dust blown off it with the air compressor.

Its all ready to start working on it again.

I had some ideas regarding the rear coilover suspension which I'd never completely finished as I couldnt get the spring rate right. I've decided that I'm going to try mounting the coilovers to the upper A arm in the rear. The coilovers will mount at a 45 degree angle (or greater). I'll be using the same Yamaha R6 shocks as I used in the front, as those seem to work really well.

I need to do some math and see what angle I need to mount the R6 coilovers at to get them down to a 200lb/in rate at the wheel. This will also give me some room in the back for a small storage trunk with the shocks out of the way.


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PostPosted: February 3, 2007, 2:18 am 
Have you looked at this guys build?
http://www.pbase.com/paulgreen/lotus_7&page=all
It looks like he used the complete rear IRS & stuck it in as a unit...
S.


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PostPosted: February 4, 2007, 2:49 am 
Today, I got the rear suspension 95% finished. Here are some photos of the car as it sits now:

I took a more simplistic approach to the rear bike coilovers, mounting them straight to the upper A arm and then up to a peice across the back of the car. Should work really well. The spring rate worked out to around 200+ lb/in or so. I can stand on it and the back goes down about 1/2". The rear suspension went together really well. I'm very happy with it. I think I might need to fit some slightly stiffer rear springs, but I'll deal with that when I need to.
Image

Image

I cut out the passenger side trans tunnel, as I found out the clutch fork was going to hit it when its installed:
Image

I had to swipe the shocks out of hte front to finish the backend. Luckily, I have another set on the way. Should be here soon:
Image

You can see a few other toys in the background here. The rear of the locost is at ride height in this pic:
Image

Here's the car in the garage:
Image

And with the fuel cell fitted:
Image


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PostPosted: February 4, 2007, 10:36 am 
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Joined: August 15, 2005, 10:13 pm
Posts: 7043
Location: Charleston, WV
Looks great. :thmbsup: Doesn't take you long to get back into the groove eh? :) Wont be long now and you'll be driving that thing!

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PostPosted: February 4, 2007, 12:16 pm 
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Joined: January 18, 2006, 10:41 pm
Posts: 349
Location: Concord, NC
Glad to see this project back underway again. Keep at it, because this is going to be a NICE one when it is done. Keep up the good work...and thanks for sharing!

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-Jeff

Project Seven
Instagram: @RexRacer19


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PostPosted: February 4, 2007, 7:35 pm 
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Joined: December 12, 2006, 2:27 pm
Posts: 5
Location: Toronto Canada
datz510, Do you plan on installing sway bars? If you are, you might be ok with softer spring.

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Project Donor: 240sx - Engine: SR20det - Size: 442.


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PostPosted: February 4, 2007, 9:02 pm 
I'm not sure yet.. sway bars would be very easy to install though.


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PostPosted: February 5, 2007, 12:51 pm 
I'm starting to think about getting the steering installed.. rolling it in and out of the garage without steering or tie rod connections is pretty much a 2 person affair right now.

Since I have the woodward rack and pinion, I need a 3/4-20 spline U joint at the rack itself.

I am thinking I'll build a linkage with 3 U joints in it (to allow the steering linkage to deform in an accident).

The trick is that my steering column is a Porsche/VW unit, so I'll need to keep the Porsche U joint at the column. I'll then run 3/4" DOM tubing down through a 3/4" steering heim to a 3/4x3/4 smooth bore U joint where it'll be welded in place. From there another piece of 3/4" DOM tubing will run through another 3/4" steering heim and be welded into the smooth bore side of the 3/4-20x3/4 u joint for the rack.

The idea is that the steering linkage would then be one peice and could be removed by undoing one bolt at the rack, one at the column, and the two lock nuts on the steering support heims.

Smooth bore U joint:
Image
And the only place I've found the 3/4-20 for the woodward rack is here:
http://www.stockcarproducts.com/steer11.htm

The steering support rod ends, I've already purchased:
Image
http://www.secureperformanceorder.com/a ... ductID=127

From the rack and pinion, I'll be going with these out to the knuckle ends:

Image
http://www.secureperformanceorder.com/a ... uctID=1679
just need to measure out the required length and may need to ream the taper on the Nissan knuckle ends. Should be nice and strong though.


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PostPosted: February 5, 2007, 11:09 pm 
Tonight, I ordered a set of the AFCO tie rod assemblies. That'll let me get the front end finished and allow me to move the car around a little easier.

One step closer to actually having steering. :)


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PostPosted: February 6, 2007, 1:44 pm 
Doh! Just got this reply from AFCO regarding the tie rod assembly:

Quote:
Thank you for your order. Unfortunately, we have discontinued this item and
no longer have any in stock.



I am sorry for this inconvenience. I will remove this item from our web
site.



Steve Payton

Customer Service

A-FAB CORP.


So, I guess I'll need to build these piece by piece then.


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