LocostUSA.com

Well... a bit over 3 years (man... it doesn't seem like it could be that long, but it has been!!) and it gets it's 3rd Roller Day!

For those that don't know, it met it's first destruction at the hands of a Sawz-All when I moved it from WA to NC. I only transported the front and rear suspension points to save room in the moving van. That wasn't totally a bad thing as I had quite foolish over built my 1st frame out of .120 wall tube in hopes of making a "strong" frame. Yes... I soon learned and after it was given the moniker "Botbashers Bombproof Frame", I was happy to leave that one in the past.

So when I moved 3 times in one year, again it nearly met a rusty demise, as it sat in my friends yard waiting for another home for me to build it in. The winters are not nice in these parts (hell, humid summers suck too) and the rust is plentiful on some of the larger driveline parts, but the frame survived pretty well untouched by rust (spiders sure went to town though)!

So after all my life drama (just got notified again today of another legal action by she which shall not be named!!) and sulking in my beer for a couple years, I sat down last night and put it all back together.



WOW... it's really a shame that I put working on her for so long as it really is close to being a viable vehicle!! I'm only missing a IRS drive shaft?!?

She wasted no time in reminding me that I had neglected her though. While putting the motor back in, she gave me a little love bite...



But damn did it feel good to get back to wrenching and getting greasy!! The best thing about the "Great Pause of 2012" is that technology has advanced quite a bit in just a few short years and I am eager to take advantage of those advances.

You may not remember that I plan to use a MegaSquirt as my ECU. At the time, the only option for MS to be displayed in car was on a laptop, so I was installing a touchscreen laptop for all my gauge, data and programming needs...



Now MS is ported for Android and Tablets, BIG tablets, have gotten really cheap (11-12" for under $200), so the venerable Toughbook is being ejected in favor of a nice, thin, self contained Tablet which will do more and require less, so stay tuned for updates on my MS/Tablet/Locost adventures!!

Happy Re-Re-Roller Day!!!

K "now where did I put those band-aids?" S

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Check out Firearm Finishes & Coating for options to ceramic coat your Locost parts. Hundreds of stock or custom colors including Chrome and Clear Coating options now available! High Temp options for hot bits!! Plastics too!!

Never become a pessimist. A pessimist is correct oftener than an optimist, but an optimist has more fun, and neither can stop the march of events.-Robert A. Heinlein

There are a few builders down this way, we might have to get a party bus (my Durango) and carpool on up.

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Gavin

My build: http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=16005

Anytime!! Looking at your build and want to pick your brain about those BMW Motor Mounts.... Like them for what I'm doing. Got any spares??

K "Mount This!" S

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Check out Firearm Finishes & Coating for options to ceramic coat your Locost parts. Hundreds of stock or custom colors including Chrome and Clear Coating options now available! High Temp options for hot bits!! Plastics too!!

Never become a pessimist. A pessimist is correct oftener than an optimist, but an optimist has more fun, and neither can stop the march of events.-Robert A. Heinlein

Hey Ken!

Good to see you're alive and getting active! Always enjoyed your posts. But the images on your last one don't show up other than a notice that there is an image there. It's lying. I'm not seeing the image.

Cheers!

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Larry in Seattle

Benny_Toe!!! How you doing? Yeah... missed the fun around here too!

Ok... now that I know you like me just for my pics.... I fixed them! Darn Dropbox coding! Had to set the dl to 1! Oy!

Speaking of pics.... fine one of your ride in your avatar. I haven't caught up on everyone's rides, but I'm reading as fast as I can!

K "cross-eyed" S

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Check out Firearm Finishes & Coating for options to ceramic coat your Locost parts. Hundreds of stock or custom colors including Chrome and Clear Coating options now available! High Temp options for hot bits!! Plastics too!!

Never become a pessimist. A pessimist is correct oftener than an optimist, but an optimist has more fun, and neither can stop the march of events.-Robert A. Heinlein

Ken,

That's better. A bit large but still a lot better than a little tag that says 'Image'.

Build is coming along nicely. How far off is the MS? Mine is running pretty good right now. Still hook up the computer anytime I go driving with analyze on. It still makes changes.

Here;s a photo od how it looks now. Almost done (as much as it will ever be done) with some interior things to attend to.

Good luck with she who shan't be named. Sounds like one p o'd. female.

Best,

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Larry in Seattle

Yeah... PO'd would be a nice description of her... I've used different words over the years!

This particular MS has already been live in my old 84 Jetta GLi, so I know it works... just has never been wired into this car. I have a complete harness for it, so it'll be a snap to finish it up! I actually ran into a guy running a 1.8T in a rally car at VIR a while ago, so I actually have a tuned .msq for the car and it doesn't even have a motor yet!!

Your ride is looking great!! Project cars are always a work in progress, so "done" is a term, like you, I'll probably never be familiar with!

Shrunk the pics down a little bit. Did them on my tablet and it never looks right there anyway. Should be all good now!!

K "bigger is better" S

_________________
Check out Firearm Finishes & Coating for options to ceramic coat your Locost parts. Hundreds of stock or custom colors including Chrome and Clear Coating options now available! High Temp options for hot bits!! Plastics too!!

Never become a pessimist. A pessimist is correct oftener than an optimist, but an optimist has more fun, and neither can stop the march of events.-Robert A. Heinlein

I can certainly bring a mount with me, i plan to change them to an M3 mount or to a solid rubber mount from a 535. The stock mounts are fluid filled and known to leak as well as pricey ($75 each). you might want to look into an E30 325 mount, they are solid rubber and CHEAP. The bolts are in the center too, mine are offset a few mm's

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Gavin

My build: http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=16005

Something like these?? About $20 for the set?? Yeah, if they aren't too pliant that'd be awesome!!

_________________
Check out Firearm Finishes & Coating for options to ceramic coat your Locost parts. Hundreds of stock or custom colors including Chrome and Clear Coating options now available! High Temp options for hot bits!! Plastics too!!

Never become a pessimist. A pessimist is correct oftener than an optimist, but an optimist has more fun, and neither can stop the march of events.-Robert A. Heinlein

This is one of those silly reference posts since I am sure that this site is backed up WAY more than my computer!!

I realize that this is really late in the build, but I didn't know about these tools when I started (if they even existed) and it's been 3+ years since touching the car, so a lot is being relearned and re-verified to assure it's as correct as it can be before final welding begins!

I plugged in my information to both Vsup and Racing Aspirations to see if what I did on paper matched what I was seeing in real life without the inherent error that strings and clump weights infer. It did and I'm pleased with it enough to start planning to finish weld the pickup points to the frame!

Vsup info is here Botbasher VW Locost 7 - Fiero Spindles

Racing Aspirations version of Botbashers 1.8t Suspension - Fiero Spindles - Toyota Starlet Rack

Play away!

KS

_________________
Check out Firearm Finishes & Coating for options to ceramic coat your Locost parts. Hundreds of stock or custom colors including Chrome and Clear Coating options now available! High Temp options for hot bits!! Plastics too!!

Never become a pessimist. A pessimist is correct oftener than an optimist, but an optimist has more fun, and neither can stop the march of events.-Robert A. Heinlein

Those look identical to early Ford Capri ('70-'77) mounts. Ford used the same mount for the 1600 OHV, 2000 OHC, and the 2.6 and 2.8 V6s. I used them on small block Ford and Chevy conversions too.

Well... as much as I liked them, something MNot said kept bugging me and I've thought a bit about the torque issues and tearing up mounts and not knowing how they are secured internally got me wondering.

I ended up opting for an Pontiac/Dodge/Buick motor mount with an integral "torque limiter" . These are still current in Dodge 5.9 turbo trucks and vans, so they shouldn't have any issues with my little 4 pot!!



I may end up changing them later but the square fits the current need (read fits easiest without cutting my current mount plates out).

K "lazy" S

_________________
Check out Firearm Finishes & Coating for options to ceramic coat your Locost parts. Hundreds of stock or custom colors including Chrome and Clear Coating options now available! High Temp options for hot bits!! Plastics too!!

Never become a pessimist. A pessimist is correct oftener than an optimist, but an optimist has more fun, and neither can stop the march of events.-Robert A. Heinlein

botbasher,

Do you have any particular models that one could search to find those, or similar mounts. Also do you know if you can get them as poly, instead of regular rubber? Or are you not worried about that?

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--Eric

"Stuckness shouldn't be avoided. It's the psychic predecessor of all real understanding." --Robert Pirsig

Grey 2019 Hyundai Veloster Turbo
Red 1989 BMW 325is

Hey Thunder!

I'm sure I could find or likely make something if I wanted to go poly, but being strapped to a buzz box for more than a 1/4 mile at a time is too much for me these days. I want something soft enough to take the buzz off, but if it does let go, it won't go far. It's all an educated guess at the moment, but those seemed like a good compromise to start with.

The mounts themselves... they are Anchor 2469 Motor Mounts. Found them on eBay for $7/ea. Hard to beat!! Here is the link for them... HERE

K "mounted" S

_________________
Check out Firearm Finishes & Coating for options to ceramic coat your Locost parts. Hundreds of stock or custom colors including Chrome and Clear Coating options now available! High Temp options for hot bits!! Plastics too!!

Never become a pessimist. A pessimist is correct oftener than an optimist, but an optimist has more fun, and neither can stop the march of events.-Robert A. Heinlein

Great, thanks!

Those will be on the short list for my car I think. Can't wait to hear how they hold up!

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--Eric

"Stuckness shouldn't be avoided. It's the psychic predecessor of all real understanding." --Robert Pirsig

Grey 2019 Hyundai Veloster Turbo
Red 1989 BMW 325is