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Learning how to build Lotus Seven replicas...together!
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PostPosted: April 23, 2011, 2:06 pm 
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We are Slotus!
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Location: Tallahassee, FL (The Center of the Known Universe)
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Then tunnel vision to solve one problem while creating more problems.


Hey, I thought I was the only one that did that!!! I feel much better now, thanks for telling us that...
(Seriously!)
JD


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PostPosted: July 22, 2011, 11:22 pm 
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Location: Port Angeles. Wa
Built a hot tub kit with deck for my wife to exercise in, 6 ft in diameter and 5.5 ft deep. I even used a garage door opener to lift the lid. Works slick but took awhile.
Built the 2 tanks out of stainless - many thanks to Jim Langan who is a Midlana beta builder for most of the stainless and MUCH technical (read - welding!) help and advice. The stock MR2 pump and sender fit right into the design of the left tank. The steel lines from the pump had to be shortened, so I used the double flaring tool to create a bubble on the cut ends for hose retention. I used a piece of .125" 304 stainless for the mounting the pump, sender, filler and vent tubes. One picture shows the .75" stainless tubes used for fuel transfer and surge. The design of the baffles and tubes attempts to route the fuel to the fuel pump pickup under cornering loads. Check out the pictures. I calculate 9 gallons plus about a gallon for "air".
I fought the Ebrake!! I finally made a couple of levers to get everything to work. Modified the MR2 ebrake handle and mounted it between the seats in front of the dash. I have to reach thru the passenger side to use it.
Bought a sheet of .050" 5052 for misc panels. The top of the tub including an access panel are now formed, as is the front bulkhead. The fiberglass piece seals the area of the steering column around the u-joint that goes thru the tub.
I am working on a dash layout - just ideas so far. Also experimenting with a windshield design. I will try to incorporate 2 front "quarter" pieces to help with the air flow. Thinking of a .75" to 1" dia. hoop around the windshield with 2 braces down to the middle roll bar braces for the "quarter" windows to mount. Wondering about making 1/4 round 2" radius fiberglass fairings to connect the windshield to the quarter windows and possibly fairing the top of the windshield with them. Bikini top from there back to the rear roll bar?
Finished the headers and collector. The collector ends into a 3" u-bend that tapers to a 2.25" muffler! Hope it works!! The idea is that the collector ends into the 3" tube that the headers see as an open exhaust - that is the theory anyway. See auto exhaust science article by David Vizard.

http://www.popularhotrodding.com/engine ... index.html

I wanted to incorporate the cruise control from the MR2 (ROAD TRIP!!). Finally figured out that the water neck for the heater at the rear of the head would make an excellent mounting area. A .125" blade of alum. sandwiched between the neck and head with a tab bracing to the bolt side of the neck would work. The stock MR2 link will even work. I added on to the stock Yamaha ITB throttle cable mount for a ball end to attach the link. Mounted a GM throttle position sensor (tps) to the other end of the ITB's for the Megasquirt.

The subframes finally received their sandblasting. Lightly sanded and primered them. Sprayed with a catalyzed enamel. Only problem was I used the catalyst from a urethane taint!! Back to sandblast, used an epoxy primer and then sprayed with another quart of enamel that was catalyzed properly. There went over $100. I can now start assembling (rivet and adhesive) the tub!


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When you're racing, it's life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting -- Steve McQueen from LeMans

My build log viewtopic.php?f=36&t=10658&start=0 NOW NAMED =The Wycked 7

My other build log viewtopic.php?f=18&t=15162 The Skayt'R6


Last edited by Kartracer47 on July 22, 2011, 11:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: July 22, 2011, 11:24 pm 
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Pictures to accompany above text!!


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When you're racing, it's life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting -- Steve McQueen from LeMans

My build log viewtopic.php?f=36&t=10658&start=0 NOW NAMED =The Wycked 7

My other build log viewtopic.php?f=18&t=15162 The Skayt'R6


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PostPosted: July 26, 2011, 11:30 pm 
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Very impressive work on the car (and the hot tub for that matter). I absolutely love the work you've done with the chassis and those fuel tanks look great.

Glad to hear I wasn't the only person who resorted to using another vehicle for parts storage prior to final assembly. ;)

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PostPosted: July 27, 2011, 2:05 am 
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Location: Port Angeles. Wa
Thank you Andrew.
Started assembling the chassis. Pictures to follow.
I will never do a monocoque again! Way too much time and money.

JMR

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When you're racing, it's life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting -- Steve McQueen from LeMans

My build log viewtopic.php?f=36&t=10658&start=0 NOW NAMED =The Wycked 7

My other build log viewtopic.php?f=18&t=15162 The Skayt'R6


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PostPosted: July 27, 2011, 2:14 am 
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Kartracer47 wrote:
I will never do a monocoque again! Way too much time and money.

JMR



Yeah but... It sure looks cool!

I enjoy the updates and pics, keep them coming please.

Chris


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PostPosted: July 31, 2011, 2:32 am 
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I have been spending time assembling the "Middy kit". All joints are sanded with 120 wet/dry, then as I get ready to assemble - washed with lacquer thinner, scuffed again with 120, wiped with lac thin till no residue and then apply the adhesive. I use a bondo spreader and an "ink roller" that I made from a paint roller handle and a piece of round alum.
Using up rivets fast! Glad I have a pneumatic riveter (HF). Try to only work on an area that can be completed in an hour and a half. The outside panels take about 2 hours though. I space out the rivets every 3rd hole and come back and fill in.
I ran out of BSPQ-43 rivets so installed the rod ends in the suspension parts, pressed in the ball joints and lower control arm rubber bushings while waiting for my second Aircraft Spruce order.
Note on ball joints - I choose ball joints that were loaded as per the original design. The front lower ball joints are for the Chevette spindles that I am using. The upper ball joints are used in a VW bug front end. They are designed to be pulled/pushed down by the springing medium. In my case a pull rod suspension. I checked out the Chrysler screw in ball joints by AFCO (low friction) but was advised they were NOT designed for carrying weight only suspension location.
I bought the TRW ball joints from RockAuto. They appear to have the least amount of friction - very beneficial in a light car!!


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When you're racing, it's life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting -- Steve McQueen from LeMans

My build log viewtopic.php?f=36&t=10658&start=0 NOW NAMED =The Wycked 7

My other build log viewtopic.php?f=18&t=15162 The Skayt'R6


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PostPosted: July 31, 2011, 11:27 am 
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Always Moore!
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Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Looking good.

Are the belt mounts and their rivets going to be strong enough?

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PostPosted: July 31, 2011, 8:42 pm 
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a.moore, In my best eyeball estimation, I will say yes. There is a 1/4" of aluminum(1/8" & 1/8") for the seatbelt per side and 3/16" for the sub belt. The belts will be in double shear at each belt end. The panels are riveted and bonded in. The BSPQ-4x rivets have a shear of 350#'s and a tensile of 325#'s per.

Finished the right side so now on to the front rollbar/bracing next.

JMR


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When you're racing, it's life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting -- Steve McQueen from LeMans

My build log viewtopic.php?f=36&t=10658&start=0 NOW NAMED =The Wycked 7

My other build log viewtopic.php?f=18&t=15162 The Skayt'R6


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PostPosted: August 1, 2011, 7:23 pm 
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a.moore,
Thank you for the concern - we all should look out for one another. Even if it hurts some feelings. Better feelings than body parts.
I included a picture with the shear bolts and a belt in place. I do not have access to the other side of the bolts for seat belt removal so I went with "clip on" style ends. It is a lot better than an eye bolt and a couple of fender washers. I really want to be secure and tried to do the best with the type of build.

JMR


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When you're racing, it's life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting -- Steve McQueen from LeMans

My build log viewtopic.php?f=36&t=10658&start=0 NOW NAMED =The Wycked 7

My other build log viewtopic.php?f=18&t=15162 The Skayt'R6


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PostPosted: August 2, 2011, 12:44 pm 
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first of all, compliments on the chassis... looks great, neat, clean work..

on the subject of seat belt attachment...

in a frontal crash, you can easily see 40G... if not more..
at 40G, assuming 4 seat belt attachment points and 100 kg driver weight, each attachment will see 10000 N force, or 1 ton.. Pls check if your attachment will take that..

v.

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build log: http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=5899

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PostPosted: August 2, 2011, 10:01 pm 
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I have not done analysis on the seat belt mounting but "honestly think" the attach points are solid. The tabs and center tunnel are attached to a double thick floor reinforcement (2 layers of .065" 6061-T4 - 16 gauge - placed as a "butt saver"). I do not know what else that I could have done other than steel plate. Most Locost seat belts are attached to a tab welded to a 16 gauge 1x1 square tube. I spread the loads out over several inches. I really do appreciate the concern.

JMR

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When you're racing, it's life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting -- Steve McQueen from LeMans

My build log viewtopic.php?f=36&t=10658&start=0 NOW NAMED =The Wycked 7

My other build log viewtopic.php?f=18&t=15162 The Skayt'R6


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PostPosted: August 4, 2011, 6:48 pm 
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Location: central Arkansas
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New Alternator bracket. I hope I have enough drive pulley contact on the belt.


I've seen OEM belts with 90 degrees of wrap on the crank pulley. The 1-liter Geo engine I'm using has a similar layout on the AC belt, which slips and squeals unless the belt is bowstring tight, and the belts only last a year or two. Of course, it's a miniature serpentine belt only half an inch wide...

I think you'll have slippage, but you can put an idler - or two - nearby to increase the wrap if you need it. I'd run it first to be sure before doing the extra work, though.

I don't know if your setup uses adjustable accessories or a spring-loaded tensioner, but many cars use a spring-loaded tensioner that's easy to adapt if you need to add an idler anyway.


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PostPosted: August 13, 2011, 1:09 am 
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Superb, sir! I like the monocoque tub! Could you go into some more detail on how you're attaching your front and rear frames to the tub?


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PostPosted: August 14, 2011, 2:44 am 
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TRX,
I could possibly put an idler between the crank pulley and water pump but "it wont be ez". The belt is about 3/4" wide I think (5 rib?) so I am going to watch it but hoping for few problems. Now I realize that I do not have even 90 deg!! The car will not see daily use so a belt every few years??? Thanks for the concern.

killer-siller,
The pictures at the bottom of the first page show the rivet holes in the inner skin. There is a sheet metal flange (16ga) welded to the roll bar that the inner skin attaches to. The outer skin attaches to the 1x2 16ga tube as seen in the photos.
The front subframe has a 1x2 16ga tube, that is split to account for the angles of the inner and outer sides, welded to the the rear of it.


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When you're racing, it's life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting -- Steve McQueen from LeMans

My build log viewtopic.php?f=36&t=10658&start=0 NOW NAMED =The Wycked 7

My other build log viewtopic.php?f=18&t=15162 The Skayt'R6


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