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I am in the process of building a locost-inspired, mid-engined, high-efficiency, single-seat car. I am using a Geo Metro G10 engine and transaxle for this build, a tube chassis, and I figure that I am about 33% complete, or there abouts. I am not fast, and have been at it for a little over 2 years, but I have recently dropped the car on the floor as a roller, so I am making progress.

I am not entirely new to car building, having previously built, licensed and sold 3 three wheel vehicles, but this is my first 4 wheeler. As I have no tracks anywhere close, all of the previous builds, as well as the current one, and street vehicles.

I have been posting sporadic updates on another board, but that board has become rather "stale". The site itself has gotten really slow, both as to comments and as to web-site performance, so I am looking for a new home for my build log.

Is this a good place to post my project? Any interest?

TALON §

Perfect place! Post some photos!

Yep, count me as interested.

Sounds interesting. You will get input here if you want it and sometimes if you don't.

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Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

yes, this is exactly where you should chronicle your G10 build. but mostly, post a lot of pictures.

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The B-3 build log: http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=13941 unfortunately, all the pictures were lost in the massive server crash

The beginnings of the Jag Special,
https://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19012
Again, all pictures were lost.

OK, it looks like no one told me to take a long walk on a short pier, so I'll start by recreating/copying what I have on the previous board to here.

I appreciate comments, and will take criticism, but prefer constructive criticism. There are a lot of things that are new to me on this build and I'm kinda just fumbling along, so if anyone sees anything I'm doing wrong, please speak up. Remember, I am aiming for street, not track, so ultimate performance isn't my goal.

Anyway, here's where I am at (copied from other board). . .

Hello,

I have a Middy single-seat car I am building. I have had some inquires for a build log on this project, so I thought I'd give it a shot. I am a computer geek by day, and prefer not to do much keyboarding in the evenings, it gets in the way of throwing sparks, but I hope to post pictures as I take them, and answer any questions that come up. Also, I will have a bunch of questions to ask of the group too before this is all done.

Anyway, hope you enjoy. . .

Talon §

A few pictures
These are a few pictures that I'll post, just to see if they come out OK. I have a bunch, but these show kinda where I came from and where I'm at this moment.

OK, maybe not. How do I post pictures?

TALON §

OK let me try a picture or two here. It looks like others are using photobucket and posting pictures as links, so here goes. . .

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TALON §

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OK, the pictures seemed to post OK. I'll have to tinker with the format a bit, but I'll continue with the transfers. . .
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What's the intent of the project?

1) Modularity, the rear engine section will be a separate frame unit, including engine, transmission, drive line and suspension. First "power unit" will be the Geo Metro LXi 3cylinder 5 speed that I got given to me, and I intend to get it all licensed and on the road in that configuration. I intend to play around with other "power units" as well, but that will be later on. (Briggs vanguard belt driven to solid axle? - Kubota diesel mated to VW bug transaxle? - Warp 9 driving solid axle? - Flock of gerbils in an exercise wheel?)

2) Commuter, I have a 65 mile commute to take care of, so yes, it will be a daily driver. DIY cars kinda have a bad rep as not good for daily driving, I think that is bullocks. They can be made as safe, comfortable and reliable as your average '90s Buick.

3) My goals are: less than 1,000 pounds, under 2,000$ complete, enough ground clearance to handle 2-track dirt roads, 4 season drivability, enough room for a backpack and/or a couple bags of groceries, 75-80mpg, not too ugly, comfortable to drive, easy to get into/out of, and it has gotta make me smile when I drive it.

4) it has to fit me. I am 6'6" and 285, mostly in the shoulders. Very few cars have the adjustability to be comfortable for me without alterations, even the "compensation" trucks that are all over here in Wyoming are too short for my legs. Compact/economy cars are especially bad. I like small cars for fuel efficiency, but need to move the seat rails back on any car I claim as mine. (ownership history includes '78 Vega, '85 Toyota Celica, '97 Ford Aspire, Geo Tracker, and currently a '78 Subaru Brat on 33's.)

I have had my go at the go-fast cars too, now I want to experiment with the sip-and-go cars.

Basic plan here is fiberglass over foam body on 1" square tube frame, single center seat, mid-mounted rear engine, rear wheel drive, twin A-Arm front suspension, fully enclosed, street legal, 75mph capable, daily driver. I hope it works as I plan (hopefully I'm not too old to drive by the time I get it done. . .).

TALON §

Talon, actually most of us use the picture upload and attachement function associated with the website, taht way, the links to the pics are never lost.

when you post, thre's a little window below the reply window that has a button which reads "Browse" use that o browse to teh pictures you're going to post, then click the "Add the file" button. after it uploads you can use the "PLace pictures inline" button to put it where you want in the text.

keep them coming!

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The B-3 build log: http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=13941 unfortunately, all the pictures were lost in the massive server crash

The beginnings of the Jag Special,
https://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19012
Again, all pictures were lost.

robbovius, I'll try the picture upload this time.

Here are a few more pictures, and former postings. I'm going to try and clean up the postings a bit so I can get up to date.
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This vehicle is going to have about a 7 foot wheelbase, and about 6.5 foot track. The center section of the frame is 3 foot wide, the "roll bar" looking thingy in the back is 24 inches wide at the top. The windshield is going to have to be flat laminated glass, 24 inches wide. Also, the radiator(s) is(are) going to be in the rear, so I'll need an opening for that on the side(s).

I was initially thinking cycle fenders on the front for simplicity, but enclosed makes more sense for aerodynamics, if I can make it strong enough to support about 18 inches from the frame out to the wheels without too much bracing.

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Below are a few sketches of ideas for the body. Since this was taken, I changed to A-Arms for the rear suspension.

TALON §

03-11-2013
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I have been out of town for the last week or so, so have not gotten a chance to play in the garage much. I have gotten a bit done on the connection between the "passenger compartment" and the "Power Unit". Remember, I am intending to play around with power units and want to have an easily swappable modularized unit. With this idea, I can build a completely different power unit while driving another unit. The urathane bushings are plenty stout, and give me four bolts to un-couple the engine from the passenger compartment. The bushings will also give me a bit of engine vibration dampening for the driver while allowing me to solid mount the engine in the frame. There will, of course, be other linkages as well, but I think I can engineer them to be quick disconnects. Goal is to be able to swap a power unit in under an hour.

Anyway, here are a couple (bad) pictures of the engine compartment connection.

TALON §

I am/have built this in a modular format so that I can swap things around later if I so choose. Remember, racing isn't my goal, so a bit of rigidity is sacrificed, but I believe that it will be stout enough for it's intended purpose.

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I wouldn't hold your breath on the 1000lbs weight goal. Especially with a full body planned. Most people only get there with a bike engine and no body, seats, or much of anything. It's amazing how fast all of it adds up.

Otherwise it looks interesting, seems similar in intent to a SMART. Do you have a drivetrain in mind? I had a 96 Toyota Tercel with a 4spd manual that I could push 75mpg on highway at 60ish mph. That could make a good candidate for this build as a gas engine. Diesel is the way to go for fuel economy but i just don't like driving them at all.

I'm not really holding my breath on 1000#, and really don't mind if I go over either. The engine I have is a Geo Metro/Suzuki Swift G10, 3 cylinder, 998cc, 5 speed manual transaxle. My engine is the XFi version, which has the economy grind cam. In the stock 1600# car, they get around 50mph without any hypermiling techniques. I have some plans for the engine that will come later (SPI, COP), first I want to get it on the road with a carb, for simplicity sake. I did drop the car on the ground the other car for the first time as a roller, with the engine/trans in it, along with the seat, steering, suspension etc., and, using an old bathroom scale, got 140# on each front wheel and 160# on the back wheels. That adds up to about 600#.

I got a bunch more uploading to do to get up to current. . .

TALON §

OK, back to transfering . . .
03-18-2013
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LCA progress
I got the first of four A-Arms done this last week, a LCA. It came out of the jig pretty nicely, only about 1/64" from perfect, if I can get the other LCA this close I am good to go. The lowers are made from 3/4" extra heavy tube, which is the same as most aftermarket off-road pieces for full size trucks. The outboard end of the LCA is tapped for a 1/2 rod end and set at 10 degree of tip to match the KPI angle. I figure that the Lower Control Arms is one of those places I don't want to cut any corners on as far as strength goes. I'll sacrifice a bit of weight for stout. They are going to be exposed and flying down the road at 70 mph 6 inches from the ground. . .

There are some brake parts and spindles in the garage now as well, along with a bunch of "maybe" stuff, like e-brake handle, brake master cylinder (boosted), seat belts etc. The poor donor is looking kinda ratty now, and will get hauled off soon. I just need a few more parts from the front suspension.

I am going to try and use the rear spindles from the donor as front spindles. I'll need to fabricate knuckles to bolt the spindles on, but I think I can do that.

Anyway, here are a couple shots of the lone LCA that I completed.

TALON §
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Dang, those pictures are bad. Sorry.

I am using Spitfire bushings for the lower/inner points.
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03-22-2013
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Knuckle
I have been working on converting the rear stub-axles I have to be used as front knuckles/spindles. Here's what I came up with. I had originally thought to use spindles/knuckles from a rear wheel drive vehicle, but Jack McCornack mentioned that he was going to use stub axles and build the knuckles, so I am giving that a go. (cheaper too, I had the stubs on the donor and would have had to find/buy the others.)

These are build from a piece on 3x1 thin wall tube, with a 1.5 inch hole in one side for the back of the stub axle. the 4 mounting bolt holes are reinforces with pieces of tube tacked inside. The "kingpin" angle is 10 degrees. The angle is made from a piece of 3/4 square thin-wall tube, plated on both sides and capped. the ends of the 3x1 are capped with pieces of 3/4 square tube. 13 pieces of steel altogether. The weight is less than it looks, as it is completely hollow.

The two threaded bungs aren't welded on yet, but should be tonight, then it is on to the adjustable upper arms. Once that is done, I'll have a uni-roller! The other side should be a lot quicker, as I have the jigs done and all the head-scratching out of the way.

TALON §
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03-30-2013
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One front suspension side done

OK, Update time. I don't know if anyone is actually reading this, but I'm gonna continue to post updates anyway. Maybe when I get to the engine more people will be interested. I am doing a bunch of research on what I'm going to do on that end, and have narrowed it down to basically what I intend to do. It will be interesting. (think COP, ITB [possibly servo controlled], Megasquirt, bluetooth and Android touchscreen tablet interface.)

I need to get the chassis and running gear sorted out before any of that stuff means anything. If it don't roll easily and handle well, and if it isn't comfortable to drive - it won't get driven. If it doesn't get driven, it won't save any gas.

Take a look at the pictures of the first side of the front suspension. I just need to duplicate it on the other side now, which should be much easier as I now have the math sorted and the jigs made. (but running 7 - 2 inch deep, fine thread runs into the end of tubes takes time.) It came out pretty good and straight, all the angles are close and there is a couple inches of usable thread on all the joints for adjustment. The coil-over is just laying there, I'm not sure what the spring rate is on it, but I'll probably end up getting something else.

TALON §