LocostUSA.com

Learning how to build Lotus Seven replicas...together!
It is currently March 29, 2024, 3:28 am

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 42 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3  Next
Author Message
PostPosted: March 9, 2021, 2:39 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: January 28, 2021, 3:32 pm
Posts: 159
Location: Port Orchard, WA
JPS Europa wrote:
Speaking of aero, how will you keep it on the ground over 100 mph?


I do have a bit of experience with VW Beetles and racetracks... :D :D :D

This is my '67 Beetle (PO put on early fenders) at Portland Int'l Raceway in 1997. That one was rear-engine/beam front/swing axle rear, the new one ought to do a bit better.

Attachment:
20359_1277396069012_6301963_n.jpg


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

_________________
Bill J
442 Locost - in progress
Mid-engine Beetle - In Progess
'12 GTI - Daily
'01 Chevy Cargo Van - Workhorse parts hauler


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: March 9, 2021, 10:23 pm 
Offline

Joined: September 22, 2005, 10:29 am
Posts: 599
Watching with interest. I've got a Porsche 915 tranny and a twin turbo Subaru motor crying for a home....

Did you look at Rorty's plans? he markets a design, but it's mainly based on Audi/European donors.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: March 9, 2021, 10:40 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: January 28, 2021, 3:32 pm
Posts: 159
Location: Port Orchard, WA
kreb wrote:
Watching with interest. I've got a Porsche 915 tranny and a twin turbo Subaru motor crying for a home....

Did you look at Rorty's plans? he markets a design, but it's mainly based on Audi/European donors.


A Subie/915 combo would be fun...

I bought the Rorty plans but the suspension is based off Holden or Cortina/Taunus parts which are quite rare in the US. Mostly what I've done are take things I liked about various mid-engine Beetle builds, including the Rorty, add in experience from working in a vintage race shop, and do it they I think will work. I chose Miata uprights for a couple reasons, one I already had them (last track car was a '97 Miata) and I'm familiar with how the geometry of them works (and where it doesn't). Most of the "and doesn't" goes away when you get to build the chassis from scratch and remove some of Mazda's compromises for street use.

_________________
Bill J
442 Locost - in progress
Mid-engine Beetle - In Progess
'12 GTI - Daily
'01 Chevy Cargo Van - Workhorse parts hauler


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: March 10, 2021, 2:20 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: February 8, 2007, 4:20 am
Posts: 335
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Looks like a cool project. I assume you are familiar with the V8 Stealth Beetle?

https://v8stealthbeetle.com/

https://www.youtube.com/c/V8StealthBeetle/videos

_________________
Photo gallery of my completed Locost:
https://plus.google.com/photos/10397358 ... banner=pwa


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: March 10, 2021, 11:21 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: January 28, 2021, 3:32 pm
Posts: 159
Location: Port Orchard, WA
mainlandboy wrote:
Looks like a cool project. I assume you are familiar with the V8 Stealth Beetle?


Ya I've seen them. Not a huge fan of aluminum chassis personally due to the likelihood of them fatigue failing, particularly in street use where things don't typically get inspected often.

_________________
Bill J
442 Locost - in progress
Mid-engine Beetle - In Progess
'12 GTI - Daily
'01 Chevy Cargo Van - Workhorse parts hauler


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: March 11, 2021, 12:25 pm 
Offline

Joined: September 22, 2005, 10:29 am
Posts: 599
Rennkafer wrote:
kreb wrote:
Watching with interest. I've got a Porsche 915 tranny and a twin turbo Subaru motor crying for a home....

Did you look at Rorty's plans? he markets a design, but it's mainly based on Audi/European donors.


A Subie/915 combo would be fun...

I bought the Rorty plans but the suspension is based off Holden or Cortina/Taunus parts which are quite rare in the US. Mostly what I've done are take things I liked about various mid-engine Beetle builds, including the Rorty, add in experience from working in a vintage race shop, and do it they I think will work. I chose Miata uprights for a couple reasons, one I already had them (last track car was a '97 Miata) and I'm familiar with how the geometry of them works (and where it doesn't). Most of the "and doesn't" goes away when you get to build the chassis from scratch and remove some of Mazda's compromises for street use.

We think along similar lines. I'd like to build under Ghia sheetmetal, but otherwise... I'll be watching closely. Good luck and have fun!


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: March 11, 2021, 3:38 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: January 28, 2021, 3:32 pm
Posts: 159
Location: Port Orchard, WA
kreb wrote:
We think along similar lines. I'd like to build under Ghia sheetmetal, but otherwise... I'll be watching closely. Good luck and have fun!


A Ghia would be great and I might have gone that way but I didn't find any for the $300 I paid for the Beetle shell though. Took me several months of looking to find even that, prices for Beetles/Ghias have gone sort of nuts since I last played with them in the late 90's. What would have been $500 then is now $2000-3000 or more.

Lol I think I'm turning into that old guy shaking his fist at the sky complaining about how much everything costs... :D :D :D

_________________
Bill J
442 Locost - in progress
Mid-engine Beetle - In Progess
'12 GTI - Daily
'01 Chevy Cargo Van - Workhorse parts hauler


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: April 9, 2021, 11:05 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: January 28, 2021, 3:32 pm
Posts: 159
Location: Port Orchard, WA
So because I had a weak moment and took something on faith I shouldn't have (see my latest post on my Locost thread for the whole story), I now have a radiator for the Beetle. Also set the Miata front subframe in place to see how feasible it was to use the whole thing and it will work with some cutting. Given the nature of this beast a lot of body removal was expected so no worries there, I may yet just cut the whole front off and use a one-piece front end but for now I'll just cut away pieces to fit the subframe in place.

Anyway stuck the subframe under the body and did some measuring and marking for the next set of cutting... pink lines denote the cut lines.

Radiator just loosely in the area it will sit.
Attachment:
171032589_10223802171236241_8709263828583345848_n.jpg


Right, left, and center views of the area to be cut away. (No lines on the right side yet).

Attachment:
171313919_10223802172396270_6818717456221768015_n.jpg


Attachment:
171501665_10223802171916258_7639974896022313866_n.jpg


Attachment:
171670909_10223802172916283_3068847714149503080_n.jpg


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

_________________
Bill J
442 Locost - in progress
Mid-engine Beetle - In Progess
'12 GTI - Daily
'01 Chevy Cargo Van - Workhorse parts hauler


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: April 10, 2021, 12:05 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: April 23, 2019, 4:30 am
Posts: 388
Location: New Zealand
Excellent project, going to follow your build with great interest. Got a goal/estimate for weight distribution front/rear?


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: April 10, 2021, 12:58 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: January 28, 2021, 3:32 pm
Posts: 159
Location: Port Orchard, WA
Kinetic Research wrote:
Excellent project, going to follow your build with great interest. Got a goal/estimate for weight distribution front/rear?


I'm hoping for ~45/55... give or take a couple percentage points. Until all the big chunks are in place I won't know for sure though.

_________________
Bill J
442 Locost - in progress
Mid-engine Beetle - In Progess
'12 GTI - Daily
'01 Chevy Cargo Van - Workhorse parts hauler


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: April 11, 2021, 11:37 am 
Offline
Mid-Engined Maniac

Joined: April 23, 2006, 8:26 pm
Posts: 6410
Location: SoCal
Rennkafer wrote:
Kinetic Research wrote:
Excellent project, going to follow your build with great interest. Got a goal/estimate for weight distribution front/rear?


I'm hoping for ~45/55... give or take a couple percentage points. Until all the big chunks are in place I won't know for sure though.


Hope has no place in proper design... you wouldn't just weld on suspension arms and "hope" it works.

Make a spreadsheet and add all the major components and have it tell you where the CG is. It only needs about the dozen heaviest parts to get a very good estimated position.

1. Empty shell
2. Drivetrain (engine/transaxle)
3. Front and rear suspension
4. Fuel tank, half full
5. Driver
6. wheel and tire weight
7. Seats
8. Steering
9. Battery
etc.....

_________________
Midlana book: Build this mid-engine Locost!, http://midlana.com/stuff/book/
Kimini book: Designing mid-engine cars using FWD drivetrains
Both available from https://www.lulu.com/


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: April 12, 2021, 1:13 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: January 28, 2021, 3:32 pm
Posts: 159
Location: Port Orchard, WA
KB58 wrote:
Rennkafer wrote:

I'm hoping for ~45/55... give or take a couple percentage points. Until all the big chunks are in place I won't know for sure though.


Hope has no place in proper design... you wouldn't just weld on suspension arms and "hope" it works.

Make a spreadsheet and add all the major components and have it tell you where the CG is. It only needs about the dozen heaviest parts to get a very good estimated position.

1. Empty shell
2. Drivetrain (engine/transaxle)
3. Front and rear suspension
4. Fuel tank, half full
5. Driver
6. wheel and tire weight
7. Seats
8. Steering
9. Battery
etc.....


I understand what you're saying. I also know I have enough experience to know that given the placement of the largest masses that it's going to be in the area I want. Perhaps "hope" wasn't the best word I could have used.

Bill J.

_________________
Bill J
442 Locost - in progress
Mid-engine Beetle - In Progess
'12 GTI - Daily
'01 Chevy Cargo Van - Workhorse parts hauler


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: May 16, 2021, 11:25 pm 
Offline

Joined: May 16, 2021, 10:42 pm
Posts: 15
Keeping the front end on the ground from a dig should be a really entertaining challenge.

Friend's father had a lot of entertaining street racing stories about a 911 swapped bug from waaaaay back when.

"So long as the green light goes overhead in a straight line and you don't steer you'll be fine"...

Keep it up and nose to the grindstone. I'm not inclined to believe in evil but cancer fits. A lot of people will never know the strength it takes to beat it.

Used to drive a buddy to his brain radiation treatments in my Supra once they took away his keys. He missed the speed. Just had to bring the oops bags you get on aircraft. Tried to beat the nausea back home, lol.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: July 5, 2021, 3:09 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: January 28, 2021, 3:32 pm
Posts: 159
Location: Port Orchard, WA
Well, got all the subframes and suspension arms cleaned up so I can start fabricating the suspension ends of the Beetle chassis. Front subframe will get replaced with a tubular one but I don't need it for the chassis fab work.. Much of the rear subframe will get cut away to clear the bellhousing/transaxle. Also been working on the standoffs for the chassis stand. Most of the mill work is done, just need a few holes drilled/tapped and some cutting of larger sections on the band saw.
Attachment:
IMG_20210608_203351_477.jpg

Attachment:
210492395_10224416692198881_6868467665821557928_n.jpg


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

_________________
Bill J
442 Locost - in progress
Mid-engine Beetle - In Progess
'12 GTI - Daily
'01 Chevy Cargo Van - Workhorse parts hauler


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: July 20, 2021, 12:38 am 
Offline

Joined: May 16, 2021, 10:42 pm
Posts: 15
Definitely a moment it would be nice to be able to bring parts and a bag of media up to the neighbor with the diesel compressor and blasting setup, lol.

Or the decent gas pressure washer and media blasting attachment. Can use dried sand or glass (sift it anyways) and provided you're not blasting leaded paint let it settle into the yard.

Get access to it once and you'll forever look at an angle grinder like it's only good for cut off wheels and beveling pipe. :lol:

(My neighbor has a blasting cabinet, trailer compressor, and a spare cement pad with muck drainage - his john deer was rusty, and he wanted to epoxy coat the bucket and arms... lol. Also bought a cherry picker truck to clean his chimney. :BH: )

One of those farmers that doesn't really farm - but good lord he could. I usually help prep for an acre of potatoes. Sit on a porch with the dogs sipping sweet tea cutting out seed eyes with his missus and cousins.

Hope you're making progress. Sometimes a good story and some pestering can help get to the next update.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 42 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3  Next

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 13 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
POWERED_BY