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Another Berkeley?

Yes, another Berkeley project.. This will be a very slow-burn build log, and it won't even get started in earnest until about summer 2023.. I'm starting this log early as I've always lagged behind when starting my prior builds, so I thought I'd try and get out in front of this one- I've already begun gathering parts..

For those unfamiliar with the Berkeley, these were TINY little fiberglass cars manufactured in Brittan from 1956-1960.. This build will be based on an "1959, SE 492, Vertical Door (internal hinges) Body." Funky, light, micro-fun; what's not to love?! If you're just finding this site, I've done a similar build to this already;

viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

..this Berk will be similar, but the drivetrain on this one will be a bit, for lack of a better term, 'more.'

I'm fickle when I choose a project; Japanese, British, American, or even Swedish, so building this particular car is a bit of a departure for me, in that I've never built the same model twice, until now. I learned a lot on my prior Berk build and it is a blast, but I began to wonder 'what if' during that build.. what if I had widened the body 3 inches? what if I lengthened it 4 inches? What if I race-prepped it in the design? What it I gave it more power?

Full disclosure: I've always planned on building 2 of these.. the prior Berk build is the test mule, and this one was always planned to improve upon the lessons of the first, and then add a bit 'more.' This build will use the white body in the pics to follow..

--ccrunner

_________________
Dean

1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com

About that horsepower bump..

I bought the bodies in the pics above from the same source (east coast, US), and they arrived to our home here in CA in July 2019.. The red body went to the 'other' Berk build (Berkeley #1), and the white body will be used for this build.. .. ok, so what about the motor?

From an economic standpoint, I've sourced a stupid-expensive motor for a little vintage plastic car that very few people care about.. I have had to forgive myself for this poor decision making, rationalizing that if you're going to make poor choices, go big!

The motor will be pulled from the 2012 Honda VFR1200 Dual Clutch Transmission motorcycle in the pic below. Honda only made these bikes for a few years (US), and they were not particularly well received (small fuel tank #1 complaint), EXCEPT for that V4 1200cc lump.. the 170 hp motor is universally loved, if not the rest of the bike. For my part, I love this bike! I'm really enjoying riding it until the time comes to part it out.. VERY powerful, smooth, and comfortable.. These bikes are a bit thin on the ground here in the states, so unless I can find a wrecked VFR1200 DCT to source a motor, I will in fact have to part this one out.. Selling the spares will likely get me 1/2 of my investment back, so this hit shouldn't be too bad..

It's not even the motor that I find the most interesting about this bike, it's the Dual Clutch Transmission. Set it to "D" (automatic shifting), set it to "S" (aggressive automatic shifting), or set it to "Manual" for true paddle-shifter, dual-clutch shifting.. LOVE IT!

--ccrunner

_________________
Dean

1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com

Dean, I've told myself that on every build I've started, "yep, this one's going to take time"
I'll bet you a dollar once you get going, you'll get going!

As always, I will enjoy another build log of yours

_________________
Perry

'If man built it, man can fix it'
"No one ever told me I couldn't do it."
"If you can't build it safe, don't build it."

Perry's Locost Super Che7enette Build
Perry's TBird Based 5.0L Super 7 L.S.O
Perry's S10 Super 7 The 3rd
Perry's 4th Build The Topolino 500 (Little Mouse) Altered
Perry's 5th Build the Super Slant 6 Super 7
Perry's Final Build the 1929 Mercedes Gazelle

Who telegraphs a yet-to-be started build to finish almost 7 years from now, and why??

Retirement..

We've got a few years to go, and I try not to watch the clock, or even bring it up too often, but we're getting a little older, and I want these 2 intensive 'ground up' builds to be done by the time we hit retirement. I know that likely sounds counter-intuitive, and surely I will be building something post retirement, but I don't know how many builds I have left in me, and it's getting harder and harder to get up off of the cold garage floor. Right here, right now, I'm really enjoying the process, and the calendar says at my pace I can wrap up both Berk 1 and Berk 2 around 2028, just before our planned 2029 retirement..

Also, this 1959 car will be exactly 70 years old in 2029, which has no real meaning, but it seems a cool coincidence

**edit.. I hear you Perry, and in reality I can't predict where I'll be on this stuff 4 months or 4 years from now, let alone what 2029 will bring... maybe I'll catch a real wind on these tiny cars and the builds will go quickly.. I just don't know- during these 'working years,' I do seem to be averaging about 5 years per build though.... I do know that I'll sell one of them to help boost our retirement, however small that sale may end up being..


--ccrunner

_________________
Dean

1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com

Looking forward to following this one.

Future thoughts, are you planning on running the Honda push buttons, or fabbing up your own paddles for the wheel?

_________________
1975 MG Midget
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=24382
13B Powered Rotus Geauxkart
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=20899

Dean,
Great to see you starting a build thread for Berkeley #2. I really enjoy following along with your builds. I try to emulate your great threads in my own. I will be following along here as well, thanks!

Talking about retirement, planning the date and being prepared is very important. I retired this last June. Lots of projects still to go for me (I hope). I had to snicker though when you mentioned getting up off the cold concrete. It’s been getting down in the low 30’s (that’s degF) here at night, fortunately I have heated work areas now. My old house was brutal though, no heat in the garage when it was really cold (near 0 in Feb), I could do about 30 min outside, then run inside and warm myself by the fire then go back out. No wonder it took me 6 years to do my Spitfire...
Cheers,
Eric

_________________
MGiata current build here: https://www.mgexp.com/forum/mga-forum.2 ... n.3898051/

Reminds me of a fisher fury only a little smaller.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNiIzyqP0N0

_________________
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

The 1st-person ride in that Fisher Fury you've linked Miatav8 is very much what I'd like to end up with-- wee!!.. I'm thinking I'll end up at about 1100 lbs..

Thank you for the kind words Eric ..and now that I know that others are willing to go out in the garage and work in '0' degree temps, I will just shut my climate-spoiled candy-ass self up and never again complain about working in the the cold.. you are made of a different stock.. once it gets down in the 40's I invent reasons not to go outside

JAMADOR.. funny you would ask about the plans for the switches.. On this build I'm planning to fully integrate the VFR's dash and stock switches into the Berk dash as seamlessly as possible.. In Berk #1 I've taken pains in hiding the MC bits (switches and dash), but on this build, I'm embracing the motorcycle side of the mash up, and plan to make the bike a part of the overall aesthetic (mostly in the interior/dash/controls).. I know it sounds odd, but she'll have a proper 'car' steering wheel, while also sporting a stubby 'fixed' set of bar ends peeking out of the dash just ahead of the wheel, who's sole purpose will be to host the MC switches..

--ccrunner

_________________
Dean

1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com

Dean,
Mind you that was 6+ years ago and I was younger, tougher and more foolish than today. Ask me if I do the same thing today...nope, I don’t go to the garage unless it has been warmed to over 50 (or wearing thick clothes and a hat) and that concrete never warms up, so HF moving blankets are used extensively.

I was more snickering at myself than anything else, because I say the same thing, getting up off that concrete is getting tougher as the years speed past

Cheers,
Eric

_________________
MGiata current build here: https://www.mgexp.com/forum/mga-forum.2 ... n.3898051/

12-8-2021

Another BEC... What about the 'No Reverse' issue?

So my first BEC (the Honda N600) eventually finished out without a reverse.. My second BEC (Berkeley #1 build) does in fact have an 'electric' reverse, which utilizes a SBC high-torque starter driving a small ring gear at the differential pinion. This setup gets the job done, but it's very loud, and clunky, and primitive (sort of like the rest of the car )

So on this car, BEC build #3, I'm planning to step it up by design and integrate a not-inexpensive racing IRS from Eliteracing.com (UK).. this unit is BEC purpose built: It allows for a wide range of 'drop in' (aka quick change) final ratios, it has an integrated reverse, and it does not matter which direction the bike output shaft/sprocket rotates (shaft-drive bike driveshafts often rotate the 'wrong' way; for this, you just bolt this diff in 180* the other way (front to back) and the wrong-way problem is solved)

So that's the plan anyway.. I have not yet sourced this piece.. If I grab it now it will just sit on the shelf for a few years.. but if I don't grab it now, my Princess Wife will find a different use for the money, and, well, you know how that goes ..

--ccrunner

_________________
Dean

1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com

Having made yourself a pretty Berk body, I sure hope you make a mold off it before it gets too installed to be practical to do that, 'cause I don't know of any molds out there for that body, and that shape is cute and tempting as a replica as well as a rebuild.

_________________
Locost builder and adventurer, and founder (but no longer owner) of Kinetic Vehicles

Plans have changed.. Read: Fickle me is backing out of this build to do something different

-------------------------------

Well, I had the best intensions with The Slow Build Berkeley, but I'm getting restless to finish my other Berk build, and then I'd like to do something different. I'm also pretty sure if I stuff 170 HP into a Berkeley that it will attempt to kill me.. So here's what I'm planning..

-Nothing has changed with Berk #1; over the next year or two (2024/2025) I will get it into paint and sometime in the next little while it will be 'done.' (as you know, these builds are never done)..

-I need to take inventory of my spares and give away/ sell off what's not needed.. It's gotten crowded around here; I need to reset and lean things out a bit

-I will be selling my 2012 Honda VFR1200 DCT motorcycle in the spring of 2024.. it's an outstanding bike, but I need the room (and I need the $$ out of it for the next thing)..

-I will be selling my white Berkeley body with title and VIN plate.. again, I need to lean out... time for the next person to move the project forward..

....So what's next? I have at least another year of work to go on Berkeley #1, so nothing immediate.. We're debating building an ADU for some passive income during retirement, but we're only researching right now. If that plan materializes, then I'll be doing most of the heavy lifting for that (2025/2026 if it happens).. I figure that will take about a year if we do it, likely longer as I don't know what the hell I'm doing..

...If no ADU and I'm able to keep the focus on building cars, once Berk #1 is done, I'm very seriously considering an MGA coupe restomod. It's too early to get too excited about this plan as it's still a few years out, but I'm envisioning a mild little Miata lump/ 5 speed with AC in an early coupe.. Different, swoopy, mild, and (somewhat) functional.

We'll see guys.. I don't usually dump out of a build early, but this one hasn't really started, and that I'm having thoughts of a different British mistress at this point tells me to just let this one go and embrace what's next..

--ccrunner

_________________
Dean

1972 Honda N600 Restomod "ccrunner's N600 VFR800 repower"

1963 Volvo P1800 Restomod
http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16309

1959 Berkeley SE492 Restomod...
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19397

"ccrunner's 1960 MGA coupe Restomod" found on MGExp.com

I know how these things go! You start to prioritize your projects and say, "what do I really want to do next?".

I will miss you doing the next Berkeley, But I also have long loved the MGA Coupe. Back in 1970, I swt my 1st Couple on the side of the road for sale. It was black with a red interior. And the biggest shock was it had a twin cam in it! It was for sale a an astounding price of $1500! Gasp, "for an MG?" I said? Had I knowingly been able to predict the future.

I will look forward to your project if /when it starts.

_________________
Thom