LocostUSA.com

This vehicle was designed and constructed for two purposes; to be a legal, licensed street vehicle and to be a track day car. Because of a miss-understanding on my part, I neglected to obtain paperwork linking the engine serial number to a VIN number so I will not be able to license the car in Missouri. Because Gateway Raceway is now closed, track day use is also not a possibility. I no longer have a use for this vehicle.

Design details are:
• Wheelbase is 99 inches and width is 62 inches. I have not scaled the vehicle but expect the dry weight to be approximately 850 pounds.
• Chassis – The chassis is a relatively simple configuration, primarily using one inch square carbon steel tubing
• Suspension – The suspension is a race proven design based on my old, home built DSR. The coil over shocks are double adjustable, aluminum bodied QA1’s and are pullrod actuated. Included are springs to allow three separate spring rate options. The uprights are custom fabricated and use stock VW hubs and bearings. The brakes are Wilwood four pot calipers acting on custom Coleman Machine discs.
• Engine – The engine is a stock 2006 Honda CBR1000RR and includes all Honda electronics required to allow operation of the engine.
• Chain Drive – The differential is a VW aftermarket limited slip in a fabricated housing. The differential output is through stock VW half shafts.
• Wheels and Tires – The current configuration includes 195/40-16 and 225/55-16 Yokohama S-Drive tires. The suspension is also designed to allow use of 13 inch racing wheels and Formula Continental sized slicks which will lower the car approximately 1.5 inches without changing the geometry.
• Street Equipment - The vehicle is fully wired for street use and includes front and rear indicating lights, turn signal lights and stop lights. Seat belts, headlights and a horn are not included.
• Track/Racing Equipment – The roll hoop and diagonal bracing are SCCA legal. For track day use with some sanctioning bodies, fenders may be required. It would be possible to convert to SCCA’s D Sports Racing class by adding forward roll hoop bracing, a fuel cell and body modifications.

Except for the engine and some electronics, all equipment on the vehicle is new. I have fully documented the cost of purchased equipment to be $13,164 and would like to sell the vehicle without too much loss. For any questions, call Marty at 314-898-6673

Too bad about not being able to license it. Looks like a great build! Any links to a build thread?

Before giving up, did you contact the Honda corporate offices? They might be able to do a reverse search on engine number and get the VIN for you. If they can't, the state can't ever determine if the engine is stolen or not. I had a similar problem with my RX7's engine in my Locost. In that case, I knew the VIN but the engine number stamp was poorly stricken and not fully readable. Unfortunately, Mazda removed the car's info from its database when it was reported as Salvaged. All I needed for Illinois registration was a bill of sale from the guy I bought the engine from.

Sorry to see your dreams and efforts fall to pieces.

Keith,
Sorry, no build thread. I just went out into the garage and this is what my drill press, hack saw and MIG welder came up with. There are more pictures and discussion on the DSR site (sportsracer dot net) under trackday cars and Marty's creation.

Chuck,
I've already talked to American Honda. They tell me they know what the VIN is from the engine serial number but they can't tell me. I probably sound like a bike stealing criminal on the phone.

Marty

The DSR guys probably go through their share of engines. Any chance you could sell your engine to someone in need and find a second one (or work a deal out with someone who is buying an engine to get one with paperwork)?

Seems like a shame to part with it just because the local track closed. It looks like a fun toy. No autocrossing in the area?

I'll check it out. Thanks. Best of luck.

Andrew,
The DSR engine of choice is the Suzuki 1000. The Honda seems to require more of the stock bike electronics to run well (probably anti theft logic) and I am unaware of anyone with a 2006 or newer Honda in DSR. The West factory DSR team tried the 2008-2009 CBR1000RR with nothing but problems and no help from the factory.
Next step is ebay. If it doesn't sell there, maybe I'll pitch the Honda and go electric.
Marty

Seems like a shame to let it go. How about parting the motor out and replacing it with another. It may cost an extra 100 or 2 but at least you would still have your car. I know there are plenty of Autocross events in your area plus Putnam park is just a few hours away in Indiana. I wish you all the best which ever road you take.

There is a lot of tech and a decent number of Honda engines for sale on the dwarf car racing website (dwarfcarracing.com) if you do go that route. I know the Hondas are nowhere near as popular as the Suzukis are so they go for about 1/2 the price.

Huh...you're not kidding. Check out this post-

http://dwarfcarracing.com/forums/showth ... #post13980

(note: I have no idea if these are even apples to apples comparisons)

Old SCCA production drivers never die, they just build more stuff! Good looking car, I bet that it's built just like all of your former race cars- top notch.
how are you doing Marty?

work in progress

work done, a little faster than my old bugeye


"Make ita GREAT day"
Tony Chiles

Oh my!

First of all, I have looked at the dwarf car site plus ebay and the major difficulty is finding an engine with traceability to a VIN. The major option seems to be either buying a complete bike and parting it out or moving to a state that doesn't require a VIN.

Hi Tony,
Nice car. I've never driven a replica Cobra and have only driven a real Cobra (Daytona Coupe) once. I can see it would be faster than the old HP Sprite. Of course most things are. We finally got the old DSR down to the high 1:01's at Gateway; still about four seconds off the Atlantic times though.

Marty

just thinking out loud...

could you sell it to someone (even if for $1) in a state that would allow it to be titled and registered with the understanding that you'd immediately buy it back, take the freshly minted title, and title it in MO?


Of course, you could always just trailer it around to autocrosses and road courses (I've never had the luxury of tracking a car with a track within 4 hours of me...surely there is at least a place or two you could drive to for weekends periodically?) until you find a balled-up sportbike suitable to buy the engine from?

Looks like Gateway will re-open
http://www.thetelegraph.com/news/racewa ... local.html