LocostUSA.com

OK, here's my problem.
I am collecting parts for a Locost. Inspired by Jacks Lalo, I am looking to build a lightweight, economical, sorta fast ish, 7-ish! To those ends I have bought a Suzuki G10 engine, a Samurai 5-speed, MG rear axle, MGB front spindles, and a set of MGA steel wheels. Going for that 50's look.
I have bought a 3Tech ported head with bigger valves, a fast cam 222/365, an advanced timing sprocket, and I have had the throttle body overbored. Estimated to produce about 75-80 bhp. I am now looking at the engine management. I do not want/need the EGR. I do not want/need the water heated portion of the intake manifold. So all I need is basically the spark at the right time, and the correct air/fuel at the right time. How do I manage this? Should I buy a stock Geo Metro ECU (that's what the engine came out of), and modify it? Or is there an easier/cheaper way to do this.
I am a fabricator, and chassis guy, not an electrician, so please talk slowly, and don't use any big words!!!
Cheers,
Stewart.

ECU? You don't need no stinkin ECU... you could do individual bike carbs and a distributor... according to the info here:

http://www.teamswift.net/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=19658

http://www.teamswift.net/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=46325

You need an early distributor and I'd grab side draft carbs from an older bike that can be easily separated. Something in the 30mm throttle plate range?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/160957463651

Carbs and distributors are definitely part of that 50s look! I second Krepus' advice.

How wide will your frame be? The MGB axle will fit a book frame, but only if your tires are narrower than about 5".

I got a set of original Series 1 plans from CS3 on here. The frame is 39" wide. The MGA wheels are only 4" wide, although I do have a set of VW rims that I could weld the MGA centres into, and they are 4 1/2" wide. I am planning on 155 x 15 tyres.
Cheers,
Stewart.

Why bother with the cutting and welding of the wheels. The MGA crowd use 165 wide tires on the stock 15" steel wheels all day long. Recommended wheel width for the 165 is 4.0-5.5 so you should be good to go with the 4" stock wheels.

Re: the spark setup, there is a middle path. You could use the bike carbs as suggested and get a Megajolt ignition setup for about 170 bucks plus a toothed wheel and the pickup/coilpack/control module from a Ford EDIS-4 car. You won't have to worry about whether you got the right springs for your advance curve from a used disty. And you could tune the ignition as you see fit. Of course, you could set it up wrong too. Several have used the Ford EDIS ignition setup, albeit with the MegaSquirt. But that should not matter. they worrk the same as far as ignition goes.

It is your build and you get to go with what you want.

_________________
Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

[quote="rx7locost"]Why bother with the cutting and welding of the wheels. The MGA crowd use 165 wide tires on the stock 15" steel wheels all day long. Recommended wheel width for the 165 is 4.0-5.5 so you should be good to go with the 4" stock wheels.

The reason I looked at 4 1/2" rims is that the stock MGA wheels have a lot of inset. Using the VW rim would allow me to cut down some of that inset.
Cheers,
Stewart.

The inset will give you a slightly wider track that could help with clearance in theback. It will also keep you closer to the stock steering geometry. That may or may not be a big difference with 165 tires, it would matter more with 10" wide racing slicks.

My thought about the carbs is that they can take some effort to get into the ballpark. I remember how small a difference of needle height can make on how a bike runs. So that can be frustrating.

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The inset will give you a slightly wider track that could help with clearance in theback. It will also keep you closer to the stock steering geometry. That may or may not be a big difference with 165 tires, it would matter more with 10" wide racing slicks.

My thought about the carbs is that they can take some effort to get into the ballpark. I remember how small a difference of needle height can make on how a bike runs. So that can be frustrating.[/quote]


If I reduce the inset, so giving me more outset, surely that would give me a wider rear track?
The issue with setting up multiple carbs doesn't thrill me either, although a rolling road set up would be the way to go.

So you'd prefer injection to carbs then? Or a single larger carb?

I think I would prefer a single carb. Whats the thoughts on a single S.U.? 1 1/2" or 1 3/4".
Cheers,
Stewart.

I think a single SU would be too small, even the 1-3/4. I have an SU book that might give some insight. Even if you can get enough flow, getting the right SU needles, damper springs etc to get the right tune might be more work than starting with a Weber DCOE40 or Dellorto. Maybe the progressive Weber downdraft 2 barrel (think Pinto carb) that is used for all those guys that can't get their SU's sorted out would be a good starting point.

_________________
Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

Some quick BOE numbers suggest that a properly setup 1-3/4 might be able to support ~ 70HP. A single 2-inch SU as used in the XKE would support ~ 90HP.

_________________
Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

Uhhhh.... 'Scuse me for interrupting, especially for crass commercial purposes... But...

I happen to have a Weber 45 DCOE (that's a sidedraft two barrel) that I'd be willing to part with.

Let me know if you're interested.

Thanks, and please resume the intellectual discussion now. I'll get me coat...

JDK

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JD, father of Quinn, Son of a... Build Log
Quinn the Slotus:Ford 302 Powered, Mallock-Inspired, Tube Frame, Hillclimb Special
"Gonzo and friends: Last night must have been quite a night. Camelot moments, mechanical marvels, Rustoleum launches, flying squirrels, fru-fru tea cuppers, V8 envy, Ensure catch cans -- and it wasn't even a full moon." -- SeattleTom