LocostUSA.com

I am new to the forum but have had built a Caterham and a book locust seven that are sadly both long gone and sold off. I am a SCCA formula Vee racer and have built my own FV race car that I currently race as a FST.

I may be reasking an old question but if I were to base a midi on a FV chassis with air-cooled VW midengine layout what commercially available fiberglass bodies are out there? I am thinking 60s to 80s open sports racer that may be tall enough to be seen on the street. I do know of Curtis and the L19, L23, and Elva projects. What are other commercially available bodies have folks found. Is there a source for Porsche 718 or RSK style body on the market? The goal is a Sunday drive car that may be used a bit for auto cross. Not going for a track car as I already have my racing bug tended to with the FST. I have a vision of a 1600 ACVW midengine 80ish HP In front of a swing axil bug transaxle, both already in my shop an needing a home in a car. The front will either be a ball joint VW beam or the Book style A-arms. I have the beam in my shop, or can build the A arms.

This fourm seem to contain a wealth of knowledge so what clothes would your recommend I cover this kitten of a midi with? Any direction on preexisting plans or images for a chassis/ frame like this?

I welcome all thought that will move me from thinking about buildin it to building it, that is once I know what it is.

Welcome! Jack McCornack just recently bought the molds for the "Kokopelli" ( not sure on spelling ). It's something like a Lotus 23 and quite attractive. Does Curtis have something like a Ginetta mid-engine? Someone here had something like that a couple of years ago.

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Marcus Barrow - Car9 an open design community supported sports car for home builders!
SketchUp collection for LocostUSA: "Dream it, Build it, Drive it!"
Car9 Roadster information - models, drawings, resources etc.

This is my starting point for the build, thinking a longer and wider cockpit and a cool body I need to find. The attached photo has a junkyard 1300 into for fit up checks.

One of the easiest cars to find (at least to my way of thinking) would be a Beck 550 Spyder. Sounds like exactly what you're looking for. Uses the bug swing-axle tranny, with the beam front end. I know Chuck Beck built a bunch of those little demons!

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Mike - Read my story at http://twinlakesseven.blogspot.com/

Mike,

Thanks I went to see one it is a great car and high on my wish list, but also a bit high on price. It would be a very quick build of just bolting in my parts. Right now I want the less direct home built shop project for my two seat FV.

Rock West Racing. I've never seen one of their cars in person but the body work ought to be good since the company is a subsidiary of Rock West Composites who make all sorts of nice stuff.

http://www.rockwestracing.com/showroom/rw-rsk

If you're a masochist like some of us on here, how about building your own body? I'm sure you've already seen it, but here's a link for motivation anyways:

http://flyermotorwerks.com/

Rod

Rod,

I am far more the blacksmith type than the pannel making artist these guys are, that is a great look. I'm Thinking lotus 19 or 23 are great options just too short for the desired street use mission for the desired project.

So far all great thoughts!

Thanks

OK Sam, as long as we're just kinda throwin' ideas out there, how about something like an old Fiberfab Avenger body. Decent styling, not half-bad aerodynamics, and made to fit over VW running gear! If you shop around, you can find them for not-a-whole-lot-of-money. You sometimes find them on Flea-bay, CraigsList, Or how about http://www.avenger-valkyrie.org/forsale/! Just tryin' ta help!

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Mike - Read my story at http://twinlakesseven.blogspot.com/

Except for the windscreen frame, a book Locost is hardly any taller than a 23. Here are some basic measurements:

Dimension / L7 / L23
wheelbase 87-89" / 90"
overall width 55" / 60"
overall length 132" / 139"
weight 1200-1250 / 1030-1080 lbs
height 39.5" (top of windshield) / 26" (top of bodywork)

And here are the two side-by-side in scale drawings.

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Stan
Dauntless Racing
You can have it fast, cheap and reliable -- choose any two!

I recently purchased a complete set of molds for the 1966 Fiat/Abarth SP1000. (google it and you will find great pictures.) I'm going to sell bodies to help pay for my build(s). It has almost the exact track as the VW and I think that it is gorgeous.


The molds were pulled from an original car.
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You have very conflicted ideas... you want a sleek fiberglass body but won't pay for one. The only middle ground is to search around on Craig's List for an abandoned project which has a shell you want for cheap.

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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/

Stinger. ...

I am sooo waiting (with bated breath, hurry up before I pass out!) for you to bring those to market......
Well, honestly, I kinda have'ta wait, I'm in the middle of a bunch of radiation damage repairs. Another year ought to be about right.
Any luck on fitting the 550 windshield to it yet?




(I'm starting to sound like my youngest daughter. .. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Hmmmmmmm....... )

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"There are times when a broken tool is better than a sound one, or a twisted personality more useful than a whole one.
For instance, a whole beer bottle isn't half the weapon that half a beer bottle is ..." Randall Garrett

No I'm not conflicted, maybe I just did not express all my goals, one major goal is the build time in the shop, and the desire to make metal into motion. I really like the 550 idea, and at some point I will most likely do one when my goal no longer includes the build phase, the Beck 550 is so compleat that it will be just a quick assembly project. I am looking for a longer term shop project as I just like being in the shop. That is why I no longer have my sevens, I sold the one I was driving when I finished the next project. Now I am ready to cut and weld again.

Stan, thanks I thought the 23 was much shorter than the seven, I should have done more home work. My thought really got started at Apexspeed and your lowest cost P1 discussion. As FST racer your posts there got my brain working this over.

Actually just got the Kimini book and that has been like crack for me wanting to start new project hence the search for a body.. So I identified the source for my conflict.