LocostUSA.com

Okay so the conversation last night went something like this:

Carl: I'd like to start looking in to building a breezy airplane. I've got the crazy idea that I want to try and fly one around the world.
Matt: Have you considered building a car in stead?
Carl: I know you still want to build a LoCost. It's not a bad idea to build a car first, kind of like a class.
Matt: Would this be a Monday, Wednesday, Friday class or a Tuesday, Thursday class?
Carl: Seems to me that more would be accomplished with a M,W,F class.
Matt: Okay, when does class start?
Carl: Tomorrow's Monday.
Matt: Great, I'll be over at 6pm after work.

And that's about how much planning went into starting this project. We plan to build 2 cars in parallel because doing them in series would be smarter but nobody wants the learner car. I started making room in the shop last night. What's the over/under that this project gets completed? Knowing Matt as I do, there is a good chance we'll be done by Christmas and he will have done 90% of the work on both cars...

Not sure what you're asking but the reality is that life happens and it'll take several years to complete. I think one guy on here did it in under a year, but he worked on it fulltime; he may have been unemployed. Keep in mind the project needs to stay fun and not be turned into an evil taskmaster.

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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/

As always, Welcome To The Funny Farm! Good luck with your endeavor! Quite a few members in Cali to supply words of wisdom or encouragement. What part of SoCal are you in!

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

That'll have to be one mighty Xmas tree to fit that under.

As npgmike says welcome to the funny farm or puzzle palace, there is a wealth of info on this site, you just have to get past the goats and various other non politically correct things here.

I hope you'll have time to post lots of pics considering your vigorous timeline goal. As word of encouragement I do know of a fellow locally here in Edmonton that got together with his friend and built twin Locosts in less that a year.

Good luck on your builds, I'll be watching

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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

Cleaning the Shop by Tsilatipac, on Flickr

Day 1: Clean up day.

Ok, cleaning is a multi day activity. Will research first tubing order this week. We need practice material, which is fine; we have plenty of small projects to get this rolling. Decisions made:

Steel plate welding table, 5x8.
Chassis will be chromoly, round tubing.
Engine: looking for 1JZ-GTE six speed.
IRS
Inboard front suspension.

There is no firm timeline for this project. More realistically we hope to be ready to start registration process next Jan, 18 months...

This schedule reminds me of a 3-hr PBS show called "Plane Crazy", where a guy set out to design, build, and fly a plane in 30 days. I still remember his comment "I'm four days in and a week behind."

_________________
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/

Welcome.
If you are a serious builder, this will be interesting to watch. From the tone of your posts, I'd say you're trying to be funny, so I'll venture a 10% chance that you'll get it finished. Hope you'll prove me wrong.
As to your choice of round chrome moly tubing, you may want to do some more research. You mention the need for practice projects, so I guess you haven't welded a chrome moly tube frame yet. Nothing wrong with it, but you are stepping up a fair bit: higher cost and the need to TIG, which requires more precise coping and fitting. Tigging a frame is very time consuming, and requires a lot of out of position welding. You will not gain much in weight savings, because chrome moly only has an advantage when you can reduce the wall thickness over mild steel; but, most Locost frames are already done in 16ga (0.065"). You will end up with a very stiff frame, if done in chrome moly, and if your plans include racing, there maybe a benefit there. A round tubing frame also poses some extra fabricating steps, since it is more difficult to mount the body panels and floor. All of it can, and has been, done. It is a great adventure, just don't underestimate it.
BTW, I built the airplane first and the car second. The airplane was easier.

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Martin


My build log:
viewtopic.php?f=35&t=14520&start=0
My build video:
https://vimeo.com/143524140 password "matovid"

It's a bit of a sleeper of a project. My house took a year, my ocean going boat, two years and that little car, three years.

I TIG'd about half of my frame and MIG'd the rest. It does add time to the project.

Don't be sucked by getting some tube, cutting, hacking and welding the basic frame and thinking that you're half way there. That much progress means the projects just starting.

Ron

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They say a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. By the time you finish the car it'll feel like you've done it on your knees.

Hear, hear!

The frame is the most visible part of the build, but only a tiny portion of it. My buddy & I built our frames in just a short time, but the rest of it takes a loooong time. We've been at it now for about 10 years, off & on. I'm just now approaching time to tear it all down for frame paint. Little details like the cooling system, dash & instruments, suspension, electrical system, interior, controls, etc. are very, very complicated to build from scratch...yet they all need to be done. Just building my windshield frame & stanchions took several weeks of actual shop, on top of months spent sourcing materials, buying them online, awaiting their arrival, etc.

The good news is that every one of these tasks brings you visibly closer to having an actual, driveable car. The satisfaction from completing each of these tasks is enormous. Eventually, you'll get to the point that you realize that, given enough time and effort, there is NOTHING you cannot do. Surprisingly, the skills gained also transfer into other parts of daily life, so there are side benefits which, in my case, my wife is very happy with indeed!

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Scratch building, at continental-drift speed, a custom McSoreley-design framed, dual-Weber 45DCOE carburated, Zetec-engined, ridiculously fast money pit.

http://zetec7.webs.com/

Yeah, the frame is a pretty minor part of the whole project. I thought I'd buy a book frame for my car and save a bunch of time, but I ended up spending so much time making changes to it that it would have been less work starting from scratch. What that frame did though, was make me spend enough money up front that I decided there was no way I could bail on the project, so I guess it was a good thing in the end. I don't know what the percentages would be, but there's a lot more of these cars that get started than finished. Good luck, it's a great project, and a good way to learn all kinds of useful skills.
Kristian

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V6 in a book frame build. Now registered.
viewtopic.php?f=35&t=7587
viewtopic.php?f=33&t=18172

Yo!
Welcome to the forum, from the "cob end" of things, Team Slotus!

I'll echo what the other folks have said, don't worry about a schedule. Do a little bit of work every day (or every day you can) and things will get done, eventually. Enjoy the journey, make an adventure of it, stop and visit with the goats you meet along the way...

In the meantime, keep us posted, 'specially with lots of pictures... (Insert obligatory "Perry can't read" joke here.)


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

Truer words were never spoken. The guys who finish cars work on them regularly. If it starts just occupying space in the garage the probability of getting it done drops off a cliff.

Do something, ANYTHING, every single week. Accept the fact that as you progress through the build you'll decide to go back and change something you've already completed. Enjoy the ride!

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Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

Years ago, a builder announced he'd have his car done in a year. After I explained that's not realistic and how he just turned his fun project into a grueling job, he lectured me on the importance of deadlines and goals. Okay, said I, but let us know how blasting past said deadline improves the outlook on the project. His "deadline" came and went without any sort of announcement.

Enjoy the trip, the destination is just a nice-to-have.

_________________
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/

Compare the number of Build Log threads with the number of Completed Build threads.

I did the cost between round Chrome and just Carbon. I did get a bit of a deal on the tube. .083 wall and .120 is what i built mine with. total tube coast $325 for around 300'. Chrome would have been $1000. DOM is what i bought. Welds great, stiffer than mild steel tube, and way less cost. Tensile on DOM runs 45K-55K and Chrome is up around 95K. Mild steel around 25K-35K. To me the round was easy and some of the angles were easier to do, but thats just me.

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Steve

My build : http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtop ... 35&t=17160

MGB/GT V8 5.0L. viewtopic.php?f=36&t=20782