A bolt-together frame design?

[yuta]

I run into a situation where I have to live in a small 1br apartment in California for a new job. I still want to be able to contribute my off-work time to locost building. The tranditional frame is one-piece welded-together type of design. Are there any designes that can be bolt-together which allows me to build sections with manageable sizes and then bolt them together later? Any pictures or suggestions?

[RichardSIA]

Temporary flanges to join sections until proper welding later?

[Miatav8,MstrASE,A&P,F]

I suggest collecting ALL the new and used components (to clean and refurbish) so they are ready to go when you can weld and fab the chassis. you can collect everything but an assembled engine in wood boxes you build and small parts in totes in an apartment. A basic, cleaned and primed chassis without the rear section should fit through an apartment door easier than a refrigerator would. Make sure everything is clean and painted.

By the time you have all the parts expected, maybe you can move to a house with space to work and make noise.

[RTz]

I like MV8's suggestion of gathering/cleaning/preparing supporting parts. There's a LOT of that to do, the frame is a relatively small part of the build. All the frame tubes can be cut, mitered, fish mouthed, labeled, and boxed. There are table-top mill's and lathes available that could be used for building miscellaneous parts ahead of time. Jigs can also be made up in advance.

For what its worth the frame pictured below was built in a small room and removed through a standard door. It was tilted on it side and had to be rotated through the doorway to get the roll hoop to pass. However, the roll hoop can be a bolt-on and the frame would then easily pass through a door providing there's enough room on the other side.

There's plenty of sparks/fumes/smoke created during the build process so keep that in mind when building in a living space.

[RTz]

Here's an entire frame precut, labeled and boxed up.

[KB58]

I agree with obtaining as many donor parts as possible, other than maybe keeping the drivetrain out of the apartment. Are you planning to design the car, or build it using plans, or both, while in the apartment? I highly recommend either buying a CAD package, or setting yourself up with a drawing table and tools. So much of the design work can be done upfront that it's possible that by the time you're ready to start construction, you'll be in better surroundings regarding fabrication.

Building in an apartment is not optimal: Popping circuit breakers while welding, throwing red-hot metal grit everywhere, noise, and as mentioned, fumes. Standard tubing length is 20 feet - how will it be moved to the apartment? Who will cut it, and where? If the plan is to have someone cut it for you, you're already halfway toward obtaining CNC files and having all tubing cut for you, as mentioned above. A middle ground - especially if you can't use a standard set of plans - is to teach yourself CAD and create the chassis. This is especially important if your chassis needs to be at all different than whatever CAD plans you can find- and it's very likely to be different unless you use all the same donor parts. If you're taller or shorter, thinner or fatter than the CAD files are set up for, it's a strong indication to design it yourself. It may well work out that by the time you're ready to push the Send button, sending the files to a shop, you'll be in a house.

FWIW, it took me years before fabrication of Kimini and Midlana actually started, as everything had to be sorted on the computer (or drawing board) first.

[mainlandboy]

I'll just leave this here for consideration:

https://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewto ... 35&t=18522

[fordo]

I no longer have the Staniforth books , but seem to remember the second book describing a bolt
together chassis with sleeved bushes accepting pins to align the sections...
Does anyone remember this?

[anduril3019]

Collecting and prepping parts aead of time is a great strategy. I spent a few years doing that, and it's awesome being able to just unwrap something that's ready to go when you need it (assuming you can find it!).

Another route for your frame would be to look for a "maker space" or something similar. Not sure where you are, but there are several in the Los Angeles area that offer workspace, classes, and even storage in some cases. Of course, you'll pay for it, but you may be able to plan your work in a way where you're paying for shop access for a week to make components, then hauling them back to your apartment until your ready for more. Another route is to look for a welding class that might also give you some shop access. Around here I've seen classes geared toward motorcycles, hot rods, bicycle frames, furniture, sculpture, etc..

Unless your going for full CAD for design and for cutting, you're going to end up doing a lot of hand fitting, especially of diagonals. Even with CNC cut pieces, you're going to be hand fitting some.

You could probably build many of the existing frame designs as sub-assemblies in about 3 sections, there's enough bracing in most cases so you could have rigid structures if you got creative. Clamp them together to work out overall dimensions and details, then, as others have said, mate the sub-assemblies when you have the space and equipment.

Yet another route, look for a garage, a yard, a shop or somewhere that will let you use/rent a corner or trade you for something. I have limited space and have built my frame completely outside with limited equipment. I keep it covered and spray can it as I go, and I'm planning to get it media blasted when complete and ready for final paint. In California I'm not to worried about rain. I've got enough room to build and assemble in my back yard, but I'll have to take it apart to get it out.

[RTz]

Even with CNC cut pieces, you're going to be hand fitting some.

No hand fitting necessary if you've planned well and are meticulous on assembly day.

[anduril3019]

Even with CNC cut pieces, you're going to be hand fitting some.

No hand fitting necessary if you've planned well and are meticulous on assembly day.

Fair enough.
"Planned well" being key! I thought I planned pretty well, but found myself backed into a few corners that required some creative thinking to get out of without having to start over.

[kabuku6]

I remember reading a Grassroots Motor Sports article about a teen that built a car in three pieces to be able to move in and out of his house. Anything is doable, also the build log mainlandboy referenced is inspirational to anyone living in an apartment.

*edited for clarity

[RTz]

There are several variations of interlocking tube clamps.

[Sam_68]

I no longer have the Staniforth books , but seem to remember the second book describing a bolt
together chassis with sleeved bushes accepting pins to align the sections...
Does anyone remember this?

Yes, it's the Gould Terrapin you're thinking of (a collaboration between Staniforth and David Gould). The rear section of the chassis bolted on at the rear cockpit bulkhead. The main aim was to fully triangulate the rear of the chassis whilst still being able to get the engine in and out.

It's not unusual to have bolt-on front annd rear subframes to monocoque chassis, of course. Keeping it in the realms of Lotus Seven-style cars, Westfield produced a prototype a few years ago, now, that featured a carbon central tub with bolt-on front and rear subframes (and a rotary engine):

[mainlandboy]

I remember reading a Grassroots Motor Sports article about a teen that built a car in three pieces to be able to move in and out of his house. Anything is doable, also mainlandboy's build is inspirational to anyone living in an apartment.

Just to clarify, this is NOT my build. I just linked it as an example of someone who was building a Locost in an apartment.