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Learning how to build Lotus Seven replicas...together!
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PostPosted: April 9, 2021, 5:46 pm 
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While I wait for y new lower arms I worked on the front fenders and interior.

I reviewed the problem with the fenders being too narrow with my track to cover the tire.

I decided I can cut a wedge of wood and glass it to the clamshell fender between the flange and the body of the car to space out the fender to cover the wheel. I will add welting between the fender and the body.

It will go from 3 1/2" to 0".

Then I cut and bent the aluminum for the center cover.
Attachment:
IMG_1841.JPG


Will have to wait till I get the trans back in to figure out the hole for the shift boot. Also will a padded arm rest for the center console just behind the shifter.

I will cut a piece of wood with rubber mat on top for the X frame area to make it easier to step in to the car. I keep catching my feet on the cross tubes when I get in and out. I will make it removable if needed.

It looks like the gauges are blocked by the steering wheel but actually when in the seat they are in clear view.

Thom


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PostPosted: June 24, 2021, 2:55 pm 
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Well, I' back in Boston for a week Not enough tie to get the front suspension going So I decided to work on the body skins.

Started the left side, I folded the bottom edge with the brake and will rivet the bottom edge to the chassis And I folded the top edge at the engine compartment on the top rail I will rivet it as well.

Attachment:
Left Skin.JPG


I am trying to decide if I should fold the top edge or "mold" it over the top tube? I have 1" of material to work with at the cockpit.

Attachment:
Left Inside top edge Skin.JPG


Input from the gang please?

Thom


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PostPosted: June 24, 2021, 4:11 pm 
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Location: Duxbury, MA USA
Hey Thom,
Its looking good. I would form the skin over the tube. I am looking forward to a ride in it!
Paul

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PostPosted: June 24, 2021, 4:37 pm 
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I’d sort out what is going on with the wheel arch area before rolling the flange over the tube. There usually is a curve that matches the fender radius. Likely need a drill and split snip for the two flanges at the red 45 degree mark. Paint the chassis before permanently hanging the skin. Clecos are what you need to temp fit and hold in place for bending.

I’d clamp the outside against the frame with a 2x4 to ensure a tight bend and burn off magic marker with a hand torch to anneal. One inch isn’t enough imho but you can cap the sill with a separate piece if needed or even wrap it in 1/8 headliner foam and vinyl for an armrest pad that doesn’t cook you in the sun.

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PostPosted: June 24, 2021, 5:01 pm 
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I was thinking of using a edging on the finished edge of the metal. I prefer fabric vs metal to rest my arm on.

Thom

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PostPosted: June 25, 2021, 2:20 pm 
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Of course I will paint the frame before I attach the skins Here is another shot with the rear fender & wheel set roughly in place. I will wait till I get the rear end back in the car before I mount the fender.

Attachment:
mock up Driver's side.jpg


I also had the aftermarket stainless exhaust from the MGB I hung the resonator in place. The stainless should polish up and give a nice finish.

Looking at tucking the tail pipe under the rear and using the muffler under the back. It would be a little quieter during the ride!

Attachment:
Rear muffler.JPG


Thom


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PostPosted: August 10, 2021, 12:52 pm 
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Location: Novato, CA
When I used the formula above- I get 308lbs. That's very close to Burton's calc of 319lbs. I can move the upper Shock mount out. Right now I have a little over an inch clearance. And for the rears it came out 127.8lbs.

Nick47 used 350/140lbs. He felt it was too stiff and was going to switch to 300/120lbs on his MGB powered car.

So I think going with 300lbs frt/120lbs rr may be the way to go for a street car- not track use.

[/quote]

Completely agree. I never got around to lowering my spring rates (used to it after all these years), but I have had it on the track and t350/120 works great there. I'm sure I'd like the car even more at 300'120, though.

BTW, I agree with everything Steve (Tundra7) has to say. Lots of good advice there.


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PostPosted: August 10, 2021, 3:16 pm 
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You get your rear fenders from Jack?

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PostPosted: August 10, 2021, 5:28 pm 
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Trochu wrote:
You get your rear fenders from Jack?


They are from Jack. The guy who started the build ordered them from Jack.

Thom

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PostPosted: August 27, 2021, 9:36 pm 
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Glad to see the site is back up! Missed its wealth of info. I realize that what I post here may disappear, but here goes!

While I waited for parts shipment I started the rear body work. I had been dragging my feet- if I messed it up, I would have to order more aluminum. So I did a "CAD" design with my yellow cardboard and transferred that to the sheet. The I started to clamp it to the rear. I drilled 4 holes where the rear Jeep spare tire mount is located. This helped considerably locating it as I proceeded to add clamps. When I got to the 1st corner I marked it and removed the sheet to run thru the slip roller. It was not a bad look, but the radius was too tight. I set it back on the car and started to reform it. I decided to had form the other side- it fit closed and I will not have to buff out the roller marks.

Attachment:
IMG_2172.jpg

Attachment:
IMG_2173.jpg

Attachment:
IMG_2174.jpg


I will now start to anneal the edges to form around the upper and lower tubes.

So the LCAs finally showed (2 days late due to fires on the west coast).

So as previously posted, I scrapped my earlier front suspension design and started over using the Mustang II upright & Brake system. I decided to go with a Mustang II Tubular LCA for a coil over system. I used a upper ball joint collar ring with swedged tubes and heim joints. I raised the LCA up 1 1/2" which reduced the rack problem of bump steer. It also aligned the old upper A arm mount tabs that the previous owner had intended mount perfectly for the top coil over mount with the new location of the LCA shock mount.

I also reduced the front track by 2" (59" rear- 60.5" front). The LCAs are very strong and do not need the strut rods. They use a 5/8" bolt all the way thru the pivot points. It uses a steel tube over the bolt and a tab is welded from the tube to the frame for a center support. The rear mount point is on the vertical tube (per the aussie adds). The upper rear swedge tube mount is on the same tube just under the top of the frame.

This design will give me more ability to adjust the camber/caster.

I like the way it turned out and the specs fit with the last Vsusp calcs I ran. Its someplace between street and track. I just tack welded the mounts for the moment- always a chance something does not work as I go forward.
Attachment:
IMG_2180.jpg

Attachment:
IMG_2181.jpg


I will need to cut/trim the lower forward mount brace,

Will need to purchase the next size down for the forward upper swedge tube, out of adjustment travel.

Now to replicate the mounts to the other side. And then I can order the shocks form Jack.

Once I have the other side tacked together I will be ready to strip the frame and go over the welds for a final finish. Then I can paint the frame and and start final assembly!

Thom


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PostPosted: August 30, 2021, 8:41 am 
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Now that I am getting closer to assembly of the car I have been thinking of my issue with clearance of my carbs under the bonnet.

Its taken a bit longer then anticipated to finish the frame since we left our house in the Boston area and went back to Wisconsin during Covid.

I have rebuilt the motor with the increased bore (30 thou over, 9.5 to 1 instead of 8.75 to 1) high compression pistons, hotter cam and head rebuild with new valves, guides and seals. This should increase the HP well north of the original 78HP.

I have the original HIF carbs (in rough shape) a set of HS6 carbs that were used on an old MGB race car with a ported MGB SU intake and adaptors (very thick) as well as a Cannon intake adapted to EFI with a custom box and Toyota throttle body.

Attachment:
IMG_0718.JPG

Note the HS6 carbs have had extensive work- intake port blended. TB bore smoothed, and the intake manifold ported and smoothed.
Attachment:
Cannon EFI intake- front view.jpg



The motor now sits below the top of the scuttle but the SU style systems are too wide which will place the intakes to the carbs thru the side of the bonnet. Great for cool air intake. Not good for driving in the rain!

The Cannon EFI system I purchased has an unusual config and I have no feedback as to how or if it ran. I think the adaptor box and TB are not smooth transitions. The stock Weber DVG carb which is the usual conversion for the MGB is a poor substitute for the SUs, typically rougher running and result in a drop in performance.
Attachment:
Cannon EFI 1.JPG


The DVG style throttle body will set on top of the Cannon intake in place of the custom box and is actually shorter than the DVG carb! I would have to place a 90 degree boot on top to route air thru a filter box.

Attachment:
IMG_0745.JPG

Note the thick phenolic adapters. Those flat washers at the manifold mounts are temp for staging- too thin for use.

My problem and the reason to ponder these choices is the HIF and HS6 systems will protrude thru the bonnet. I can swap out the complete SU intake manifold to a race style SU HS6 manifold and stock thickness phenolic adaptors. It would pull in the HS^ carbs almost 2", but it would still leave no room for the air cleaners. And some of the MG folks say the HS6 SU carbs are too much for even my motor running on the street. Others on the site say they are a bit much but should work.

As configured, the Cannon would protrude as well. But after some research I discovered I can replace the custom box and throttle body with early VW GTI DVG style throttle body (straight bolt on) and it will fit under the bonnet. Plus I will have the enhanced running of EFI. All MGB motors will benefit from adding EFI- that's a given. But the cost vs benefit for this application is in question.
Attachment:
VW DVG TB.jpg


My request for feedback here is:
Have any of you any experience with converting to EFI on an MGB?
Any one used HS6 on a modified MGB motor?
What have most of you been running for the ECUs on custom systems?
I am thinking of the Microsquirt system. Anyone have experience with programming this unit?

Thoughts?


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PostPosted: August 30, 2021, 8:55 am 
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Hey this is coming along. Nice going.

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PostPosted: August 30, 2021, 1:42 pm 
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Location: Duxbury, MA USA
Hi Thom,
I have never converted a MG engine to EFI, but I did convert my Lotus twincam. It is down at the moment as I am not getting a clean cam sensor signal, but that should be fixed soon. My throttle body is from an Audi, but it sure looks similar to what you are proposing.
You have driven my Seven with Megasquirt on a Toyota 4AGE 20V. That thing runs pretty great! I did all the tuning. Logging and modding tunes takes a fair amount of driving to get a tune which is happy under all conditions, but it can be done.
Paul

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PostPosted: August 30, 2021, 9:19 pm 
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Hi Paul! glad to hear from you. Yes, your Locost ran great! I still tell others about how great a build you did! The early Audis did run the same EFI config for the mechanicals.

I think when I get the motor back into the car I will see exactly how much room I have with the different choices. But I have to say I do want to explore the EFI direction.

We head back to Wisconsin tomorrow for a few weeks. Do you have any experience with the microsquirt? I cant think its that much different. Can I reach out to you when I get back?

Thom

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PostPosted: August 30, 2021, 10:44 pm 
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Drool
A 20v 4AGE in a 7 sounds like a blast.

I got a brief drive in a 20v Silvertop in a 1st gen MR2, near 10k rpm & a blast to drive.

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