LocostUSA.com

Nice post, Chet! Please be sure to make it a sticky in the frame-building section.

For the front assembly jig, I was thinking of an upside-down version of what you did (with the 3.5" higher part at the bottom) using 2X4s on a piece of plywood that could be stood up to hold the assembly in place for welding. The assembly could be stood up by itself, but I thought the jig might make it easier to position accurately.

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Dreaming the dream since 2003. Haynes chassis, Miata uprights, everything else from 1987 NA RX7 donor.

Thanks Pete!

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He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.

Thanks for the tips Chet, they helped considerably with the frame assembly.

It took me alot longer to figure the front end assembly out than it should have. I eventually figured out that my chop saw has two angle settings and I simply had set one for 13.7 degrees and the other at 27.3. After that it was relatively easy.

Odd, my entire reject pile is approximately the length of the LA and LB bars, probably a coincidence.


Completed front end assembly:




I'm hoping to get the top rails installed tomorrow.

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Trochu Motor League

Not a huge amount of progress but it feels like a milestone of sorts as most of the front fame is now 'complete'. I got the front assembly tacked on and the upper frame rails. My wife came out and helped me install the J1 & J2 bars, the extra set of hands sure helped. I'm going to hold off installing the remaining bars until I have my drivetrain mocked in as I really don't want to be grinding welds out. I'm kind of surprising myself up to this point. I was worried about a bunch of things, poor cutting precision, poor welding (I don't have very much welding experience), warpage, excessive rust etc. None of it really seems to be an issue though (yet). Warpage is minimal and everything is withing 2 mm, my worst measurement so far is end-to-end, I'm only out 1.5 mm .

While installing P I just flipped the frame upside down and clamped everything to the table:


Progress up to this point:


Now I have to go find a donor I can afford. Procuring a donor is probably going to take a) longer than I had hoped, or b) going to cost more than I had hoped.

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Trochu Motor League

I know the feeling. I'm sure it's common sense, but I'll say it for the hell of it if nothing else: Go to look at a car with the amount you want to offer in cash in your pocket. Play like you're poor and it's all you've got. If nothing else, just wave the cash in their face (somewhat metaphorically speaking). You'll be surprised how much you can negotiate if you get the person imagining that cash literally sitting in their pocket.

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Build Log (not much there yet): http://lotus.reddeth.com
442e frame, 3.4l Camaro donor

Checked out craigslist and saw a few; here's a candidate:

http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/rds/cto/1555124328.html

The thing is, your donor is likely to be a car that the owner thinks is unsaleable: body condition poor, needs a bunch of repairs that won't matter to you, defective title, etc. I'd consider running a want ad, and canvassing the junkyards by telephone. A non-runner with good compression would be a find.

Your donor is out there!

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Dreaming the dream since 2003. Haynes chassis, Miata uprights, everything else from 1987 NA RX7 donor.

Pete B is right. I found myself a 5.0 liter 86 cobra edition for 1200$ about ten years ago.Look at craigs list and kijiji in the under 5000$ sections. The auto trader may provide results ,but the friend of a friend is where most of these deals come from.Let it be known at work and amongst all your friends what you are looking for.To quote mulder......THEYRE OUT THERE!!!!!!

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The biggest thing in motocross.

What's this "Cobra edition" you speak of? The Cobra didn't come out until '93. It was most likely something the PO added for fun.

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Ford 5.0 into an M3
mikaelvroom.com | @MikaelVroom

There are actually quite a few '80s 'Cobras' for sale.

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Trochu Motor League

You're just looking for a 5.0 mustang with a t5? I'll keep my eyes open down here.
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

Well, I've completely revamped my thinking and doubt I"ll go with the Fox 5.0 Mustang. My original reasons for choosing the Mustang is that I'm a fan of the 5.0 L, I wanted the 5 speed and have heard nothing but good about the T5, the solid rear axle simplifies the build and they are plentiful and 'cheap.' Well, that all may be true except the plentiful and cheap part. Within my area, the best I've found so far is a 1991, non-running auto for $1,200.00. It would seem the base price for a runner is about $1,500.00, getting to be more than I wanted to pay especially if I have to drive across the country to get it. I'm seriously thinking about switching to the Mercury Cougar, the one below especially. The positives are it's got a 5.0 HO , it's cheap, appears to be in really good condition and it has an IRS. The negatives are the IRS complicates the build and it has an auto tranny. It just happens that there is a T5 in the same town, with clutch, for $200.00. I'm seriously thinking about going with this setup.

1991 Mercury Cougar:


5.0L HO:



I even have my wife convinced, I'm just not sure myself. I'm a bit leery of the auto/manual swap and of changing my original plans. I think it's a better setup, I guess it's were I find out how committed I am to this build. Buying $180.00 of steel and buying $1000.00 worth of perfectly good car to cut up are on completely different levels. If I do get it though, this weekend would be an excellent time to pick it up so I'd better hurry up and make up my mind.

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Trochu Motor League

The cougar could donate the front knuckles also, see the Deman arrangements,
i have two sets of front uprights already modified in the event i do a second or third locost given the rigt conditions.....

Does the T5 come with the bell housing and flywheel as well? They had a couple different lengths of input shafts in different years of mustangs. Another thing to watch for is the gear ratios, I had a T5 in my first car with a first gear ratio of about 4.13:1 and the jump to second was huge. They did this in the 4 cylinder cars to get them off the line easier and still have a reasonble rearend ratio for cruising. Not ideal for a car as light as a locost, not to mention it won't take anywhere near as much torque.
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

So did you get the cougar?
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

I'm working on it, but no, I don't have it. I looked around a bit more and found a 1991 Cougar XR7 for $800.00. Before I even made an offer the guy said he'd sell it for $700.00 and had a guy interested in the rims. He asked if I cared if the original Cougar rims were on it and if he sold them he'd lower the price of the car even more. My schedule's and his haven't aligned though so I haven't met with him yet. I went and looked at the car anyways and it looks good. I really like the 5.0L H.O., IRS and disc brakes on all four corners with the 5 x 114 mm bolt pattern. I don't know if I'll be able to utilize the brakes or not, but I'm sure going to try.

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Trochu Motor League