Trochu's +442E, 5.0 Locost

[mohle]

Beautiful build. I never realized how many builds there are in Alberta.

[Trochu]

Congrats Trochu, you've inspired me to push on with my build!
Coupla quick questions - no windshield required for the OOP? and are those 17" wheels you're using? they look perfect!

Windshield is a long story, which I'll address shortly.
Thanks, wheels are 18 x 8.

[Trochu]

Yikes, last post was almost a year and a half ago and I'm still on the first page! Guess I need to be more active.

Well, I took a "shortcut" on getting legal and was caught. It was pretty disheartening to get over it, but I did, and here I am. Long story short, in 2021 I decided I wanted to take my almost competed car to a local car show. I had my binder containing all my receipts and my VIN inspection paperwork. I went into the local registry to get a 7 day transit permit so I could drive it there and back. The lady didn't know what she was doing, and ended up giving me my full registration. I was elated! It potentially saved me hundreds of dollars as I didn't have to get the out of province inspection (OOP) and install stuff I didn't want to install, like bumpers. I took it to the show, life was good. About a week later, I get an e-mail from a vehicle safety officer. He saw my car at the show, ran the plate, found out what happened, and immediately cancelled my registration. I was ticked. We've got some guy, on the weekend, cruising car shows writing down plates to run when he's back in the office. Like, really!?! The car was parked, in a parking lot.... With a total of 11 km on it, I was back off the road. Then, to make matter worse, buddy said if I got an OPP, and the mechanic didn't discuss the car with him prior to issuing the paperwork, he's immediately cancel my registration again if I got it. So, any chance of finding a mechanic who sees the same gray areas as I, lack of bumper, wind screen vs windshield, was immediately off the table as I was on the provinces' radar and buddy can't risk his business. I 100% felt like I was in the crosshairs of a power tripping vehicle inspector who wanted to be a cop but didn't make it in. So, besides getting over that blow, we fixed up and sold our house, moved, doubled the acres we farm (still not alot, but doubling makes it seem like a lot..., having the biggest team at work ever, starting a new business, and the place we moved too not having a heated garage, I essentially haven't touched the car in two years.

I decided I needed to do something with it, as I've invested too much time, energy, and money into it for it to just be sitting. I dug deep, and first step, "forgave" (if that's the right word), the inspector. I then went and chatted with him, and it turns out, since he'd issued the order and now, I've found out or social circle overlaps a little bit. He said I for sure, 100%, need bumpers at the time of inspection and there is no regulation on the type of bumpers, just that it needs them. Kinda sucks, but I can take them off as soon as he's gone. I asked specifically about the windshield, as, technically, if it has a windshield, as per Alberta, it needs wipers, washer system, and defrost (which some inspectors argue must be connected to the cooling system of the engine and can't be electric). I don't mind installing a windshield but wasn't too keen on installing wipers and washer system. He wasn't sure as I said I'd like to install a windscreen. He recommended I reach out to a "expert" in the manual, Bob, and get clarification from him. So that's what I'm in process of doing. He also said, once I get everything together, he can just come out and look at the car, and if it looks good, reverse the order, bypassing the OOP. That would be huge!

If I'd have known I wouldn't have this thing on the road 13 years later I'd have likely just bought a Caterham.

Don't have a picture, but guess I did make a bit of progress. Got a tonneau cover put together. Goes a long way in making the car look complete.

So, hopefully:

-Build and install bumpers;
-Install windscreen;
-Install tonneau cover; and,
-Get buddy to come inspect the car.

[horchoha]

My my, what a horror story. In getting all my 7's legal I've never run into that kind of BS.

All the best going forward my friend

As a side note my 7's are registered as "replica's". The original 7 did not have bumpers, on the OOP inspection there is a box to check mark NA - non applicable.

[Trochu]

My my, what a horror story. In getting all my 7's legal I've never run into that kind of BS.

All the best going forward my friend

As a side note my 7's are registered as "replica's". The original 7 did not have bumpers, on the OOP inspection there is a box to check mark NA - non applicable.

Thanks Perry, it's been a frustrating struggle. Feel like I'm getting somewhere now thought.

Technically, that doesn't matter. The car is registered as a "2020 u-bilt" and follows 2020 regulations, which is pretty cut and dried "79(1) A passenger car must have both a front and rear bumper.".

[benny_toe]

Reading the horror stories about registration some people are having I feel almost giddy about mine. Saved receipts, went to the inspection lane, chatted briefly with the inspector,her final question was 'Where did I want
the VIN plate.'

Could not have been easier. Had a vintage WA plate that was good to go so I was done. Did have to go to a licensing agent but that was just to apply the [late I had to the vehicle.

All in all about 2 hours of driving and waiting in line. None of the required activities took much time. No hoops to jump through, no red tape to cut.

[Trochu]

Reading the horror stories about registration some people are having I feel almost giddy about mine. Saved receipts, went to the inspection lane, chatted briefly with the inspector,her final question was 'Where did I want
the VIN plate.'

Could not have been easier. Had a vintage WA plate that was good to go so I was done. Did have to go to a licensing agent but that was just to apply the [late I had to the vehicle.

All in all about 2 hours of driving and waiting in line. None of the required activities took much time. No hoops to jump through, no red tape to cut.

Larry, VIN was a cake walk. Same as you, kept receipts, booked an appointment, buddy came and looked the car over, we chatted, "Where do you want the VIN, has to be viewable by the public?"

The issue is when we/I go to register the vehicle aka, get a plate. As that VIN has never been registered in Alberta, it needs an Out of Province Inspection. This is where it gets tricky as they don't just potentially check to see that the brakes/steering is safe, but can check other oddball stuff as well. Airbags, warning light for low brake fluid, defrost that's hooked up to the cooling system of the vehicle, electric isn't adequate, side markers, bumpers, laminated safety glass as a windshield, etc.

It's super depended on how the guy inspecting the car views the gray areas as some aren't black and white.

[benny_toe]

WA state had recently passed some new laws regarding getting custom and vintage cars licensed. My inspeceer had dealt with a guy wanting to re-register a kit car so I'm guessing all the heavy lifting had been done. My car is registered in the state of Washington as a 'Custom 1962 Lotus Super 7'. My plate is a 1962 WA. No tabs, or inspection, smog test is for newer cars. They were so lax that it surprised the hell out of me. Makes me wonder just what is on the streets here.

[blownmiata91]

I had my out of province inspection done for my 7 in Edmonton at https://www.sportscarcentre.ca/
No problems. The proprietor (Bert) built his own Jaguar C Type replica (a beauty)
He did not make me install bumpers, airbags, or side marker lights. He said that his main concern is whether or not the car is safe.
I have a windshield, wipers, heater and defrost on my car, but his Jaguar does not.
Once you get a sympathetic inspection, signed by a mechanic licenced to do so, I don't see how the provincial inspector can overrule it. The inspector that I had told me that his job was to make sure that the major components were not stolen, document the serial numbers of the engine etc. then issue a VIN plate. He said it was the OOP inspectors job to ensure that the car is safe for the road.
My 7 is registered in Alberta as a 2019 Ubuilt 1967 Lotus 7 replica.

[horchoha]

All my 7's are registered as Lotus 1960 replica's, that the secret. The original 7 did not have bumpers or all the bell's and whistles. On the OOP inspection sheet there are 3 boxes to be checked for each question Yes, No, and NA (not applicable). The Super 7 gets a lot NA checked off

[Trochu]

I'm torn. What do you guys thing would look better, paint the fenders red, so the same color as the frame, or black, so they kind of just blend in with the tire? I'd like to do a fiberglass wrap of sorts, which is what I have on my dash and mirrors, just not sure how well it would stand up, how well I'd be able to apply it with the bends, and think I'd need a trim to keep it on.

Resizer_17542606184241.jpeg

[horchoha]

Josh!

Great to see you posting.

That's a great question, I assume when you say fiberglass wrap you mean vinyl wrap.

I ordered vinyl wrap for one of my 7's, and I still have the untouched roll, I didn't have the balls to try and apply it. I went with paint instead.
There are Locoster's on here that have successfully wrapped their 7's, and the pics are very impressive.

But as we all say on this here forum........it's your build, you decide how you want to do it.

Anyhooo, great to hear from you!

[tibimakai]

I'm going for something similar to this:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EkC_ev3XcAE ... name=large
Though I'm not decided on the chassis color, red looks very good, I may go with that(first time welding something).

I see that you have also added that cross tube at the LCA. I did the same to keep the right distance, but now I have realized that it will be in the way of the body work, so I will have to add an angle to it, to clear the body work.