Well, i took a walk over in the pissing rain.

The car was started 12 years ago and has come along a fair old way, it was dry built before being left so nothing is powdercoated or painted. There is a V5 for the donor car. The welding looks good on the chassis but the chassis is very rusty because the shed it is in is very damp, the front discs are also very rusty and everything is manky. It was put in this shed in the summer.

It has a complete set of bodywork, ally panels have all been cut, it has a stainless fuel tank and the windscreen frame is there but without the glass. There are no seats and it has mk 2 escort steel wheels fitted. There are a set of allys in there and he says if they fit the car i can have them. The wiring loom is in a bag along with rear lights, there are no headlights or gauges. Steering column is fitted and working.

Basically it is pretty much a complete car but in poor condition needing a complete stripdown and refurbish. He's open to offers and is willing to take a hit to get shot of it, i was thinking of offering 3 or 400 quid and see what he says.

I'm going to try and post some photos so here goes.












It worked!

Sorry if they are a bit big, i'm crap at re-sizing stuff, as you can see, it's in a bit of a state but is all there apart from a few bits and i can get it very cheap.

So folks, is it worth a punt?

[Edited on 31/12/12 by billy big skid]

Looks like it could be a bargain for you...

A word of advice- It reminds me of my chassis when I bought it, I had to sand down all of the rust by hand and it was the worst job imaginable! So if I had to do it again i'd seriously consider getting it dipped!

Good luck, Mark.

ETA a picture of mine when Id got it home-



[Edited on 31/12/12 by MsD]

Start much lower you can always go up

I'd start with what the 'good stuff' is worth - maybe £200 and see what he says.

Could be a good starting point but the chassis doesn't look like it's worth having.

I will have it if you dont want it

Well if a finished one costs £250....take the book and show him if he doesn't believe you!!
Seriously looks good, worth a punt if you ask me

The rust on the chassis is only surface rust and i can get it blasted off so no problem there. The welding is really good too. The issue is price, after a bit more thought, i reckon a starting bid of £200 considering the work that's going to be involved making it right.

[Edited on 31/12/12 by billy big skid]

That's a common colour for a Locost chassis. I've seen it many times.


I believe the RAL code is Fe2 O3





Paul G

It certainly looks like its worth a punt.
Its amazing the difference a sand blaster makes, but be careful, the chassis tube is only thin, as previously mentioned, consider having it dipped, ring round places that do galvanising, they do dipping. but galvanising is out of the question, it will distort very badly. Have a look at the electrolysis thread for all the smaller bits.
At least you will know it will be put back together properly, and if it isn't, its your fault!
keep us posted on progress. best of luck.

Is it a 1600 crossflow?

They are getting rare and would be worth 200 ish as is.

No, it's an 1100 crossflow, he was in his late teens when the build started so he wanted a small engine for insurance purposes.

Tbh I'd stay away from it, loads of work to clean the chassis, the tubes will be rusty inside too where the ends are open, the engine is tiny and very old, go knows the miles on the gearbox or diff. Shocks may have rustys chrome. May seem like a bargain but by the time you have sorted everything I doubt you will have saved much compared to saving a bit and buying a better example. Unless you are just after a challenge...

Looks like a lot of work but worth saving and if its that cheap then why not!

I'm only 15 mins away if you get stuck too

It would have to be awfully cheap from what I can see.

How long do you intend spending cleaning rust off ?

The chassis is worth its scrap value.
I'd be weighing in at 2-300 I have to say.
Most of that being for the GRP bits.

Not really a barn find more an abandoned project.

Buy it, it's got twin horns.

I'd give £400 for that any day, it's got the stub axles, front shocks, I presume a rear axle and shocks and the fiberglass.
Find me a cheaper set of fiberglass, stub axles and rear axle and I'll buy you a beer.

Really ........ Can you be serious? The shot blast and strip down alone would be a similar cost to a new chassis......

Some informative comments, thank you all for your contributions, it's refreshing and a credit to your forum.

I think i'll probably buy it anyway. If it's cheap i'll get my money back by breaking it up if it's totally shot. Another problem now though, the owner of the unit i was going to use has said it's not available now so i'm on the lookout for another.

Jimbob and Gazza, as you are local to me can i ask your advice if i need it?