My friend and I are graduating from high school and are wondering if it is at all feesible to build a locost over the summer (approximately 2.5
months, probably 50 hours or so a week 
). We both will learn how to weld (we have friends who are very good and will teach us). We have decent
knowledge of cars (my friend is taking a class, I have more basic an understanding but learn VERY quickly). What do you experienced builders out
there think, can we do it? If it couldn't be completeted in 2.5 months, how far do you think we'd get?
Thanks, Andrew.
I think the ABSOLUTE MINIMUM would be for us to get a rolling chassis in the car by the end of the summer, that would be the absolute min.
I would say that once your weldings up scratch a chassis shouldn't take more than a week two at most.
If you keep things standard and by the book then a summer shouldn't be to hard.
All the best Dan.
Check out gracelands website, that will show you how quickly a chassis can be built!
Gotta agree with both Scutter and Col there- if you keep it standard you could do it with that much time.
On the other hand, if you bought a bare minimum kit (chassis, wishbones and bodywork) from either GTS or MK you could *definately* do it in that
time.
Bear in mind you'll need a pile of cash saved as you'll need to buy so much stuff in such a short time. You're looking at approx'
£4k IMHO. Yes, others have done it for half that but you guys won't have time to be shopping around for stuff.
You need to make a lot of plans in advance- makes the build a lot quicker!
HTH,
James
Rob Lane built a book Locost in three months - check oput his website, do a search on here 'cos I'm busy!!
Cheers
Chris
Assembly is easy - it takes hot rod shops only about a day or two to put everything together and have it running.
The time consumers are getting the right parts and making them fit and work right.
You can spend several weeks on just suspension and geometry if something isn't right.
My suggestion would be to read, read, read and do searches on the forum for discrepencies within the book (members not matching up, parts not fitting
well, etc)
Good luck!
-MR
yeah, its practice that counts. My first wishbones took ages and were crap, i re-did them today in about 3 hours from scratch, and they look loads
better...
why would going not exactly from the book delay it? it shouldn't be that much different w/ a new tranny/engine except original chassis size which you can use the mcsorley plans
If you vary from the established, tried and tested designs, you start to design bits yourself, this is where the extra time comes in, and looking for a part which suits your needs, like a master cylinder of the correct bore, or an axleor rack of the correct width to suit you new design
and then fixing stuff when it goes wrong. Ask any signifcant deviant, they will probably say it takes exponentially more time.
I've deviated loads from the book (arsed around with chassis dims, IRS, Pinto, mounted engine further back etc. etc.) all takes ages.
You can get away with deviation more if you plan more. I'll give you an example of a f'ck up that cost me loads of time:
Moved engine much further back than book. Before fitting it though, I'd made and mounted my top mount pedals, master cylinder mounts, and
finished the brake lines. Thought it was coming on well.
Then fit the engine- oh look, susprise surprise the bloody exhaust route won't fit anywhere other than straight out the side and that means it
goes through the master cylinder.
End result: new bottom mount brake pedal needed, new master cylinder mounts, new bias valve mounts, and remake of the brake lines. Complete cockup
caused by lack of planning/design! 
Oh well, the brake lines will look better 2nd time around!
Obviously my example shows that if you planned it properly then you could deviate but can you garantee you'll not forget anything??? A couple of
days head scratching and re-making could screw your whole schedule! 
HTH,
James
P.S. I sound like a boring old fart- don't get me wrong, for me the way things are done differently is now the most interesting thing about this
hobby. But when time is such a crucial factor to you then just get a car built and worry about modding it later!
I totally agree w/ the modding part... I just want a good base for modding later
I think the hardest thing is the dicipline, but as you graduate you'll have a lot of time to work, I'll work hard with my car during summer
vacation too. But my goal is to have it ready until I graduate, next year 
good luck!
Regards
henrik - Sweden
quote:
Originally posted by James I'm a deviant!
The scotlad did his on his patio in the middle of a scottish winter.......Hardcore.... and a nice car too...........fast
took me less than a month to have a rolling chassis with a running engine.
http://www.paulsimon8.freeserve.co.uk
had to give up and sell up as a severe chance in circumstances and housing arrangements (parents were going for divorce and i needed somewhere to live
kinda thing) dictated the sale of my locost - slightly gutted to say the least
Bloody hell... he's back!
Good to see you Paul, though sorry to hear about your parents etc.
Presumably you can start the Locost again though- you'll do it quicker and better this time around too!
Atb,
James
I think you could do it with the right kit (chopsaw etc).
The main thing I think is to plan it and stick to your plan which Ive never done, just made it up as I went along same as James then had to remake
things when they didnt fit.
The one thing I would do would be to buy the wishbones and brackets etc, these have caused me more grief than anything else.
One of the main reasons you'd suceed I think is if there is 2 of you, how many times have you been out in the garage on your build for 3 hours or
so and basically done bugger all, which I dont think would happen with 2 people there plus it would be more fun.
Cheers,
Bob
Hiya James and others
yep, i'm back, with added bukakki. lol. - thats the reason i dissapeared for ages tho, still tho, life goes on, new job aswell so no more buses,
thankfully, trains now tho - more cash, better careeer prospects and better job, sorted
and i'll hopefully get another build going yep, this time i can learn from the lil mistakes i made before
quote:
Originally posted by Graceland
new job aswell so no more buses, thankfully, trains now tho -
lol, aint gonna be working on them james - conducting then progression onto driving - the drivers are on 34k a year basic