Hi all, I'm relatively new here, Studying engineering at Uni, Leics / Cov area. I've been browsing the site for a while now, but it seems the more I read, the less I know what I want to do. I basically want to build a normal locost. I want it to shift well, not going to be doing track days yet, but I want a car that I can build to improve in the future, or at least learn from for other projects. After reading 'The Book' All seems well, but the likelihood of an escort mk2 is non existent, and I just don't know now what to do. My way of thinking is if I buy an engine / gearbox to start off with and go from there. Is this the right way to look at it? I've looked on this site as much as possible, but I think with all the knowledge you guys have, its time to compile a single, "everything in" guide to future locosters out there. Answer all the questions once and for all??? So come on guys, point me in the right direction. Where the hell do I start?!?? I'm at your mercy . . . . .

[Edited on 21/8/06 by MattCraneCustoms]

^ Yeah sounds good ^ For those of us that wanna do it from scratch and not a kit, this would be great.

good start would be flakmonkeys faq

very informative
http://gtslocost.locostsites.co.uk/locostfaq.htm

EDIT
oh, welcome to the forum, you will have many happy hours with dirty hands skinned nuckles and general cursing.
and lots of fun also!



[Edited on 21/8/06 by liam.mccaffrey]

You can still get Mk2 Escorts, especialy 4 door ones, though they are indeed getter rarer and more expensive. However, parts such as the english rear axle are fairly readily availble secondhand.

The Sierra is now commonly used as a donor, but this does not have a live axle, so the rear of the chassis has to be designed to accept independant rear suspension (major changes), os a di-deon axle (less changes).

To be honest you shoud see the book not as a definitive locost building guide but more of a series of suggested designs and methods. Almost no-one follows the book to the last detail in every respect. Just as well as it's sprinkled with numerous mistakes.

Do you really want to build the chassis? Whilst it's quite a satisfying job (IMO), it does take quite a bit of time to build a straight, accurate chassis. From the number of home built chassis sold on Ebay I reckon quite a few people run out of motivation after this task. Buying a ready built chassis from one of the numerous manufacturers that will accept a de-dion or IRS rear suspension could save you a lot of time and headaches if you are worried about this aspect.

I'm up for building the chassis, I looked on MK, GTS, etc. for prices, and they seem a little steep for me. Im gonna be building this car on a £200 - £250 a month budget, and the chassis ' Ive seen are like £500? though I can save for a couple of months It seems a waste when the steel should only cost around £100. But do I start off with the chassis? Would I be best to get the engine first to know how it all fits, and so I can make design changes? If this is the case, its throwing up more problems for me . . what engine!!! I've looked at BEC's, CEC's, and don't know what is best. The 1.6 cross-flow looked appealing, but are there any other suggestions?

I like the idea. At the moment I can do nowt as an ambluance decided to screw my back up, so the kits on hold. Because I am only just thinking of getting back to meetings (I can sit for about 20 minutes at a time now!!!), I feel competely disjointed from the project.
This has been hightened with the fact the book is so out of date so direction is hard to find. I would like to see someone add to uncle ron's and produce the much overdue 3rd edition themselves, and perhaps a better racing edition.

These have substantially moved on in areas of chassis (Mcsorely-sp?/2006 race spec) rear axles (dd), even the relatively few of us still using 1300cc Xflow. People have speculated about books with Beemers and Golf donors at various stages of history.

Possibly the book is misleading. Makes too many people feel they can build chassis with a few weeks evening class. I think also times have moved on far too much since the original book (and the second wasnt a huge change). To justify that, how many under 25s have owned a car that didnt have some form of computer control wether be ABS or ECU?

Maybe the book has had its day. The fact uncle ron keeps going underground says something.

PS. sorry for the rant. bad morning

IMHO your best to decide on the basics before you order anything (whether you build your own chassis or not)
Engine, gearbox, suspension types and donor parts (sierra/ escort/ cortina/ etc)
if your going to build your own chassis it would certainly help to get as many of these parts as possible first


If your car is intended for road use (rather than track) then you might be better off with a car engine

What sort of size of engine or power do you want ?
(1300cc/ 1600cc/ 2000cc ???)

obviously there are the X-flow and Pinto's but what about the more modern engines ? (vauxhall XE/ Zetec E or SE)

I don't know that much about them but the 1.6 zetec SE's and 1.8/ 2.0 zetec E's are finding there way into allot of kits (normally on a type 9 box)

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how many under 25s have owned a car that didn't have some form of computer control whether be ABS or ECU?

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Hi again. A guide / FAQ would I feel be a good thing to represent this site and the people on it. If everyone contributed which parts (Engine / Gearbox / etc) they felt are suitable for beginners, I could start compiling a guide from a nOOb point of view. Im gonna fully document the build in progress, and I'm gonna need a lot of help. So all of your views are extremely welcome and of great interest. After more reading, I'm gonna go book stylee and use a 1600 x-flow engine. Thats a start. That size seems the smallest I feel I want my car. This should be alright though?? Guessing an engine of such age will need a full rebuild. Any other cheap possibilities? And also the T9 gearbox will fit this engine if I'm right??

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Originally posted by MattCraneCustoms
Im gonna be building this car on a £200 - £250 a month budget, and the chassis ' Ive seen are like £500?

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a type 9 box will fit nearly all ford 4cyl & V6 engines (and some of the vauxhalls) you just need to get the right bellhousing and inputshaft length

A type 9 is just a 5 speed version of the type E (in Mk2 escort RS2000/ Mexico, etc)

the zetec SE is quite small too (and light as its all alloy) and you could fit carbs if you want to keep it simple (bike carbs are quite cheep), but there are other options and its up to you at the end of the day

if you want a quick guide to the ford engines and boxes try here: (under 'tech support' )
https://www.burtonpower.com/default.aspx

[Edited on 21/8/06 by mcerd1]

keep it simple or it will take forever (james and i are proof of that)

use the mcsorley plans for a standard build, if you can't find the donor parts (which you will if you look hard enough) then make/buy a dedion axle and put a sierra dif in there. only other book (which isn't meant to be very good) is the avon book which some people have used the IRS from but thats not meant ot be a very good design. otherwise buy a set of plans from gts.

keep it simple and to keep costs downfind the right donor and use as much of it as possible.

Ned.

The problem I've found is the number of variations on a theme to get an ultimate guide. Alot of it is preferences too.

Of course the other alternative it to write one. I quite fancy doing an extensive build diary, including the whys and wherefores of build/decisions made. Though in my case it will probably be mostly as a guide for others on what not to do.

I think my idea is about the same as you. I want to base it on the +442 either buying in the frame and wishbones for an IRS/De-Dion based car or building the frame from scratch. My first plan is to get a few hundred quid more saved up as I guess the starting costs will be high then get more managable as things go on.


Which area of Leicester are you in? If you are interested, I'm looking at starting at some point soon, so if you want a hand then I'm up for it. After all its much better to learn from mistakes before starting your own one

If you are interested in collaborating on ideas pop me a U2U. It may even help cutting costs down, i.e shared tools. I also have a trade card for a certain establishment which has seen me right for tools, oil, filters, parts e.t.c.

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Maybe the book has had its day. The fact uncle ron keeps going underground says something.

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