Hi all,
This is my first post on this forum so Let me start out by introducing myself, my name is Sean and I live on the other side of the pond. I have been reading this bike engined forum for a while now gathering information. I have also been researching on the net for about 2 months and I think Im getting close to the buying stuff stage. What I want to build is an r1-powered locost using IRS. I think theres a couple of you here doing this? I wanted to use the books front and a tigers IRS design for the frame. I will be asking tons of questions over time but I will start out with this one. Does anyone have any plans or pictures of the tigers IRS? And has anyone successfully combine the tigers IRS with the books frame. Thanks in advance, P.S. this is a great forum!

Sean

[Edited on 8/4/04 by sean951]

Sean welcome to the mad house

You might be better posting the IRS question in the chassis section up up the page, as a lot of people who could answer your question wont look in the BEC section.

Best of luck Gordon

thanks Gordon,
i'll try that.

You may also want to consider buying the GTS DeDion back end for the locost chassis and getting it shipped, making your own IRS has proved tricky for many as far as I can see.

And welcome to the forum!

Thanks Jasper,
I had considered doing that but thought the shipping to the US would be too expensive. maybe i should reconsider because it would be a lot easier that way. ill have to email gts and see how much the shipping would be. if i did it that way i could start on my chassis right away.

What's your donor suspension? Reason I ask is because the GTS kit is based on the Sierra.

I'm sure GTS would guide you through any necessary adaptation or modification, but it would be good to make sure before ordering.

If you want to check out building your own, this is a good de Dion web page:

http://au.geocities.com/phil1rowe4/rear.html

Also be sure to look at member craig1410's photos and website as he has documented his de Dion build very well.

Welcome and good luck!

Pete

Thanks Pete,
I havents decided what my donor is going to be yet. i will most likely be buying individual components. i wonder how hard it would be to sorce sierra parts in the US. probly impossible, i would just have to get them from the uk i guess. im going to try and find out if there where any US fords that shared the same suspension and rear end components as the sierra. maybe someone here knows?

Should have mentioned that the lightest and cheapest option can a live axle from a nice, light car.

Seeing as you are using a bike drivetrain, maybe the best donor for you would be a car with light, suitable wheels and running gear that originally came with a ho-hum engine.

Dodge Colt? Datsun B-210? It would be interesting to troll some junkyards and see what turns up.

If you should happen upon a Merkur XR4Ti, that was a version of the Sierra sold in the US Not too many around, unlike the UK where they use them as planters.

You may want to check out the Yahoo Locost NA list. There are some knowledgeable bods there who could recommend some more donors.

Sorry to have prattled on about donor cars after you had expressed an interest in buying components only. I was sort of zoned in on what US running gear would work well for you, not necessarily insisting on your buying a donor car.

If money's no object and/or storage space is a problem, then buying parts only is the way to go.

OTOH, you can often buy a whole car with a rear axle, wheels, brakes, steering column and rack, and maybe a few other useful bits, for less money than you would pay for just an axle from a dealer.


Above all, the Locost is YOUR baby, so please feel free to use or discard this or any suggestion.

I think that's a good point, live axle will be MUCH easier to build, and as for handling they are great so don't worry about that.

There will be plenty of suitable live axle donors in the US I'm sure. In fact Hicost on this forum uses a Mustang axle, but then he is running 400bhp+ through it, and it does weigh a ton....

Thanks for all the great replys. their giving me a lot more ideas than i origionally had. if i could get allot of parts i could use of of a donor i might get one. Like you said Pete, i will just have to see what turns up in the junkyard.