Ninehigh
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| posted on 11/2/09 at 11:31 AM |
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Mileage
Looking around for suitable donors (my missus has convinced me not to go for new parts first time because I don't want to make a cat's
@rse of something expensive and ruin it) and I'm lucky to find anything in the sierra/mx5 lot with less than 90k miles on it.
Is this really so important? I'm going to be putting at least 15k a year on it myself so is getting it reconditioned a good idea? I know a few
things (check for smoke, white stuff on the oil cap etc) but is there anything I can do to prolong life?
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Dangle_kt
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| posted on 11/2/09 at 11:45 AM |
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engine rebuild?
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D Beddows
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| posted on 11/2/09 at 11:48 AM |
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Have I misunderstood or are you saying you're expecting to drive over 15,000 miles in a year in a Locost  with respect I doubt you'll
manage even half that!!
In answer to your question the milage shouldn't be an issue as long as you find a good engine/car
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mcerd1
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| posted on 11/2/09 at 12:03 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Ninehigh
...I'm going to be putting at least 15k a year on it myself....
15k / year in se7en
Condition is more important than mileage (and by that I mean the condition of the mechanical bits your going to use - not the rest of the car)
just as an example, my 151,000 mile granada was totally rotten:
but the bits I need cleaned up nicely (even if it was a bit of a PITA to dismantle)
I took the easy (but more expensive) options and got most of the bits blasted (and powder coated),
the gearbox and diff I got rebuilt by others (BGH / Classic Conversions)
and I stripped the engine down, got the machining done (Engine Services) and I'm putting it back together now
(the cheaper version of the above involves more elbow grease)
all that + new seals, bearings and gaskets should make it all 'like new' - but if you add up a whole cars worth its not cheap (still
cheaper than all new parts though)
[Edited on 11/2/09 by mcerd1]
[Edited on 11/2/09 by mcerd1]
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coozer
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| posted on 11/2/09 at 12:30 PM |
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Milage has nothing to do with rot... my 'best' car was a Montego Turbo, mint engine, rotten to the core body... next up 287K Rover 214,
knackered engine and box, mint body.
Merc 190e taxi a few years ago in Portugal, 695K on the clock all going well.
Feature in Classicford I think, zetec rebuild at 170K still had honing marks on the bores.
Its all the luck of the draw....
1972 V8 Jago
1980 Z750
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cd.thomson
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| posted on 11/2/09 at 12:32 PM |
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id say save the money youd spend getting the parts ready for 15k miles a year strain, just tidy them up, and spend it on a car with a roof thats
drivable in heavy traffic.
Craig
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tendoshingan
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| posted on 11/2/09 at 01:23 PM |
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How about ussing the sierra as a donor and getting an older zetec for your engine.
I managed to get a sierra (minus engine) then got a jan 92 xr3i 1.8i off ebay for £100.
Sold lots of the car parts apart from the zetec engine. After selling parts off it, in all cost me about £60 which included practically new tyres.
That engine is pre 94 so has no cat. It also has the zetec pump and smaller sump than the mondeo ones.
Post sva if I want to upgrade to a new 2.0l zetec I already have pre cat sva and smaller sump and pump
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Ninehigh
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| posted on 11/2/09 at 03:04 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by tendoshingan
How about ussing the sierra as a donor and getting an older zetec for your engine.
I managed to get a sierra (minus engine) then got a jan 92 xr3i 1.8i off ebay for £100.
Sold lots of the car parts apart from the zetec engine. After selling parts off it, in all cost me about £60 which included practically new tyres.
That engine is pre 94 so has no cat. It also has the zetec pump and smaller sump than the mondeo ones.
Post sva if I want to upgrade to a new 2.0l zetec I already have pre cat sva and smaller sump and pump
Yeah I'm going to be putting a good few miles on it, it's 25 miles each way to my normal place of work and I can be (technically) sent
anywhere in the country so...
I like the idea of using an old engine to begin with then a newer one. Is the engine the main concern for this mileage, I mean surely the chassis and
suspension will be able to handle it? About 75% of those miles will be motorway...
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cd.thomson
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| posted on 11/2/09 at 03:21 PM |
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youre building a locost to do motorway commutes in?
all year round?
Craig
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Ninehigh
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| posted on 11/2/09 at 03:35 PM |
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It would account for about 75% of it's use yeah. Don't shout at me how many 4x4s have never done anything more than bump up a curb?
I'll be going to track days and the like, whatever else is round here, plus there's the 6am blast home down the country roads 
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mcerd1
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| posted on 11/2/09 at 04:11 PM |
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^^^ I don't think that any of us are saying that you should only use it for track days etc.......
..... I think most of us are just concerned because its not exactly the best suited car for bad weather and/or heavy traffic
(although there are a few people who use them every day)
out of interest have you ever had a shot in one ? (even as a passenger)
if not where abouts are you in the country ?
[Edited on 11/2/09 by mcerd1]
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Ninehigh
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| posted on 11/2/09 at 04:19 PM |
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Never been in one, I was going to put a roof on it though.. I'm rarely in heavy traffic, it's at least moving.
I'm in Ellesmere Port, near Chester if anyone's offering a ride lol
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D Beddows
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| posted on 11/2/09 at 04:42 PM |
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Blimey - I have to say that driving a 7alike on a busy motorway in the dark when it's raining and the temperature is in single figures is
something I'd probably actually pay not to have to do 
At least 95% of hoods leak to a greater or lesser extent so everything gets soggy, you can't leave anything in it when you get to where
you're going because you can't lock it, you'll need a larger than average petrol tank (or you'll be stopping every hour or so
for petrol) so luggage space will be reduced anyway, forget a radio because you wont hear it etc etc........
In my opinion these things are only toys really and that's by far what they're best at - but you seem to have made your mind up so,
although imho you're slightly mad to consider it!, I do wish you all the best 
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 11/2/09 at 04:49 PM |
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The thing about a seven-style car is - it's a harsh ride, noisy, tiring, lousy weather protection (for most home built 7s anyway), less reliable
than a production tin-top, and they usually give terrible mpg (but that's usually due to the driver's right foot). They also have a
tendency to reverse direction in slippery conditions.
And those are their good points!
Think of a 7 as a glorified go-kart and you'll get the idea - tons of fun, but a bit tiring after a while, and not very practical.
We don't want to pee on your matches, but it's best that you start with a realistic goal. If you must commute in your kit car,
you'd be better off with something with a hard top, like a GTM.
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Ninehigh
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| posted on 11/2/09 at 04:52 PM |
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Ok, any pictures? Not built a single thing yet so I'm open to ideas.
As for a roof as long as it keeps the rain off and doesn't blast my ears out that's fine
[Edited on 11/2/09 by Ninehigh]
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mcerd1
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| posted on 11/2/09 at 05:39 PM |
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I recon you should try and meet up with some of the other builders in your area and see if you can get a shot in one as a passenger
or failing that, go and visit on of the kit manufactures (who ever is near you) and get them to take you out (most will if you seem interested in
buying)
and then there are the kit car shows later in the year
once you've been out in one you'll either be totally put off or totally hooked
[Edited on 11/2/09 by mcerd1]
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 11/2/09 at 07:10 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Ninehigh
Ok, any pictures?
There's a forum member called ferg - if you look at his photos
here you'll see his GTM Libra - a very well-made example.
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Ninehigh
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| posted on 11/2/09 at 07:25 PM |
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Looks sweet, is there a book on that one or is it a kit car?
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 11/2/09 at 08:20 PM |
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It's a kit - send ferg a U2U and he can give more details.
(or Google GTM Libra)
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