stevegough
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 posted on 31/5/09 at 07:21 PM |
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Wow! what a tight fit this XE engine is!
I am now on the third trial fit with the engine in what I now believe to be a Luego Locost chassis.
Just to refresh your memories for those not yet bored to death with my wittering....
The first told me to cut the long diagonal out, and weld two short diagonals in (as per velocity and viento chassis).
The second fit went better - It at least dropped in to the approximate place engines are supposed to go!
Then some bright spark who is - if you like - one of my 'mentors' (Steve Lovelock) u2u-d me and said - basically, don't count your
chickens until you have trial fitted the engine WITH the gearbox.
I have spent the last two days doing this - and how right he was! this has shown how little room there is to play with!
I've got it to 1/2 inch gaps all round most places - gearlever hole-chassis member / oil pump-chassis member / inlet manifold-chassis member /
steering knuckle-alternator mount.
Problem places are - height - it touches the inside of the bonnet line, and is also pushing the underside of the nose cone upwards. At the other end,
the Luego's mounting plate for the gearbox is fouling the sloped part of the 'box.
Now, the entire engine can go further back in the car about an inch before the clutch arm starts to foul the front of the bulkhead upright. This wil
help with the clearance from the GRP nose and in front of the oil pump. This will mean moving the short crossmember behind the gear lever port further
back, it also means cutting away about 1+1/2 " of the gearbox mount plate.
Then, when I've done all that, and put the engine back in again, try and work out how to fabricate the mounts.
Phew! But something tells me this is THE key part in the build - get this right and most of the rest is easy peasy - get it wrong and ...... well
...... just don't get it wrong?
I'd be interested to hear of other guys experiences at this point in their builds? Also any comments on my "thinking-out -loud"
blog, (above), are more than welcome!
Eleven photos uploaded to my photo archive for your comments. ( give me ten minutes! )         (mixture of all emoticons is
appropriate!) .jpg)
Luego Locost C20XE.
Build start: October 6th 2008.
IVA passed Jan 28th 2011.
First drive Feb 10th 2011.
First show: Stoneleigh 1st/2nd May 2011.
'Used up' first engine may 3rd 2011!
Back on the road with 2nd engine may 24th
First PASA mad drive 26/7/11
Sold to Mike in Methyr Tydvil 19/03/14
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cd.thomson
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| posted on 31/5/09 at 07:39 PM |
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Mine has loaaaaaads of space
Not very constructive unfortunately... sorry I cant help with chassis questions!
p.s. on a side not, it does sit about a foot too high - so I'm going to have to heavily modify the bonnet- although I'd rather be gluing
on a scoop than having to struggle with the chassis
Craig
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gregf27
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| posted on 31/5/09 at 07:40 PM |
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Oh the happy memories of fitting my XE came flooding back!
lots of fabrication and trial fits!! - you will succeed!
heres a pic of mine
 
xe trial fit front
 
xe btm engine mount
 
xe trial fit o/s
rubber mounts were from Rally design
all the best in your quest!!
regards
Greg
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eznfrank
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| posted on 31/5/09 at 08:18 PM |
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Oh well, on the upside you know when it's done it'll be QUICK, I've just this evening been out in an XE powered Nova and if the
speed of that thing was anything to go by it'll fly!!
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omega 24 v6
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| posted on 31/5/09 at 08:48 PM |
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Mmm strange one this. I thought the luego was a lardy fat and bigger chassis ( no offence to luego owners.
My XE fitted into my 442 with plenty room.
Maybe you don't have the chassis you thought???
If it looks wrong it probably is wrong.
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rusty nuts
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| posted on 31/5/09 at 09:03 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by omega 24 v6
Mmm strange one this. I thought the luego was a lardy fat and bigger chassis ( no offence to luego owners.
My XE fitted into my 442 with plenty room.
Maybe you don't have the chassis you thought???
The lardy chassis is the Viento , the Luego Locost chassis is more book sized.
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omega 24 v6
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| posted on 31/5/09 at 09:22 PM |
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Ok I stand corrected. ( Again LOL)
It will then be a tight fit but will be possible. i mean there are V8's in a book chassis.
If it looks wrong it probably is wrong.
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jollygreengiant
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| posted on 1/6/09 at 09:16 AM |
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Hi mate, on the subject of moving the gearbox back, why not fit a hydraulic clutch as per Mondeo/Saab/etc. Then you will not have to worryabout clutch
arm clearance.
 
Slave cylider mounted
 
Master cyls all plumbed in
Beware of the Goldfish in the tulip mines. The ONLY defence against them is smoking peanut butter sandwiches.
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Steve Lovelock
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| posted on 1/6/09 at 08:30 PM |
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Hi Steve,
I have a vague memory of you saying that your bonnet does not have the air duct in that the Velocity does. If this is the case then it could be
possible that you have a set of locost rather than Velocity panels. The main difference, if I remember correctly, is the height and the lack of an
air duct on the bonnet. This might explain some of the challenges you have faced?
On another matter, that clutch looks pretty cool, are the expensive?
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stevegough
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| posted on 1/6/09 at 09:17 PM |
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Nice Idea Clive (jolly green man) - I don't think I'm going to need to go down the road of hyd clutch activation - Its another £200 I can
ill afford - Steve Lovelock likes it, too - does look good, and can solve the clearance problem in that area at a stroke, but I don't think
I'm going to have move it far enough back to worry the arm. The gearbox bottom is tight, too.
Thanks for all replies so far - Yes, the bonnet has no scoop and that is just one of the tight bits - but GRP is relatively easy to work with.
Regards, Steve.
Luego Locost C20XE.
Build start: October 6th 2008.
IVA passed Jan 28th 2011.
First drive Feb 10th 2011.
First show: Stoneleigh 1st/2nd May 2011.
'Used up' first engine may 3rd 2011!
Back on the road with 2nd engine may 24th
First PASA mad drive 26/7/11
Sold to Mike in Methyr Tydvil 19/03/14
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