one last try.....
novacaine - 6/3/07 at 08:57 PM
as quite a few people know, im 15 (16 on the 15th of this month 
) and my parents arnt particulaly happy with the idea of me building a locost
but they are ok with me restoring a mini,
Details here :
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=59270
i have decided to have one last attempt at getting the go ahead, ive given them about a month since my last attempt so i think i might start a list
of for and againsts ( to make the argument somewhat balanced 
)
i'll let you all know how it goes, i plan to make this one more of a "summing up of options" instead of "can i do this?", i
can hardly see the safety part coming in if they are happy with me driving a classic mini
hopefully if i give it a good go i can start this summer holidays after my exams (mid june to september )
might use a 1.0l out of a fiesta to keep them happy, just put a 2.0 in there when i can describe myself as a vaguely competent driver
Cheers
Matt
[Edited on 6/3/07 by novacaine]
AdamR - 6/3/07 at 09:01 PM
quote:
Originally posted by novacaine
might use a 1.0l out of a fiesta to keep them happy, just put a 2.0 in there when its finished
Nah, may as well go for the little 1.0l out of an R1! 
Good luck!
novacaine - 6/3/07 at 09:02 PM
quote:
Originally posted by AdamR
Nah, may as well go for the little 1.0l out of an R1!
might notice when it fires up it sounds like an F1 car
[Edited on 6/3/07 by novacaine]
Hellfire - 6/3/07 at 09:09 PM
Good luck Matt. Hope you get the go-ahead from your parents, just don't lose your cool if you struggle to reason with them.
They are afterall your parents, who know you a lot better than any members on Locostbuilders. Just accept their decision, move on and try again
tomorrow and every day thereafter until they give in just for 'a quiet life'............
Phil
MikeR - 6/3/07 at 09:12 PM
Oh, does it have to be a locost you build?
Look up alan staniforths terrapin
amazing how many mini spares you can collect when restoring a car .......
(this post will be deleted in 48 hours when someone reminds me to do it)
ProjectX - 6/3/07 at 09:16 PM
Matt,
Good luck.
As a teacher I would say, try to link it to school/6th form etc. Parents will think it is useful. Get in with the teacher of resistant Mats
(Metalwork to us oldies) and fight the cause.
I had every opportunity to do this when I was your age but wasn't interested then!
Wish I had been tho.
Cheers Jamie
andyharding - 6/3/07 at 09:28 PM
Want me to take your Dad out for a blast? Then he might even pay for you to build one so he can have a go!
blakep82 - 6/3/07 at 09:37 PM
noooooooo! don't say one last try!
i bought a mini when i was 14, my mum actually told me to (after nearly 2 years of saying no) I saw one for £50. spent years with the intention to
restore it, although i didn't have the skill at the time. still, i pulled it apart, put it back together and learned a lot from it. when i was 20
i cut it up with a grinder because the shell was rotten. my dad thought he was getting his garage back, but then i bought a race car chassis for £300
(one of these), it arrived in the garage one day, my dad wasn't pleased though, but he's coming round
to the idea now kind of.... i like to tell myself....
[Edited on 6/3/07 by blakep82]
coozer - 6/3/07 at 09:40 PM
How about the little SE zetec engine in the Fiesta. Nice modern engine with 1.4L.
Then theres a nice Isuzu 1.5TD engine in old Corsa's. Seen one in Westfield about 12 years ago. Mine does 60mpg and 110mph in my rusty Corsa.
blakep82 - 6/3/07 at 09:41 PM
looking at the other topic you posted the link to, they'll let you build a kit, but not a locost? what is it they think will not be safe? is it
the chassis and your welding? in which case what about buying a chassis, and then doing the rest as normal?
Blake
novacaine - 6/3/07 at 10:03 PM
quote:
Originally posted by andyharding
Want me to take your Dad out for a blast? Then he might even pay for you to build one so he can have a go!
that would be great, i'll talk to them tomorrow, may well be sending you a U2U in the near future
thanks ever so much
oh yea, i am acctualy thnking about a diesel, ok its not gonna be the best choice for a light sports car but me and my dad make biodiesel for next to
nothing so it would be soo good for when im a skint uni student
its not gonna be one last try for a locost in general, just whilst im living at home, i will build one, just as soon as i move out if i dont get the
go ahead
Cheers
Matt
goodall - 6/3/07 at 10:06 PM
being 16 myself and haveing my fathers support since i was 10 when i first wanted to make a go-kart also helping him do things at car since before
that.
how did you ever get into working at cars if yours parents dont support it? like i dont understand how your interested in doing this if your father
isnt interested in this as well
blakep82 - 6/3/07 at 10:07 PM
is making your own fuel legal?! 
i know farmers and the like can get in trouble for using 'red diesle' in their road cars...
blockhead_rich - 6/3/07 at 10:09 PM
If your interested in an Engineering career, prospective employees would view this type of hobby as very favourable - most students these days
don't have any hands on skills which is not very usefull in my view.
So this might also be a positive spin on the idea - either option is still better than watching TV or playing playstation games.
Good luck
Rich
owelly - 6/3/07 at 10:12 PM
The first car I laid a spanner on was a Morris 1000. I was 13 and had just got a socket set off my Grandad for my birthday. I took it to bits. Fiddled
with it and then put it back together. I did drive it around (it was 'only' 23 years ago but there were not too many cars where I
lived!).
I then started to fix the family series1 Landy as the walk to school was long and wet in the winter!
I learned all of what I know from tinkering. I did do an apprenticeship at a Rover garage but that taught me nothing apart from never to trust a
garage!
You'll learn more thanjust spanner twirling when you build a car. it teaches you forward planning, problem solving, economics, time management,
etc. It will also teach you the stuff that can't be taught. Stuff like perseverence and determination.
My advise would be to tell the crumblies that you are going to build the car to sell on and make money. They can't argue with that!
Catpuss - 6/3/07 at 10:14 PM
quote:
Originally posted by blakep82
is making your own fuel legal?!
i know farmers and the like can get in trouble for using 'red diesle' in their road cars...
yep biodiesel is OK as long as you declare your usage and pay the duty.
blakep82 - 6/3/07 at 10:18 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Catpuss
quote:
Originally posted by blakep82
is making your own fuel legal?!
i know farmers and the like can get in trouble for using 'red diesle' in their road cars...
yep biodiesel is OK as long as you declare your usage and pay the duty.
that'll teach me for buying a 3ltr petrol car, and building another 3ltr car...
Aloupol - 6/3/07 at 10:18 PM
quote:
Originally posted by owelly
You'll learn more thanjust spanner twirling when you build a car. it teaches you forward planning, problem solving, economics, time management,
etc. It will also teach you the stuff that can't be taught. Stuff like perseverence and determination.
I fully agree with that.
An aplication from eg a young mechanics engineer with a picture of a Locost, saying "I built it by myself" has the better chances.
They (mom & dad) should also think it's more healthy for a young boy to build sports cars instead of going out, drinking and having drugs.
Err.. Well, you planned to do that too...
[Edited on 6/3/07 by Aloupol]
shades - 6/3/07 at 10:32 PM
Start showing an interest in motor bikes and Im sure they will come round to the idea of a Locost instead
David Jenkins - 6/3/07 at 10:50 PM
quote:
Originally posted by shades
Start showing an interest in motor bikes and Im sure they will come round to the idea of a Locost instead
Now that's just cruel... 
blakep82 - 6/3/07 at 10:55 PM
quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
quote:
Originally posted by shades
Start showing an interest in motor bikes and Im sure they will come round to the idea of a Locost instead
Now that's just cruel...
or sex with randoms then? if you start that business, they'll be happy for you to spend all your time in the garage...
anyway, more usefully, rather than just the, 'can i build a car?.... why not?!' arguement, stick with the reasons of education etc.
especially if you want to head for a career in the car industry/engineering
goodall - 6/3/07 at 11:06 PM
if only haveing sex with randomers was as simple as making cars
miniconverter - 6/3/07 at 11:08 PM
Don't get to feedup when my son was 15 he bought the book and wanted to build a locost but soon realized it wasn't really practical so
bought a 1968 mini to restore.
This has evolved into a Vauxhall powered nitrous-ed 185BHP monster which has been cover car in mini mag and he now uses as his ever day transport
I have just ordered the new book as we are going to build a locost now as something to have a bit of fun in on a weekend.
So give it a few years and you might be in the garage building with your dad and both looking forward to going out and having a laugh
By the way he's 19 now so you don't have to long to wait
russbost - 7/3/07 at 08:04 AM
Best of luck with your folks.
I find it really encouraging to hear about a youngster who actually wants to get in there & get his hands dirty to acheive something. (Rather than
sitting at the PC/PS2 wearing their thumbs out & acheiving nothing). When I was employing in the Motor Trade young interviewees usually
hadn't even worked on their own pushbikes let alone anything more involved, most would not be able to name simple tools!!
Perhaps you could persuade your folks to go along to a local meet or kitcar show - might persuade them we don't all have a deathwish (careful who
you talk to on this one!!!).
Again, best of luck with your folks & with building/modifying something, whatever it may be.
RazMan - 7/3/07 at 08:22 AM
You could always try my boy's approach ....... just substitute the appropriate word with one of your choice.
Dad can I have a rabbit? Dad can I have a rabbit? Dad can I have a rabbit? Dad can I have a rabbit? Dad can I have a rabbit? Dad can I have a rabbit?
Dad can I have a rabbit? Dad can I have a rabbit? Dad can I have a rabbit? Dad can I have a rabbit? Dad can I have a rabbit? Dad can I have a rabbit?
Dad can I have a rabbit? Dad can I have a rabbit? Dad can I have a rabbit? Dad can I have a rabbit? Dad can I have a rabbit? Dad can I have a rabbit?
Dad can I have a rabbit? Dad can I have a rabbit? Dad can I have a rabbit? Dad can I have a rabbit? Dad can I have a rabbit? Dad can I have a rabbit?
russbost - 7/3/07 at 09:31 AM
Just one final thing - I probably had more fun with various 850cc Minis than just about any car i've owned since! So if you go that route
I'm sure you'll still enjoy the experience.
Up until the current Furore of course,which is the largest grin generator in existance.
greggors84 - 7/3/07 at 02:39 PM
quote:
Originally posted by goodall
being 16 myself and haveing my fathers support since i was 10 when i first wanted to make a go-kart also helping him do things at car since before
that.
how did you ever get into working at cars if yours parents dont support it? like i dont understand how your interested in doing this if your father
isnt interested in this as well
My dad has never been interested in cars (has just buys a new mondeo everytime his old one wears out with out thinking about other cars!) Not sure
where I got it from, but I have been interested in cars since I can remember, my Grandad used to mess about with them according to my mum but not that
I can remember when he was alive.
A mates dad used to take us to watch his mate and our neighbour race and I just have the vision of 70s sports cars coming down paddock hill bend
ingrained in my brain now!
Got hold of 2 minis when I was about 15, stripped them both down and rebuilt one from the all the good parts. My parents have always been pretty
understanding, it helps having a barn to work in and a nice sized yard to keep cars in. I think it also helps that I used to fix and service their
cars too!
Although my dad is getting annoyed at the moment as the Indy is taking up room in the garage and I have a 2 door range rover sitting in the yard not
doing much. Im waiting till i can build a proper garage under the barn, getting the indy out of the garage is an incentive for him to let me do it!
As said you can have so much fun in a mini, if you restore one and show them how capable you are, they will probably be more inclined to let you build
a locost. You probably wouldnt want to have a locost as your first car anyway, you need something you can ferry your mates about in! A mini is great
fun, can teach you alot about handling and driving skills.