I say Hello .....

I have popped over from a site i co-run, as this place has been mentioned many many times, so i thought it was about time i registered.

I have been a Mechanic for a long time, but have never built a kit car, never mind one which is literally from scratch. I have loads to learn!

I have the Obvious 'Build your own sportscar (second edition)', book and its a great read. I already have the engine which is to be fitted into this project, so it would be nice knowing if it has been done before.

Anyways, site looks good, I hope to learn a great deal!

Telling us which engine you are talking about might help

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Originally posted by andyharding
Telling us which engine you are talking about might help

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yes, this is very true, it would help if you knew what it was ..

Its 3.9 Alpina Engine from a 5 series BMW. Its been bored out from a 3.5, and if i can i am going to get it running on carbs. I will have to see about that though.

This engine has about 270bhp at last reckoning, so the bhp per tonne will be fun. Will i need to have the car strenthened from the design in the book?

Is it common to stray away from that design and 'do your own thing' , as far as making the frame a little more complicated?

Will the engine even fit, i really need to measure it.

[Edited on 29/11/05 by Johnathan]

Seem to recall people not using BMW engines in the past as they are big and heavy so you may well need to increase the size/strength of the chassis.

Most people do vary the book design by soem degree. I guess it depends how confident you are that you know what you're doing and how much money you have.

I spent more money doing R&D i.e. fooking it up and having to redo it than if I'd stuck more to the book.

These cars are very light so even with a 1300 xflow they are quite fast.

If you want cheap and easy go with something like a pinto, if you have the time and money to put into building something unique you may well build the first BMW locost on here.

thanks for that

yeah i know a few people with Westfields, and other such cars with Pinto's and Crosslow engines powering them, and 0-60 in 5 or so seconds is not too hard to attain ... or so it seems.

I think from what i can tell the only real probelm i will have is getting it mounted, with a box, inside the space frame. Once thats done, the rest of the build should be as per the book?

How do people with V8's and such go on?

First BMW Locost eh, sounds like a challenge

That sounds like a very pokey engine. I would imagine its a 6 cyl so may be better suited in a Luego viento?

The mcsorly plans may suit your build with a shoe horn.

Hello and welcome to the site by the way.

ha ha thanks ...

Luego hmmm. I have just had a look at the link on the bottom of the site, and had a look at their site. I presume that these cars are just 'bigger' then. I am also 6'3" tall, so i need a wee bit of space.

It mentions the Luego Locost, and the book i have. Does this mean i can still have the joy oe welding together my own frame, i dont remember seeing the plans in the book.

I appologise if these are dumb questions.

[Edited on 29/11/05 by Johnathan]

[Edited on 29/11/05 by Johnathan]

A guy on this forum called mcsorly has come up with a few alternate sets of plans. I used his plans for my build as the book is full of lies. mcsorly also has plans for bigger chassis i.e. wider, longer higher etc.

Someone will link you in the right direction.

good good, this sounds just the job ....

Once i get the right plans, i will be aiming to have one of these frames built up soonish.

what a friendly bunch of people!

this is the links page:

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/links.php

loads of useful stuff. one of them is this, Jim McSorleys site.

http://www.mcsorley.net/

You will have trouble fitting your engine into the standard chassis, and as you are quite tall you would probably be better off making a +442. (4" longer, 4" wider and 2" higher)

Here is the link to the Mcsorely plans:
Click Me

GTS are supplying wide bodywork to suit a +4 chassis, and as far as I know are the only company doing so.

As has already been mentioned, the book has several errors in it. The most problematic being that the front suspension geometry is crap, but there are loads of threads on this site about it, so I shant go into again!

Metal Hippy is building a BMW based locost BTW.

Good luck with your build.

And welcome to the site.

David

This might help
Rescued attachment BM_small.jpg

thanks

i hope my engine is not too big, that i cant see over it .. ha ha

mcsorley.net is very good, and i have found the plans cheers guys. He also has a 3d model of the framework which is very cool!

Hi Jonathan, glad you found us. This lot are as mad as a box of frogs but helpful with it.

Good luck with the build and keep us posted!

cheers mate, liking the site

Wow those are good figures, and reassuring!

Do you mind if i save those pics for reference? Nice looking frame you have there, how long did it take?

If i base the weight of the car as a conservative 750kg ?? with 270 bhp, this will give me a usable 360bhp per tonne. These numbers are estimates, but its exciting stuff ...

Thats Normally Aspirated! Does this sound like figures some of you builders manage to get? Whats it like driving sunch a light car with such a ratio?

How will the weight of this engine at the front of the car affect its handling?

best common locosts are the bike engine ones, typically 450-500kgs and 150-180bph. ie 300-400bhp/t. These ones however would corner better than one that was twice as heavy with twice as much power, assuming tyres arent also twice as big!

hicosts car above takes the other approach, and uses a cosworth turbo lump.

[Edited on 29/11/05 by JoelP]

worms, can, off, just too think of a few words...............

Nice looking chassis James, shame about the motor.......

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Originally posted by hicost
Now sign my guestbook you lot

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Two weekends, thats all .... brilliant news.

Go job i do webdesign, and work at home then aint it!