kevyo89
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| posted on 31/12/18 at 06:10 PM |
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Newbie Locost Build!
Hi guys,
I'm completely new to the forum and new to the kit car scene but please let me introduce myself - my name is Kevin and I am from Belfast 
My dad and I did always plan to build one of these once he retired but he's retired almost three years now and never got around it.....until
now!
Our Car:
This was a bit of an impulse buy from eBay - I won lot for a cheeky bid of £250, which I am happy with but feel free to let me know if you think I am
daft! The seller tells me it's straight and I have to take his word for it until the courier delivers it next week. He said it was built as per
the Ron Champion book 'Build your own sports car for as little as £250' and is therefore ready to take a live axle. There is a MK2 Escort
steering rack fitted and the steering column has been done. He is throwing in some shocks, a nose cone, scuttle, front wishbones, some master
cylinders, a steering wheel and a copy of the original Ron Champion book!
I picked up a copy of Chris Gibb's book but have since realised that this is a different build with the most noticeable difference being the
independent rear suspension setup. I considered the idea of modifying this chassis (providing it's straight) to become an IRS setup but I think
it's maybe a better idea to stick to the original build plans and make it as good as it can be.
My plans for the car
- 1.8 MX5 Engine + gearbox (purchased pending collection)
- Capri English axle/Atlas (if I can find one at a reasonable price)
- GAZ shocks (purchased pending collection)
- Cortina Uprights (purchased pending collection)
- Wilwood brakes
- Turbo kit + management (once it's running and driving perfectly etc)
- Roll cage
- LSD
My plans for the build
- Initially I want to give it a once over and make sure it's straight etc before fitting the wishbones and shocks
source a rear live axle to have it rolling
- Mount the engine and drivetrain
- Make + fit the rollcage
- Purchase + fit the body work
- From here, I will then work on making the car road legal, but in reality this will be used as a track car
Although we have had a couple of GSXR-engined buggies before which were bought as unfinished projects and rebuilt before selling on, we are new to the
kit car scene. We both have limited welding experience but we're both meticulous and keen to learn. I do want to keep and track this little car
myself though so extra extra attention will be paid to everything we do.
I would be really appreciative of any input, good or bad as this is a huge learning curve for myself and my dad, and we're here for advice
Anyway, here are the pics of what I am patiently waiting to be delivered (next week some time)
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Slater
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| posted on 3/1/19 at 12:48 PM |
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Welcome. This forum is the perfect place for any questions and a good source of info when the search facility is used.
Looks like you have a decent chassis to build from.
My advice is to aim for IVA as simply as possible and then work on upgrades.....turbo etc, after IVA.
If you are so inclined, start a build blog on here and post plenty pics. Others have done this and it's very useful for other builders.
Anyway......You are off to a good start as I see your nose cone is the correct colour.
Why do they call Port Harcourt "The Garden City"?...... Becauase they can't spell Stramash.
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kevyo89
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| posted on 3/1/19 at 08:48 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Slater
Welcome. This forum is the perfect place for any questions and a good source of info when the search facility is used.
Looks like you have a decent chassis to build from.
My advice is to aim for IVA as simply as possible and then work on upgrades.....turbo etc, after IVA.
If you are so inclined, start a build blog on here and post plenty pics. Others have done this and it's very useful for other builders.
Anyway......You are off to a good start as I see your nose cone is the correct colour.
Hi bud, thanks for the response! I will get it finished and IVA'd then do the turbo etc.
I hope the chassis is sound, I'm still patiently waiting for it to arrive - hopefully next week.
Ill keep updating the build thread here as and when, with loads of pics! 😁
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kevyo89
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| posted on 6/1/19 at 05:23 PM |
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So I gathered some bits for the build today:
2004 Mazda MX5 1.8 VVT engine, gearbox, full wiring loom, clocks, ignition, propshaft etc:
Brand new GAZ Shocks (guy I got them off bought them and they sat in his garage unused):
New Cortina Uprights:
I got the lot for £500 which I think is a bargain!
[Edited on 6/1/19 by kevyo89]
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kevyo89
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| posted on 8/1/19 at 05:46 PM |
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More bits purchased:
52" Atlas axle
New Welder
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kevyo89
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| posted on 10/1/19 at 11:33 PM |
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So my chassis arrived today finally and I got a chance to stick it onto some axle stands and give it a good once over to see if it was built to
spec/without any major discrepancies:
My brother and I spent some time today lasering and measuring every little section to check how square it's been built. Everything is pretty
much bang on measurement-wise, which I am pretty happy with that as there's always a risk with buying a chassis that someone else built.
I then offered up the MX5 gearbox and it seems to slot in well. It will be a tight fit though!
I've an entire weekend ahead of me, with plans to wire-wheel the whole car and go over all of the welds. I will then blast the frame with some
primer to coat it while getting the rest done. It will of course, eventually be powdercoated but this will save any rust throughout the next few
months.
Prioritised plans for the car are:
- Redo the wishbones to reflect revised geometry (proper caster angle etc) with an additional length added for extra track width
- Fit and mount atlas axle
- Mount engine and gearbox
- Fit roll cage
- THE REST (as the above should take me a couple of months anyway) lol
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tom225
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| posted on 13/1/19 at 05:43 PM |
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Looking good!
Id say you got yourself abit of a bargain their at £250 with all them buts an even a set of shock!!
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kevyo89
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| posted on 17/1/19 at 07:09 PM |
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We had to take a step back in order to go forwards with the work done over last weekend:
The original wishbone mounting brackets were not fitted with the aid of a jig and therefore they were not straight. I decided to cut them off and
start again as the last thing I want is to get it built up and it drive like a dog.
We cut off all of the brackets but did do a little bit of damage to the lower part of the frame:
It was repaired like so:
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kevyo89
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| posted on 20/1/19 at 01:05 PM |
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More bits arrived throughout the week.
I bought some CNC plates specific to the Haynes roadster and some lathed bush tubes etc so making them should just be a case of slotting them into the
jig and welding up.
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kevyo89
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| posted on 20/1/19 at 01:08 PM |
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More progress:
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kevyo89
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| posted on 23/1/19 at 09:02 PM |
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Still picking up some bits as I go along:
OMP Flat bottom wheel
OMP 4 point harnesses
Aluminium fuel tank
MK Indy dash panel
Bonnet
Oh and my engine crane arrived, so we offered up the engine to see what room there was for a turbo - LOADS!
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Charlie C
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| posted on 24/1/19 at 07:16 AM |
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Hi
Just looking at your steering column it might be in the way of the inlet manifold and alternator. I’ve got my steering column under the cross bulkhead
front member and its only just out of the way, also my car is a Haynes roadster which I think is a little wider with a 1.6 mx5 engine which is
slightly narrower so there might be a bit less space for your column. I might be talking out of my back side but it’s worth a check.
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 24/1/19 at 12:57 PM |
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Your pictures are a tad big...
There is an issue with your wishbones at could prove dangerous see below -
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kevyo89
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| posted on 24/1/19 at 08:03 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Charlie C
Hi
Just looking at your steering column it might be in the way of the inlet manifold and alternator. I’ve got my steering column under the cross bulkhead
front member and its only just out of the way, also my car is a Haynes roadster which I think is a little wider with a 1.6 mx5 engine which is
slightly narrower so there might be a bit less space for your column. I might be talking out of my back side but it’s worth a check.
You're absolutely right mate but that's not the column that I intend on using - it is also unlikely to pass the IVA lol. I am collecting a
Sierra column at the weekend and it will be rerouted once the engine has been finally placed.
Thanks though
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kevyo89
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| posted on 24/1/19 at 08:04 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
Your pictures are a tad big...
There is an issue with your wishbones at could prove dangerous see below -
Ahhh, thank you! I did wonder what to do with these as I wasn't sure about leaving them open - I figured water would get in and cause them to
rust. I was not sure however, about them cracking due to this. How should they be closed up? I wonder if I could squash them in a vice?
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kevyo89
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| posted on 5/3/19 at 04:49 PM |
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So I stopped posting updates on this thread because I couldn't figure out how to upload an image that wasn't huuuuugee. However, I think I
have it figured so here is an update comprising everything that we've done over the last 2 months - quite a lot to be honest.
Starts of the cage:
Front arms in (Haynes Roadster spec, made to fit Locost with Cortina uprights):
Compbrake Pedalbox purchased:
All arms in and checked for fitment:
Sorting out the top shock mounts:
Setting A-arm angles at ride height:
Couldn't help but throw the bodywork on
Carbon seats purchased:
Nardo grey wrap is the colour of choice:
Engine mounts tacked up:
Engine test-fitted:
Had to modify the gearbox to clear the transmission tunnel:
Roll cage started:
Roll cage almost there:
Rosejointed panhard rod done:
Steering column mounted:
Custom propshaft sorted (MX5 prop shorted with a ford capri flange to mate to the capri diff):
Stripped it all back for sandblasting:
Sandblasted and looking clean :
Etch-primed:
Painted
Seat, harness and pedal box fitted:
MX5 lower steering column modified and pinned to a ford lower shaft:
MX5 sump shortened and modified for turbo oil-return fitting:
Steering column and wishbones on:
Brakes on:
That pretty much brings me to this very day. I do think the steering wheel sits a little high so I will be modifying the column a little this week. By
the weekend, I will have the engine painted and fitted, axle in with some rose-jointed rear arms and hopefully my brake lines started
[Edited on 5/3/19 by kevyo89]
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kevyo89
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| posted on 8/3/19 at 08:51 PM |
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So today's progress:
- Rose-jointed trailing arms finished
- Calipers refurbished (I will be fitting four pots but since I have these already, I'll try them out with some DS2500 pads and braided lines)
I also had to redo the axle mounts - the holes were too far back in the mount to allow for the rose joints to fit. I had to plate the original mounts
up and fill in the holes, then redrill. Complete pain in the ass but should be ready to throw the rear end in by tomorrow.
[Edited on 8/3/19 by kevyo89]
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FOUR HUNDRED YEARS
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| posted on 15/3/19 at 01:53 PM |
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Looks cracking!
Can I ask how you mounted the gearbox? Are you using the 2 long bolts on the side or just the one at the rear? I'm also using mx5 engine and box
in my build.
Cheers
Simon
23hp 650cc Fiat 126 De Ville - Daily
Forward control Toyota Hiace LWB - Camper
1974 RWA MG Midget - Fun for the GF
Tiger Avon - Not built yet!
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kevyo89
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| posted on 15/3/19 at 02:17 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by FOUR HUNDRED YEARS
Looks cracking!
Can I ask how you mounted the gearbox? Are you using the 2 long bolts on the side or just the one at the rear? I'm also using mx5 engine and box
in my build.
Cheers
Simon
Thanks mate. I just have it mounted at the rear. I actually had to cut a section out of the side of the box where the two long mounting bolts go
through in order for it to clear my transmission tunnel.
With the side engine mounts and a mount holding the rear of the gearbox, it seems very solid.
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FOUR HUNDRED YEARS
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| posted on 15/3/19 at 03:12 PM |
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Yes I think i will have to do the same with my gearbox too. Good to know it mounts well enough with just the one bolt.
Good luck with the rest of your build!
Thanks
Simon
23hp 650cc Fiat 126 De Ville - Daily
Forward control Toyota Hiace LWB - Camper
1974 RWA MG Midget - Fun for the GF
Tiger Avon - Not built yet!
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kevyo89
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| posted on 15/3/19 at 10:05 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by FOUR HUNDRED YEARS
Yes I think i will have to do the same with my gearbox too. Good to know it mounts well enough with just the one bolt.
Good luck with the rest of your build!
Thanks
Simon
Thanks mate, you too 😊
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kevyo89
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| posted on 30/4/19 at 11:54 AM |
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Sorry - I have not updated this thread in a long time but here I am.....the car is 90% finished with a 1.8 MX5 VVT Turbo engine fitted.
Nardo grey, green racing stripe, minilite wheels + R888 tyres, wilwood powerlite four pot brakes, loads of carbon, carbon dash, Koso DB03R digital
dashboard, professionally custom made interior and exterior wiring loom, MaxxECU with launch control + anti-lag etc.
Hope you enjoy
[Edited on 30/4/19 by kevyo89]
[Edited on 30/4/19 by kevyo89]
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Daf
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| posted on 30/4/19 at 02:05 PM |
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Wow youve been busy! Love it - where did you get those carbonfibre sides from?
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kevyo89
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| posted on 30/4/19 at 04:34 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Daf
Wow youve been busy! Love it - where did you get those carbonfibre sides from?
Thanks mate. The carbon fibre sides are actually wrapped in 8D carbon wrap. I have another set which I was going to fit so I might sell if
you're interested?
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