Hi

What is the weight distribution of your Locosts?

And what can be done to imporove it?

/Mikael "Error" Westberg

Mikael
The weight distribution without driver on my car is a near perfect 51/49. With a driver and passenger it's probably 48/52. I don't see how it can be improved?
Chris
p.s. 1700cc crossflow - 4speed box - live rear axle.

More like 30/70 if I'm the passenger!

Cheers

Chris

You could move the battery to the boot(if you have one) but then you've the extra weight of the long cables.............HANG ON this is starting to sound like the sevens list!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers

Chris

Wow, thats rely good. I thought it was much worse considering that the engine is that far in the front. But then I'm just learning these things.

I had som ideas about using the gearbox from a Volvo 360, were the gearbox is one with the diferetial mounted over the rearaxle. But it would have been a problem getting the gearbox/diff the fitt between the seats.

But what hapens with the weight distribution on builds that uses a much bigger engine, say a V8?

/Mikael "Error - still waiting for THE book" Westerberg

Yo Error, with the weight distribution, you've got to remember that the engine, although it seems quite far forward, is still well behind the line of the front axle. Your arse however is only just in front of the rear axle. Our Locost measured 49/51 with one up and a full tank of go go juice.

Hello...

My engine (a V6) is nearly a foot further back than in a standard book installation. Rough calculations (based on weighing bits with bathroom scales) indicate my weight distribution should be very close to 50/50. That's even with an extra axle weighing the front down (4WD).

My battery will be in the boot - but only cos it wont fit in the front

I dont think there's much wrong with the weight distribution of a standard Seven - much better than any FWD production thingy. In fact, a Seven is technically 'mid-engined', a cool and mostly-unboasted-about feature of our choice of ride.

Liam

Put another way, Liam...

How far over, if at all, is your engine across the front axle line?

My ford colgne V6 goes in behind the axle line, even with about five ins from the bulkhead to the engine/bellhousing join.


I got the battery in there too, but had to downsize it a bit

ATB

Steve

Steve,

Cos I'm a short bastard, I could make my footwells end three inches further back than standard book. My engine/bellhousing split is just forward of this piont, i.e. about two inches back from where standard footwells would finish. This of course makes my footwells rather narrow, but as long as I can operate the pedals, who cares?

If my engine was much further forward, it wouldn't have gone in my standard width chassis anyway, as it is so wide at the front. This all makes the standard gear lever fall in exactly the right place, which is nice.

The front of my engine is a good foot behind the front axle line, but this space is taken up by front diff/axle, remote oil filter (cos the standad one gets in the way of the front propshaft), inboard shockers, and ducting from the rad out over the bonnet.

Battery may go on the floor beside the engine on the passenger side, but the exhaust will possibly be in the way. Plus I need to get my priorities right and leave room on either side of the engine for turbos in the future .

So the battery will have to go in the back. I would put it in the passenger footwell, but I need to be able to take a 6'7" mate for a ride when it's built, the freak bastard.

Liam