Jasper
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| posted on 5/3/02 at 11:41 AM |
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Locost or Robinhood???
I've been looking into Robin Hood and have now discovered locost. I have no welding ability and a small garage, I've just looked at the MK web-site
to look at there packages which seem good as well. Anybody else gone into this extensively? Can anybody recommend a good route to take for somebody
who needs a kit to start? Both options seem to look like they will end up costing >£2k.
Sorry if this is basic stuff - but I'm just starting out...
Jasp
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James
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| posted on 5/3/02 at 04:15 PM |
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Personally, I feel you can't beat building your own car from scratch purely for satisfaction reasons if nothing else.
I've seen the 2B Robin Hood on the website and personally didn't think it looked that great compared with a lot of Locosts. Although I'm sure it's
possible to improve on the web site 2B.
If you don't think you can handle the welding etc. then buy the excellent MKEngineering ( http://www.m-keenan.freeserve.co.uk/ ) chassis and
parts.
If you want to build the chassis then go on a welding evening class. I've just finished the first course with Brooklands College and it's excellent.
Courses like this give you loads of access to tools and facilities that'd cost thousands and take up acres otherwise.
Go on, build a Locost!
James
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Jasper
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 posted on 5/3/02 at 04:59 PM |
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Thanks, really appreciated, I'll get in touch with MK and start saving.
I've been doing car maintenance at night school which has been great, but they don't do welding or anything more advanced, so it looks like I'll be
posting lots of questions in the future....
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James
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| posted on 6/3/02 at 02:23 PM |
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I had to hunt around loads of colleges to find a course that wasn't either a year long (I wanna build it now dammit) or on a night I already did
something.
Finally found the brilliant 10 week Practical Welding course at Brooklands college in Weybridge which has a brilliant ex-welder instructor who spends
most of his holidays etc. topping up his teaching salary by working as a welder- ie. he really knows what he's talking about.
Now that course is over, they've even agreed to let me sign up for another session so I can build the chassis there.
I walked into the workshop on the first day and first thing I spot is a completed chassis sitting up on a cupboard- this is the place for me I
thought!
Go to evening classes- it's worth it!
James
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Jon Ison
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| posted on 6/3/02 at 06:05 PM |
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Locost, nuff said ? 
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Dazza
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| posted on 6/3/02 at 07:02 PM |
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go locost, the guys on this site will help you out with where and what to get. i would build one if i had the garage space....
fuckit
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PLEASE NOTE: This user is a trader who has not signed up for the LocostBuilders registration scheme. If this post is advertising a commercial product or service, please report it by clicking here.
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LOCOST-racing
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 posted on 6/3/02 at 09:15 PM |
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Gotta be a Locost!
We also got our chassis from MK and all the guy's there were a great help.
But if you are intending to dabble with a bit of welding there's a good book called the welder's handbook you can find this book here
www.locost-racing.co.uk
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bob
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| posted on 7/3/02 at 12:00 AM |
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Jasper
Where are you in the UK,if near london you can come and have a butchers hook (look) at my MK chassis.
If not get yourself to one of the kit shows in the midlands/north as they are the only ones worth going too.
Southern shows are garbage i'm sorry to say.
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Jasper
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 posted on 7/3/02 at 12:15 PM |
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Cheers for all the feedback - next question, Sierra engine or bike engine? I love the idea of the extra hp and the straight shifting with the gears,
but how much harder are they to fit, and what about reverse? (I'm into bikes as well so it does appeal)The guy at MK seemed to think it was just as
easy...
Are there any meets planned for the South East?I would love to see a few finished cars and have a good yack about them. 
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Dazza
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| posted on 7/3/02 at 12:49 PM |
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huray, another bike lover.... I think the bike engined cars are great, but i would do a car engined one, as i think they are a little easier, not that
i am an expert, in fact i don't know much at all, i am gona stop now, before i forget.....um.....oh dear........never mind, BUILD A LOCOST!!!!!!
fuckit
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LOCOST-racing
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| posted on 7/3/02 at 12:57 PM |
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I wouldnt know if it is as simple to fit a bike engine as it is to fit a sierra one, but i can tell you i have had the pleasure of driving MK's
Fireblade Locost and all i can say is WOW...
Go for the bike engine and have hours of fun beasting all the little boy racer's out there!
www.locost-racing.co.uk
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bob
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| posted on 7/3/02 at 03:31 PM |
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I know MK make the cradle to hold the engine for your spec.
It's a few miles for you but really worth throwing a tent in the car and visiting one of the big shows.eg Stoneliegh or newark.
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Jasper
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 posted on 7/3/02 at 03:51 PM |
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Do you have the details, dates etc for the shows??? Haven't been in a tent since the mud of Glastonbury a few years back, vowed to never do the
canvas thing again....unless Radiohead are headlining - no chance of that I suppose...?
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bob
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| posted on 7/3/02 at 05:45 PM |
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Stafford is this weekend 9/10th march.
Limelight exhibitions 01737 225857
Detling,Kent county showground
6/7th April 01233 713878
National kit car show,Stoneleigh
5/6th May 01775 712100
British sportscar day & kit show
1st/2nd June,Brooklands Museum,Weybridge
01737 225857
Newark-on-trent,Newark & Notts showground
15/16th June 01526 320721
National kit and performance show
plus track day sunday
14/15th Sept Donnington park cicuit
01737 225857
The great western kit and sports show
Exeter-Westpoint exhibition centre
16/17 Nov 01233 713878
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Dazza
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| posted on 7/3/02 at 06:59 PM |
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BOB!!! you are w wealth of information, i think you should be the show meeting arranger!!!
fuckit
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Jasper
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| posted on 7/3/02 at 07:11 PM |
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Great stuff, are you commision???
Jasper
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Jasper
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| posted on 7/3/02 at 07:13 PM |
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Kent is definitely closest, but do you know if it's any good
Jasper
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theconrodkid
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| posted on 7/3/02 at 07:18 PM |
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your right Kent is nearer no matter where you live.
went last year,mid sized not much to buy
plenty cars to see nice weather 
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Marcus
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| posted on 7/3/02 at 08:03 PM |
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Jasper, I've just read the Locost / RH debate and all I can say is build a Locost from scratch. We (myself and Roland) had no idea about welding when
we got 'the book'. We bought a Mig had a couple of days practice on a load of scrap, making nice shapes and then went for it! We are now the proud
owners of 1 complete and registered Locost and 1 complete chassis for number 2. See www.lumby.freeserve.co.uk for details.
Just do it - you know it makes sense!
Marcus
Because kits are for girls!!
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Jasper
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| posted on 8/3/02 at 10:54 AM |
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Thanks for the feedback, I've just put my name down for a summer term welding course at Crawley College. The guy who runs the course is into the idea
of building the chassis, but he's got to try to find somewhere to store it. I'm now waiting for 'The Book' to arrive from Amazon......
Anybody built or building a Sierra IRS chassis from scratch? Bigdaddy's 'Brighton Fabications' site seems to have downloadable plans.
I'm also keen to use a Blade engine, any ideas who has plans for engine mountings, or should I get some pictures of somebody elses.
Am I making my life overly complicated????
Cheers Jasper
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bob
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| posted on 8/3/02 at 03:30 PM |
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Jasper
Remember to take your camera when you visit the shows,you will get most if not all the info you need.
A tape measure is always handy as well
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bigdaddyadd
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| posted on 8/3/02 at 05:05 PM |
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As a lover of sports bikes I was originally keen to go bike power being accustomed to revving happily away at 8000+ rpm and thinking nothing of it.
trouble is that reverse gearbox is going to set you back a few hundred quid and likely getting the donor engine will not be as cost effective as using
your car donors lump. I think you have to consider budget and knowledge when deciding which way to go also support how many others have done a bike
build themselves and can offer their tips and triumphs. difficult cos the brain tends to go awol when you start imagining blatting through the
sequential box with a screaming feather weight at your mercy. Has anyone actually managed to download that irs chassis file from my website?
http://locostbuild.tripod.com 
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James
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| posted on 8/3/02 at 07:50 PM |
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Bigdaddyadd,
I've had no luck with the IRS link. All the other files work and are downloadable but this just appears as a page of random ascii.
:-(
James
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Jasper
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| posted on 8/3/02 at 07:53 PM |
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Love to try the downloadable plans, but I can't read autocad files, any chance of re-saving them as PDF's or something readable by the average PC?
Have downloaded the plans from the guy in the US who's name escapes me...
Thanks again for the feedback. Know what you mean about awol brains...it's all so very tempting....
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Jasper
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| posted on 8/3/02 at 07:54 PM |
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Ahhhh ... and I thought it was just my old PC
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