rx7locost

Not a Caterham or Westy but this is how I did the plate mount on my Locost. I made a frame of .040 aluminum and bolted it in 4 places thru the fiberglass at the grill and under the nose. The aluminum has 1/4-20 threaded inserts located for the plate to bolt to. With the plate on, it looks very similar to the Caterham. So far, it has lasted 2-1/2 years and counting.

It would seem that there is no "silver bullet" for wind buffeting in a Seven. Some problems have been identified due to the distance of driver to windscreen (worse on a Locost) One builder actually moved the windshield closer to the driver with success. Others find that 1/2 doors help. Myself, a hardtop helped but did not eliminate it. I'm in the process of adding 1/2 doors. But twobone prefers no top, and I assume that that also means no doors. With all the minor variations in cars, it seems that any change might be successful on one car but not on another. For a visual idea of what we are up against, there is an old thread on the LocostUSA site where CFD analysis was done on the Locost. It should look similar for most makes of sevens. http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=13379

I really didn't bother about the seat tearing out in an accident. If it comes loose for whatever reason, it can't go down, back, left or right due to obvious car constraints. The belt system is mounted to the chassis and this is what constrains the driver, not the seat. The seat is only maybe what? 20 lbs at most? this is no more than a 20# heavier driver. In fact, my seat back is secured at the top rail oif the rear bulkhead with a hinge. The seat bottom is wedged under that and has a wooden cleat that fits behind the lateral floor frame rail. The way I see it is: My seat isn't going anywhere if I'm not going anywhere.

Hey, No offense taken. I was just poking at the sleeping bear just for fun. Sometimes dry humor doesn't translate in a text based forum. It does seem like I am in the minority on this site being a scratch build. That's OK by me. But on this topic, lumping all scratch builds together seems a bit much because there are so many variations as I mentioned. But I'm really not sure how you could make smaller logical groups without making the groups a group of one. BTW, I love your I'm still awaiting the right place to bring it up in casual conversation.

I thought all Sevens were "custom". It is just a matter of degree, no? But, jut how many Book(Champion), McSorley (+4 or +442), or Haynes (Gibbs), or?? scratch builders are there on this site? I guess we will not know until we start logging them. But really, In order to keep some sort of reality to the list, I'd suggest asking people to only list their cars when they are either licensed for the street or tracked for the first time. There are many who start build logs and never get past the cutting of a few pieces of steel on the LocostUSA site. Some don't even get that far. I wouldn't count them as cars just yet. It will just muddy the numbers.

I feel us "Book" builders are being left out. At least we will come before the Brunton guys, alphabetically speaking.

Looks great!

I have no direct personal knowledge: If your problem disappers with a full tank, then fuel starvation is at the tank pickup. Commonly mentioned on other forums I visit: Stock Facet fuel pump pressure is too high for Webers. Facet normally runs 4-6 lbs. Add a regulator set to 2.5 lbs. More internet wisdom: You should also run the soft mount kit.

You mean like this? http://www.nogripracing.com/details.php?filenr=7924

agreed. Credits to whomever built it. However, not my cup o' tea. Sombody must have a vision to complete this one. I like the quote

AN8 bolts are a good compromise. The unthreaded lengths are in 1/8" increments all the way up to 3-5/16" so they can be sized to fit completely thru the heim and the chassis tabs. This would require flat washer(s) and lock washer outside the tabs to ensure the nut thread does not bottom out.

Bummer! That would imply that a legally registered Emission-Exempt vehicle looses that exemption when sold? Doesn't sound right to me..... Ask for a supervisor's interpretation of this scenario. Emphasize, as many times as you must, that your car was legally registered (in another state) before the MA April 30th cut-off date and as such meets the MA law. Nowhere does the MA law state that it must be registered in MA before that date. Further, ask the supervisor what emission testing it must meet since it doesn't have an OBD2 port. If that doesn't help ask for their supervisor. If all else fails, ask your state representative to get involved. Get an attorney if you have to. By all means, don't let them change the 1998 year on your title. Fight that with tooth and nail. Next Jan it becomes 15 years old and becomes emission exempt. If they issue it as 2012, you will have 15 yrs of this BS to put up with.

Lucky, I registered my Locost as a 1960 model year "Custom Vehicle" in Illinois. The Lotus 7 Series 2 is what I chose. I had a 1960 magazine advertisement that I sent along in my application as a "reference". Claiming prior to 1968 eliminates all safety equipment and even some emission (PCV) valve requirements etc. I chose to go further back just because I could.

As I read the MA law, you are purchasing a Conn Composite vehicle. When you bring that into MA, the existing Conn assigned VIN is retained, There is no need for a MA assigned VIN. https://secure.rmv.state.ma.us/PolicyBrowserPublic/PB/default.htm?turl=WordDocuments%2Fnewresidents.htm So you currently have a Conn title to a 1998 Composite vehicle that was built prior to 2012. You are exempt from emission testing, period. MA should not have to apply a MA VIN nor should it change the year of manufacture. If MA decides to rename the manufacturer and add some "reference" model year, that doesn't change the fact that it was built prior to 2012. Everything else they put on the title is just their bureaucraticred tape. It shouldn't effect your situation. Spoken from a non-MA resident.

I don't know yet. Maybe I'll get a chance to stretch the legs on Saturday.

It is fiberglass mat and polyester resin. The basic buck was made from pink foam, Usually pink foam and std polyester resin are not compatible. It was an unconventional approach but one that worked for me. The full writeup is on my build log over on LocostUSA.com. starting : http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=4145&start=450

Thanks. Of course the doors seal. That is if and when I ever decide to build doors. Maybe next year's project. I wasn't sure if he was a-prayin' or just giving it "last rights":blueangel: Thanks for the "sweeeeet", Russ. Chuck

Today, I completed my hardtop project. It was inspired by a video that I saw during the Midwest Gathering. Hinged off the rollbar and latched at the front stanchions, it is balanced by a gas spring. Hope you enjoy.

Thanks again Martin and John. Compared to what? This is the first engine I have ever tuned from scratch so I have no point of reference. I figured that with a homebuilt exhaust header and exhaust, no catalytic converter, a home built intake manifold with a Ford Taurus throttle body and a car less than 1/2 the weight of the donor, there was little use in keeping the factory ECM. Actually, there is a lot of support of the Megasquirt and rotary engine over on RX7CLUB.COM. The rotary engine is well supported within the MS firmware and no real "workarounds" were necessary to get it firing. I have to admit, tuning is still a work in progress. I've driven it over 3k miles so it isn't that far out of tune, I think.

Thanks for the compliments. I spent most of my time over on the LocostUSA.com site as they are better aligned to the DIYer. I have a loooong build site over there. http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4145 The car was built using a single-donor '91 Mazda RX7. Engine, trans, brakes, wheels, instruments are all from the donor. This was to be a learning experience. It is powered by a rebuilt (my first) Wankel engine using a Megasquirt controller (built by me). The MS controller controls both spark and fuel, along with the 5th and 6th aux ports, the OEM 2-speed fuel pump and the cooloing fan. The engine intake is custom designed to keep the bonnet a simple flat shape without any scoops, as the original Seven was. Here is an older photo of the engine. The build is never done, I am currently in the process of making a one-piece hardtop that is hinged on the roll bar.

Hello, my name is Chuck and I live in the far west suburbs of Chicago. I've been a lurker here on and off for a while. As you can probably tell by my handle, I have built a rotary powered Locost based on Ron Champion's book. After several years in the building stage, I got it licensed last year and have been enjoying it ever since. Some of you know already know me as I have been to the last 2 Midwest Gatherings. This is a photo of my wife, me and my car at the 2012 Gathering.

Actually, it was the other way around. The Seven used an Eleven frame since the Eleven was out before the Seven. The Seven was to be a cheaper version of the Eleven. Theory was, it would sell more units and bring more dollars into the fledgling company. I guess they were right.