chetcpo

Thanks Bruce. Car is sold pending payment and pickup. (minor details lol)

Thank you sir, I do appreciate that.

I tried to post this in the For Sale section but it won't let me. So I figured there was no harm in posting it here. Forgive me if I'm wrong in that assumption. Here is the deal: Due to events beyond my control I'm going to be forced to sell my Locost. (Lotus 7 replica) Here are the details: The car runs, drives, handles, and stops very well. Homebuilt on Ron Champion’s “book” sized chassis adapted to accept the Miata Independent rear suspension. It’s not concourse quality, but was built to be raced (but was also steet driven) so if you’re looking for a show car look elsewhere. Primary donor car was a 1990 Miata. (title to this car will be provided with other documentation) Car currently has a 1.8 liter Miata engine. Equipped with a Mazda RX-7 clutch type LSD. 8 gallon Summit fuel cell with foam. Kirkey racing seats with 5 point harnesses. (drivers seat on sliders, pass seat hardmounted) QA-1 adjustable coilovers all around. Front fenders not currently on car but are included. Speedo cable is broken so that needs work. Car is currently primer black so it will need to be painted. (or not- I kinda like it that color) The aluminum bodywork on the sides and rear came pre-painted gloss black. Doesn't have a wiper or horn. Pedal box not fully enclosed. Has attachment points for a towbar which I will include in the sale. Car has been flat towed in this configuration for 100s of miles to and from autocrosses. I will include a second set of wheels with some really bad autocross tires on them. (Older VW GTI wheels painted chalkboard black and Avon Tech Ra tires) Has high/low beam Halogen headlights, front and rear signal lights, brake lights (including a LED third light on rollbar), reverse lights, and a lighted license plate frame. Was street driven and has around 3000 miles on it since completion, however I'm keeping the VIN plate, so it won't come with a title. (I may get to build another one someday and I don’t want to have to go through getting it registered again) Some Videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdVJo8wk5Hs Some pics: http://www.locostusa.com/forums/files/winshield_209.jpg http://www.locostusa.com/forums/files/windshield3_511.jpg http://www.locostusa.com/forums/files/windshield2_322.jpg http://www.locostusa.com/forums/files/windshield1_217.jpg More below: http://www.locostusa.com/forums/files/3rdbrakelight3_926.jpg http://www.locostusa.com/forums/files/fathersdayautox3_124.jpg http://www.locostusa.com/forums/files/fathersdayautox3_894.jpg http://www.locostusa.com/forums/files/fathersdayautox2_107.jpg http://www.locostusa.com/forums/files/newspic_938.jpg Here’s the most recent pic as it sit now in my garage: http://www.locostusa.com/forums/files/winterized_164.jpg I’m asking $10k obo. Please don’t waste my time with lowball offers. (304)542-4565 Car is located in Charleston, WV 25314.

What do you do with all your Glycerin waste? Have they found a use for that yet?

It's not bad however I don't recommend it in the wet. Even with stickies on it throws very little debris at the driver. The rear fenders take a beating though.

Not until it became a four lane again. That woman was a maniac. If I hadn't been driving like such a sissy in part 2 I'd have passed her on the double lanes there. I came up about 100ft. shy and got to follow her for all of part 3.:banghead:

This is less than an hour drive from my house. One of my favorite roads for sure. Here are the vids: (best viewed in "high quality"- click the blue link on the lower right beneath the screen) Here's the (if you are just gonna watch one, this one's the best.

With me in it probably around 1400lbs. I realize the front rates are a bit high, but so are the rears. I did this to control body roll without swaybars. I figured since the front to rear wheel rates were high, yet still in equal proportion to the cornerweights, it would be somewhat balanced.

I designed and built it myself so I realize it won't be the same as a production based car. I did however carefully design the suspension utilizing computerized suspension simulators/calculators to establish the geometry. The spring rates are 450 front and 300 rear, which works out to wheel rates around 190# front and 230# rear which is really close to 50% of the unsprung weight of the relative corners. I don't have swaybars on the car right now. I wanted to get it as close as I could to being "balanced" and then add swaybars as needed to correct any lasting weight transfer problems rather than make a guess. The car has a Miata 1.8 engine and tranny. (well most everything on it came from a Miata)

It is on mine, and on another similar homebuilt I drove this past weekend. What do most of these cars do when pushed to the limit on street radials?

Overdoses of Boost and Naaawzzzz, can at times cause an unexpected "crash" to a mythical realm called reality, where the subject may suffer from shock and disbelief at the utter absence of hangers on telling him how awesome he is. He may mutter things like "where's da hoes?... or other such nonsense as he stares in disbelief into oblivion. I really hope he makes a fool (Doh! I mean full) recovery.

Yikes. That would keep me away too. In WV, you can send your repair bills and other documentation on to the state division of highways and usually ge them reimbursed. Buy I understand all states aren't this ahead of the curve.

Just out of cuiousity, what are you aftraid of? I dunno, maybe I've been in the ghetto too long but I can always spot the things that will make me sweat long before they have even noticed me.

Oh hell no.

I saw them interviewing some of the crew cheifs from the top teams and they were in favor of shortening it to 1000ft. They said that most all of the engine failures, explosions, and catastrophic crashes happen in the short zone from 1000ft on out to 1/4 mile. One guy pointed out that most all of the tracks now run were designed and built back when the insane speeds of the modern cars were impossible. Until they can rebuild the tracks adjusted for the modern cars, they all seemed happy to run 1000ft. Seems like a bit of a knee jerk overreaction to me, but I admittedly am no expert.

Just a year or so back, here in Charleston, a city cop blew a light while speeding with no lights and siren. He crashed into a couple and killed a woman. It nearly took an act of congress, but after months of complaints and a hefty lawsuit they finally fired the guy. He probably just works in the next town over now. I'd frankly be afraid to report any wrongdoing by our State Police. They are notorious for corruption and every couple of months there are reports of people being driven to abandon mine sites and beaten half to death, or in the latest case a lawyer was taken into an interrogation room at the barracks and beat until his spinal fluid drained from his nose and many of his facial bones fractured. A few years back they were having a party for a trooper and were making a bunch of noise late at night. The guy who lived above the party called and complained. 5 minutes later a half dozen drunk state troopers broke down the dudes door and beat him half to death. Don't mess around with the police, they really are above the law in some places.

Good. I figured it would be.

It's the same car. The white is the bare gel coat before painting. The pic above is with a few cans of black primer. The aluminum bodywork was done with black prepainted aluminum from performancebodies.com. Eventually I will paint it some color or another, but the flat black is sort of growing on me. As for it having "the guts to back up the paint job" (or lack of paint job) I doubt it would meet your standards. It has a stock Miata 1.8 liter however a low boost turbo is in the plans when time and $$ permits. I think the primer black suits it since it pretty much meets the definition of a Sevenish rat rod. I've got less than $5k in the whole thing and it's pretty much a compilation of junkyard parts. Thanks for the comments. *Edit* I updated the avatar for you.

How do you think it looks? Sure is easy to touch up. http://www.locostusa.com/forums/files/cyclefenders1_887.jpg

We autocross at a large high school lot. The course blocks access to the library since we use all the space we can. One day, with a car on course a soccer mom drove her minivan around the barriers entering the course from the opposite side of the lot and began weaving her way across the course toward the library. We red flagged the driver and got him stopped in time, and a quick interview with the Mensa representative in the van revealed that she didn't want to have to walk 100yds to the library to return her book.

If you are ever down in Charleston give me a shout and I'll let you look over my nearly completed "book" chassis. (modified for an IRS) I have drawings but they are just that. Pencil on paper. (I don't have time to learn cad)

I need to update my profile, I'm in WV. Thanks so much, that's exactly the information I was looking for. I truly appreciate it.

The only ones that I can find in a 20" height are Bias ply road racing tires. (designed for D sports (road) racers. Anyone here ever used those? I'm worried they may take to long to heat up. Should I just bite the bullet and get the 20.9" tall DOT R compounds Hoosier makes specifically for autocross? I'd really like to stay with the shorter tire, not only for gearing, but my roll centers etc. were designed around that height tire. Thanks

So, to get back on topic. What tires do you experienced Seven autocrossers suggest I try next? Thanks in advance.

More of a man? How can I say no to that? I have actually already listed the tires and wheels for sale. I designed my car to work best with 20" tall racing slicks anyway, so that's what I'll get. Has anyone here tried any of the tires I have cirlced in the screen captures below? If not I'd like to hear any other suggestions. http://www.locostusa.com/forums/files/hoosiertires_168.jpg http://www.locostusa.com/forums/files/tires_135.jpg