fmorser

car is sold, thank you for your interest.

Selling my Honda CBR1000F powered Locost as I need to make room in the garage for other projects. I broke her in, and broke her too, at the NJMP annual events years ago with the superb group that attends every year. Eventually sorted out the issues and ran it at Summit Point in WV for several years at their HPDE gatherings. Shenandoah was the best track since the car is low power, but light weight and liked the twists and turns and short straights. Is located in Potomac MD. It has: Right hand drive to offset the engine being mostly on the left 1995 CBR1000F engine 2 piece driveshaft Hoosier slicks 22x8x13 on Aero 7" wide wheels from Summit Racing Is now mostly enclosed with only drivers seat open, includes a custom tonneau that covers the driver's side 3 link rear suspension 7.5 fox body live axle 3 gallon fuel tank (lasts ~ 25 minutes on the track) extra set of street tires 185/60r13 on 6x13 steel Bassett wheels comes with a trailer always stored in garage above freezing never crashed, but a little spattered from track debris and never polished, it is a track car I built it from scratch, welded the "book" chassis following the Ron Champion design with the errors corrected per the sevenesque.com website. Never registered it, was for the track only helping me learn high performance driving. Asking $8,000. If interested please contact Fred Morser - email: fmorser@gmail.com. I can provide YouTube links of me being followed/passing others at Summit Point. I never had an onboard camera though. Thanks for looking.

Randy, Are you still looking for a BEC Locost 7? I have a Honda CBR100f powered track car that will be up for sale very soon. Best, Fred

After I became so discouraged with rules and regulations and you can't do this and can't do that w/r/t adding a shed/garage to free up space in my current garage and then on top of it I had to do a land survey to get necessary permits and that would cost over $2,000 I built a rack out of 2x8 lumber with 4x4 posts on wheels too and then bought a 2,500 lb rated pallet jack and that solved my limited space issue. Very low ceilings and so had to measure and measure again, but it all fits. Opened up a lot of space for my next car build, and I got a new compound sliding mitre saw out of it too. Been away so long I hardly knew the place.......from the forum that is and saw this thread so added my 2 cents. Pallet jack takes about 50 pumps......good for the abs.......to get the car up high enough and everything rolls around so I can customize my set up. Car only weighs 1,050 lbs. (bike engine for those who remember) so my jack/rack requirements were less than many of you I suspect. Anyway that was my solution.

Fred here. Thanks for asking Graham. She's all better now. Can't make the party this year due to a conflict. Have fun.

Awe shucks Tom. And w/r/t the grammeters issue, I resorted to an over abundance of malleable logarithmic casings and panendermic semi-bovoid slots in the stator. But of course you already knew that.

So the Champion book was out of print when I built mine, or was priced at hundreds of dollars and offered as used by various people which defeated the locost mantra so I got a copy from the Library of Congress, took notes and returned it. Building the frame was the easy part and took about a year. All the thinking and decisions that go into the various bits that need attaching to it consumes much more time........with several life interruptions.....more like 4 years in my case.

I built a book frame from scratch and run it at track days and autocrosses here in the DC area. Champion’s book dimensions have lots of errors, but you probably know that. The free plans from http://sevenesque.com/plans are accurate (not sure if those are the plans you refer to). The forum link at locostusa.com is a great source for info. The only wood model I built before hand was for the front trapezoid part as it required compound angles. If I knew then what I know now, I strongly recommend you document what parts you bought, and their own specifics because after many years when you need to change or add, or fix, etc. it helps to source the dang thing. Good luck, have fun.

My thanks too Mike and Tom. Sorry I couldn't be there to go round and round on Sunday. So it turns out I won't have to put a bullet through the engine after all. Looked at it this morning and a carburetor synchronization screw had vibrated loose and fell off so it was killing cylinder 1. A 10 cent part.........dang it. Anyway it's running right as rain now, just a day late. There's always next year and I will bring spare screws.......and yes go ahead and say it..........I had a screw loose.... hardy har har!!!

Hi Tom, Please add my name to the list of drivers. Looking forward to it and seeing everyone again. Cheers, Fred

A couple thoughts. Different bike engines have varying final output drive ratios. Try this link http://www.gearingcommander.com/ for the final drive of your engine, or if you are looking for possibilities it offers a wide range of bikes. I use a CBR1000f and the final drive is fairly high at 1.785 so it needs low-ish diff gears to get higher top end or lower highway speed revs. Here's another link http://www.crawlpedia.com/rpm_gear_calculator.htm that you can put your tire size, transmission ratio (final drive ratio), mph speed and ring and pinion ratio to determine approximate rpms. I use a Ford 7.5 live axle and just swapped out 3.73 for 3.08 gears and according to the calculations should get close to 120mph before I run out of engine rpms......assuming the horsepower can push through the wind. The stock 3.73 gears got to about 100mph before I hit the 10,500 rpm redline. I don't know about used ring and pinion gears for alfas, but lots exist on ebay for the Ford and I got my set for $75 I think. hope that helps.

All seven variants? Even a scratch-build Locost 7 variant? Don't want the bums rush if I overstep..........

I'm all over it Tom.......... I have already set up my jigs for the prefabulated amulite baseplate and the panandermic semi-boliod stator slots......... the semi-boliod requirement was the real kicker ...........may have to bust out the big grinder for that Ta!

all done..... so what's the likelihood of the other track for next year????? I'm thinking about ring and pinion ratios so I'm not at red line in top gear so much of the time.........just red line in a couple of other gears. cheers. Fred

Hi Steve Just saw your note. I'm happy to send the pics. Not at that computer yet but will be in a couple hours. Stand by Fred

Nailed it! Speaking of Locost.............here's a couple of Locost programs.

That was a hoot. Thanks so much Michael and Tom for organizing and orchestrating the annual event. You guys really are first class hosts and you make us all feel so welcome. From visible cloud rotation Friday evening (bet the Doppler radar geeks were frothing over that) to a sparkling Saturday, to a couple of showers Sunday early, then dry for our track outings, capped off by a highly entertaining awards ceremony it was a very memorable occasion. What better place to go round and round? Can’t thank you two enough for all the hard work preparing and then pampering us throughout the weekend. And Freddy Fender says, “I plan to be back next year stronger than ever so you won’t tread on me." Or as Jimi Hendrix said, "tire tracks all across your fender.........doh......back." Jeff........Tom.......name that tune? Some random pics follow. Ciao guys and hope to see you all next year. .

Tom - w/r/t to where I found the dingle arms, as one would expect, they were on the berries aisle.......hard to miss.

You must have been spying on me Mike..........Yes to shorter ring and pinion gearing......all done with that. Was a bit of an effort as the live axle is pretty heavy and I had to drag the whole thing out of the car. I'm still going somewhat easy as my back isn't fully up to spec, but is a whole lot better than when I saw you guys last. Turbo under consideration, but I'm really eyeing a higher horsepower engine with fuel injection.........maybe an R1 but prolly won't finish it for next year, rather will have that in 2017. Have swapped carbs to suit engine year (for some reason Honda made my engine's year carbs different from prior years and I didn't have the right set) changed out jets and needle spacers to get more fuel through. Did some exhaust welding too for better flow there. Also I'm considering painting flames on the hood for effect. Pretty cool don't you think? I can't divulge all my secrets just yet, but hope to have a little more grunt for next year. I sure hope so. best, Fred

In addition to a turbo encabulator currently under construction in the garage, I plan on upgraded kanifle valves, more better differential girdlesprings..........and sneezeproof mud guards (name that quote) I'm psyched and have been sitting in the car up on blocks for extended periods of time making exhaust sounds (and some with my mouth too.........think about it) in preparation for July 2016 Can't wait to see yens guys......

I'm in. Fred

Let me add my thanks to Mike and Tom for a sensational event. And concerning the point bys……….I assure you all that I wasn’t changing a tire, I was in fact in the car driving along. Also I stopped by the parts store on the way home and have replaced my mirrors worn out by looking in them so much. An unexpected extra bonus from driving holding the steering wheel with one arm so much of the time while pointing you guys all by over and over ……it seems I bulked up my puny arm muscles quite a bit. NJMP is (as they say in my home town of Boston) wicked pissa. Fun track, everything was in such great condition………..and plumbing and running water for those of us with more delicate washroom requirements …..you guys really have a first class facility. Thanks for including me in the fun and letting me tag along. I have more than quadrupled my time behind the wheel in the Locost with just that one weekend. Sure beats driving up and down the street then hiding in the garage until after the cops go by……..neighbors, schmeighbors……….I made a list of “go fast” ………er “go faster” parts, but when “driver” kept showing up I stopped and went looking for another pen. Great food, great fun, great folks and great weather. Thanks again for allowing me to join in the fun. Pumped for next year if you’ll have me. Best regards, Fred

Thanks for the info on overnight storage. I think my car will be the least valuable there.........5 years in personal effort is the main value..........and it would stink up the place to go to the effort of the trip and then have it disappear, but more likely a bad guy would select yours before mine. They sound very safe. Thanks again for the reassurance. Anyway I see arm restraints are required. Need to invest in those. Just one pair? or two if passengers ride along. Thanks in advance. Fred

Am signed up. Had to go buy a truck as my old tow vehicle croaked Sunday on the way to an autocross. Is there a place where one leaves the car overnight unmolested? My car (scratch build Locost 7) has simple toggle switches and off it goes. No keyed ignition. You guys know overnight storage options? Thanks in advance. Looking forward to meeting everyone.

MichaelD, I'm in Potomac just beyond the village. We met........once at Summit and once with a group for a beer at a Bethesda bistro...........I'm working out the plans to make NJMP happen. Fred