MBEARDEN

Birnie's solution is probably the ultimate answer...however I hope to never have to pull the engine and trans...I wonder how much trouble it would be to pull the console and insulate the inside.

Exhaust is wrapped. My heater valve is shut off ...but I think it may not be totally closed off. I plan to get a shutoff valve. I searched and found the Cool-Breeze...I sent a message to the inventor...not sure how it would mount...it did an amazing job cooling the Miata.

After driving the Birkin this weekend in 90 degree temps I was reminded how hot my feet get. I have lined as much of the firewall as possible with Eastwood Thermo-coustic insulation which has helped a lot. Also under the floor. How much trouble is it to remove the console? Most of the heat seems to be high in the console. I can't help but think that a lot of the heat is trapped under the hood...all of the little rear facing louvers don't seem to let much air out. A couple of thoughts... 1 a row of forward facing louvers down the sides of the hood or a horizontial boat vent. 2 a pop-up vent in front of the windshield to force outside air into the footwell...something like on older pickups. 3 there does not seem to be enough room to bring a hose from the front of the grill to the footwell. 4 I remember from having a Miata someone sold a thin airscoop the velcrowed to the windshield frame to force air into the cockpit. Any thoughts

I agree... try as many Sevens as you can...I started looking for a Caterham and ended up with a Birkin...to me it got down to how much I felt like spending for a nice toy...The hard thing about prices is that there are not enough sales to establish a guideline...no blue book... I wanted a Zetec engined car. The Caterhams seemed to be $5,000 or $7000 more than a comparable Birkin...my 03 Birkin Zetec came in at $22k with 5600 miles. The Birkin seats were damaged and were miserable anyway...I replaced them with Caterham seats which are great.

It's back on EBay this morning...still looking for $31,000...looks like new pictures

I saw the transfer box on your car and the boat louvers. Did you try the boat louvers before building the transfer boxes...the idea being flushing the engine compartment with outside air. I am going to take the hood off in the morning ...drive 10 miles to the office and see how much heat I feel in the cockpit.

With the weather warming up I have started noticing the heat in the footwell of my Birkin....I sealed up the holes and insulated the firewall and underseats with Thermotec heat shield..also wrapped the headers. It was an improvement, but not enough. My car has five rows of rear facing louvers on the hood...i really wonder how much under hood heat escapes though them. I wonder if we are going the wrong way in trying it insulate from the heat when we might get more relief by trying to get the heat out from the engine compartment. My first thought was a big Pro Stock airscoop...but that would not look right. This weekend I am going to leave the hood off and see if it helps. Maybe some forward facing louvers down the sides of the hood or a forward facing boat vent to force outside air under the hood. I remember my dad having an old Chevy truck with a cable operated vent flap/ scoop just ahead of the windshield that opened for ventilation...

Great looking car...just curious but where did you get the tire mounted luggage rack?

I have looked at the Dynatec vortex units...How is it installed...three bolts thru the collector?...the photo looks like there are 3 hex bolts that hold it in place from the inside. The exhaust fumes from the rear exhaust on my Birkin were terrible..yesterday a local muffler shop ran the exhaust out just past the rear fender ...it looks stock and made a huge improvement in fumes...it points out and slightly turned down...the sound seems less. I took the manager for a ride up and down the street...he thought the car was so much fun that he waived the charges.

I plan to attend at least the Friday and Saturday events...As far I can tell, my Birkin may be the only seven in Arkansas...but there are some Locost's under construction. This weekend is also Mid- America Bike Week in Hot Springs. If you have never been there, Hot Springs is a nice weekend visit...and there are some great mountain roads all around the town. It's a popular retirement area...particularily Hot Springs Village which is a few miles outside of town...if you are from Illinois, Indiana or Ohio...lot's of your retired friends are already there. Well worth a trip...but it can be pretty warm in late May/June.

This is a very big event and only 50 miles from my house...it looks like fun.

I installed a Gustafson starter this weekend on the Zetec....I guess the old starter was weak..the new starter barely has to turn over and the car starts. The starter seems to have a lot more power. I did have to do a little grinding on the starter as it was hitting the bell housing and putting in the top bolt took some work because the solenoid was in the way. All in all a great upgrade. Money well spent.

I got through to Gustafson today...you are correct...he normally doesn't sell direct but knew exactly what the issue was and had the starter in stock...on the way today.

It looks like I need the Gustafson starter for my 03 Zetec/Birkin...does anyone know the part # to ask for? I have the yellow top Zetec.

I have noticed that one in a while the turn indicators will pause and then restart after a few seconds...Yesterday they stopped working. When I got home they work fine, after the car sat for a while...emergency and brake lights were working fine. Looking under the dash I did fine a red wire with white stripe hanging loose under the left side of the dash...it appears to be the lead wire for the heated windshield which was hanging loose. The windshield is not a problem but the turn indicators are. Any thoughts ...the car is a 2003 Birkin

This project took longer than I thought it would...work has gotten in the way. It works great...I really like the amber turn indicators. The 16.5 inch unit was just a little too long to fit between the roll bar braces..it tilts up about 20 degrees but does not hit the top. I have not had a chance to troubleshoot the strobe unit...when I hit the brakes the brake light dims but still strobes ..so I took it off for now. If I can figure out how to post a photo I will. I also cut off the clunky chrome license plate light and used a black pair of the Custom Dynamics LED license plate bolts... looks much cleaner I appreciate everyone's help.

I really envy guys that have the skills and tools to build a car from pieces...much less the time...but I know that guy is not me...he has been working on this car since at least 2007. I wonder how many Locosts are sitting in garages and only partly complete...lots, I would bet.

traded for wind deflectors.

I have a pair of 3 inch Pyrotect 5 point belts that came with my Birkin...they are well out of date ( made 2001) but are clean, not torn or faded, rotary release, no mounting bolts. I need some wind deflectors for the Birkin or best offer. Traded for wind deflectors.

Amazing workmanship...cool. Dirt track guys have used the old school bus idea for transporters for years...I used to see one locally where the back of the bus was moved up making a three row cab...with a rear door...the race car was on ramp over the wheels...tire racks above that.

The car was assembled in 2005 so I that imagine that the belt is the original...Might as well replace it. The squeal is a low pitched rotating sound...not a loud squeal on acceleration.

After soaking the bolts and applying heat multiple times it took a trip to Sears to solve the problem...for a set of socket drive hexes...Thanks for the suggestions. Tonight's project is tracking down the fan belt squeal.

I have a loud squeak at the top of the passenger side rear shock on my 03 Birkin. The roll bar hex bolts will not move. Soaked them overnite with PB blaster...nothing. Tried heat..nothing. I need to be able to remove it to get at the shock and also to run lights for CHMSL. Any ideas?

On my 03 Birkin the top bars for the Birkini and the regular top fit snugly into an angled hole in the roll bar base just in front of the roll bar...the rods appear to be the same. I had trouble getting the Birkini straps to attach...they were way too short to reach the snaps...I ended up soaking the straps and top in water and hanging a gallon jug of antifreeze from the straps overnite...they stretched to the proper length. I had to do the same process to the top.

I saw it a month ago in a local art theater...it ran for a few weeks..the Saturday afternoon I saw it there were about 20 people in the theater...which really surprised me...in Little Rock, Arkansas. Great movie.