boylers11
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Registered: 27th Jul 06
Location: Shropshire
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Right, I've been after a project like this for ages and this one finally came up at a good price, so I went down to Stockport last Sunday and came down with this. It's is registered correctly as a bike engined Locost and comes complete with folders of paperwork and a spare 893 engine.
Rough plans:
Sand and protect the chassis in full
Get the engine running sweetly
Fit new front suspension (rears already fitted)
Refurb or replace the floor with aluminium instead of steel
Make a whole new loom
Source and fit a decent set of bodywork
Refurb the minilites and put decent tyres on
Maybe fit a flappy paddle shifter
Maybe fit a full cage
Tax & MOT and enjoy in the summer
I'll let the pics do the talking:
Rear sanded and painted:
[Edited on 10-01-2016 by boylers11]
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daymoon
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Registered: 1st Aug 08
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
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That looks a proper mess!
Plenty of potential though!
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Wrighty
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Registered: 28th Feb 04
Location: Howden
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agreed looks a right shed rather you then me be interesting to see how it turns out
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boylers11
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Registered: 27th Jul 06
Location: Shropshire
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Haha, that's what I thought when I pushed it out of the garage this morning too!
It all fits together quite nicely really, it won't really be a big job to get it looking decent again. My biggest problem will be the wiring I think, although half of that dash wiring won't be needed, as the previous owner installed an Acewell digital display.
For the bodywork, I'm going down the carbon fibre route I think (real obviously).
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Ben J
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Registered: 31st Jan 05
Location: Cheshire
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Christ. Looks like a Mad Mike effort! Good luck though!
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daine
Premium Member
Registered: 28th Feb 07
Location: rossington
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Have you considered changing the live axle for a De-dion setup ?
will make it handle alot better
[Edited on 07-12-2013 by daine]
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Kyle T
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
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Good luck!
Lotus Elise 111R
Impreza WRX STi
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Ben G
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Registered: 12th Jan 07
Location: Essex
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Whats a locust?
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BeetleGav
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Registered: 27th Jun 10
Location: lancashire, nelson
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That dash is very strange!
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Baskey
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Registered: 31st May 06
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Dosnt look to bad for a Locost tbh, that rear axel looks abit 'old school' though! good luck make sure you keep this thread updated!
what do you reocn the bhp/ton will be when you finish?
[Edited on 07-12-2013 by Baskey]
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boylers11
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Registered: 27th Jul 06
Location: Shropshire
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quote: Originally posted by daine
Have you considered changing the live axle for a De-dion setup ?
will make it handle alot better
I have briefly thought of it, but I think the fabrication may be a bit beyond my skills/equipment. I'm going to get it up and running with its current spec, then see how it goes!
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boylers11
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Registered: 27th Jul 06
Location: Shropshire
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quote: Originally posted by Ben G
Whats a locust?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locost
It's basically a cheap Caterham with whatever engine you like!
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boylers11
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Registered: 27th Jul 06
Location: Shropshire
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quote: Originally posted by Baskey
Dosnt look to bad for a Locost tbh, that rear axel looks abit 'old school' though! good luck make sure you keep this thread updated!
what do you reocn the bhp/ton will be when you finish?
[Edited on 07-12-2013 by Baskey]
The previous owner weighed it at just under 450kg with all the bodywork on.
With the carbon fibre panels etc, ally floor and a few other bits and pieces, I recon between 270 & 290 bhp/tonne.
In all honesty, I don't know too much about bike engines and tuning, but my next door neighbour used to race bikes for Honda professionally and works with them now, so I'm hoping he can come up with some tuning ideas at trade prices, lol
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daine
Premium Member
Registered: 28th Feb 07
Location: rossington
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And you think your going to run that lot through a"LIVE AXLE" that has no LSD!!
do the engineering mate and make the car handle, Don't make a death trap
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boylers11
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Registered: 27th Jul 06
Location: Shropshire
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I'm going to get it back together as it was first and see what it's like. If I don't like something on it, I'll change it. I understand what you're saying, but I'd rather make modifications at a later date once I've driven it in 'standard' form.
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boylers11
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Registered: 27th Jul 06
Location: Shropshire
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Few quick updates- I managed to remove the side panels, strip more of the chassis and paint it yesterday.
In the new year, I just need to do the front part of the chassis, then the real work can begin:
If I decide not to replace the floor, what's best to paint/protect it with?
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gav93
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Registered: 27th Nov 10
Location: Bexleyheath Kent
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look on the bilt hamber range their products are top range. etch prime , prime then top coat the floors with satin black as primers porous as a startng point at the least though.
looking cool got to build myself a kit car one day
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boylers11
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Registered: 27th Jul 06
Location: Shropshire
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Managed to get a bit more done this week. Stripped the front down, virtually finished the chassis painting apart from the engine cradle and got the suspension components ready to get sand blasted and powder coated:
Before:
During:
After:
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flybikeslee
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Registered: 2nd Jan 07
Location: Liverpool
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looks like a bit of scaffold and a motor...should go well!
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boylers11
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Registered: 27th Jul 06
Location: Shropshire
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Managed to track down some pics of the car from about 12 months ago before the previous owner stripped it down:
I'm nowhere near putting back together yet, but may do some photoshops in the meantime ready for when I'm ready to do so.
I've bought a huge sheet (2x1m) Carbon fibre to make the side panels and miscellaneous pieces, I have an orange bonnet and a blue nose one.
I'll be ordering a new rear panel and scuttle panel. I'd possibly like to do something different with the nose cone (not sticker bombing, but something unusual). Any ideas or photoshops of different colour combinations with carbon side panels would be great
...and an arty one to finish:
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boylers11
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Registered: 27th Jul 06
Location: Shropshire
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Got a bit done today, stripped the front brakes down, cleaned them and sprayed them. They are a silver and black fade with a splash of red flake. Just waiting for a new kit to build them back up again.
Once the front components are back from powder coat, I can finally get it back on four wheels again and wheel it out of the garage!
Before:
After:
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boylers11
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Registered: 27th Jul 06
Location: Shropshire
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Finally collected stuff from being powder coated today. Chuffed to bits with the finish even if it did take the chap a while to do them!
Just waiting for a new bearing kit to arrive then it'll be back on four wheels again
[Edited on 15-02-2014 by boylers11]
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boylers11
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Registered: 27th Jul 06
Location: Shropshire
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Finally got the ns front setup back together. Waiting for new track rod ends but couldn't resist assembling it with the new suspension
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boylers11
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Registered: 27th Jul 06
Location: Shropshire
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mike56gte
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Registered: 23rd Jun 09
Location: Fife, scotland Drives: Audi S3
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Nice work!
Will be keeping an eye on this.
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