Couple of Locost 7 craigslist ads...
09-26-2012, 12:34 PM
#26
Elite Member
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 6,593
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Yes, the Gibbs frame is a compromise. Book frame isn't long or wide enough, so many went the 442 route. Only to find they wished they'd gone smaller. Makes it look a lot leaner the narrower you go, but you have to have the front frame width for modern intakes.
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09-26-2012, 12:54 PM
#29
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Maryville TN
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BUT. before you start.. realistically see how much time you can devote to it. Its probably 200-400 hours of work. there are 8760 hours a year, and 5840 of those are spent working and sleeping. There are kits that can give you a big head start. Some places even sell turn key cars for the price of a VW GTI, but you need cash up front. Its all about how much your time is worth to you, and how much you'd rather be driving vs. building.
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09-26-2012, 09:02 PM
#31
Newb
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Wentzville
Posts: 18
Total Cats: 1
Wouldn't be a Miata Locost build if you didn't turbo it. I'm 4 years into my build and I can attest to the time/money/effort it takes to bring one of these cars to fruition. But if you enjoy the fabrication side of building cars it doesn't get any better than this.
LocostUSA.com • View topic - JAF's +221-Haynes/Custom-Miata
LocostUSA.com • View topic - JAF's +221-Haynes/Custom-Miata
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09-27-2012, 10:02 AM
#32
mkturbo.com
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: Charleston SC
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Don't you get a lot of snow up there, and isn't it always cold? That does not sound like a good environment for having a 7.
I am not in any hurry of getting started. I have wanted to do a Westfield 7 ever since FM has started selling them. Unfortunately I am not that keen on spending 18k or whatever they are up to now for the kit. So I have been looking heavily into the MOV Exocet because it is around 6k for the kit. I have the spare miata ready and waiting to be taken apart for use in whatever I decide to build.
Truthfully the lack of fabrication skills is the biggest hold back for building my own. Maybe in the future that will change. For now I will spend time enjoying the books, and if in the spring things change and that car up in NY is still for sale I might go for it.
They are sweet.
BUT. before you start.. realistically see how much time you can devote to it. Its probably 200-400 hours of work. there are 8760 hours a year, and 5840 of those are spent working and sleeping. There are kits that can give you a big head start. Some places even sell turn key cars for the price of a VW GTI, but you need cash up front. Its all about how much your time is worth to you, and how much you'd rather be driving vs. building.
BUT. before you start.. realistically see how much time you can devote to it. Its probably 200-400 hours of work. there are 8760 hours a year, and 5840 of those are spent working and sleeping. There are kits that can give you a big head start. Some places even sell turn key cars for the price of a VW GTI, but you need cash up front. Its all about how much your time is worth to you, and how much you'd rather be driving vs. building.
Truthfully the lack of fabrication skills is the biggest hold back for building my own. Maybe in the future that will change. For now I will spend time enjoying the books, and if in the spring things change and that car up in NY is still for sale I might go for it.
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09-27-2012, 01:48 PM
#35
The easiest route is to integrate the entire Miata rear subframe.
Others have designed their own rear control arms and modified the "Book" frame as necessary to locate the pick-up brackets and differential mounting points.
There are also plans for modifying the Haynes chassis for Miata uprights. http://www.ntsengineering.co.uk/asse...Guide-rev3.pdf
Others have designed their own rear control arms and modified the "Book" frame as necessary to locate the pick-up brackets and differential mounting points.
There are also plans for modifying the Haynes chassis for Miata uprights. http://www.ntsengineering.co.uk/asse...Guide-rev3.pdf
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09-27-2012, 02:57 PM
#37
Boost Pope
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Chicago. (The less-murder part.)
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You know what I really want? A 356 or 550 style roadster that doesn't rely on a 60s vintage VW swingaxle rear suspension and torsion-bar front suspension.
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09-27-2012, 03:27 PM
#39
Boost Pope
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To be honest, the ACVW engine doesn't bother me. It's extremely compact, extremely lightweight, and can, if properly built and cared for, be made to produce respectable amounts of power (admittedly, at the cost of respectable amounts of money.) Even though the T4 (aka Porsche 914) engine is the choice of serious hot-rodders today, the T1 (Beetle / Ghia) engines are still quite capable and well-supported in the aftermarket- you can even buy brand new all-aluminum cases and mega-port heads for them, along with pre-fabbed turbo headers, injector-ready throttle bodies, dry-sump systems etc.
All in all, it's a good engine for a car like that. If Subaru could shave 150 lbs and about 12" of width off of an EJ20, and eliminate the need for a radiator, then it would be an excellent choice as well. Of course, it would also be a VW engine at that point.
It's the suspension that kills those cars. I remember once reading a review of either the Beck or Thunder Ranch 550, and one thing the said in particular stuck with me (emphasis is mine):
All in all, it's a good engine for a car like that. If Subaru could shave 150 lbs and about 12" of width off of an EJ20, and eliminate the need for a radiator, then it would be an excellent choice as well. Of course, it would also be a VW engine at that point.
It's the suspension that kills those cars. I remember once reading a review of either the Beck or Thunder Ranch 550, and one thing the said in particular stuck with me (emphasis is mine):
The car transitions very quickly, and is very sharp. This is in spite of the VW steering racks, which seem to have widely variable amounts of slop in them. Some owners say their steering is very tight; mine has 10* of slop constantly, so you start turning the wheel...waiting...then the car turns quick as a slap.
(...)
It's also a relatively ill-behaved car, and takes a lot of attention to drive. The steering is heavy and you've got to keep a white-knuckle grip the wheel in turns to keep the car going where you want. The wheel wants to kick back straight with every bump in the road. It's actually quite a bit of work in long sweepers, and it'll wear you out in a track day.
(...)
In short, the car drives probably a lot like the original cars, and nothing like the paragon of the cheap reliable track car; the Miata.
That kind of sucks, especially for something so beautiful and with such an awesome power:weight ratio.
(...)
It's also a relatively ill-behaved car, and takes a lot of attention to drive. The steering is heavy and you've got to keep a white-knuckle grip the wheel in turns to keep the car going where you want. The wheel wants to kick back straight with every bump in the road. It's actually quite a bit of work in long sweepers, and it'll wear you out in a track day.
(...)
In short, the car drives probably a lot like the original cars, and nothing like the paragon of the cheap reliable track car; the Miata.
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