The Locost7

[Bulldog Bri]

Thought it was about time I started putting down some info on my 7's build.

Started of when my freind came over with that darn book 'Build your own Sportscar for £250' Ha! He knew I'd built a car in the past and was looking for a new project. So I was taken in straight away...

So I went out, got the steel and bought an old welder of another freind and got stuck in.

After loads of hunting found an old Mk2 Escort estate 1300, that had been left in a hedge for 12 years with only 32thou on the clock, up in Cheltenham. That alone was £250. So book budget gone in one!

That was soon stripped and body shell scraped. Took the engine apart and rebuilt it and just cleaned everything else that was needed.

After a few months the chassis was rolling. The engine turned over and started almost first time, which was great as I hadn't been able to try it until then, even from when I bought it.

A stroke of luck got me the floor and main body panels. Where i work, were replacing a few of the docking bays (where we back our lorries in) making them larger for taller artics. and the side panels from these were in a skip. One quick request to a manager got me 2 of them.

Ebay, as I'm sure a lot of you are finding is a great source of parts to, I've got my Nosecone, front and rear wings, roll bar, fuel tank, mirrors, seatbelts and many other items that way. The seats were an old pair of coach seats a freind from work had in his garden! and were the perfect width. Just need to be re-covered.

I've tended to buy bits over the winter months and build from spring onwards. So far it's taken 2 years to get to where I am in the build, so hoping this is the last year and on the road for next spring... money and tests permiting, lol.

There are only a few more smallish jobs left to do on the car, and I'll post on here as they get done. Yesterday I finished putting in the seatbelts (just a small bit of welding left to do with them. Today I'm making a start on the Boot area, thist will cover the fuel tank and just leave the filler cap sticking out of the boot floor, so with a lid to cover the boot, should be good and safe for the road and tests.......!

Thats all for now, watch this space.

['The Gaffer']

If somebody told me I could build a car for £250, I'd have a go too.

Nice story Brian. Look forward to updates.

[Richard]

Great yarn unfolding

That IVA fee will bump the cost a fair old percentage 

[Bulldog Bri]

Yeah, not happy with it but you've just got to with it if you want your car on the road. Just hope that when my car does go for it's test, it doesn't fail on to much, as I'm sure it will fail first time but with a list of the bits that need to be sorted.

[Bulldog Bri]

Managed to get a fair bit of work done this last week on the 7, as you can see from my pic posted the boot is all but done I've also gone through the engine as I've had a bad missfire, would idle but not rev. Timing is good, got good compression on all cylinders. So this week I'm changing all the plugs and leads (they are the original ones from the donor) so that may help. And I've now ajusted the wiring and made the holes for the 2 extra warning lights I need on the dash. 1 for the fan and the other and the other for the brake fluid warning light. I've just got wait for the new set to arrive as they now are required to have the correct symbol on them for the IVA test not just a coloured light....
Once I have those things sorted I think it's finished..... just have to save for the test 

[Richard]

You have been busy !

['The Gaffer']

The car looked great Brian. I would love to have a tinker with that engine. Hopefully the new leads etc will sort. If not give me a ring.

[Bulldog Bri]

Certainly will. As I can't think of anything else to do..

[Bulldog Bri]

Wow great weather today! and finally got the Locost out of the garage and running again. I got the new set of dash warning lights through the post on Friday but they had only sent a set with 5 in, not the set of 7 I wanted! so still waiting to put the dash back in completely. It ran lovely and smooth though and had to resist taking it out on the road.
Only a few small jobs left and a small earthing prob' with the full beem lights to sort out left to do.

will have to start the paper chase soon 

['The Gaffer']

Good luck there mate, great progress!! if you a second pair of eyes on the paperwork just let me know.

[Bulldog Bri]

A second and third pair mate. I'll give you a shout when I start on it..

[Richard]

Will be interesting to see which bits of the paperwork are most challenging, suspect it will change for each of us but I wouldn't mind betting there will be some common ground.

You are really making progress, hope the missing bits turn up quickly.

[Bulldog Bri]

Great news, I've managed to get hold of the V5 for the Ford Escort I used to build my Locost with. So it should be easier to get the car registered with an age related plate. 

['The Gaffer']

Might make the whole process a bit simpler too

[Bulldog Bri]

Finally got my first weekend free since xmas and the problems with power to the garage after a burst water pipe  

I've found where the cable comes into the garage and gonna work from there. I'll worry about the water supply later in the year 



Have now gone through all conections leading to the fusebox, made sure they were all clean put it all back together and power is now restored 

Happy chappie again 

['The Gaffer']

Have now gone through all conections leading to the fusebox, made sure they were all clean put it all back together and power is now restored 

Did you find an obvious fault? Just curious.

[Bulldog Bri]

Nope  all conections were clean and dry. 

So put them back together and wraped some insulating tape around both ends, this should help keep some mosture out. 

[Bulldog Bri]

Blimey, seems ages since I wrote up anything about the Locost  Now that the Gentry is out of the way and looking like it not far from finished (fingers crossed) I've started going through the 7 and seeing whats left to do.

I've also started on the registration process and making notes as that goes along, when all is done I'll be doing a new post on how and what was needed to be done for that as well, so that it is finally down for people to work to as there isn't a comprehensive guide just odd bits here and there. Fingers crossed all done by Stoneleigh 

[YellaBelly]

Fingers crossed all done by Stoneleigh 

Me too Bri! I just hope I can get enough time on it to sort out the car and paperwork in between oveseas bloody trips 

Most jobs done now, found a hydraulic leak from the front brake line 'T'-piece so need to remake the flare and do a l-o-o-o-o-o-n-g pressure test on the system once finished.

Let us know how the paper trail bit for IVA goes mate

John

[Bulldog Bri]

Good luck sorting out your braking.

I've been playing for the first time with mine got it started and running nicely though the battery isn't the best  and had a quick sneaky blast up and down the road, brakes are a bit tight arfter being sat still for s-o-o-o-o-o long and the welding in one of the seats is not the best.  Got another set of seat belts coming as missing a bit on one set in there. Run through the electrics. a new feul cap seal and secure the front grill.

but its now to be taken up to the DVLA on Tuesday for inspection. Gulp!!! hopefully should get a VIN number then IVA apliacation can be sent off. 

[YellaBelly]

Do you need to take it to DVLA first then? I didn't realise that, or is that just the way you are doing it?

[Bulldog Bri]

I went there on Friday to try and get a VIN number for my car and they said before they could issue one they needed to inspect the car. So I'm booked in for Tuesdsy.

[Bulldog Bri]

Big thanks to WALLNUT for letting me use the trailer again.



All the paperwork done and inspected, only managed 5 points out of the 8 required for an age related plate so I've got to have the 'Q' plate. Not to worried as I asked if it was still possible to request my on letters on it and was told yes shouldn't be a problem once all the paperwork (IVA, registration bits) were finished, I ask DVLA at Swansea it issue the plate bit not the local office. (could be a small extra fee)

['The Gaffer']

Can you really personalise Q plates? What are you going to have on yours?

[Bulldog Bri]

Gonna try for 'Q7 BMV'



Just got a new set of seat belts of Ebay for the Locost, just a bit grubby. Any ideas on what to use to clean them up?

[YellaBelly]

Gonna try for 'Q7 BMV'



Just got a new set of seat belts of Ebay for the Locost, just a bit grubby. Any ideas on what to use to clean them up?

The other half?

[Moleman]

The other half?

I thought that was a good answer. 

[Bulldog Bri]

Well I've started back on the 7 AGAIN!!!

After getting the car started and finding a few electrical faults, it turns out the old heater matrix now leaks more than it's worth so that's been removed and a simple ali plate made up to cover the hole, though this will give me easy access to the back of the dash if ever needed

Electrical faults are turning headlights on the main beam warning light glows and the indicators have decided to stick in the on position rather than flash

Seats have been bolted back in with a new set of runners fitted to one of then. and an old Westfield crash pad that goes over the dash has been modified to fit and recovered.

Once all this has been sorted I'll tidy the bodywork up while getting underway with the paperwork AGAIN!

[Moleman]

So when do you think Dusty will be up & running then mate.   

[Bulldog Bri]

Your guess is as good as mine mate But gonna put some long hours back in to get it going. Asap just paperwork and the fact it's all over at Swansea now, don't know how that's gonna effect registering now! 

[YellaBelly]

Glad to see all the pressure payed off mate Good to see you getting on with it again

[Iancider]

Bri,

I'm a little slow reading this thread but:

Seatbelts clean well with Carpet cleaner shampoo - the stuff you put in a Bex Bissel or Vax - dilute 10:1, scrub with a nail brush then wash off - finish with a dry brush to remove any white power and vacuum - should look spiffing in the end.

The stuck indicators could be a welded flasher relay contact (replace) or a bad earth if they are dim as well - make a new earth contact.

Finish soon and enjoy the sun!   

[Bulldog Bri]

I've taken the cover off the flasher unit and the relay switch does click over.  And they aren't dim, bright enough to melt the lenses on the small front ones.

[Bulldog Bri]

Here is the flasher unit

I've been around and disconnected all the indicators and plugged them in individually but still the same result. If I can't find a problem looks like it's total rewire of the circuit. 

[benchmark51]

I have a flasher unit that I know works ok. Where are you?

[Bulldog Bri]

New Cheltenham Road, Kingswood. Just up from the post office

[Bulldog Bri]

I have a flasher unit that I know works ok. Where are you?

Thanks Dave for bring it over, it nearly worked, (hazards only) so shows it's not the wiring that cocked up. Got a new one on order now off Ebay. Sorted

[Pilgrim Anna]

Thought it was about time I started putting down some info on my 7's build.

Started of when my freind came over with that darn book 'Build your own Sportscar for £250' Ha! He knew I'd built a car in the past and was looking for a new project. So I was taken in straight away...

So I went out, got the steel and bought an old welder of another freind and got stuck in.

After loads of hunting found an old Mk2 Escort estate 1300, that had been left in a hedge for 12 years with only 32thou on the clock, up in Cheltenham. That alone was £250. So book budget gone in one!

That was soon stripped and body shell scraped. Took the engine apart and rebuilt it and just cleaned everything else that was needed.

After a few months the chassis was rolling. The engine turned over and started almost first time, which was great as I hadn't been able to try it until then, even from when I bought it.

A stroke of luck got me the floor and main body panels. Where i work, were replacing a few of the docking bays (where we back our lorries in) making them larger for taller artics. and the side panels from these were in a skip. One quick request to a manager got me 2 of them.

Ebay, as I'm sure a lot of you are finding is a great source of parts to, I've got my Nosecone, front and rear wings, roll bar, fuel tank, mirrors, seatbelts and many other items that way. The seats were an old pair of coach seats a freind from work had in his garden! and were the perfect width. Just need to be re-covered.

I've tended to buy bits over the winter months and build from spring onwards. So far it's taken 2 years to get to where I am in the build, so hoping this is the last year and on the road for next spring... money and tests permiting, lol.

There are only a few more smallish jobs left to do on the car, and I'll post on here as they get done. Yesterday I finished putting in the seatbelts (just a small bit of welding left to do with them. Today I'm making a start on the Boot area, thist will cover the fuel tank and just leave the filler cap sticking out of the boot floor, so with a lid to cover the boot, should be good and safe for the road and tests.......!


Thats all for now, watch this space.

well done babe! Shouldnt be too long now and you will be able to get it IVAd. Been sitting there for years. Then all 3 kitcars will be up and running. And we can start redecorating the house lol

[Bulldog Bri]

1 step forward and 2 steps back it feels like today

Flashers now half working so can't be a wiring problem, Hazards work indicators don't!

Tried wiring up the fuel gauge.. can only get it working in reverse, empty on the gauge=full tank! and visa versa I've tried every combination of wire connection either nothing or full, even tried with a spare sender unit out of another tank! and a spare gauge, same every time.

Also ran the engine up to temperature and found a water leak from the water pump

[Moleman]

Sorry to hear this mate. I'm now thinking don't rush getting the Locost finished especially if you are like me & hate decorating!