curse you midi freaks!!!
merkurman - 18/10/02 at 01:41 AM
I am tempted to join you. I found a guy selling over stock 2001 zetec 2.0L complete less ecu,starter, alt for $800. I am leaning to a rear engine
super car looking deal with a 2.0 zetec and a 5 speed. was thinking MII front end (alan knows prob how common these are in the states) was thinking
of a full cabin with flat glass canopy similar to a stealth cockpit (triangular sections) with a real low nose. so how tough is it to setup susp
geometery and such? I do have pro-e 2001 and acad . I am leaning this way or standard locost with a indy chassis anda 2.3L turbo. being stateside
what is your opinion alan? before you sugest anything rule out cheap junkyard parts as those aren't around here. about all they have around here and
mid sized and small gm/ford cars and suv's hence the zetec option, I could get a tranny and all local for cheap if needed. I was even playing with
the idea of a air cooled VW setup (gotta love rust belt)
nick
Alan B - 18/10/02 at 12:42 PM
He, he he......
Another convert!
Nick, I understand the problems, as you know. Small front engined/rear drive donors are very rare here, whereas decent FWD V6 cars are very common.
When you talk about using the Zetec would that be longditunal on a VW style of transaxle or transverse on the contour (mondeo UK) transaxle?
Considering any US built locost of any format needs some/significant suspension design, then where the engine is, is irrelevant! You still have to do
the design! (which you seem well equipped for)
Bottom line: You will have a lot of time invested in the project, weigh up all your options carefully so you end with something that you really want!
Even if it ends up front engined
wayner - 18/10/02 at 07:44 PM
Have a look at the Subaru ( there's plenty in the States as two wheel drive, flat 4 motor ( very low engine height ) with transaxle directly behind
complete with handbrake, very easy to mount and upwards of 300 BHP on the Turbos, a lot of good kit extremely suitable for kitcars, overlooked by the
locost guys & girls.
interestedparty - 18/10/02 at 08:15 PM
quote:
Originally posted by merkurman
1)I am tempted to join you. I found a guy selling over stock 2001 zetec 2.0L complete less ecu,starter, alt for $800.
2)was thinking of a full cabin with flat glass canopy similar to a stealth cockpit (triangular sections) with a real low nose.
3)so how tough is it to setup susp geometery and such? I do have pro-e 2001 and acad .
nick
1)I would say the only person who could use this is someone who had a 2001 zetec engined car that had had a severe engine failure. It's too expensive
bearing in mind you have to then buy an ecu etc.
2)Nothing makes a kitcar look cheap and old fashioned more than flat glass (IMHO) maybe not in the States but in the UK only ghastly wannabe italian
exotic replicas use flat glass and it doesn't look good. BTW flat glass is ok in seven style cars.
3) My plan is to make a jig from the bodyshell of the donor Mondeo that I'm using. That way the suspension has already been worked out by Ford and all
I need to do is to replace the steering arms with suitable arms of the correct length, bracketed to the chassis with rod ends to make the length and
therefore toe adjustable. (and then check the camber and castor to make sure I've got it all right)
You could design a suspension from scratch if you read the right books and work carefully, I don't think you need CAD for that, although if you're
good at CAD why not.
John
merkurman - 19/10/02 at 06:28 PM
well the zetec did have all othe rwiring and I could get a ecu from a wrecker I worked at for about $250. the starter and alt could be had thee for
pretty cheap too. I kinda like this idea since it would be a zero miles engine. it would prob be then mounted to a focus axle since those are pretty
easy to find here or a moneo axle (unless they are the same) does anyone have any recommended reading I should look at? I got all winter to plan
design this out (lots of free time being student) and was hoping to work on a chassis over spring break (full week to weld and fit and another week
after that when the parents are going to be gone ) from what I have to do I figured using locost ideads to build a rear engine setup would just as
hard. alan you used the front struts and spindels off your donor right?
another donor I was looking at was a ford feistiva (ford man!!!) was thinking of getting a turbo manifold and using one of my turbo 2,3L ecus to run
it all (also have a couple spare turbos)
really I am lokoing for something to start my designing from so I can get it started this december.
pro-e sure does make doing this so easy.
nick
Alan B - 19/10/02 at 06:36 PM
Nick, no I discarded the struts (all of them actually) but kept the spindles, brakes etc.
Struts are possible at the rear, but get a bit high for the front.
I didn't use the rear ones just save some height there, but it all depends on the style of car you are looking to build.
Check out the MOJO:
http://www.sylva.co.uk/mojo.html
It's a very typical transverse mid-engined adaptation of FWD.
theconrodkid - 19/10/02 at 07:20 PM
I just used the centre box of the locost for dims and design then added a square box for front suspension and a similar one for the rear,the mojo is a
good looking chassis with a lot less metal than the locost
merkurman - 20/10/02 at 03:13 PM
I like that mojo!!! I got a mate that has a feistiva to sell for $200 (he lost the title and it needs alxes) I was thinking of getting to turbo and
beat to hell but using it as a donor for a MEC would be nice too. it is down on power but I got a IHI turbo off a 2.3L I could put on it and I think
the ecu could handle the engine. my big problem is that I would like to get some drawings on some of these engine combos so I could start designing a
chassis without having to outlay for a donor. does anyone know what a 1.3/1.6 mazda b6 weigh in at? I figure prob 125kg or so right?
nick
Rorty - 21/10/02 at 01:12 AM
I've built quite a few mid-engined cars, and they are the ultimate!
I have some pics on my web site of a V8 mid-engined beetle I built. You may get a few ideas from that.
Let me know if I can help.
www.rortydesign.com 
MrFluffy - 21/10/02 at 09:05 AM
Rorty, you havent got any autocad files of that chasis you make for grabs have you? I'd buy your chassis for sale, but shipping to france would cost
more than the chassis...
Your using the same sort of bits I hope to, except my trans is a UN1 out of the renault espace instead of the R30 (almost the same trans) and donk is
the trusty rover...
Im using it with my kitcar, to get handling to go with the looks...
If you feel like sharing infos..
As a weird aside, I used to live in sussex, not far from that college.. (steynning) ..
Alan B - 21/10/02 at 12:33 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Rorty
I've built quite a few mid-engined cars, and they are the ultimate!
I have some pics on my web site of a V8 mid-engined beetle I built. You may get a few ideas from that.
Let me know if I can help.
www.rortydesign.com
Nice stuff
Welcome mate! I look forward to your contributions
merkurman - 21/10/02 at 08:07 PM
well I just scored a set of uprights off a merkur for $50 (fr/rr) so I might use the fronts for a mec and the rears will be going under my car with a
MK indy style irs. should be interesting to do. I am really liking the mojo or something similar to it. any idea on what it weighs in at? how
wide/long is it?
merkurman - 25/10/02 at 01:12 AM
well sinc eI scored a pair of coilovers on ebay for $90 today I think I will go through with a wild idea...putting a MK indy IRS under a Sierra. go
the coil overs a spare set of hub and time!!! hoping to make one wild street racer hehehehe. I still want to doa mid or even a locost but this will
eat up a little less time and I can always put the factory IRS back in it. this will also give me a lesson in chassis engineering and ARM building.
so it looks like I got this much in it
$90+shipping shocks
$50+shipping set of hubs
and now I need 14 rod ends and jam nuts.some steel tubing and I should be set. this will be scary if I can get it done for under $500 (fingers
crossed)
nick