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New mid-engine design book
kb58 - 11/4/07 at 06:34 PM

http://www.lulu.com/content/784994


robertwa - 11/4/07 at 07:31 PM

Hi Kurt,
That's awesome. I've been looking forward to this one. Just placed an order....
Rob


kb58 - 11/4/07 at 07:34 PM

Thanks Rob! And I still keep meaning to come visit and check out your BEC.

[Edited on 4/11/07 by kb58]


sgraber - 11/4/07 at 07:54 PM

Simply fantastic Kurt. Congratulations!

May you sell millions! And you may! That's the beauty of self publishing.

I'll be on your purchase list as soon as I can get my wallet, which I left at home!

Steve


Confused but excited. - 11/4/07 at 09:16 PM

Definately have to add that to my shopping list.


ned - 12/4/07 at 06:42 AM

I'd cross post this into the chassis, locost related or anything else sections if I were you to get a bit more exposure to your hard work, not everyone comes in here!

Ned.


TheGecko - 13/4/07 at 12:34 PM

Looks like I'll be waiting for the eBook version. LuLu must think Australia is on the moon because the only postage method they offer to here is US$40.69 ! That means the book would cost me something AUD$95 landed here which is just crazy

Sorry to not be a customer Kurt - I look forward to the electronic one.


Dominic


kb58 - 13/4/07 at 01:01 PM

huh, someone else said Lulu listed shipping to Austrialia at around US20. Was that the cheapest shipping method? I'm considering the e-book version, but there are several issues: hardly anyone want's one (I think you're the second one), there's the secuity issue, and then there's the screen formating concern. Since the 8.5 x 11" pages won't fit on a PC display at 100%, I may have to reform the entire thing. Like I said before, since I used MS Word to write it, that is NOT any easy change to make, as it completely screws up all the picture placements.

Anyhow, we can work out something. Send me an e-mail through the website so I don't forget. We'll get you a copy one way or another.

[Edited on 4/13/07 by kb58]


akumabito - 13/4/07 at 02:07 PM

quote:
Originally posted by kb58
huh, someone else said Lulu listed shipping to Austrialia at around US20. Was that the cheapest shipping method? I'm considering the e-book version, but there are several issues: hardly anyone want's one (I think you're the second one), there's the secuity issue, and then there's the screen formating concern. Since the 8.5 x 11" pages won't fit on a PC display at 100%, I may have to reform the entire thing. Like I said before, since I used MS Word to write it, that is NOT any easy change to make, as it completely screws up all the picture placements.

Anyhow, we can work out something. Send me an e-mail through the website so I don't forget. We'll get you a copy one way or another.

[Edited on 4/13/07 by kb58]


Security IS a big issue, and one that should not be underestimated. Many of the "e-books" floating around the internet were never intended to be e-books! They have full copyright protection, yet no author I can think of has the time, money and energy to actually pursue those who blatantly and purposefully breach copyright like that.

However, if you ever WERE to convert it to PDF format, you should download OpenOffice, the Open Source counterpart of the Microsoft Office Suite. OpenOffice Writer has a built-in function that allows you to convert directly to PDF format. The program can open .DOC files with no problems. It may be worth looking into, it shouldn't take more than a few minutes to install it and try it out.

Also: whether a document fits on your screen at 100% depends mostly on monitor size and resolution used.


liftarn - 13/4/07 at 02:50 PM

No, if you load an MS Word file into OpenOffice there are slight differences in the formatting that may cause problems.

Why not use something like PDFcreator? It's free and ads like a printer. It even has security features.


TheGecko - 14/4/07 at 06:49 AM

quote:
Originally posted by kb58
huh, someone else said Lulu listed shipping to Austrialia at around US20. Was that the cheapest shipping method?
I went back and had another look - here's the contents of the Shipping Method menu:

Express [Unavailable]
Economy [Unavailable]
Super Mega Fast - Ships Today Overnight Delivery* [Unavailable]
Super Fast - Ships Next Day Overnight Delivery* [Unavailable]
Standard [$40.69]

That's ridiculous for an A4 sized paperback.

[later.....]

OK, after a bit of research, I've found that they have a problem with shipping to international PO Boxes. I've changed the order to use my street address and shipping is now $20.24 so the total comes to about AUD$66 - still high but not completely outrageous

Look forward to seeing it. Thanks for the offer of assistance.

Dominic


Doug68 - 14/4/07 at 08:23 AM

KB58, Don't don't send soft copies to anyone ever. PDF security can be broken in about 5 seconds and I know of no way to prevent it becoming spread over the web more or less immediately either.

Depending upon what it weighs (I guessed 3lb) it could go: Global Priority Mail - Flat-rate Envelope (Large) Mail - Flat-rate Envelope (Large)
Taking: 4 - 6 Days
Costing: $9.50

from: www.usps.com

Any volunteers to go to the Post Office?


kb58 - 14/4/07 at 04:46 PM

Thanks Doug, good to know about the shipping rate. I'm creating a separate page for book info, and I'll add a note about shipping overseas. To help people out I can ship it after I receive mine.

About the e-book, yes I'm hearing that more and more - too easy to crack.


JoelP - 14/4/07 at 05:00 PM

maybe organise a group buy in OZ, hence only one large parcel doing the international leg.


kb58 - 14/4/07 at 07:18 PM

That works! I'll post a note about it, and if I can gather names, I'll handle shipping it all at once. The question then becomes, how long do I wait to gather AU customer names? We'll work out something.


froggy - 17/4/07 at 06:51 PM

just bought a copy ,might help sort my handling issues with my van Ģ25 inc shipping


Ringius - 28/4/07 at 10:34 AM

Received my copy a couple of days ago, havenīt been able to put it aside yet...

For me, this book was/is/will be of great value. Despite the fact that it took you 10 long years to build the Kimini, I am now even more determined to go ahead and actually start building my own in the near future.


Anman - 16/5/07 at 12:23 PM

Hi,

I bought your books over a week a go. The payment has reached lulu, but the order status is still "fullfillinf". When will it be send?

Anman


kb58 - 16/5/07 at 01:06 PM

They claim "3-5 [business] days" to print the book. Feel free to contact them.

[Edited on 5/16/07 by kb58]


kreb - 28/7/07 at 02:36 PM

Finally got the book. An excellent effort, Kurt. It's much more attuned to a scratch-builder's mindset than previous Locost pubs. It's also chock full of useful information. Now I just have to figure whether to build the mid-engined track T or Mid-engined Ranchero!

Also kind of funny to get a look at you. I always guessed that you were a bit more, shall we say....rough. Somewhere between your actual clean cut tech dude look and Jessie James. Now I know.

So are you and your brother doubling up at the track? Honestly, who's faster?


kb58 - 28/7/07 at 04:50 PM

Well if my brother ever finishes his car... actually, he's getting there. We plan to drive both our cars up to the Monterey Historics next year.

About who's faster, I'd assume he is, since it's about the same weight with 50% more power. OTOH I have better traction, so it'll be interesting. I just don't want it to get into a oneupsmanship where one of us balls up a car.


kreb - 28/7/07 at 08:42 PM

One thing about the Stalker is that it's super forgiving, whereas a short wheelbase middie can be errrrr challenging. You're right about getting the power to the ground. My Stalker typically outbrakes everything, but coming out of the corner, the throttle on has to be used very judiciously, so you should be able to pour it on sooner.

Anyway, great book. It's a real gift to the community.


kb58 - 29/7/07 at 12:35 AM

I should also add that I might be able to outbrake him, what with the drivetrain holding the back tires down. OTOH, a longer wheelbase car like the Stalker will have less fore/aft weight transfer under braking, which helps him.

It'll be interesting. It may end up coming down to tire choice.

Oh, and thanks for the kind words on the book. It got a nice little bump when it appeared in Autoweek (the book, not the car.)


vovole - 30/8/07 at 09:56 AM

I have ordered the book a while ago and read it in two days. No actually I ate it in two days. Now having a lot of infos from another builder, helps you with your confidence.

I mean, errors are human, and also the lack of motivation in a build. I experienced it building two Formula SAE/ Student cars at my university. Both of them designed, built in less than a year. Of course with more people.

KB58īs ten year building time is amazing!!

Thank you, also for your insight in compromises. I mean that is engineering. You always have to compromise!! Keep the whole car under consideration, not only one part.

Cheers


akrallysport - 30/8/07 at 01:20 PM

I have also built 2 FSAE cars and currently working on the SAE Mini Baja project. In some respects I know how it goes, but with 5 to 20+ people working on a project it's a bit easier.

My book was delivered yesterday, and even though I got home late, I skimmed over it and then read through the first 50 or so pages. Being used to hardcore technical books, the delivery is refreshing. Loaded with info, but doesn't overload the brain. This is definitely giving me more insight into making a street-legal car vs the track specials I've been used to building.

I bought the B&W version and can't complain about image quality... they supplement the text very well.

Thank You.

[Edited on 30/8/07 by akrallysport]


Bart Vangampelaere - 9/9/07 at 11:11 AM

I finally ordered a copy too. Can't wait til it's here. I had to settle for the B/W version, as the colour one (72 euro+shipping) was just too expensive for a book.
I'm not planning a middi, but hope to get some usefull info out of it in order to design a front engined car nevertheless.
Actually, I won't be building anything in the next few years anyway, and til I start, I'll probable change my mind between mid-engined and front engined a few times I just like too many cars to build them all


kreb - 10/9/07 at 02:38 PM

Well at least you're honest with yourself. I've stopped announding my next project. I've got a traditional Locost chasis at 90 percent, but have decided that the thing is too spindly for 300 HP and track days. So either I build a stouter chasis, try the middie ranchero, the R1ot knockoff, or build the Restomod Traction Avant, or...........

We are the junkies. Kurt is just one of our dealers.


Doug68 - 12/11/07 at 06:09 AM

At the
Pitstop Book Shop for A$75. Rescued attachment IMAGE_029 small.jpg
Rescued attachment IMAGE_029 small.jpg


kb58 - 12/11/07 at 02:07 PM

Hey, thanks! Neat to finally see it in a real, actual bookstore. I've been supplying The Pitstop bookstore for a while now, one of only two bookstores that carry it.

Speaking of that, if you guys know of a major automotive bookstore in Britain, please let me know. I contacted one there and while they expressed interest, they never replied to my multiple responses. Anyway, it would be great to get it into a bookstore back in the "father land" of self-built cars!


Echidna - 12/11/07 at 06:14 PM

Just ordered your book!
Can't wait to have it into my hands!


kb58 - 22/11/07 at 05:02 AM

Thanks,Echidna!

A word to our Canadian friends:

I'm hearing that Canadians are buying a lot more stuff from the U.S. due to the weak/dead/dying US$. The sheer volume of stuff heading north has completely overwhelmed Customs. This means no matter what's heading north, expect it to get delayed by weeks. I've had exactly one book get lost in the mail, and it was heading to Canada. I suspect it probably isn't lost (though it's been more than a month), but it's something to be aware of.