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newbie looking to build v8 locost
dange - 4/12/05 at 07:15 PM

ok im thinking about building a locost with a few problems
1. i live in the US so alot of resources dont pertain to me any sites you recomend?

2. im wanting to use a chevy v8 and tranny as i can get one for extremely cheap and puts out good hp

3.id like to find a parts list, stating the length of tubing i need, and all other parts

i did research finding to use the 8cyl i need a +4 chassis any other considerations?

ill add more later but im very interested and seeing if this will be fesable
im only a 20year old with very little free time and very little money, im building up a mazda miata but if this seems like I can do it then the miata jsut becomes a Daily driver and ill make this into my project


oh and are the uk escorts basically the same as the US escorts? if so that is an easy doner as escorts are extremely easy to find here in US

[Edited on 4/12/05 by dange]

MikeRJ - 4/12/05 at 07:41 PM

quote:
Originally posted by dange
oh and are the uk escorts basically the same as the US escorts? if so that is an easy doner as escorts are extremely easy to find here in US

[Edited on 4/12/05 by dange]


Not unless you have plenty of rear wheel drive Mk1/Mk2 Escorts from the late 60's to 70's.

I suspect you are thinking of the more modern FWD Escorts which are not suitable donors

greggors84 - 4/12/05 at 07:52 PM

Im pretty sure that even the later fwd escorts are different to the US Ford Escort.

Messenjah - 4/12/05 at 09:04 PM

there are several us kits that use the miata as the donor !

...

jestre - 4/12/05 at 09:37 PM

check out mcsorley.net for plans that should hold a v8.

derf - 5/12/05 at 06:35 AM

No the escort is very different here from the UK

You want a decent US locost site, not as much info as here, but we are working on it, and are getting good at finding US specific parts and solutions.

www.locostusa.com

scotty g - 5/12/05 at 08:24 AM

There are now qiute a few US builders that use this forum regularly, don't think any are using V8s but it is very do-able with the 442 plans (4" longer, 4"wider and 2"taller).

Dale - 5/12/05 at 02:08 PM

Check out the Yahoo group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Locost_North_America/
For some reason it know comes up as an adult group but its not.
Dale

Oliver Coles - 6/12/05 at 09:24 PM

I Think chevy v8's weigh more than a quarter of a ton. You must make sure you use some hevy duty steel to make the chassie.

kreb - 6/12/05 at 09:53 PM

Yeah, a Chevy V-8 is a real porker unless you spend big $$$ for an aluminum one.

You can make 200 or more horsepower easily, reliably and cheaply from one of several pushrod V-6s. In a 1400 Lb. car that'll give you serious power.

Look, if you're mainly gonna cruise this thing with the occasional auto-x thrown in, by all means, shoehorn a SBC in there. But if you have any serious competion aspirations, you'd be better off with a more balanced package.