Dunc
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| posted on 15/5/02 at 12:55 PM |
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Why do you want to build a locost?
Why would anyone want to build a locost? Personally for me I'd always wanted to work for one of the large motor maunfacturers until I found out I'd
be responsible for designing a door handle or an exhaust heat shield every 4 years. That didn't appeal to me, I wanted to be more creative. I'm
building a locost as a stepping stone to building something grander. I know I'm unlikely to earn enough to buy the car I really want so I've set my
goals to building a car to suit my own styles and tastes, my locost is a trial of my skills and limitations as well as blasting round some twisty B
roads. What about you guys? Plan to race it, Pick up chix or just embarrass the local boyracers?
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stephen_gusterson
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| posted on 15/5/02 at 01:00 PM |
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Well, 20 years ago i fancied buildign a dutton phaeton, for reasons i cant remember.
Now, I would like a fast good looking car for one or two days a week use thats not gonna tie up loads of money or cost a fortune to insure.
Also , the idea of saying 'i built it all' made me take the real from bare steel route - no help from martin keenan - just my dad who helsp with a
bit of machining now and again - and a nice s/s fuel tank.
My goal is also to go on a touring trip with the misses somewhere sometime. Thats why i have built mine a bit bigger and more tourer orientated - nice
largish V6 and 6 ins more room.
ATB
Steve
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 15/5/02 at 01:00 PM |
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My reasons are quite simple...
1. I used to ride a motorbike, but came off a few times too many as far as my wife was concerned.
2. I've always wanted a 7 but could never justify spending the money.
The I saw the Locost on TV and thought - a 4-wheeled motorbike!
All went downhill from then on...
cheers,
David
P.S. My 100th post! whoopee!
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ChrisW
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| posted on 15/5/02 at 01:37 PM |
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quote:
or just embarrass the local boyracers
I am the local boyracer! 
Chris
My gaff my rules
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Dunc
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| posted on 15/5/02 at 02:03 PM |
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I was too, that came to an end, especially since I put an order in for one of those new TDCi fiestas in 5 door. Makes me feel old now. Justification
is I spend too much time fixing cars at weekends and the guarantee means if it breaks I take it to a garage. Now I can get back to the important task
of building my Locost, now renamed to 'ol-Scot'.
PS. Hey Boss Man, I know I'm old now but did you have to put 'Senior' Builder? Just you wait, soon you'll be my age too. Hahahaha
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stephen_gusterson
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| posted on 15/5/02 at 03:03 PM |
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I actually put up a poll once on TOL which will still be there. I was suprised how many said 'to impress the girls' and even more my jokey 'impress
the boys' - oohh err. And someone called Dr Cool wants to impress the boys.....who's that then Liam?
Hope this doesnt read like bollocks.....
All the time as main transport 6 4.51% wurlyvalve@y...
scirocco@t...
mdweir@b...
willie_skelly@h...
craigspierce@h...
eddy@w...
Around 5k miles a year 10 7.52% tyddyn@l...
donts7@y...
bluesboy1959@a...
santee@r...
ben@i...
gecko@o...
ea82t@y...
sdewolfe@p...
ozwestie@h...
eskoa@n...
Around 3k miles a year 26 19.55% hess@f...
porschercr@a...
rory_perrett@l...
kenwrace@m...
pinyachta@y...
davhardy@h...
dpw_42@h...
paul@p...
john@s...
paffrench@h...
chrisgamlin@b...
peter_l.carlsson@s...
d.w.jenkins@b...
skojig7@y...
james.hughes@l...
chris.leonard@e...
duncan.hurst@j...
super7@s...
paul29croft@y...
pcarter@t...
chris_harris_@h...
matthew_robinson@l...
alan@s...
stephen.gusterson@ntlworld.com
kenlangston@s...
c.gibbons@b...
Im just in it for the experience 1 0.75% tyddyn@l...
Im not gonna build one 0 0.00%
A lot, but I have other car(s) 24 18.05% mcsman@h...
hess@f...
rupertp@p...
kenwrace@m...
philr@t...
CHague@f...
bluesboy1959@a...
edbratt@a...
dean99_1999@y...
pjbezett@b...
dilligafnz@y...
robin.bliss@v...
rhargrav@p...
theconrodkid@n...
practicalclassics@b...
dr.cool@n...
markeme2000@y...
hannelleng@h...
thomasa@u...
paulbeyer@l...
ozwestie@h...
abdesdes@e...
Standhel@a...
eskoa@n...
To race in 17 12.78% hess@f...
porschercr@a...
wurlyvalve@y...
donts7@y...
pinyachta@y...
scirocco@t...
dilligafnz@y...
dr.cool@n...
markeme2000@y...
eddy@w...
fitzgerald_j@y...
sdewolfe@p...
mdoyle@w...
ozwestie@h...
demes@o...
gl_ie@y...
Paul.Bryant2000@b...
As a dirt buggy / offroad car 0 0.00%
to clutter up my garage, incomplete 1 0.75% paulbeyer@l...
Just to annoy the wife 5 3.76% hess@f...
paul@p...
practicalclassics@b...
thomasa@u...
c.gibbons@b...
To upset Ferrari and other exotica drivers 22 16.54% hess@f...
porschercr@a...
kenwrace@m...
philr@t...
donts7@y...
scirocco@t...
pjbezett@b...
paul@p...
ben@i...
practicalclassics@b...
dr.cool@n...
hannelleng@h...
craigspierce@h...
eddy@w...
ea82t@y...
paulbeyer@l...
duncan.hurst@j...
sdewolfe@p...
matthew_robinson@l...
ozwestie@h...
c.gibbons@b...
Standhel@a...
To wake up neighbours on sunday mornings 10 7.52% tyddyn@l...
philr@t...
scirocco@t...
ben@i...
dr.cool@n...
sdewolfe@p...
chris_harris_@h...
ozwestie@h...
c.gibbons@b...
Standhel@a...
To impress the ladies (hey, does that work???) 8 6.02% nanunanu@q...
philr@t...
john@s...
ben@i...
theconrodkid@n...
practicalclassics@b...
dr.cool@n...
markeme2000@y...
To impress the boys (dont wanna be discriminatory) 3 2.26% philr@t...
john@s...
dr.cool@n...
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Liam
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| posted on 15/5/02 at 03:32 PM |
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Er, that can't have been me, steve.
Ah hell, my mates are gonna be well impressed - that's what you meant, right?
My reasons for building:
# Always loved cars, always loved building. Only took 22 years to put 2 and 2 together. Decided to build a car.
# My mate built one at university - first pinto powered and then ZX9R powered. Decided to build a Locost.
# Discovered existance of Dax Rush Quadra and met the builder of probably the nicest one ever built (was in CCC and at Stoneleigh). Decided to build
a 4WD Locost.
And that's it. Oh...and # Want to avoid getting a degree related carrer for as long as possible (like my whole life)
Liam
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Jasper
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| posted on 15/5/02 at 09:30 PM |
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Same bike reasons, had fast bikes, can't ride slowly on country lanes, got married, starting thinking about dying on every bend and junction, started
doing track days, realised how expensive they would be to do regularly, always loved Lotus 7 and worked near the Cateram factory for a while,
discovered Robin Hood, realised how cheap they could be, thankfully discovered Locost from TV program soon after, saw Jon Ison's posts, and realised
bike power was for me.
Bit unsure if I have the technical knowledge but hey, I'm gonna give it a go anyhow, hopefully with a bit of help from th Forum, nightschool, and
mechanic neighbours.
Don't think I would be attempting this with out the Forum though...., by the sounds of it I'm glad I'm not on the other forum, sure I would have
been given grief by now for inane questions.....
Today I discovered what an awesome tool the twist wirebrush on an angle grinder is, my Cortina parts are coming up like new...if feels good to get
started..
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UncleFista
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| posted on 15/5/02 at 09:45 PM |
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Another frustrated biker here, its starting to sound like a Motorcycles Anonymous meeting 
Used to have bikes up until 10 years ago, crashed my nice new VFR 750 into a Merc (his fault) and spent 2 years unable to walk, it knackered my
already fecked back.
I'm OK now, but can't really see myself giving it the same beans as I used to on a bike, either older or wiser, or both. Was looking into "7"'s
in general, they're the closest you can get to a 4 wheeled bike, and spotted something called a "Locost" based on a MK2 Escort. I spent the first 2
years after leaving school mechanic-ing at a garage that looked after a company van fleet, consisting of MK2 Escorts and Transits, the rest is history
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stephen_gusterson
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| posted on 15/5/02 at 09:59 PM |
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Well, not to be left out, i was a biker once - had a nice late seventies (new) KH250 triple kawa.
Lots of me mates at work have cbr600 and yam 600 now, so im kinda getting the 40's biker itch again - but i gotta finish the car or else someones
gonna have my b""s at home!
Worse crash I ever had was when I put my mini (19 years old I was) into a tree after a shandy or two too many.
No police problems, apart from lost job, 3 months off work, totalled car and broken pelvis. Its something to take 45 mins to get 40 yards to the ward
dinner table ,and have a 90 year old half dead duffer burn you off starting just 2 mins from dinner with his zimmer frame.
Made me realise what it must be like to be disabled, and to realised that crashing a car fecking hurts!
ATB
Steve
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paulbeyer
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| posted on 15/5/02 at 10:15 PM |
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I've always wanted to ride a bike but a 3 year spell working with Avon and Somerset and Gloucestershire Constabulary Accident Investigation Units
persuaded me otherwise.
I'll never forget an incident where a guy riding a Ducati 916 left the M5 at J13 Stroud, negotiated a left turn at the rounabout, lost control and
took out the front wing, front door, back door and rear wing of a Xantia with the back of his head.
I've got tons of stories like that but suffice to say if you lose it on a bike and come into contact with a car it's going to ruin your day.
To me owning a Locost is the next best thing, plenty of fun and hopefully, a little safer.
Happy motoring,
Paul
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m_rayfield
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| posted on 16/5/02 at 12:31 AM |
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Can't afford to buy the kinda car I'd love to drive! Building one seemed almost sensible the longer I thought about it.
No offense ChrisW but the thought of a 'sorted' fiesta seems a little boring in comparison.
Girlfriend bought me 'the book' just for interest's sake - little did she know....
I've really enjoyed stripping my mk2 escort, and learning about that, and I hope to learn a lot more in the coming months!
Basically I love cars and this seemed a good way of having fun, learning more about them, and getting a car for free.
This site has been indispensable so far in helping me iron out my plans, and I reckon it's gonna be a life saver when it comes to trying to put the
damn thing together!!
Thanks to everyone who's already answered one of my many questions - long may it continue!!
Proud to be a 'locostbuilder' 
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Dick Axtell
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| posted on 16/5/02 at 06:24 PM |
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Hi Dunc -
You were very close with your initial message. After years of trying to satisfy the technical braking requirements of various major (and some not so
major) vehicle manufacturers, I wanted to do something just to satisfy me.
Years ago, I remember the early Lotus 7 produced in kit form - £399 got you chassis, wishbones, rear axle links, a Standard 8 axle & rudimentary ally
bodywork. Since my annual pay was £400, there was no possibility. Only rich kids could afford 4 wheel wind-in-the-hair motoring. So now I'm trying to
re-create it, only nowadays - no hair.
Dick Axtell
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chrisg
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| posted on 16/5/02 at 06:35 PM |
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The correct answer to this question is:-
Because I can!
Cheers
Chris
Note to all: I really don't know when to leave well alone. I tried to get clever with the mods, then when they gave me a lifeline to see the
error of my ways, I tried to incite more trouble via u2u. So now I'm banned, never to return again. They should have done it years ago!
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phil.shelton
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| posted on 16/5/02 at 06:57 PM |
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I was gonna say that chris so got to say the next best thing
WHY NOT
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RabNo1
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| posted on 16/5/02 at 11:51 PM |
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I havent actually started building my locost YET! because i only started looking into it a week or 2 ago. BUT i want one because im only 17 and can
drive any bike bigger than a 125(hairdryer) until im atleast 19 :-(. PLUS i wanna be better than just one of they boyracers who max there car, cant
get much more maxed than building it from scratch (well almost)...
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Bob da builder
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| posted on 17/5/02 at 08:16 AM |
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For that Buzz that you cant describe when something that you have made lives... (Im still waiting for that moment..but the light can be seen at the
end of the tunnel) and cos its as i want down to every detail and since i was 14yr i said that i will have a 7 and now at 20yr i have half a 7 built
and that other half in nicely ordered boxes!!
i think that theres petrol running through my body!!!
Rob
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Dazza
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| posted on 18/5/02 at 02:46 PM |
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Well, I am still a biker, and a car driver, and love em both. I am not building a kit yet as i lack a garage, but I do pick up built kits needing
work, and that keeps me going. (for now) Bob my Bro in law, as most of you know, IS putting a locost together, so once that is done, i hope to have a
better place to live and a garage with any luck! So then a locost kit will be on my shopping list!!!!!! Untill then, i will enjoy 165mph on my 2
wheeled beasty!!
ENJOY!!!!!!
fuckit
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warren leader
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| posted on 20/5/02 at 01:31 PM |
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why am i building a locost ? because i keep falling off my zx6r my wife keeps getting the hump and my 2 1/2 year old takes the wee when i fall off !
warren
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