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Locost 7 rebuild/MX-5 swap
9
Ok i bought the The Locost (Lotus 7 replica) last year With the intentions to eventually throw another drivetrain in it because i dont really like what it has.
Im allmost embarrassed
to tell ppl what kinda motor is in it ha.
But it has a 1.9 Saturn engine w/ getto rigged Carburetor, mounted to a Toyota AUTO tranny. The car is still a blast to drive & i have a alot of fun in it but its a bet slow & the auto kills the experience.
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But before we can get to the Locost We got to Strip the Miata. I picked it up last dec in Kingsport tn, The body is in very bad shape but it runs good & came with a 6speed & a Hard Dog Rollbar. Allso my g/f has a Miata so there are peaces here & there she can use.
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we started stripping her last night & got alot done.
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This is what a miata on the floor looks like
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Hoping to strip ;-) some more later ......to be continued
Im allmost embarrassed
to tell ppl what kinda motor is in it ha.But it has a 1.9 Saturn engine w/ getto rigged Carburetor, mounted to a Toyota AUTO tranny. The car is still a blast to drive & i have a alot of fun in it but its a bet slow & the auto kills the experience.
But before we can get to the Locost We got to Strip the Miata. I picked it up last dec in Kingsport tn, The body is in very bad shape but it runs good & came with a 6speed & a Hard Dog Rollbar. Allso my g/f has a Miata so there are peaces here & there she can use.
we started stripping her last night & got alot done.
This is what a miata on the floor looks like
Hoping to strip ;-) some more later ......to be continued
81 - 100 of 178 Posts
2
Got some more work done today.
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The engine mounts are only spot welded in untill i drop the engine back in to make sure All my measurements were right. I couldn't do it by my self because my hoist is giving out on me & wont stay up, so you got to constantly jack it up.
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The engine mounts are only spot welded in untill i drop the engine back in to make sure All my measurements were right. I couldn't do it by my self because my hoist is giving out on me & wont stay up, so you got to constantly jack it up.
6
Holly shit the engine & tranny is bolted in.
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...& then we pulled it back out again to finish the tunnel & shelf. We got alot done today .
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There is still a few small things to weld up & still need to weld in a floor.
I allso need to clean it up so i can paint the frame.
...& then we pulled it back out again to finish the tunnel & shelf. We got alot done today .
There is still a few small things to weld up & still need to weld in a floor.
I allso need to clean it up so i can paint the frame.
Thanks.
OOOPs lol
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more work getting done today.
OOOPs lol
more work getting done today.
5
We welded in the floor today so now i have some where to put my feet
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This is how much leg room we gained. not bad.
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& the Bad news, the car caught on fire again & ruined my trunk cover & seat belt, it was a ugly color anyway.
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Now that we can get a better judge on the pedal placement its just not gunna work.
So im just going to buy some floor mounted pedals witch i should of done in the first place. It will be alot cleaner going that route i think.
Well i get to go back to work tomorrow so less updates again.
This is how much leg room we gained. not bad.
& the Bad news, the car caught on fire again & ruined my trunk cover & seat belt, it was a ugly color anyway.
Now that we can get a better judge on the pedal placement its just not gunna work.
So im just going to buy some floor mounted pedals witch i should of done in the first place. It will be alot cleaner going that route i think.
Well i get to go back to work tomorrow so less updates again.
3
havnt updated this in a min. Oct is allways a very busy month.
Yesterday i made templants for all tunnel & firewall sheet-metal.
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Today we took them to work & cut it all out.
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Some of the peices we got to take back & trim a lil
Allso yesterday we moved the ebrake about a inch & a half back
Yesterday i made templants for all tunnel & firewall sheet-metal.
Today we took them to work & cut it all out.
Some of the peices we got to take back & trim a lil
Allso yesterday we moved the ebrake about a inch & a half back
8
Holy crap its been along time since ive updated this.
Its warmed up a lil so i dont mine playing in the garage.
So i started drilling out all the holes & started riveting on all firewall & transmission tunnel panels. Allso Made some straps to mount the pedals & installed them temporarily. So far everything is coming together pretty nicely.
But the Brake pedal is going to have to be cut down a good bit because it sits up way to high.
I primmered all the panels & installed the rivets wet (with rtv) to help prevent rust later because of the two dissimilar metals.
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The gas pedal is just hanging there. Im gunna have to cut it down a lil as well & make a plate to bolt for it to bolt on to.
Alllso you might notice that the driver side inner transmission panel is on the inside of the tunnel. I did that to give me a just a lil bit extra room for my feet. every inch counts.( thats what she said)
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all the top panels are just sitting there & not screwed or riveted in yet.
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Hopefully the next update doesnt take as long ha.
Its warmed up a lil so i dont mine playing in the garage.
So i started drilling out all the holes & started riveting on all firewall & transmission tunnel panels. Allso Made some straps to mount the pedals & installed them temporarily. So far everything is coming together pretty nicely.
But the Brake pedal is going to have to be cut down a good bit because it sits up way to high.
I primmered all the panels & installed the rivets wet (with rtv) to help prevent rust later because of the two dissimilar metals.
.
The gas pedal is just hanging there. Im gunna have to cut it down a lil as well & make a plate to bolt for it to bolt on to.
Alllso you might notice that the driver side inner transmission panel is on the inside of the tunnel. I did that to give me a just a lil bit extra room for my feet. every inch counts.( thats what she said)
.
all the top panels are just sitting there & not screwed or riveted in yet.
Hopefully the next update doesnt take as long ha.
Dropped the motor back in. Man is it a tight fit!
But its in there.
We needed to drop it in to figure out where we are going to route the rear brake & fuel lines.
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But its in there.
We needed to drop it in to figure out where we are going to route the rear brake & fuel lines.
6
Got some more work done today.
Made & ran all new brake lines, trying to figure out all the right sizes kinda sucked.
Haven't clamped them down yet cause im gonna do that after paint.
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Allso Ordered a sec seat,
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Drilled the hole for the throttle cable, & currently trying to figure out how we are gunna get it to work at the position it is in. So yet another puzzle.
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A few post ago i said the engine was a pretty tight fit. so Tight that we had to cut a big chunk out of the frame to make room, Allso that transmission isnt vibrating against it.
So we had the add another bar to help strengthen it back up a lil
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It seems like at everystep there is a new hurdle to jump over.
Made & ran all new brake lines, trying to figure out all the right sizes kinda sucked.
Haven't clamped them down yet cause im gonna do that after paint.
Allso Ordered a sec seat,
Drilled the hole for the throttle cable, & currently trying to figure out how we are gunna get it to work at the position it is in. So yet another puzzle.
A few post ago i said the engine was a pretty tight fit. so Tight that we had to cut a big chunk out of the frame to make room, Allso that transmission isnt vibrating against it.
So we had the add another bar to help strengthen it back up a lil
It seems like at everystep there is a new hurdle to jump over.
7
Well did some more work the past few days.
I pulled everything back out of the car, cleaned it up real good & painted everything black.
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We had to hack up my mx5 gas pedal pretty good to get it were i needed it... its ugly but it works.
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Had to get a lil creative with mounting the gas pedal assy. had to add a brace & some pretty big spacers. but im happy with it.
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Started clamping all the brake & fuel lines down. Its gunna be a tight fit in the tunnel. I still have to run a fuel return & wiring down it.
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Allso chopped my brake pedal down because it was way to tall, now i need to have it welded up.
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I wanted to drop the engine & tranny back in but i didnt have a extra hand.
once its in i can start working on the wiring fun fun.
I pulled everything back out of the car, cleaned it up real good & painted everything black.
We had to hack up my mx5 gas pedal pretty good to get it were i needed it... its ugly but it works.
Had to get a lil creative with mounting the gas pedal assy. had to add a brace & some pretty big spacers. but im happy with it.
Started clamping all the brake & fuel lines down. Its gunna be a tight fit in the tunnel. I still have to run a fuel return & wiring down it.
Allso chopped my brake pedal down because it was way to tall, now i need to have it welded up.
I wanted to drop the engine & tranny back in but i didnt have a extra hand.
once its in i can start working on the wiring fun fun.
3
Had mr Jankanshank weld up my pedal because he's awesome.
now instead of Wilwood it just says Wood on thee side of the pedal lol
I meant to clean it up & paint it before butting it back in, but i forgot.
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Then mr FNEG came over & helped me drop in the engine & tranny. bolting down the tranny is a bugger.
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Today i took off work started working on my plumbing.
dropped in the old ugly heavy radiator & ran the bottom hose & looped the heater core ports.
I had to order a coolant filler neck coupler thingy so i have away to fell the system since the radi doesnt have one.
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Allso ran the fuel return line, im just going with rubber hose all the way back.
now instead of Wilwood it just says Wood on thee side of the pedal lol
I meant to clean it up & paint it before butting it back in, but i forgot.
Then mr FNEG came over & helped me drop in the engine & tranny. bolting down the tranny is a bugger.
Today i took off work started working on my plumbing.
dropped in the old ugly heavy radiator & ran the bottom hose & looped the heater core ports.
I had to order a coolant filler neck coupler thingy so i have away to fell the system since the radi doesnt have one.
Allso ran the fuel return line, im just going with rubber hose all the way back.
4
Now another issue i ran into is the Turbo mani i ordered is facing the wrong direction.
looking at it you would think it would but i was wrong. Now if i was to loop the exhaust down i would run inot my steering linkage, & i really didnt want to cut the flang off & reweld it so i went the easy way & just drill new holes.
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Not gunna lie its pretty freaking ugly since i used the plasma cutter to notch it out.
it would of taken me a few days & 100 drill bits to drill them all out ha.
I plan on cleaning it up a lil.
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It works, but took me a good while to do.
Allso threw the lights back on.
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Now still need to work on wiring & chop the driveshaft.
looking at it you would think it would but i was wrong. Now if i was to loop the exhaust down i would run inot my steering linkage, & i really didnt want to cut the flang off & reweld it so i went the easy way & just drill new holes.
Not gunna lie its pretty freaking ugly since i used the plasma cutter to notch it out.
it would of taken me a few days & 100 drill bits to drill them all out ha.
I plan on cleaning it up a lil.
It works, but took me a good while to do.
Allso threw the lights back on.
Now still need to work on wiring & chop the driveshaft.
81 - 100 of 178 Posts
