My goal is to build a Locost using Miata parts, including the power plant frame (PPF). I know that only a few who start actually finish, so I start this with some humility. I hope to finish, but it is a race against age.
Let us start by acknowledging the people and web sites that have guided my approach.
Here are some books:
- Legend of the Lotus Seven by Dennis Ortenburger. I wish I knew exactly when I bought this book, my guess is about 30 years ago, but it started an interest that has never died.
- Build your own Sports Car for as Little as £250 by Ron Champion. The first book on building a Locost. I call this the “book” build.
- Build your own Sports Car on a Budget by Chris Gibbs. The updated Locost book. I call this the “Haynes” build – a bit bigger than the “book”.
- How to Build a Cheap Sports Car by Keith Tanner. A kit build using Miata components. The book gives a lot of detail on what you actually need to do to finish. See web site below.
- How to Make Your Car Handle by Fred Puhn. Down to earth suggestions on suspension design.
- Chassis Engineering by Herb Adams. Another practical guide to suspension design.
- Competition Car Suspension – Design, Construction, Tuning by Allan Staniforth. Somewhat more advanced description of design approach.
Forums and videos:
- Project 7-UP on Tools-n-Track: The build uses a Miata donor, is based on the Vodou plans, and is not finished. But I learned a lot by watching them. They run into frame interference problems and other challenges that made me know I needed to draw a CAD model before proceeding.
- Sevenesque: A source of plans and good ideas. I plan to use a variation of the suggestions for the suspension.
- LocostUSA: The USA Locost forum. A lot of good information. You never know what you will read that will help. I like the Lessons Learned discussion in the Building Your Own Frame section.
- Kinetic Vehicles: It makes me so happy to know that Jack McCornack is still out there selling Locost parts. I bought suspension, body, and roll bar parts for my build.
- Keith Tanner’s web site: Describes his build with a lot of detail.
Other Contributors:
- Vodou plans: This has been a huge help. The plans are an extension of the Haynes design with changes to accommodate the Miata differential. Matt Barrett made the drawings and I used them as a starting point. Here are the three files with the design drawings: Vodou Plan Pack_1, Vodou Plan Pack_2, Vodou Plan Pack_3.
- Finite Element Analysis: Important suggestions for improving the chassis. Huge thanks to an unknown person. I will use some of the suggestions in my design. Here is version 2 of the paper “An Analysis of Car Chassis“. This second version is hard to find.
OK, this is a start. Will add more posts.
