It turns out there are roughly sixteen million different
ways to arrange an MGB pedal box and MGB steering column in a Locost frame, give or take a few thousand. Of those
sixteen million, exactly 23 will allow you to install the parts, close the hood, operate the pedals, and still fit
gauges in the dashboard. Of those 23, only one will end up with the steering wheel in the exact center of the driver's
compartment. After many long hours in front of the computer, I believe we have found that one arrangement. However it's
a going to be a tight squeeze, and a major test of our rookie fabrication skills.
Locost pedal box and pedals
Faced with similar engineering challenges, most M.G. Locost builders would take the stock pedal box and steering
column, and put them both up for sale on eBay. A nice set of floor-mounted Wilwoods fits easily in any Locost, leaving
all the room in the world for just about any steering column. Problem solved. And that's what I would call real
engineering, but of course that's not what we do here. We're building a Locost with parts from a 1972 MGB roadster,
and not just a few of them. As many M.G. parts as we can stuff in there. No compromises. So we're doing it the hard
way.
Amateur engineering at work
To fit the MGB pedal box and steering column, we're taking a double-decker approach. The pedal box will be
raised an inch and a half above the rear engine bay shelf on two 1-1/2" sections of 1/8" wall 3-1/2" square tube, and
the steering column will fit more or less underneath it. The pedal box will just clear the hood, the steering column
will just thread between the frame tubes, and the clutch pedal will just miss the side body panel at full depression,
at least so long as the pedal bushing is in good shape. I'm sure it'll be fine.
We won't go into all the gory design details here, because for one thing it'll be mind-numbingly boring and for
another it likely won't make any sense. Suffice it to say that when it comes time to build the scuttle, we'll take
pictures, which won't necessarily make it any clearer, but will definitely be just as boring. Trust me.
No way the garage is actually this clean
Meanwhile, we've been preparing the Locost workshop for the major part of the build. We assembled our second workbench
and welding table in a corner of the garage that until two weeks ago was all but hidden by junk. A second workbench
was essential for the build, because the original bench was covered with power tools and therefore useless. I figure
it should take at least a couple of weeks before the new workbench fills up, after which we should still be able to
use the welding table to actually work on things.
Locost parts ready for installation
We also built some shelves where we can stash a lot of Locost parts, at least on a temporary basis. These aren't all the parts
of course. Some are hidden in the new workbench and others are scattered around the house. But we know exactly where
everything is. Mostly. In any case we're just about done with the parts business. In a day or two
we're pulling the suspension out of the donor, and shipping the remains of the chassis off to the dismantlers. Then the
welding begins, and things should start to get exciting again.
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