Wow, we're almost done. Well,
not 'done' done of course, but all of the frame joints are fully welded and the diagonal bracing is in and the
transmission tunnel is all fixed, so we're ready to start attaching stuff to the frame. I think we'll start
with the seat belt brackets, since they're important, and also because we've already got them cut
out. We'll then move on to brackets we haven't cut out yet. After we cut them out. Which shouldn't take
long now that we have our cool new angle grinder with cut-off wheel.
Transmission tunnel now fits giant differentials
Our welding has been steadily improving. We're continuing to grind away ugly welds so we can take
another shot at them, and as a consequence the frame is starting to look really good from all angles,
which is excellent because now we don't have to be nearly as picky when choosing photos for the
website. We've been sort of critical lately when looking at other Locost websites, comparing
their welds to ours. It's surprising how bad some of them look. No Locost frame is perfect, but come
on, you don't have to post every photo. Show some pride.
Paint pretending to be attached to the A-arms
We're looking forward to getting suspension parts attached, and with that goal in mind we've been trying
to paint the A-arms. We've had plenty of painting experience, especially with spray cans, so this
should be a no-brainer. But the Dupli-color etching primer we're using doesn't seem to be working. It's
not etching. We've never actually used etching primer before and I'm not 100% sure what etching
is, but I'd expect it has something to do with getting the paint to stick to the metal. It's not doing
that. Regular Rustoleum primer sticks to metal just fine. Not this stuff.
It might've been too hot outside when we applied it. I have a theory that whatever etching is, the paint does
it before it dries, and it takes a little while to do it. So if it's too hot and the paint flashes right
away (in retrospect, painting in direct sunlight might've been overkill), the metal's left in an un-etched
state. So when you wet-sand the part and try to dry it off with compressed air, the paint peels off in big
sheets and flies away like a flat Peter Pan. At least that's my theory. I'll keep working on it. The paint,
not the theory.
What A 30% Locost looks like
Minor setbacks aside, the Locost is now 30% complete, according to our build plan. It doesn't
really look 30% complete, but at least it looks like something. When it was 25% complete it didn't look
like anything. Maybe a Locost that had been blown up. There wasn't anything bigger than an odd
tube or car part, and everything was scattered all over the garage and beyond. However, despite the apparent
lack of progress at the time, we didn't get discouraged. We figured it'd take a miracle to finish the
project anyway, so why worry about it.
Now we've put in over 700 hours, which is 200 more than a lot of estimates for a complete build. I
think we were a little more realistic, giving ourselves well over 2000 hours, but maybe it'll take less. I
find lately that, except for the actual welding, we're finishing things a little quicker than our
original estimates. It wasn't always like that. In the beginning we had plenty of false starts and
do-overs, and if a particular task offered several different fabrication possibilities, we always opted for
the slowest one. Not by choice. Okay it was by choice, but at the time we didn't know any better. So even
though we'd all agree that we have a few more major screw-ups to look forward to, things are moving faster,
if for no other reason than we have better tools now.
Suspension components not actually attached
As a result of this, our completion date, calculated
regularly on the Build Plan page, keeps creeping back toward 2013. Up until now I'm not sure we ever really
believed we'd get anything more out of this project than a replacement for the mock-up frame. Now that
we've reached that point, the reality of having a new car is starting to sink in. The idea of attaching
suspension components and having something we can roll in and out of the garage is almost
unbelievable. And yet there it is. A car that just needs a little bit of assembly. And some paint. And bodywork.
Right now, though, it's back to one step at a time. We'll continue to enjoy the small milestones, but
all those little metal bits and pieces aren't going to cut and grind themselves. We need to start taking
the differential apart, too, now that we know it's going to fit, so we can clean it up and get the brackets
welded onto that.
Thank you ever so for you post.Much thanks again. Cool.
posted October 24, 2016 at 02:22:42
This is one awesome article.Thanks Again. Want more.
posted September 20, 2017 at 09:32:31
Thanks so much for the blog post.Much thanks again.
posted November 8, 2017 at 10:19:48
your posts more, pop! Your content is excellent but with pics and videos, this site could definitely be one of the best
posted December 17, 2018 at 08:07:30
You can certainly see your skills in the work you write. The world hopes for even more passionate writers like you who are not afraid to say how they believe. Always go after your heart.
posted December 20, 2018 at 01:40:43
Thanks for sharing, this is a fantastic blog post.Much thanks again. Want more.