Building a Locost
Last updated January 15, 2013
When we put together
this website back in December of 2011, we included a page about our Locost building philosophy.
The page made a few observations about the sort of decisions you need to make when you set
out to build a sports car. Since then we've made a couple more observations, about Locosts and
car-building in general. So we created this section of the website to talk about things that
pertain to building a Locost, but not necessarily our Locost.
Current entries include:
My Locost Build Philosophy
What is a Locost?
About the Builder
Do We Need a New Locost Forum?
What We've Learned
Motivation
Locost FAQ
Registering a Locost in California
The Lotus Seven Pecking Order
Real World FAQs
Painting your Locost
Maybe some day we'll get around to posting our driving
impressions.
An M.G. Locost Build >> Building a Locost
About
Our Locost
Our Build Plan
Building a Locost
Build Summary
Workshop Manual
Construction Manual
Our Build Log
Phase I - First Steps
Construction Begins | August 1, 2011
Suspension Ideas | August 21, 2011
New Tools | September 3, 2011
Vacation Note | September 21, 2011
Suspension Work | October 1, 2011
Tapping | October 6, 2011
The New Jig | October 20, 2011
Drawing Board | October 24, 2011
New and Improved | October 31, 2011
Tap Lessons | November 6, 2011
The First Setback | November 9, 2011
Suspension Progress | November 12, 2011
The Plan | November 15, 2011
Suspension Brackets | November 17, 2011
Safety | November 21, 2011
The Nose Jig | November 28, 2011
Bushings | November 30, 2011
Frame Tubes | December 5, 2011
Inspiration | December 13, 2011
The Donor | December 19, 2011
Suspension Milestone | December 31, 2011
Rear Suspension | January 4, 2012
Frame Space | January 11, 2012
Phase II - The Donor
The Donor Arrives | January 14, 2012
Engine Work | January 19, 2012
Donor Woes | January 28, 2012
The Donor Lives | February 5, 2012
Back to Basics | February 11, 2012
Donor Thoughts | February 22, 2012
Radiator Testing | February 26, 2012
Last Drive of the Donor | March 1, 2012
Fitting the Engine | March 5, 2012
Restoring Parts | March 9, 2012
Dismantling the Donor | March 12, 2012
Pedal Box Engineering | March 18, 2012
Donor Milestone | March 23, 2012
Back to Building | March 27, 2012
Phase III - The Frame
Thoughts on Welding | April 5, 2012
First Actual Welding | April 11, 2012
Frame Building Begins | April 16, 2012
Frame Progress | April 20, 2012
The R-word | April 24, 2012
Transmission Tunnel | April 27, 2012
Frame Welding | April 30, 2012
Welding Continues | May 3, 2012
First Welding Setback | May 7, 2012
Basic Frame Completed | May 11, 2012
Suspension Brackets | May 15, 2012
Measure Twice | May 18, 2012
Back on Track | May 21, 2012
Chassis Details | May 26, 2012
Phase IV - Getting it Rolling
Pedal Issues | May 31, 2012
Steering Column | June 4, 2012
Steering Column Issues | June 9, 2012
Pedals are In | June 15, 2012
Suspension Progress | June 21, 2012
Aussie Mods | June 26, 2012
Installing the Radiator | June 30, 2012
Steering Directions | July 3, 2012
Last Frame Tubes | July 8, 2012
More Chassis Details | July 12, 2012
Putting on the Brakes | July 16, 2012
Nuts | July 21, 2012
Last of the Welding | July 26, 2012
One Year Ago | July 29, 2012
Framing the Scuttle | August 3, 2012
Panhard Setback | August 8, 2012
Grinding | August 12, 2012
Two Steps Forward | August 17, 2012
Scuttle Work | August 21, 2012
Steering Connections | August 25, 2012
The Build Table | August 29, 2012
Engine Installation | September 4, 2012
Restoration Work | September 10, 2012
Suspension Install | September 15, 2012
Chassis Assembly | September 19, 2012
Roller | September 23, 2012
Phase V - Getting it Running
Handbrake | September 26, 2012
Exhaust Ideas | September 29, 2012
Cooling | October 3, 2012
Dashboard Ideas | October 7, 2012
More Brackets | October 12, 2012
More Sheeting | October 16, 2012
Exhaust Work | October 21, 2012
Scuttle Parts | October 25, 2012
Tunnel Panels | October 29, 2012
Engine Removal | November 4, 2012
Welding Limits | November 8, 2012
Wiring Ideas | November 12, 2012
Tabs Everywhere | November 16, 2012
Sheet Metal | November 21, 2012
Firewalls | November 26, 2012
The Floor | November 30, 2012
Final Chassis Details | December 5, 2012
Little Projects | December 12, 2012
Lighting | December 19, 2012
Roll Bar | December 23, 2012
Wind Buffeting | December 29, 2012
Lowering the Bar | January 3, 2013
Weather Watch | January 8, 2013
Waiting Game | January 12, 2013
Aluminum Work | January 17, 2013
Seats | January 23, 2013
Dashboard Mount | January 28, 2013
Last of the Welding | February 2, 2013
More Pedals | February 7, 2013
Month of Painting | February 12, 2013
A Painted Chassis | February 17, 2013
Defrosting | February 22, 2013
Last of the Painting | February 27, 2013
Chassis Prep | March 4, 2013
Final Assembly | March 8, 2013
Brake Lines | March 12, 2013
Back on Wheels | March 17, 2013
Counting Down | March 22, 2013
Aluminum dashboard | March 27, 2013
Wiring Begins | March 31, 2013
Transmission | April 4, 2013
Bonnet | April 8, 2013
Drivetrain | April 13, 2013
Last Minute Items | April 17, 2013
Runner | April 19, 2013
Phase VI - Coachwork
Project Thoughts | April 24, 2013
Glove Box | April 29, 2013
Tuning | May 4, 2013
Final Plan | May 8, 2013
Veneering | May 12, 2013
Color Issues | May 16, 2013
Fuel System | May 20, 2013
Electricity | May 24, 2013
Building the Body | May 28, 2013
Lighting | June 1, 2013
Seating Positions | June 5, 2013
Bending Aluminum | June 10, 2013
Fitting Panels | June 15, 2013
Cooling | June 20, 2013
Headlights | June 24, 2013
Wings | June 29, 2013
Paint Prep | July 3, 2013
Interior Bits | July 8, 2013
Gray Primer | July 14, 2013
90% and Counting | July 20, 2013
Sanding | July 24, 2013
Year Three | July 29, 2013
Going Green | August 3, 2013
Light Work | August 8, 2013
Grill Work | August 13, 2013
Glossy | August 18, 2013
Phase VII - Getting it Registered
Final Details | August 23, 2013
Final Budget | August 28, 2013
Final Entries | September 2, 2013
Propshaft | September 6, 2013
Windshield | September 11, 2013
Electrics | September 16, 2013
Front Fenders | September 20, 2013
Seats | September 24, 2013
First Drive | September 28, 2013
Last Piece | October 3, 2013
Mods | October 8, 2013
Change of Plans | October 13, 2013
Weight | October 19, 2013
Cosmetic Changes | October 26, 2013
Updates | November 3, 2013
Inspections | November 10, 2013
SB100 | November 18, 2013
Almost Official | November 28, 2013
Final Mods | December 7, 2013
Waiting | December 15, 2013
Finally Cool | December 22, 2013
Long Drives | January 1, 2014
Repairs | January 8, 2014
Glove Box Redux | January 15, 2014
Body Work | January 22, 2014
Smog | January 28, 2014
Scoop | February 3, 2014
Brakes & Lights | February 10, 2014
30 Months Later | February 15, 2014
Phase VIII - On the Road
First Impressions | June 14, 2014
Commuting | September 12, 2014
Maintenance | October 12, 2014
Upgrades | January 19, 2015
Repairs | April 5, 2015
The Long Miles | May 26, 2015
Another First | June 23, 2015
Tinkering | July 23, 2015
Summer in the City | August 25, 2015
Car Shows | September 23, 2015
The Experiment | October 6, 2015
Superbowl Tour | October 25, 2015
The List | November 14, 2015
M.G. Clutches | November 27, 2015
20K Miles | December 20, 2015
Interior Redo | January 18, 2016
Exterior Redo | January 31, 2016
More Broken Parts | February 12, 2016
Cool Systems | March 31, 2016
Maker Faire Prep | April 29, 2016
Calibration | May 18, 2016
Electric Dreams | May 31, 2016
Structural Integrity | June 12, 2016
Noises | July 2, 2016
New Projects | July 27, 2016
Back to Welding | August 11, 2016
Bonnet 2.0 | August 24, 2016
It's a Wrap | September 5, 2016
Phase IX - Refinements
Ten Years Ago | September 17, 2016
Clutch Revisited | September 29, 2016
Little Locosts | October 11, 2016
Stressing | October 25, 2016
Still Welding | November 8, 2016
Wheel Upgrades | January 31, 2017
Deja Suspension | February 26, 2017
Maker Faire Plans | April 30, 2017
Carbs Revisited | May 12, 2017
Wheels Revisted | June 9, 2017
Parts Car | July 3, 2017
Grip | July 24, 2017
Eclipsed | August 24, 2017
Longevity | September 14, 2017
Exhausting | September 27, 2017
Neglect | October 12, 2017
We Have Ignition | November 3, 2017
Exhaust 2.0 | December 4, 2017
Upcoming Projects | March 9, 2018
One Down | March 30, 2018
Still Driving | December 7, 2018
Maker Faire 2019 | March 24, 2019