A locost style track car, Car9

[horizenjob]

Well with Pat's parts it appeared it would be a good idea to redo the bottom of the dash hoop. It took me awhile to get enough resolve to cut out the previous work for the dash area and install a new bottom tube but here it is. I worked out a way to bulge that bottom tube back and work it into the diagonals on the floor. So now this part of the car can be adjusted by the builder to suite their drivetrain and weight balance choice.

Car9G_DashBulge1.jpg (231.38 KiB) Viewed 4392 times

I have another builder that has just started a frame in North Carolina. He is a welder by trade and is building his version in square tube. We are trying to make an easier/quicker to build version. So far this car is planned with a Ecotec 1.4l, T5 and Subaru R160 rear end.

Car9J_Progress1.jpg (116.54 KiB) Viewed 4392 times

[horizenjob]

Baby got back. My friend Tom was getting ready to bolt up the rear suspension and I decided to do some more checking on the control arm design. Long story short I landed up spending two weeks doing a redesign on the lower arm to increase margins. Lots of modeling different approaches and trying to get the details right. My FEA (stress analysis) models of the frame now include the suspension arms and you can make them move etc.

Tom was patient and rebuilt his arms to the new spec. They now have 1.25" x 0.095 rear legs with revised and much stronger brackets for the coilover mounts. I think they look pretty nice now too.

He is now at the part where a set of tires would get him track time, but there is a lot of work left to make it a nice car.

[Robbovius]

Hey Marcus! so this is where you've been posting

[horizenjob]

Hey Marcus! so this is where you've been posting

Geez, obviously not enough - sorry it took so long to see this.

My frame is mostly welded now. I'm pushing on a project for an open source ECU box right now, so a slight delay on the car. Do we have any electronics guys on the forum? I've posted a picture or two on Speedtalk and the LocostUSA site. I have the schematics to a first level, but they need to be gone thru again and better values picked for some components. The PCB has the components placed and I did some fancy stuff with the power planes and now I need to do the signal layout. I've done a good amount of lab work on boards over the years but this is my first design on my own, usually I do the software and some hardware bring up...

What a $17 chip will do these days is amazing, but next years model has a 4000 page manual. I have been buried in this for several months now but I think there is light at the end of the tunnel.

If folks are interested or have any opinions to share step right up! I'll post a picture in a day or two of the board....