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My Frequently Asked Questions Page

These are the sorts of questions on building a Locost specifically in Western Australia that I have been asked. The answers are based purely on my experiences, so I make this 'fine print' disclaimer: I make no claim or warranty as to the legality, safety and appropriateness in all situations and jurisdictions of the  information on this web page, and recommend you seek your own professional, legal or engineering advice on these matters.

What are the rules?
What all of 'em?
Basically the Locost must meet the Australian Design Rules current at the time the vehicle is registered - but the  Department of Transport  makes some consessions for home -built vehicles. I strongly recomend you telephone the Department on (08) 9351 1681 and specifically ask for Reno Marchesi (the 'kit and custom vehicle man' as at January 1999) in the Vehicle Safety Branch. Warning - don't ring the 13 11 56 'recorded information' number and don't ring the 9320 9320 number and ask a 'general' question, as you will be 'on hold' for almost an hour (true! been there - done that!).

As the Department probably gets a lot of telephone calls from dreamers and tyre kickers, they ask you to write in briefly describing your project and to request a copy of the "Guidelines for Kit and Custom Vehicles". The Guide lists applicable Australian Design Rules and briefly outlines some consessions concerning  alternatives to full ADR testing. It also includes a 'Wheel Tyre fitment guide' and a diagram on Rules concerning lighting.
 

What do Engineers do?
Recently (as at March 2000) it seems Western Australia is starting too adopt the system of private engineering certification for 'one-off' vehicles as used by other States of Australia. That is certain automotive engineers in private industry can inspect your car and if it meets the requirements, issue a "Road Worthiness Certificate" that the registration authorities accept. The engineer provide advice on how to meet the requirements or conducts the tests in the ADRs (all of which you pay for) and then you make any changes required. This didn't apply in Western Austrlia until early 2000, the inspection and interpretation of the law was mostly done by the public servants of the Department of Transport It also seems if you already have recieved a letter approving constructing, and a copy of the 3 page guidelines (as I did), then you are still under the old system, and the inspections are done by the Department.

A full list of engineers is available over the phone from the Department (they won't fax it too you, you could probably make an issue and lodge a Freedom of Information request...). The names of some approved engineers given to me on 28 March 2000 included:
Aaron Chapman 08-9355 3313
Romeo Hillerin 08-9344 7285 (0417 996 229)
Dan Pittic 08-9307 1436
Jamie Guard 08-9356 1415
Martin Simms 08-9314 7979
BIG DISCLAIMER - Please check on the bona-fides of these guys yourself, I make no guarantee as to their workmanship etc, or whether they have maintained their current approved status with the Department of Transport. As at 24 July 2000, for Locost builders it would be best to contact Jamie Guard, as he is familiar with Ron Champion's book, and has a package of diagrams of modifications to address some of the following issues (costing $250 as at 24.7.00).

The first 'big issue' for these engineers concerning a Locost, is the quality of the welds - they don't like 'unqualified' welders, yet some engineers won't say upfront what qualification is actually appropriate. It seems the minimum is a T.A.F.E. hobby welder course, backed up by a lifetime of trade experience in occasional welding.

Next big issue is that the chassis must be tested for torsion/bending (beaming), the seat mounts and seatbelt anchorages must be certified as meeting the loads specified in the ADRs, which is done by a private automotive engineer, who has to be a chartered member of the Institute of Engineers. A description of the torsion-beaming test as applied in the Australian state of Queensland can be found at  Roger Pickens Locost page . Note that in WA the chassis must pass 4000Nm/degree, whilst some othe States allow a figure based on vehicle weight (around 2600Nm). The torsion-beaming test can be done in Perth by Jamie Guard at "Replica- cars" 55 Poole Street, Welshpool, W.A. (almost next door to the old Westfield Factory). The seat and seatbelt anchorage test is done by Romeo Hillerin, of Balcatta, Cost for each of the tests is approximatley $400. For torsion-beaming the car must be at a driveable chassis stage, and both tests test take about 2 days.

Can I fit a 3 or 4 point racing harness?
Good question, every other Lotus Seven-type car seems to have them: - read this.

Can I just buy a licensed donor car (Escort, Cortina) and use it's registration, keep the engine number, stamp the chassis number to the new space frame?
Very tempting, as there are no regular vehicle inspections in Western Australia, but illegal.You may only get caught if your Locost went through a speed camera, red light camera, random breath testing station, random license check, random police 'hassle' because you have fancy car/long hair/ black T-shirt etc - and the police decide to check details, how often does that happen?? Also what happens if you have an accident? You are deceptively driving around in an un-roadworthy vehicle (not as arguable, as say you were in an old clunker) and will lose any insurance cover,and  if people die, the Coroner may decide to charge you with manslaughter....
 
How much will it cost?
More than 250 Pounds, thats for sure. This is very difficult to estimate, as it will depend on how much you can do yourself (can you weld, do you have the tools), what access to people in the "industry" you have, what sort of "deals" you can get, whether the parts you use are new, reconditioned, rebuilt by you or used as is. Remember the chassis testing may be over $400, the Registration may be about $800, a 4A-GE engine and 5 speed gearbox could be $1500, new Spax Coil-over shock absorbers cost about $1000, the metal tubing for  the chassis will only cost about $150 (and you may be able to find 'scrap' from a metal fabricator just as it says in the book). The cheapest nosecone&fenders I could find was $450 (good quality parts will cost $1000). Insurance is available from Classic car insurers such as Shannons who do 'laid up' insurance and various 'package deals' depending on how many kilometres/year you will be driving. My quote was less than it cost to insure a 1989 4WD Subaru Wagon, but more than my 1990 VN Commodore Wagon.

My car will probably cost about $5000 and take 2 years (change that too 3-4 years, but who's counting).

How Long?
This answer is as variable as cost? I have heard of people welding a complete space frame in a Saturday morning... mine seems to be taking nearly 3+ years.....
Read Walt's narrative at  Roger Pickens Locost Project Page which puts the cost and time in perspective to other hobbies. I may spend $5000+ but after 2 years I will have a hand built sports car worth $20 thousand, what comparable assets do those who play golf, watch football, go to the pub etc have at the end of the year?

What sort of engine can I use?
Not an old Ford Escort engine as in 'the Book'! You need an engine that complies with ADR 37, that is one that is designed to use Unleaded Petrol (ULP). I'm using the Toyota 4A-GE 1600 twin cam with factory EFI.
Left is the RWD version installed in Brian Anderson's PRB Clubman
 ...and here is my 4A-GE out of a 1986 GTi Corolla attached to a T-50 5 speed gearbox from a 1983 Corolla (AE71), waiting to be fitted

You are not permitted to modify an older engine to use ULP. If you really despise EFI and computers etc, I am not sure what the situation is with using Auto-gas on an older engine (but how can you justify gas over EFI on 'cost' or 'complexity' grounds ?). This means you can forget about the Rover 3500/P-76 V8s (except for post 1986 Range Rover/Land Rover engines 3.9 - 4.6 Litre engines, big $$$$s), also the six cylinder Cortina engines, and old UK sports car engines would not be permitted. Sorry.

What about the wider/longer Locost chassis mentioned in 'the Book'?
An Aussie car has too be bigger than a pommy car, right? Well there are a few issues concerning the 'wider/longer' Cortina axle version briefly mentioned in Ron Champions book. Firstly there are no detailed measurements available (as far as I know) on the length of steel to cut for a wider/longer car. Your on your own, you have to measure, cut to fit and weld as you go.

Secondly, it now seems that the Escort rear axle is too narrow for the 'standard width' chassis, and a Cortina (or Capri) axle is recommended. Here is what Rory Perret had to say in the Locost Club Newslatter No. 6:

"How do you make a wider Locost?" As a builder you are faced with a number of options.

1. Keep the Chassis as per the Book.
This is the simplest option. Fit the brackets on the axle to match the chassis.  Keep the front suspension arms the same and use an Escort rack. The track at the back will be greater than at the front and the rear wheels will stick out further from the body which may have implications for the width of the rear arches. There are those that say if you are using standard wheels and tyres this can lead to a better looking car as the wheels fill the arches better. Remember that the tyres must be covered and cannot stick out beyond the arches.

2. Increase the Width of the Chassis at the Back.
Cortina Axles are about 100mm (4") wider than Escort MKII’s.The back of the chassis can be widened by increasing the lengths of Chassis Tubes D1,D2 and J1,J2 by approximately 290mm(11.4") Tubes TR3, TR4, l, m, n and o will also be affected. Unless Tube A1,A2 and N1,N2 are shortened by approx. 286mm the resulting car will be longer. Shortening Tubes A1,A2 and N1,N2 has implications for the lengths of the Transmission Tunnel Tubes a,b,c and d. and Tube TR5 and TR6. Tube P and Z will need to be longer and all Tubes back from B2 will have to be 100mm (4") longer e.g. B1, O3, O, V, Y and the bent tube that forms the top of the boot.

Again the car will use an Escort steering rack and have a different track front and back

An alternative would be to increase the angle of J1,J2,  D1,D2 and probably F1,F2 so that they are 100mm further apart at B2. This would effectively shorten the overall length of the car slightly and require Tubes C, Q, S, T, E, G1,G2 and R to be altered as well. As the car would become marginally wider from Tube LC/LD backwards there may be implications for the fitting of the nose cone (See 3) and front suspension wishbones.

3. Increase the Whole Width of the Chassis.
This approach is fairly straight forward in terms of the affect it has on tube lengths. By adding 100mm to all tubes that go across the car (LC, LD, C, B1,B2, V, O, P, Q, Y etc.) you will widen it by 100mm. Tubes O1,O2 and Z will also be affected.

At the front a wider steering rack will be required, probably the one from the Cortina, and there may be implications for the fitting of the nose cone. The chassis may be too wide to fit inside a bought nose.
 

Finally if you like a challenge you could leave the chassis alone, fit a Cortina axle to the back and then modify the front suspension to use the Cortina rack and keep the track front and rear the same. However this approach opens up a whole new Pandora's box of suspension geometry calculations, moving wishbone brackets, steering boxes fouling chassis tubes etc. If this daft b****r ever sorts it all out there may be another article.
                              Rory Perrett August 98

In Australia we have the added challenge that Cortina Mk3,4,5 (i.e TC, TD, TE, TF) are fitted with the Borg Warner 78 Series rear axle, which is HEAVY, and will increase unsprung weight considerably, compared to the "Escort" style 'Timken' axle used in U.K. The Borg Warner axle is similar in basic design and layout to the Escort 'Salsbury', but is actually a totally different axle.

Mike Laws advises the following:The Mk3 thru Mk5 Cortina axles( we know them as TC, TD, TE,TF in Australia) are 1340mm from backing plate to backing plate and 1520mm at the mounting flanges. The MK2 Cortina axle is ('I told him this') 1245mm between the brake backing plates. The TC,TD (Mk3) is slightly smaller in the brakes(width) than >the two later ones and I suspect just a little lighter in the centre >section.(courtesy of Mike Laws. Adelaide. Australia)

I also believe that station wagon models may have had wider brake drums. The advantage of the Borg Warner axle is that it is strong, and there are many ratios and L.S.D. options, including Hydra-Trak available - in 1998 Australian "Street Machine" did a series of articles on this rear axle, which is fitted to almost all Falcons since 1971, Valiants since 1971, Commodores from 1986, certain Aussie made Toyota Corrollas & Coronas, Datsuns/Nissans, Chrysler/Mitsubishi Sigmas, Leyland P76s ...and a hydratrak version is even used on 1997 onwards Morgan Plus 8s. This axle may be useful if you can figure out how to address the unsprung weight. Another apparent problem with the BorgWarner axle is that because of the length of the diff nose, and the width of the axle itself, it may be big to fit through the triangle shaped hole in the space frame - get your powerlifter mates together and give it a try!
More info for big bummed Locost people:

 Rick Hargreaves advises that:

The standard (by the book) Locost is actually as wide as a UK Westfield "SE-Wide", and is therefore wider than a Westy SE, Caterham and all versions of the original Lotus Seven.

The final word?
When I visited Steve Fox at the old Perth Westfield "factory" we measured a wide bodied westy at 1060mm across the frame, the same measurement on a Locost is 1067mm.

How accurate is the Book?
(NOTE: Suspension geometry problems are dealt with in the next question)
As mentioned above, the Book may be accurate for th United Kingdom, but there are problems in relation to donor parts for use in Australia and the USA as well as measurements given for chassis steel.

Firstly be aware of the differences in Cortinas and Escorts assembled/made in Australia compared to those from the UK. The only Cortina spindles that can be used 'unmodified' are those from the TC or TD models, known in the UK as Mk3 Cortinas (those big ventilated discs from TE or TF models, ie MK4/5 Cortinas, look good, BUT are an Aussie design, that won't fit the Locost suspension arms). Also do not use a Mark 1 Escort as a donor, the steering rack has fine threaded Imperial tie-rod ends, that don't fit the TC and TD Cortina spindles. The Mark 2 Escort Steering rack, looks identical, but it has coarse threaded Metric tierod ends that fit the Cortina uprights, in fact they share the same part numbers (TE 422R). Also be aware that the wheel bearings vary throughout the Cortina range depending on age, engine size, and whether most/all the car is of UK or Aussie origin(take the old bearings, or at least the rubber seal when buying new ones).

The measurememnts and angles provided in the Book are notorious for being inaccurate. The best bet is to draw up the floor plan, as the book says, and then measure and cut each tube as you go along - precutting will waste a lot of steel (unless you make every piece slightly generous, and grind it down to fit). Here is a list of 'errors' from Ken Walton on the Locost Onelist:
This is it-one time only:
starting p 41-second section down should show K3 and K4 set in 1"
p42 LC 13.25", O3 38", Y 32" plus two 3", k 2 pc 8.5, 2pc 8.25,a and b25",c and d 24"
p47- build a simple wooden fixture for this assembly
p51-W2 shown 3/4-use 1", starting at "now separatly weld R1 and R2 toV------"should indicate 3" in from each end of V and with ends angled 10deg to get 4 1/2" rise., "the next tube to weld is Y (42")-----"-wrong!it is 32" long to fit between RU! and RU@ with two pcs. 3" long to join two pcs. 7 1/2" long that make up box ends of assembly.
None of the photos show assembly as now being made-referred to photos taken at Oundle.
p56 TR5 and TR6 shown as 3/4"-1" is better
p61-slight difference in spacing of trailing arms-front is .050" closer together than rear
p67-"Drill two 7/16"(11mm) diameter holes and a semi-circle--------"NO-holes are 3/8"----important
p70 shows panhard bar on the wrong plane-turn 90 deg
When you get to page 86 go to 113-115 next, mount engine and come back to page 87 after,
It is really not wise to build tunnel or locate two interior H until engine is in place, then cut to fit, mark and make a sketch, and remove the engine and do it then. You will have the engine in and out a half dozen times during the build-good practice.
Hope people find this useful-seeeeeya-Ken

Is the Suspension Geometry (Castor, Bump steer etc) Correct in the Book?
Minimal Bump Steer is a requirement for registration in W.A. (2mm over 2/3 suspension travel). To achieve this you need to narrow the Escort Steering Rack. Various combinations of dimensions are quoted, but something in the order of the outer rack housing has too have 100mm cut out of the middle, the inner rack has to have 90mm removed. New threads are cut in the 'cut' end of the inner rack. To bring the (outer) tierod ends back to the width of the wheel hubs, threaded spacers are required. Jamie Guard says he can do all this for around $150. Barrie Nelson, Trafalgar Service may be cheaper.
A lot of people have interpreted the diagram of the top front wishbone incorrectly, and ended up with zero or 'negative' castor, rather than +5 degrees 30 minutes.
Here is an expalnation by Peter R Thomas of Victoria:
A better explanation of the castor angle problem.
The vertical distance between the pivot points of the lower and upper ball joint for the TC/TD cortina uprights is approx 225mm. To achieve a castor angle of 5.3 degrees knowing the 225mm distance between the ball joints, using trigonometry this translates to 20.9mm. ie the centre of the top ball joint should be 20.9mm behind the centre of the lower ball joint. The rear sloping front vertical member is obviously meant to offset the top wishbone and centre it over the pivot points of the bottom wishbone. The top wishbone dimensions on page 83 (2nd Edition) Fig 7.11 shows the overall width to be 222mm. The distance in from the LHS to the centre of the threaded piece is 102mm, the distance in from the right is 121mm. The difference between these two dimensions is 19mm. Therefore the wishbone is offset 19mm to the rear. WRONG! The location of the centre of the top wishbone will be half the width ie half of 222mm which is 111mm. So when you see the distance in from say the LHS of 102mm it is 9mm offset from the centre, (111 -102 =9mm) To try and rectify the problem some compensation can be made by offsetting the suspension mount points. ie keep the lower ones as far forward as possible and move the top ones back until the desired 21mm is achieved. Another point worth noting is that if you fix the front upper and lower suspension mounts centred over the front sloping upright the nett result will be zero castor angle. The slope of the front vertical chassis member will put the centre of the top wishbone about 10mm forward of the centre of the lower wishbone and the built in 9mm rear offset of the top wishbone will roughly cancel that to achieve zero. (Third edition needs some modifications to this section) Peter

*    Locost GIF courtesy of Peter Dunne

REMINDER - DISCLAIMER: I make no claim or warranty as to the legality, safety and appropriateness in all situations and jurisdictions of the information on this entire web site, and recommend you seek your own professional, legal or engineering advice on these matters