My first Locost build post

Well, I finally have my very own build log. Almost a year ago, I became interested in lotus 7 replicas. I’m not even really sure what happened to make me interested in such a car, but I’ve been researching and considering building one for a few months now.

Over Christmas, I got a couple of books I was asking for. The two that mattered the most were: How to Build a Cheap Sports Car, and Build your own Sports Car: On a Budget. Also, I’ve done a lot of research and reading on the http://locostusa.com forums.

Anyways, after reading through those two books, and also buying a Lincoln Electric Pro-Mig 140, I made up my mind that I was going to get started on building a locost. My plan was to build my chassis based on the “book” frame, and to use a Mazda Miata as a donor vehicle.

I want to use a Miata for a few reasons:

• Used Miatas with over 100k miles can be procured for fairly cheap (under $3k easily)
• Miatas are very reliable and cheap to maintain. Engines frequently last over 250k miles
• Lots of locost builders have used a Miata donor before me, so I will have lots of “expert” knowledge to tap into
• Miatas come with double wishbone suspension on all four corners, and since I want to do independent rear suspension, this is perfect!
• I’ve driven Miatas before and I love the responsive feel of the engine. Its got an awesome torque curve that is very fun to play with.

Anywho, I’ll post some pictures of my garage and when I construct my “build table”.