Open Wheeler Toy

[Roy928tt]

I've been tooling around with Open Wheelers in S.A.'s Dirt Circuit for a few years now, but I finally got sick of the V8 meatheads and their attempts at using the rule book to stymie my efforts. Casting around for options, my friends were doing hillclimbs, so I thought I'd build a vehicle to do some of them, I figure It'll be acceptable for Motorkhanas & etc.

So I took a Wrecked Toyota Echo
it donated the engine, wiring loom wheels/tyres, fuel pump and the front of the Auto bellhousing

A customer of mine gave me 2 Subaru Brumby manual transaxles, with the fear wheel drive mechanism removed and the Toyota bellhousing welded on the front this will become the transaxle

I had previously sourced a set of Mazda MX 5 uprights/Hubs for an abandoned Midlana project so they are being attached to a loose copy of an early sixties Brabham chassis

The hope is to end up with something weighing about 500 kg including me, with the standard 106 hp 1.5 litre 1NZ-FE for a budget of under $3k.

The Toyota cost me $380 delivered, the Mazda bits $1k and steel $180, Springs $180, Shocks $100, Rod ends and suspension bushes $120, Toyota Flywheel $75, I've also bought a new Subaru clutch plate and a new Toyota pressure plate can't remember the costs.

If it ends up at 500 kg @100hp that is a respectable power to weight ratio, to start with.....

[Roy928tt]

I'd like to end up with something looking like this

[big_pete]

Wow! Interesting mix of parts etc.
Will be watching this come together with interest!

[schnitzelburger]

cool project will follow

[Bren]

Awesome, love it! Will definitely follow this one!

[Roy928tt]

Slow progress for the last while, I've figured out the layout and sizing of the front suspension arms, but I'm somehow reluctant to get on with creating them? So I had a look at the fuel tank and where and how it needs to fit, but again, didn't purchase the required sheet of alloy to create it ? I did however start tooling about with the steering rack.

I had a rack from a Fiat 128 that I have had for over 20 yrs, when I found it, on a wreck out of Leinster in W.A. I didn't know why I wanted it, but, I did. I've kept it all these years thinking "one day that is going to be usefull" I had thought I'd install it as it was but the shaft was going to get in the way of my clutch foot. So I sliced and diced, cut and shut and with a couple of donor parts from a Mini rack and a couple of nylon bushes turned up in the lathe, ended up with this

It has 4 1/2 turns lock to lock but travels 170 mm, I'll mount the steering wheel to a 2:1 Speedway Quick steer so then I'll be down to 2 1/4 turns. Should be just fine with less than 200 kg on the front tyres.

[Terribleone]

Awesome. Will be following this one!

[Jim]

Nice project!

[Nitephyre]

Finding so much mismatched stuff, banging it together and making it work is such a dying art... nice work mate

[bp18t]

quick steer is on the way roy.

[lightyear]

Should be more budget friendly race car builds. Get on with it now...

[Roy928tt]

I bought a Honda civic radiator, I'd used 2 on my last racecar and they kept the turbo 6G74 cool, so I expect one will be fine for a standard Echo motor. Spent some time trimming down an electric fan from a Magna, mounted that, then set about making a pair of lower mounts for the radiator to the chassis. I only wish it was as quick to do as it was to type....

I purchased a sheet of 1.5 aluminium and got a piece cut from it that should fold into 4 sides of the fuel tank, kindly, the shop will retain the sheet and cut pieces off as I require. The guillotine makes such a nice job of slicing it...

$100 for the radiator and $78 for the sheet of alloy. I think I'll keep the running tally here to see where the money goes.

[Roy928tt]

Oh dear ! I've just tallied up the total so far, it comes to $2713 including the $500 I've given the local mechanical genius to mate the Subaru box and Toyota engine together & etc, looks like we're in for a budget blow out, surprise, surprise.

It's alright, It's not as if I went in with a strict budget.....Lets see

[MRMOPARMAN]

great work so far roy!

[sideways]

This is cool. I'm following.