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Post by roger32849 on Jan 22, 2015 1:46:53 GMT
I am still working on my gauge mounts. Epoxy really takes its time curing. I have the dash mounting assembly done and in primer ready for top coat. I also am finishing up the windshield mount/lower trim piece. I am fairing it in and it should be finished in a week. The entire bonnet and tank cover will be repainted matching yellow. The dash housing and acrylic windshield will be a charcoal or black... something to balance out all that yellow. I will have a pin striper paint a parting line between the black and yellow.
I have a lot of projects going on at once and with the holidays behind me, I still find it difficult to dedicate time to really polish off this task. Slow and easy is how it is going. I woke up this morning with my home heating system leaking. Lucky I did this sort of thing before I retired. $40.00 for an expansion tank and air separator and problem fixed. My Eco-Exo will be on the road before the snow melts so, I have time to take my time getting things done, provided something else doesn't go wrong.... fingers crossed...
I want to wait for it to be finished before I post pictures....
Roger
Worcester, Massachusetts
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Post by roger32849 on Feb 11, 2015 23:38:55 GMT
I am posting this because it appears the is no activity about on the Eco-Exo forum. I am nearing completion of my gauge upgrades. The pieces are all finished and in primer. I delivered them to the paint shop Monday. As soon as they are finished and mounted and the trike is put back together I will take a few pictures and post them. I have come to the conclusion to make the kind of cosmetic changes I did, you must be flexible on the design direction as well as acceptable outcome. It isn't because the design path I took was a problem to do, it is the fact that every change you make, has the potential of affecting everything else. I did not take the path of least resistance, but worked out the design by means of acceptable appearance, function, and ease of use. I deleted the GPS and kept the iPod and bought a RIDERS CLAW mount for it. I also inserted an overlay piece of aluminum to cover the OEM arched 1" dash bar. This addition was not in the plans, but seemed like a nice touch so why not. Anyway, pictures will be posted in a week or so, you can see what I mean.
Winter is here in New England and with a vengeance. Worcester Massachusetts is the official heavy snow fall leader Nationwide. We have more snow than most mountain resorts. I spent the day with a roof rake removing 4 and 5 foot drifts from my roof. Spring is a month away and hopefully the snow squalls and blizzards will go away before then. Warmer weather is an "event horizon".
Roger
Worcester, Massachusetts
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Post by qdos on Feb 12, 2015 13:17:53 GMT
It does seem to have gone a bit quiet lately yes, though I expect the winter cold is denting quite a few people's enthusiasm to get out into the workshops/garages and working on their trikes. I've been busy taking the latest donor vehicle apart and re arranging the workshop yet again to accommodate another set of components plus contemplating if I need another trailer or if I should modify one of the two existing ones I have to take the Eco-Exo demonstrators to shows.
I've built several machines over the years and I've come to the conclusion that particularly with kits things are always fluid to say the least. Looking round paddocks of any of the shows when kit cars get together reveals every time a variety of different ways of doing things.
Very much looking forward to seeing more of what you and everyone else has been up to and for us here in the UK that just get a few inches of show once in a while I'm sure we'd all be interested in seeing what a few feet of snow looks like on the workshop.
Kelvin
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Post by roger32849 on Feb 12, 2015 13:57:58 GMT
link   So far the totals have reached the 100 inch mark. These pictures are of my street & front yard and parking area. The vehicle in the photo is a Honda Ridgeline. For those out there that think snow is beautiful has never had to shovel it, plow it, rake it off the roof or be couped up in the house because the roads are not plowed. Yep.. we have a lot of it this season. Roger Worcester, Massachusetts
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Post by roger32849 on Feb 12, 2015 14:29:26 GMT
Kelvin
As I said in the post above, all my bits and pieces are being painted. Between snow removal and keeping things in order my free time has been a bit limited. I am in the process of making my switch block. It will contain 5 switches. 1. Emergency flashers, 2. Run/Stop switch, 3. Dealer override switch, 4. Power accessory switch and finally 5. Brake switch override. The switch block will be mounted at the bottom edge left side of my dash overlay which is a hunky 3/8" thick piece if aluminum flat stock. It is cut and shaped to match the arc of the dash bar and of the switch housing around the steering column. It is flat across the bottom running left and right. It makes a dandy place to mount accessories like my iPod and the switches. I will try to accommodate a GPS but I seriously doubt if I will use it.
The painted bits should be back in a week or so, more pictures when they are finished.
Roger
Worcester, Massachusetts
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Post by qdos on Feb 12, 2015 20:03:33 GMT
Eeeeek now that's a lot of snow! We had a fair bit when I was building my first Kit Car back in the 80s but it was noting anywhere near that amount. It did drop to -25C though and I was out in the garage building my Spartan. I threw lots of layers of carpet and anything else I could find over the car each time I finished for the night after running the engine a while to get some heat into the block.
Struggling somewhat to visualise your dash but it sounds like it's going to be good and sturdy to take the ancillary instruments and switches. Looking forward to seeing some photos at some point.
Kelvin
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Post by mawdo81 on Feb 12, 2015 20:15:59 GMT
I briefly had a spartan on my drive, totally underestimated the work needed to bring her back to life in my early 20s. So much work didn't know where to start!
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Post by qdos on Feb 12, 2015 20:37:02 GMT
I briefly had a spartan on my drive, totally underestimated the work needed to bring her back to life in my early 20s. So much work didn't know where to start! This was mine when I finished it in the Summer of 84  |
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Post by mawdo81 on Feb 12, 2015 20:46:26 GMT
Year, I don't think I got mine for another 20 years after that...mine was mark IV cortina, was yours cortina or triumph?
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Post by martinw on Feb 12, 2015 20:56:17 GMT
I too built a Spartan way back....my first kit, in my 20s. Triumph based, 2 litre straight six with overdrive box, and a 3.63 beam axle out of a Dolomite. Used it as my sole car and did loads of miles in it, and had it for about ten years! Ended up transplanting a 2 litre Pinto in with a 5 speed box - I kept breaking the Triumph boxes.  First registered on a W suffix plate, no sort of inspection or anything......had to pay car tax on it, including a notional figure for my labour in building it. No MOT for 3 years!  Happy days!  And it still exists - is on a SORN at the moment, but was taxed until about a year ago. No idea where it is now - I keep looking out at Stoneleigh. Martin |
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Post by qdos on Feb 12, 2015 22:31:18 GMT
Excellent cars the Spartan, mine was a Cortina based one too which I had and drove everyday for around 11 years till I got a bit bored driving the same car all the time and replaced it with a Lotus Excel (big mistake second only to my Exe). The Lotus was a great car to drive but things would fall off it if you so much as looked at it. So I went back to kits and never looked back really. I too look out for my old Spartan whenever I see them
Anyways back to the snows of Massachusetts and Eco-Exos.......
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Post by roger32849 on Feb 22, 2015 0:19:57 GMT
link  The newly redesigned bonnet and the modified windscreen:  The instrument cluster in its new housing. If you look closely you can see the new dash panel that my iPod is mounted to, it extends across the full width the of drivers compartment. link  Quartering front side view showing the molding of the modified windscreen mating to the bonnet. I also installed new side mirrors and the OEM headlights. link  Clock lights illuminated
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Post by roger32849 on Feb 22, 2015 0:29:30 GMT
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Post by roger32849 on Feb 22, 2015 1:02:59 GMT
I apologize for the poor quality of the pictures. It was -5 degrees F outside and a cozy 22 degrees F in the garage. Later, I will be Making a narrated video outlining the different modifications since becoming street legal here in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Just to point out the changes.. I added the intake scoop and side cover. I shortened the rear fender and inset the taillight. After that, I added the new seat pad, the mirrors and headlights. I also redesigned the original bonnet to accept an integral windscreen and instrument mount to accommodate the 2007 and newer Burgman 400 clock-set. Finally, I fabricated a dashboard complete with power distribution switch panel and Ipod mount.
This about sums up the changes. In all truth, none of the changes were actually "needed" but we're personal preferences. The extra work was worth it in end from an improved design in both function and form. All switches are in the same location, the iPod is in direct eyesight and can be adjusted as easily as a stock car radio. The smaller headlamps and mirrors clean up the front and of course the windscreen and instrument cluster lend themselves to a cleaner leaner appearance. The open top Sparco knockoff steering wheel allow me to see all the instruments at just a glance. (Probably the only real needed change)
I have to thank Edward and Erik for providing a good deal of motivation. Erik for his minimal simplified design and Edward for his patience, know-how, and brutal perfectionist honesty. Both are great builders to have in your corner when you need technical guidance or a friend. Thanks guys...
Roger
Worcester, Massachusetts
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Post by qdos on Feb 22, 2015 13:17:03 GMT
Excellent! This is what kits are all about in my book. I love the way you guys are putting your own stamp on things and building YOUR machines. Truly brilliant well done guys each and every one of you.
I've been wandering around Race Retro here in the UK yesterday and adding some more crazy ideas to my notes along with a design friend of mine. It's a shame you guys are all so far away as I'd love to do a show with all your trikes alongside to show off what you've all done with the kits and inspire more people.
Thank you for posting
Kelvin
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Happy days! 
