Is it poor internetiquette to put a keyword in the post that has nothing to do with the post? Probably. We have… a GEARBOX.
With a Rocam-based Locost, you have two choices for gearbox. The 5-speed Type 9 gearbox, or the 4-speed Type E gearbox. There are good arguments for both:
- Type 9 seems stronger
- Five gears vs. four…
- Type E is lighter
- Type E is much more common
Ultimately our decision was made when we found a very good deal for the 4-speed.
Some pointers for selecting your Type E (thanks Brad):
- Input shaft should be 1″ diameter, with 23 splines
- Input-shaft cover plate should have 4 bolts (not 3) connecting it to the gearbox body
- Gear lever should be the bolt-on type (three bolts). NOT the screw-in type.
- Check that you can get into all the gears (four forward, one reverse)
Like most things from a scrappy, it was in pristine, shiny condition when we fetched it. Other than being covered in filth, of course. And the aluminium tail casing was unbolted. And the main gearbox cover was off. And it was full of sand.
So out came the cleaning kit. It is easier to do once you’ve had some practice – paraffin painted everywhere to loosen the greasy gunk. Then Clean Green to wash it off. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
Once most of the sand was removed from the outside, it was time to tackle the inside. Paraffin was poured in, and the top cover re-installed. Then shake and leave for a day. This did a good job of softening and rinsing the inside. Pour it out, put in some fresh paraffin, and do it again. A bottle-brush was employed at some point just to loosen anything stubbornly sticking to the bottom.
The next stage was some cheap engine oil from Pick ‘n Pay. A flexible coupling (BIG word!) was made from hose-pipe and a 10mm drill bit, which allowed me to connect the electric drill to it.
Without the prop-shaft attached, oil poured from the tail-end, which served to flush out any stubborn grit. This will be repeated a few times just to make sure.
We also got our racing seats, and the seat runners were properly stripped of unnecessary layers. Along with the seats we got a fuel tank (seats and tank from Locost SA). The tank is excellent, with baffles inside to minimise sloshing. Photos of these bits soon.
Unfortunately it’s been almost 2 weeks since any work was done on the panelling. This starts again soon. We also have to finalise and check the brake lines quite soon.
For further inspiration, I went to the recent Zwartkops SuperTrax day. It was awesome to see all the other Lotus-type cars and get an idea of where we are headed.
Thanks for reading this far, please drop a comment, a criticism or just say hi.
B