Elio Type Vehicle Resurection --- AKA the BEX

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

Today bolting things up tight, checking a few things, adding the radiator (have to find a new top hose tomorrow).

I cut the exhaust header pipe and turned it almost 90 degrees pointing out the side (arrow) so it doesn't poison me when I get to drive it.

Besides a top hose and water in the radiator, along with more checking, it's almost ready to do a few test runs up and down the driveway.

[JEBar]

in regard to the picture above, Mark was asked, "Will the offset radiator be centered in the final version or will the body inlet to the radiator be blocked on that side? For some reason I'm picturing an "after" market funnel for the air intake."


To which Mark responded, "Radiator to the side is quite common for transverse engines, where the weight of the engine typically falls more to one side than the other. The battery, washer bottle, fuse boxes etc are also often on the opposite side of the engine to counter the weight.

No reason to block the flow to the exhaust manifold on the right side, the radiator will get enough, and anyway, airflow requires 2 parameters, high pressure to move to low pressure, so what's behind the radiator, or rather what isn't, is critical, and there is a lot of space around the small gearbox behind the radiator.

Oh, and the radiator is actually more centered than it was on the donor car, hence why I need a new, and longer top hose."

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

It's been raining for 3 days straight, which foiled my plans to go for some runs out on the street on Thursday, so I am revamping the steering at the moment, mainly reviewing the steering ackermann angles.

For those unfamiliar with ackermann, in general terms, the steering mechanism must turn the inside wheel exponentially more, the more the wheels are turned. I was unhappy with the ackermann amount I had.

[JEBar]

having never heard of an Ackermann Angle I asked Mark how do you adjust it ?


Mark's Response ....


With some difficulty, and trial/error. Of course there is a formula, but that is for solid wheels, most of us drive with tires on our wheels that have large varying degrees of slip angle that has to be taken into account.

You see the angles of the steering arms are not parallel, red arrows, that angle must be changed, but you have to get tricky when you have cast spindles with integral steering arms.

You can move the steering rack back or forth some longitudinally, and up and down a little keeping bumpsteer in check, that will change the tie rod to steering arm angle relationship, and/or make some adaptors to relocate the tie rod end pivot point. That is convenient because you can change the steering ratio as well for more, or less, turns of the steering wheel 'lock to lock'.

I initially erred on the lighter side of ackermann for the BEX because being a 3 wheeler, I didn't want to inside wheel 'anchoring' too much in an emergency swerve. Look at my picture and you can see what I mean by "anchoring", the more acute angle grabbing, like throwing an anchor out to one side (and steering the car to the left in that case). But I simply didn't give it enough, being on the side of too safe.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

Depending which way you look at it, I had good luck and or bad luck today.

I mentioned I have to modify the rack housing and mount for the new ackermann setup, well I messaged my parts store to get a new rack out for me, I'm on my way, and he replies that "they don't have any", and "they have stopped making them"!

I said "Wadd da?, I see plenty of them on the road", and sent him a picture of one parked in front of my neighbors factory .. "oh you don't mean the Ben Ben, you mean the Ben Ben Mini (series 2) .... got plenty of those".

Seems I had ordered the older model, and this mucking around with the ackermann has caught out that fact before I committed to using that rack, and the later one is even a better setup, and still in production today in the series 3 Ben Ben, which is stupidly called the Ben Ben 2.

"Better setup" because it has a slightly faster ratio (less turns lock to lock) and you can see the huge mounting flange with 2 bolt holes, can't get much simpler than that! Also the pinion will be closer to the car's center, reducing the steering column shaft universal joint's angles for smoother operation.

As you can see I bought that one, stripped it and cut the end off, now at home measuring it and putting it into CAD 3D so i can design a new, and easier, mount for it

The mounting, green, is just so much easier than the other rack housing, off to the laser shop tomorrow

PS: This is the last thing to do before I can give it a test drive.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

my laser shop guy was not there today, so has to wait until tomorrow before I get my parts.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

I didn't get my laser cut parts until late in the afternoon, as the worker had yesterday off, and was playing catch up today. I very much appreciate they do such small jobs for me.

So I welded the main mount up, will adapt it to the very simple mount to the crossmember tomorrow. You can see how simple it is.

The 2 parts on the left are the steering arms extensions, and are an effort to increase the 'Environmental Friendly' standing of the car, by being more 'Green'.


YouTube video of the parts being laser cut ---- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2zAMVjjdD4

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

Finally.

Just a simple drive out and back in to feel the steering, but still a few checks and small things to go over before I take it onto the street, but hey, a first drive is a first drive.

Observant people will notice immediately that my anti-dive in quite effective when braking, and speaking of braking, very strong, good feel, even at that slow speed you can tell.

short video ===> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nAg_FZUlds&t=46s

[JEBar]

when asked : Any odd feeling on steering "Lock to Lock"?

Mark responded : Nope, pretty darn smooth actually, the rack has been moved to the left more, and now the steering shaft gets a very straight run at it.

The steering rack is now it's own module, can build them, set them aside until ready to drop onto the crossmember's 4 bolts at anytime.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

Chipping away at the driving issues, steering is good now, brakes are great, feels very personal to drive with just the one seat up front, nice feeling


Weird vibes through the phone camera distorting the clarity, but be patient as it gets to external view later in the video.

I should really do a full safety check before I drive it next, a full check on every single nut and bolt, but excitement overcomes sensibilities!

PS: It's not slow!



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9-RVzfhWZE