Elio Type Vehicle Resurection --- AKA the BEX

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX

Today's task was assembling and installing the left CV shaft, steering knuckle etc and making some test templates to position the strut, red arrows. I am happy that the strut is not just lower, but further inside the bodywork than previously.
You can see the old strut top mount, blue arrow, and that the new position is no where near it, include that the strut top will need to be some 50mm/2" lower than that when the spring compresses under car's weight .... see picture 1


For the technical minded, I already had a little too much caster for my liking, and the new packaging has increased the caster beyond reasonable. But if I move the strut top in front of the frame vertical tube, green arrow, left picture, there is too little caster. So there was no choice but to remove the vertical tube, replace it with a horizontal tube, green arrow right picture, and start developing the new strut top mounts from there, with the correct amount of caster ... see picture 2

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX

While I wait for the laser cut parts for the new strut top, that won't be cut until tomorrow (Don't they know who i am!!!), I am starting on the rear arm and wheel.

I am happy to be able to use the rear beam off the same donor the steering knuckles are from.

It's just a straight tube, as can be seen in the picture, and the hub stub axles are centered to the tube, how much more simple a foundation to work from can you get. So I got it up in the air today, and another pleasant surprise, it uses a load sensing proportioning valve, red arrow, as I am going to be using. I like it when many parts are from the same car

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX :

Got my laser cut strut top mounts back today, very happy to have a long, flat edge to work with, makes life easy. As you can see, the edge lines up with the vertical frame member, so again ease of design and implementation is at hand.

Removed the rear axle beam, 5 minutes later it was cut up, and now designing around it to make the rear wheel swingarm.

Had one of those bad hand days, skinned knuckles, numbers of cuts and scratches, worst of all a squashed thumb, right on the nail, some days are like that. I had 2 friends there at the time, Margaret and Tina, they felt really bad that I was in pain, but I told them: "Don't cry for me, Marge and Tina" .....

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX :

Working out a rear swingarm, for the rear wheel of course.

Couldn't be a more simple design really, a couple of lasered extra brackets for the 2nd swing arm,

... which are simply 2" box tube, and another 2" box tube up front across the chassis.

Just working out the hard part, swingarm bushes, hoping some Toyota HiLux ones are going to work out

[JEBar]

PER Mark BEX :

Had a good find today for the rear swingarm bushes, and for many projects into the future.

I have wasted countless hours looking for a good bush for control arms and trailing arms over the years, there is so many of them, and the manufacturers seem hell bent on not using standard sized tubing for the casing, and that's the issue, the casing.

Well, here is my answer, the Chev Colorado, 2004 to 2012, 2WD upper control arm bushes. Perfect.
My tube here is common 48mm x 2.5 wall, one of the most common sizes around, also the next thickness up, 3.2 mm, is a World standard for scaffolding tube.

My tube is only a light hammer tap fit, which is too loose for a bush, but after welding the casings into place, the welding will shrink it to a press fit.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX :

This is roughly what the rear end looks like, a bit blocky looking in this 3D though.
I don't need "Ohh, pretty!" at this stage, so bear it

It will be pivoting on the rear roll cage legs, pink here.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX :

I spent a surprising amount of hours today in CAD getting a bracket/mounting setup for the rear swingarm that I was happy with. Took the file to the laser shop, and their computer was down, so hopefully tomorrow they will be cut.

Note the front of the swingarm is very wide, this is to stop it coming forward into the passenger compartment in the event of a vehicle hitting it up the rear. I will try to design it so the wheel goes under and lifts the BEX up the taking impact energy away.

The rear suspension strut should be something like this:

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX :

From a real world perspective though, based on vehicle type, demographic and real world usage, I am far less concerned about twist/loss of contact area being an issue due to very light loads expected, and had intended to use a camera during testing to view what the rear wheel will be doing under various load conditions to see what additional bracing might be required, if any.

Also note that basic triangulation has yet to be added in the CAD drawing there, and is most certain

Note that race and sports motorcycle swingarms have been braced in this pyramid method for decades

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX :

Today I got the laser parts for the rear swingarm mounts and did the front strut top mounts.

The strut mounts are finished, but able to be moved if need be after I check ride height later.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX :

Sadly I hurt my lower back on Wednesday afternoon, been laid up for 2 days now, just starting to walk almost straight, not overly concerned as it's clearly muscle/nerve as painful as it is, so hope to be back into it tomorrow or Sunday ....