Elio Type Vehicle Resurection --- AKA the BEX

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX .... when asked "Do you have an estimate of the ground clearance you will be using? 6"?"

Because it's a 3 wheeler, I will try to keep the CoG as low as possible, so likely 4" front, and 5 rear".

Note that I will have a completely flat bottom, so you might get an occasional scrape, but of no consequence, and that the rear will be easy to adjust the height to suit your general driving habits, carrying loads, and local road conditions.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX --

Almost on wheels again, and I am fast approaching the level where I was at with the prototype.

I am away for 3 days, Sun, Mon and Tuesday, driving my Wife into the foothills of the Himalayas to a small town about 4 and a bit hours drive away.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ---

Setting up the engine mounts again.

The strange looking shiny sheet metal is the locating jig for the door hinge brackets (red arrows), I've been making a few jigs recently, takes a lot of time too.

The holes are just to take some weight out, as well as grab handles.

[JEBar]

More laser work today, some modified suspension chassis mounts (that I assembled today, see picture) and some self jigging panels for the new front section I will make, but not use on this build.

Front section as in all the forward tubing where your feet go, that holds the engine up, supports the steering rack and crossmember etc.

The purpose is a far more accurate, self jigging front frame assembly. It will be a sample assembly only to access and demonstrate where things go for production. Things will be clearer as I construct it.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ...

Laser cut, and made the engine mounts today, very pleased with the result.

[JEBar]

In response to this question -- > "Is the engine mounted solid or flexable? 3 cyl. engines are bad about viberation at idle."


Per Mark BEX --

Stock standard 'off the shelf' isolastic factory engine mounts.

I am merely making the brackets to mount them on to.

[JEBar]

In response to this comment -- > "I am really anxious to see this thing reach the go-cart stage and scoot around the parking lot (or car park, whatever you call it where you live).


Per Mark BEX --

if it was a one off build, i would already be doing that!

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

Been doing some house items the last few days, by order of the Boss.

Now mapping out a front subframe to support the radiator and the air conditioning condensor.
I made a nice one yesterday, but went to put the air con condensor on this morning, and hadn't noticed that for some strange reason, the integral expansion tank, blue arrow, was offset, weird, and it hit my nice new frame, red arrow .....

... so this morning ground the welds off, and rebuilt it using angle so the expansion tank fits in snugly, which it now does.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX --

The top bar is bolted in, 2 bolts, and the radiator sits on rubber bungs top and bottom, so remove 2 bolts, 2 clamps, and you can pop the radiator straight out.

Also the donor was very tightly packaged, has left me room to open things up a little.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ---

I am doing major reconstruction in CAD these days, been 2 full days at it, maybe another day yet, then make some major changes in real metal from there. All aimed at reducing cost and ease of productio
Remember, this isn't a one off build, it's a precursor to production, and the time I waste now getting it right, saves lots more time later.


my comment ---

for me, following this build has been an eyeopener .... I had no idea at what a wide range of talents a single person must have to undertake a project like this .... Mark's transparency throughout the process clearly demonstrates an impressive array skills

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ---

the parts for the production front subframe, hopefully. There may be some minor mods required, but I'm hoping it works out as planned.

Now I have to translate it into a CNC file so I can get it all laser out, then to the fold shop.

Took me 3 days to get it right, the laser will cut it all out in under 5 minutes! I'm happy I managed to get this lot onto a standard 1000 x 2000 mm / 4 x 8' sheetmetal sheet too.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

I spent about another 4 hours last night optimising and modifying a few things, it's really full now!

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

I am working my behind off sorting design elements closer to being production elements.

My laser wasn't done the last 2 days because they couldn't contact me to tell me they didn't have the thickness of metal sheet I requested, I didn't realise they didn't know how to contact me, so they were staying back tonight to cut my now 3 jobs, as I delivered 2 more to them this afternoon ... expecting to pick up Wednesday's job lot!

Promised me tomorrow morning to pick up. Hope the bending shop has time in the afternoon for me.

Now into the rear swinging arm and associated components, chassis mounts, swingarm bushes, new designed swingarm as well, but based on the prototype. Now is smaller, lighter and easier to build, with a moment of brilliance for the swingarm bush mountings that even surprised myself.

I like those 'lightbulb moments' when the light comes on very bright

[Cofisher]

What an amazing effort to produce this. Really impressed.

[JEBar]

he's a remarkable fellow .... I no longer have any doubt that he will bring it to production .... when he does and it can be purchased over here, we plan to buy one .... it will be a fun vehicle to drive

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ...

I was asked in the FB group why the rear swingarm pivot was high, here is my answer to that:

Mind your own business, what, are you a policeman, you nosy person?

Oh wait, that was my initial thought of reply, but then I wrote this:

The swingarm pivot is high and always was going to be, including on the prototype for good reason.

Driving a 3 wheeler on older roads has a distinct disadvantage, and it's been noted in some tests of them, Vanderhall, Morgans etc in that it's often difficult to miss a hole or a bump with one of the wheels, obviously the rear wheel being a big offender. Normal cars you might just drive the wheels either side of the hole. So one complaint has been hitting those holes or bumps.

I can't change that, but I can make the ride more comfortable by allowing the rear wheel to move backwards as it rolls over the bump. See Blue arrows and yellow arcs.

This also has a small effect of offering a 'rising rate' suspension, one that can be softer early in the travel, but increasing gets firmer so less chance of bottoming out. That also helps when you start putting weight in the rear of the car too, passenger, bags, dead bodies, illegally clubbed baby seals etc..

Anyone who has driven an older VW Beetle, or been involved in Off Road Racing, where the VW front ends ruled for many decades, it's the same, the VW front end moves in a similar rearward arc. You can see clearly on a Bug's front end the downward angle of the control arms ..

Another advantage is that it allows the fuel tank to be there under the pivots, the ideal place in the car for the tank.

[JEBar]

I asked Mark the following question :

in this area, my light bulb isn't just dim, its not even turned on .... in looking back, I can see there is a difference in design ..... I'd appreciate hearing about the advantages of the new design


Answer Per Mark BEX ....

It's a long story that goes back before this project, to my quest to find easy to produce, universal mounting bushes for swingarms, control arms etc.

I spent a lot of time going through parts shops, bush suppliers etc and finally found a common GM suspension bush, Chev Colorado in the USA, that is an ideal light press fit into a standard size water pipe. You can buy both anywhere in the world, and you don't have to go to a machine shop.

So I made up a couple of rod ends with everything hardware store bought, water pipe, booker rod, nuts and tube nuts, to make these simple rod ends, by simply welding a nut to the pipe, check ... (left my phone at the factory so no pictures)

... then I wondered around the factory considering what design for the chassis mounting brackets, and then the lighbulb struck as I walked past a length of 60mm/2.36" box tube, holy smoke, a perfect fit! Enough side to side movement for production tolerances, easy clearance for angles of travel, and a simple case of lasering square holes into the rear roll cage crossmember and weld them in place, just wonderful! No individual brackets to handle and line up, neat looking, box tube seen in the purple crossmember here ...

Compare new to old, oh and I forgot to mention that the new setup is adjustable, the old one wasn't, relying only on accurate jigging. the old style had sqyuare tubes that needed to be 'fishmouthed' by hand to suit where they met the round tubing, the folded sheet is simply laser cut to shape. You can see the fishmouth on the left lower corner of the purple sheet.

Some days are better than others

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

The boys folding my parts up today ... excited to see how they fit up tomorrow.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

Playing around with the new front subframes, generally working out well, but I do have to make some changes, not because of the design, but because the metal folders had trouble with the left and right main sides due to the complicated bends, that were too tight in the machine.

The rear subframe has worked out just great though, was as simple and straightforward as I hoped for, can't wait to fit it up into the chassis the next day or 2. Pictured on the right with a rod end sticking out. It is just a sheet with a few folds, with 2 short lengths of box tube welded in, far less complicated and much faster to make than what I had.

[JEBar]

"Out of curiosity are you planning on some kind of rust protection? I live in Ohio (USA) where in the winter we use salt on the road. Some of your seams look like great places for rust to start."


Mark BEX answered ----

"2 points, my steel is generally thicker, not ideal weight or cost wise, though not a big difference, and that's because I can't afford the pressings to use thinner materials in the shapes to retain strength, eg; compound curves.

Secondly, I am fortunate to have large galvinisation factories close by, so I am considering hot dipping them.

I use galvinised steel, as you can see above, when making prototypes because it's much cleaner and easier to handle, and looks pretty in pictures "