Elio Type Vehicle Resurection --- AKA the BEX

[JEBar]

when I asked Mark :

how thick is the steel you will be using for the chassis rails ..?

how about for the firewall ..?


he responded :

Starting with 1.8mm, but not confirmed until I do a load test later, I always tend to be a bit thicker on prototypes just for ease of handling and my bad welding. Likely land at 1.5mm/0.060".

Also, I can't stamp ribbing into the panels like a manufacturer can with million dollar dies, so I rely on folds and additional material welded on for strength and anti-drumming, so need to be a little bit thicker than a mass manufactured car.

On one hand it make me slightly heavier, but on the other hand a bit safer and less prone to serious rust issues in the long term.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

Another unexpected nice surprised today, like the main rails, the A-pillar and dash/dashtop cnc laser files also fit onto the one 4 x 8' sheet, I truly wasn't expecting them to, and as you can see, a tight squeeze.

Also done (below) it is the main rails cnc laser file.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

Finally have the laser files ready for what I need.

There are 3 more parts to go, that will just fill that upper right hand corner, but I need to assemble the bulk of the chassis first before I can finish those 3 parts (rear bulkhead, center roof crossmember and swingarm subframe).

It's 4am, and I'm going to bed

[markiver54]

Per Mark BEX ....

Finally have the laser files ready for what I need.

There are 3 more parts to go, that will just fill that upper right hand corner, but I need to assemble the bulk of the chassis first before I can finish those 3 parts (rear bulkhead, center roof crossmember and swingarm subframe).

It's 4am, and I'm going to bed

It's fun to see this progress. Seems to be coming together quickly now.

[JEBar]

agree .... I'm really looking forward to how he will figure out to run the exhaust

[markiver54]

agree .... I'm really looking forward to how he will figure out to run the exhaust

And I know he'll do just that....figure it out!!

[JEBar]

er Mark BEX ....

Yay, most parts are done, and most fit like a glove.

Some jiggling required to get some of the tabs in, but clearly working as intended!

I give myself a B+ because one of the B Pillars I bent the wrong way, now I have 2 x right hand B Pillars, idiot ...

I had to run back to the laser shop and get another B Pillar cut, will fold it tomorrow, hopefully the right way, well the left way actually.

It's so nice I might have to pay a pro-welder to join it together rather than my ugly excuse for welding.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ...

YES! Oh boy, am I happy.

It ticks all the boxes, it just falls together, it just works, it just does, and you're looking at just 6 pieces to create this assembly

I had to take 7 steps backwards to make this very large leap forward, completely worth it!​

You can see the tabs sticking through the slots here .. the shark fins are the folding points.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

Going together smoothly, added all the floor cross-members and the main front rails.

Did most of the welding myself, as my welding guy was busy and I didn't want to wait 2 days for him, bit ugly but passable, and most are on the inside so you can't see them anyway

Got my template set up for the B-Pillars as you see in the lower picture, so have a look at that tomorrow.​

The A-Pillars had 7 tabs on the bottom and 12 on top, I found I only really need 3 on the bottom and only 2 on top, once again CAD computer Vs 'real world', and real world wins.

Got to paint my bench i think, looks ugly in the pictures.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

Moving along, lots of welding today, B-Pillars are on, and so are the rear main chassis rails.

Some of my welds aren't too bad, but I'm not going to show all of them, ha! Don't worry, I will never be 'the welder' on production.

Again the CAD computer was wrong Vs real life, the B-Pillars were 16mm or 5/8ths" out, but it's not a problem because I know why, and my real life template, see picture yesterday, did the job of placing them where they belong.​

Obviously rollcage is next big item.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

Main effort today was to design the upper B-pillar crossmember/rollbar in the morning, then to the factory after lunch to add the parts to mount the lower control arms, see the 'red parts' in the CAD drawing, hard to see the real ones.
​
The rear mounts feed the loads into the main rails and A-pillar, and later you will see the front mounts feeding into the firewall and engine rails.

Mounted the front fuel tank crossmember as well, pictured with my now world famous fridge, microwave and water drink machine (has cold and boiling water).​

Public holiday again, laser shop was closed, so I couldn't make a start on the roll cage.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

Today by the arrows top to bottom:

Got the B-pillar upper crossmember done.
Folded and installed the brake master cylinder firewall mount.
Installed the lower control arm front crossmember.

'Coolio' the fridge is happy about this.​

[JEBar]

my comment to Mark ....

the new "B-pillar upper crossmember" appears to me to be much stronger .... if so, that should markedly increase the level of safety afforded to the trike's occupants

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

While doing the roll bars today, I noticed an issue that requires new B pillars, annoying but I know clearly why, and it's modifications on the existing design, not a re-design.

So a few hours on the computer, and have the laser file ready to go for the morning.

The side is on the frame to line the roll bars up, and the silhouette of the car is always pleasant and encouraging

[markiver54]

Nice to see it really coming together. I know it has ALL been a process up to now, but to start seeing the shape is even more exciting.

[JEBar]

I agree .... he's dropped back when he's had to then surged back forward .... I do believe he will see it through to production and beyond

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

.. and it was at this moment after starting to bolt the new B pillars to the alignment templates, that I noticed the mistake ..
​
Bloody Bum Backache Backwards Bitter Betrayed Banal Bleak Bothered Brat Bruised Byzantine and all the other rotten 'B' words I can think of.

The stupid reasons were 2 fold, first I followed the wrong process that painted me into a corner after I welded the angle bend into the B pillar, and sure, i could have cut it open and redone the angle, a bit messy but possible, but then I realised I didn't include the side intrusion bar (square) holes in the laser file, see red arrows in the new laser file, and yes I could cut those by hand, but the 2 items together would be just inaccurate and messy, and more work than simply lasering and folding 2 x new B pillars again.​

[markiver54]

I guess some setbacks are to be expected. I am humored by Mark's way of expressing himself.

[JEBar]

understood .... his Australian sense of humor pops out often

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ...

Well after yesterday's 'B' grade effort, today went very well, and all is well.


The new, new B pillars are standing proud in place, fit perfectly, and are easier to manufacturer now.


If I hadn't left my phone at home, I would have taken a picture, and you would have all gone: 'Ohhh!" and "Ahhh!".