Elio Type Vehicle Resurection --- AKA the BEX

[JEBar]

GOOD NEWS .. .. I've heard that Mark is very close to having his new factory space organized and will soon be back on track in developing his Trike

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ..... You dummy!​

95% there with the new factory folks, for the first time today I actually had almost everything in place and setup, and large workspace with the car finally in it.

Came home tonight and spotted this mannequin in the rubbish, so I grabbed it and might try to make it into a 'sitting in car' form, which may be handy as I'm setting up seating positions etc.

Also I will not be the only dummy in the shop now, and I will have someone to talk to

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ...

A Dog's Breakfast ..​

Build a car they said, it will be fun they said ...

Removing and tagging the wiring loom out of the donor car, in Australia we call a mess like this a "Dog's Breakfast" ...

Thank goodness I am an expert at pulling things apart.

[Cofisher]

I am totally lost with this kind of chore. Good luck.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

All the electricals were finally done properly today, after 2 days of no power while it was being done. Now I have power points everywhere, and can place my vertical drills, drop saws, etc where I want them.

Other than that, I stripped out the donor car completely just using hand tools of course, as well as measuring up some mods to the BEX to be performed in the next few days for bodywork fitment.

Been a slow and frustrating move this one, very unimpressed with my landlord, note that I contracted and paid my own electrician to do the work, besides doing all the lights myself.

What goes around comes around eventually, I have good reason to not kick up a fuss about it at the moment.​

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ...

Don't be nosey.​

I dislike going backwards, but the upper front rails had to come off, red lines where they were, and bracing substituted, red arrow. I will add a bit of bracing underneath, strength isn't an issue.
​
The issue is the massive headlights, I simply didn't think they would be so darn big.

I'm figuring how am I going to do the front bodywork/nose. There's nothing to hang it off, it's a 'Catch 22' situation where I need the nose to make brackets, and I need brackets to make the nose ...

I think I'm going to have to build the nose fixed onto an exo frame, on a trolley on wheels, so I can wheel it on and off the front of the frame into place, while I decide it's shape and size, as well as making mounting brackets.​

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

This is the idea I mentioned yesterday, a trolley on wheels that will hold the nose with an exo frame (external frame), then I can wheel it in and out as I need while sizing the assembly, and designing mountings for it.

This trolley is a fraction too small to do it.

Below is a picture of the headlight and my hand to enlighten you of how large they are ...

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....


Sleek.​

Today the job was to properly affix the sides to the frame so I can build the nose of course. I had to cut sections out of the sides to fit over the side impact bars, I always grimace when i have to cut brand new parts, going to be worse when I have to cut chunks out of the doors to fit. ...


The trolley you saw yesterday that i said was a bit too narrow, well I cut it and widened it to suit, job done, but still trying to figure how to attach the gibsons, I mean the fenders to it so it's adjustable in all directions.


The car looks really sleek in the flesh, the pictures really don't do it justice, going to be a good looking thing i think ....

[markiver54]

It IS looking good!

[JEBar]

I completely agree

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

Skyhook​


So I got my skyhook together today, quite pleased with it, adjustable on 4 axis, and annoyed it took me a couple of days (casual thinking) to figure out something that turned out so simple.

As you can probably understand, it simply rolls onto the front of the car​

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

Cutting edge tech ...​

I cut out the middle of the hood today, and used a mesh and rivet bandaid to stick it back together.

Wish I had of put the bandaid on first, because about 1 second after I took the lower picture, the left hand hood half fell to the ground causing a slight dent ...

I am playing with positioning of the panels, not set in stone, so don't get excited either way about it, early days yet ...

[BMCTED]

the original Elio was designed to burn gasoline and to get around 80 mpg ....

I have loved the Elio since the beginning. As a mechanic who started working at a VW dealership back when the sign in the front window read $1495
in big red letters, I think this is EXACTLY what America needs today.

No dealerships ... the car was going to be sold and serviced by Pep Boys! It would be a cheap little car to send your kid to school in, or for a new couple starting out, or for an old guy like me to get around in (and to hot rod!!!). I'll bet any kind with a box of Craftsman tools could keep it running forever.

Did you know that the MEDIAN price of a new car sold in the US today is over THIRTY FREAKIN' THOUSAND DOLLARS???? THIS is a damned shame.

I almost put in the down payment ... but I KNEW the hardest thing to get off the ground in the US is a car company. A number of guys have tried since the end of WW 2, Tucker, Bricklin, Delorian come to mind, and all ... except Elon Musk have failed miserably.

But nobody has ever tried to build something like the VW. It breaks my heart.

anyoldways, I have designed something based on the VW Beetle, but a LOT weirder. It would start with the floor pan and front suspension from a VW beetle (NOT a Super Beetle with McPherson struts). It would use Honda Valkyrie engine, trans and rear suspension. The body would be from ... no kidding ... a Cessna 310 fuselage, which is 4 feet tall and 4 feet wide, or 1 foot less then a VW beetle in both directions. Just picture VW beetle front fenders on it. Low, lightweight and good aerodynamics are built in! I'm thinking it should be pretty good on gas, if I can keep my foot out of the throttle.

cessna_310a fuse.jpg (66.62 KiB) Viewed 1490 times

It's not like something like this hasn't been done. They are known as "reverse trikes", and there are a number of them out there in various forms.

aircarthing_02_700.jpg (79.54 KiB) Viewed 1490 times

[JEBar]

I have loved the Elio since the beginning. As a mechanic who started working at a VW dealership back when the sign in the front window read $1495 in big red letters, I think this is EXACTLY what America needs today

agree and thanks for your comments .... after following several over the years, I firmly believe that Mark's BEX Mongrel will make it to production ..... when that happens we will most certainly order one

[BMCTED]

agree and thanks for your comments .... after following several over the years, I firmly believe that Mark's BEX Mongrel will make it to production ..... when that happens we will most certainly order one

Something that always surprised the hell out of me was that big time car and motorcycle guy Jay Leno never even gave the Elio the time of day ... never even said the name. Leno had a LOT of other new cycle cars, or reverse trikes on his program over the years and he's helped a number of guys get off the ground. I think even just a positive comment from him would have helped Elio a lot.

[JEBar]

I think even just a positive comment from him would have helped Elio a lot.

sadly, in retrospect, I don't believe Paul could have brought the Elio to mass production with anything less than an unlimited bucket of money at his disposal .... and even if he had that, he'd of blown it and wanted more

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

I took another 3"+ out of the hood's width, the headlight law has made me refigure how I am approaching this, and happy with the thought process, should be easier and cheaper, just have to wait and see if it works in practice. .

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX .....

My skyhook certainly makes life easier to roll the nose in and out.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

One of the better ways to describe what I would like to attempt to do at the front, comes from the Australian V8 Supercars racing series.

I will attempt to make the original shape of the OEM headlights, become running lights having a glow effect, similar to what you see in the picture below.

This is the best way to retain the original styling effect, but of course with the addition of 2 real headlights in the legal central position, looking like some additional driving lights.​

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

Just chipping away bit at a time ...

Finally the group of pictures show more how sleek it is in real life.​

And the single picture shows where the front running light is ..