My Elio Alternate Project Is Underway.

[84mpg]

Let's see what Mark comes up with, then we can think about importing.

I can't help but wonder why he doesn't have a "team" working on the prototype with him. Seems to me time is a factor and with the cost of everything going up and people being more cost-conscious, the sooner the b

It's interesting how my point can be completely missed....

Hey... Mark has addressed this before. I tried to find his post/comments - but didn't have any luck. (I was hoping I could point to his post and reasoning.)

Maybe Mark will restate why he's going alone on putting it together, with a little help from his local laser cutter/bender, etc....

 

[JohnJ]

Hey... Mark has addressed this before. I tried to find his post/comments - but didn't have any luck. (I was hoping I could point to his post and reasoning.)

Maybe Mark will restate why he's going alone on putting it together, with a little help from his local laser cutter/bender, etc....

I've followed this thread from the start and don't remember that. Of course, I might have simply forgotten. It just seems to me that a crew of, say 4 or 5 skilled people, could get the job done in a lot less time. Then again, I've never built a car from scratch....

 

[84mpg]

I've followed this thread from the start and don't remember that. Of course, I might have simply forgotten. It just seems to me that a crew of, say 4 or 5 skilled people, could get the job done in a lot less time. Then again, I've never built a car from scratch....

I’m pretty sure I remember his reasons and logic for going alone at this stage, but I’ll let him re-state if he wants and has a minute. I don’t want to mis-state .

One thing is for sure…. The guy will know every aspect, every component of the Mongrel up close and in person. Literally every bolt, nut, bend and weld.

 

[Made in USA]

I've followed this thread from the start and don't remember that. Of course, I might have simply forgotten. It just seems to me that a crew of, say 4 or 5 skilled people, could get the job done in a lot less time. Then again, I've never built a car from scratch....

Problem with most people is that they follow instructions better than thinking about how to best solve an issue. In this case it's engineering. The problem solving is the hard part. Once that is done a manual can be written and the common mechanic can fix it. Having a group, even two, requires a relationship where they know and trust each others abilities. It usually takes time to put a good team together. Then there is the old saying
"If you want it done right, do it yourself". I think Mark has it under control.

 

[Mark BEX]

I've followed this thread from the start and don't remember that. Of course, I might have simply forgotten. It just seems to me that a crew of, say 4 or 5 skilled people, could get the job done in a lot less time. Then again, I've never built a car from scratch....

Because you are applying your cultural knowledge to another culture, and it's a non-fit.

The skillsets here are completely different, and the time it takes me to teach them what and how I want it done, as well as changes on the run and overseeing it all, is actually slower.

I know this very well because I have frustratingly tried it over many years.

Your cultural knowledge in this example is one where Westerners are building, servicing and repairing their own bicycles as kids, as teenagers it's dirtbikes and skateboards, as young men it's motorcycles and cars. This DOES NOT apply to Chinese kids/teens/young men. Their unguided 'hands on' ability is close enough to useless, I'm sorry to say, and the tradesmen only know what they do day in day out, very little lateral thinking abilities, and no self starting abilities.

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Today I decided to go to the Chengdu Car Show, one of the biggest in Asia. to see if I can sniff out any interested partners or suppliers. Last year they had no minor players, accessories or aftermarket stuff at all, I was a bit annoyed about that, and was hoping they have them this year.

Akk! Chengdu Car Show closed to to local Covid cases, 4 hour round trip for nothing. There's the entrance with security turning people away. Don't they know who I am!!

So back to the factory for a few hours to start fitting up the new firewall assembly, and a stunning idea hit me of how to simplify literally everything, simpler, faster and cheaper, and it's not even red! - looking at it in CAD now

 

[JEBar]

"If you want it done right, do it yourself". I think Mark has it under control.

Mark is committed to designing and building his reverse trike ..... let there be no doubt in that whatsoever .... he has been very open in the process and has clearly demonstrated a level of expertise and experience throughout the process ..... he does have a team in place that provides him with the things he needs, when he needs them .... the time will come when he needs to pay others to help with various things but every day that he can take care of things himself he's saving money out of his pocket .... folks need to remember he's doing all of this on his own dime, not trying to get tens of thousands of people to send him money to fund the process .... he's been open about traveling when necessary to build associations he will need down the line .... once conditions change to where he can get back to work in his factory, things will pop .... at this time, we just need to sit back and enjoy the ride

 

[Joshua Caldwell]

Mark BEX, given yesterday's references to Shreveport, LA I would recommend looking up the Shreveport lawsuit by a single person against Elio that caused a major funder to back out and was possibly the cause of the Elio never being manufactured.

Separately, in my own industry, Louisiana has become known as a place to avoid as it has become a focus of criminal gangs staging events, then quack lawyers trying to get millions off of that, with much of the money going back to those criminal gangs. While the police have finally started to catch on, it took over a decade before they "realized" this new type of crime involving lawsuits even existed.

 

[Rickb]

Mark BEX, given yesterday's references to Shreveport, LA I would recommend looking up the Shreveport lawsuit by a single person against Elio that caused a major funder to back out and was possibly the cause of the Elio never being manufactured.

Separately, in my own industry, Louisiana has become known as a place to avoid as it has become a focus of criminal gangs staging events, then quack lawyers trying to get millions off of that, with much of the money going back to those criminal gangs. While the police have finally started to catch on, it took over a decade before they "realized" this new type of crime involving lawsuits even existed.

That’s good to know. Sadly, it wouldn’t surprise me if that type of criminal activity expands well beyond Louisiana.

 

[JohnJ]

As a final thought... American "team work" took this from concept to final product is 18 months !

 

[Grumpy Cat]

As a final thought... American "team work" took this from concept to final product is 18 months !

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As Mark already pointed out, it doesn't work like that in China. I have also worked with Chinese people and can attest to this.