My Elio Alternate Project Is Underway.

[JEBar]

really good to hear you're pretty well recovered from Covid .... do hope your wife is well on her way to beating it .... I've heard that in China that celebrating the New Year is a pretty big deal, during which things pretty well shut down ..... when is it and will it have an impact on you development of your trike ?

 

[3wheelin]

A day back at work today, as I seem to be almost fully recovered from Covid ..

Main thing today was to put the front suspension back in, wheels on and take accurate track width measurements, then I made a dummy axle (a piece of tube) to hold the wheels the same distance apart. A bit like a trailer axle and wheels if you like.

This is to slip under the front nose body work, to position the wheels in order to make wheel covers and finish the nose.

I might have taken a picture had I had my phone with me ....

Welcome back! No worries about the pics....post when ready. That whole bonnet/nose job's gotta take sometime to put together and be under compliance but I'm sure it'll look fantastic when you're done with it. I'm hoping to see your completed BEX proto next year so.....Happy New Year.

 

[Mark BEX]

Toying with designs and measurements, not a quick process.

Notice the dust after being home for a week+ with Covid ..

really good to hear you're pretty well recovered from Covid .... do hope your wife is well on her way to beating it .... I've heard that in China that celebrating the New Year is a pretty big deal, during which things pretty well shut down ..... when is it and will it have an impact on you development of your trike ?

Chinese New Year is massive, usually closed solid for up to 2 weeks, and hard to get any sense out of people a week before, and a week after, so call it a month's disturbance. It's fine as long as I plan and stock what I need for the duration.

This year is February 1st, so from the middle of January I will start to suffer the effects from it.

 

[Mark BEX]

This is where I am headed with it at the moment...

 

[Velhartice]

This is where I am headed with it at the moment...

Very nice, the proportions and lines all look good to me. Looks a bit like a Hyundai Elantra or similar in the best way. Glad to also know that the BEX wont be equipped with a Theta II.

 

[Mark BEX]

Glad to also know that the BEX wont be equipped with a Theta II.

"Heated seats, mirrors, rear camera", lots of crazy things people have been asking me for, and you're right, I ain't installing no darn movie theater hardware either ......

 

[JEBar]

"Heated seats, mirrors, rear camera", lots of crazy things people have been asking me for, and you're right, I ain't installing no darn movie theater hardware either ......

no need to worry about installing anything crazy for mine .... when I sit in the driver's seat, it will have more than enough crazy .....

 

[Rickb]

Looking good! An I-Phone or I-Pad Mount for convenient access to navigation software is all one needs. Perhaps a mount/jack in the back of the seat for the occasional passenger to watch movies on long road trips. However, I would appreciate a medium to high quality speaker option.

 

[3wheelin]

"Heated seats, mirrors, rear camera", lots of crazy things people have been asking me for, and you're right, I ain't installing no darn movie theater hardware either ......

I'm easy, bring me back to basics Mark! A steering wheel, brakes, clutch pedal for a 5 speed man and 4 wheels and I'm all good. And if the oil filter sits above like my 1999 Toyota Camry 4 cyl. that'll be an easy oil change for me using my oil drainer pump.

 

[Mark BEX]

It was actually yesterday that I laser cut and rolled some fender flares, but because of the exaggerated shape of them at the moment, in the way they junt outwards, I showed you the video yesterday with the more finished look to them first.

PLEASE COMPREHEND THIS SENTENCE > There is a lot of trimming and radius'ing of them to get them looking less defined, so a bit of patience please, don't jump to conclusions about their shape until a lot more work is done to them.

With the flares, I laser cut tangs every 4", and drilled holes in the fenders that the tangs slot into, and bent the tangs over to hold them in place.

Today I spent time crafting filler panels, as seen by the yellow arrows.