Ed's 'StreetRunner' Quad Build

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Sep 12, 2012
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Apple Valley, California, USA
The smaller ones look big enough to me. The larger ones are definitely in the cartoon sizing category. I'd suggest either will do depending on what comes at the right price.
After some thought and visualization of what I'm wanting to achieve, I reordered the same set of lights, I just canceled.
They should be here, maybe Wednesday.

I went with the larger ones because ... well, they were more fun looking.
There is a bit of an issue for placement because there is little room where they are destined to go.
And the brake lines are/may, be in the way.

In the meantime, I'm mentally designing the mount for the lights. Thinking about using tubing in some manner.
I plan on mounting the lights at a lower level than what you see in the photos.
I want to hide as many wires as possible on this project.
I want to run the wires down the tube, into the frame, and exit up near the terminal blocks in the middle of the car.
 
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was thinking of a steel salad bowl then use LEDs for light.
Another option would be using resin and cast your own headlights.
 
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It can see!, It can see!

Can't you see the personality of this car starting to emerge?

Just in mockup form. Next to make the brackets permanent.





Had one small issue with clearance for the drag link. But solved.
Also had to rotate the brake line banjo fittings so the hose wouldn't rub on the light bucket.





Next, I must put thought into what type of front turn signals to use and where to mount.
 
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I want to complement the look of the headlights.
I will be painting the black part of the headlights red, matching the rest of the car.
I thought maybe doing the same with the turn signals. But they may stay chrome because of the size.



Something like this might work. With their low profile, they may fit just right in the locations I've indicated.

I have ordered these.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/165116054426?_ ... %3A2047675
 
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Have you considered trafficators mounted on the screen surround. I always wanted a car with trafficators.

No I hadn't. I [do] like the idea.
I'm going internet searching 🧐

I had a Morris Minor when I was over there. Gosh, I would love to have the little car again.
 
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In the meantime, the turn signal lights arrived today.

I didn't think I would like them mounted to the headlight buckets. But I do.
It helps break up the bulky look of the headlights.

They look a lot better than the 2D photos.




 
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Removed the threaded insert to make way for welding on the light brackets.

Enlarged the hole where the wires will go on their way up the frame rail to the battery/converter.


The inner guide tube for the outer cover, that serves as the base for the headlights.



Outer 'pvc' cover installed. Also repositioned the support rods for the windshield.



Both covers on, sans headlights.



This went like clockwork, except for the toe in/toe out, changed. And by a large amount too.
I have no idea what caused it. I did remove the radius rods ( one side at a time, then replaced) to gain access to the insert, but they went back just as they came off.

Can be adjusted, but I sure would like to know how it became misaligned.
 
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Discovered why the toe-in/toe-out was so out of whack.

The right side steering arm became loose. It was moving in the retaining slot/keyway.



This photo shows what it looked like before repair. I didn't do a good enough welding job the first time, so there wasn't enough material in the slot to hold very well.
I added additional weld material in the highlighted area below. Shown before any weld material was added.
Then I spent a good portion of the morning filing until it, fit snug and tight.
Also completed a long-standing project of lengthening the connecting rod, and cutting the radius rod bolts down to size.

 
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Wakefield, UK
Are you relying on a welded tab in the groove to keep the steering intact? If so that seems a failure point at the first pothole or even corner to me. The groove is shallow with threads either side (presumably made from fairly dubious cheap bike steel) rather than solid steel plus the welded tab is presumably mild steel rather than anything hardened too. I would think the wheel would provide more than enough leverage to pull the tab across those threads or the threads to rip even an enlarged tab off. Even if the tab isn't fully dragged across the threads it's going to be subject to high wear as forces push one way then the other. The slot and tab edges already look like they've seen some action. I appreciate this isn't a high mileage machine but I don't think much is needed to wreck that area.

I know that's not what you want to hear as close to the finishing line as this is now getting but I have a genuine concern over a major failure happening quickly. I can't immediately see a good fix (other than welding the steering to the top part of the steerer and ruining the looks) and even something such as running a cutting disc down the slot to deepen it followed by welding a tube inside that steerer to regain the strength would still leave you with a soft metal slot and tab system which while much deeper would still be subject to high wear and failure.
 
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Are you relying on a welded tab in the groove to keep the steering intact? If so that seems a failure point at the first pothole or even corner to me. The groove is shallow with threads either side (presumably made from fairly dubious cheap bike steel) rather than solid steel plus the welded tab is presumably mild steel rather than anything hardened too. I would think the wheel would provide more than enough leverage to pull the tab across those threads or the threads to rip even an enlarged tab off. Even if the tab isn't fully dragged across the threads it's going to be subject to high wear as forces push one way then the other. The slot and tab edges already look like they've seen some action. I appreciate this isn't a high mileage machine but I don't think much is needed to wreck that area.

I know that's not what you want to hear as close to the finishing line as this is now getting but I have a genuine concern over a major failure happening quickly. I can't immediately see a good fix (other than welding the steering to the top part of the steerer and ruining the looks) and even something such as running a cutting disc down the slot to deepen it followed by welding a tube inside that steerer to regain the strength would still leave you with a soft metal slot and tab system which while much deeper would still be subject to high wear and failure.
Your observation is spot on. It has been a concern from the beginning. The only solution I have come up with is to install a roll pin.

A second method may be to drill and tap for a set screw/bolt.
In fact, as I look at this, I may buy shaft collars to fit and weld them onto the bottom.
Drill out and install a grade 8 bolt.
 
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Joined
Oct 19, 2012
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Wakefield, UK
An idea
If you make a plug for the bottom of the steerer from thick steel and drill two holes in it with welded aerotight nuts at the back. Then weld the plug in the steerer base. You still have access to the steerer thread for mounting and adjusting bearings and you then have two captive nuts to mount the steering arm. The arm will remove for mounting and bearing maintenance. The big negative is space though being aerotight there's no plastic so you can grind the nuts down and weld without issue to maximise their size. You should be able to get a couple of M8 aerotights in there and then use socket cap bolts to hold the arm on.

Idea 2
Use a fat pinch nut. Drill through the pinch nut rim vertically to attach the arm. The problem will probably be finding a pinch nut for the steerer and I don't know if it would hold sufficiently on the threads. See option 3.



Idea 3
Weld a substantial tube into the steerer jutting out from the bottom. This will leave access to the threads unhindered. Weld a single split clamp or three to the arm and then use those clamps to mount the arm to that tube. It's a similar solution to number 2 but with easily obtainable clamps. Again though it's subject to forces wanting to move it. With both option 2 and 3 you could drill through for a bolt or pin as you suggest above but with both of these options that pin or bolt would only be an assist and not the main means of preventing rotation.

Idea 4
Almost the same as you own thoughts but instead of a shaft collar use a single split clamp or two or three then you also get the benefit of that clamping around the threads. The disadvantage is possible damage to the steerer threads which is why I suggested welding in that extra tube in option 3.

TBH though I'm not overly impressed with any of my ideas.


Edit
Idea 5
Run the cutting disc not just up the full length of the groove but also across the opposite side of the steerer to it. You then need a piece of steel the thickness of the cut width, the width of the steerer diameter minus thread depth and the length of the cuts. This piece of steel will then fit snugly into the cuts and can be welded to the steering arms so the arms slide onto the steerer with the piece of steel sliding up the cuts. It requires some grinding away around the arm to piece of steel joint to get fully in with the welder but does give two points of weld and no chance of slippage though there may still be some slop. The slop should be less than the single groove will ever have as being full depth it can not wear the slots anywhere near as easily. If it fails at all it will be the two welds that go and will fail totally or not at all.
A somewhat better variation of this is to make the steel piece not just fit the slot but wider just where it protrudes from the below the arm when in position. Get a shaft collar and cut it into two C pieces and weld those to the arm and the steel piece. This gives a much larger area of weld which has no chance of giving. This would be my choice of the options I've thought of. There's no chance of total failure though it may wear the slot though that would be much less than with just the one part depth slot.

 
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Joined
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WOW! You are going to a lot of trouble for me. Thank you for the effort.

One thing to keep in mind. This car will be driven very little.
At present, it is tight and working as it should.
That doesn't mean we shouldn't have a better system, though.

I am looking at each option, trying to visualize them in my mind.
I have to turn your word picture into something my mind will recognize. :unsure:🤓
 
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I started to work with the wiring and ordered some 14 gauge wires. (100' with 10 colors )

No sooner did I receive the wiring than I came across this.

I have found multiple listings for the same or similar and finally put in an offer for this one.
I'm supposed to get the kit by Tuesday, but the seller is only 65 miles from me, so I might receive it by Saturday.

Thinking ahead to the future, I'm wanting to build an electrical component box that stays even with the body off.
Or can be easily disconnected to facilitate its removal.
Remember now, if I live long enough, this chassis will be used for other body types.

The wiring, including the converter, will all go in this cavity back/under the seat.



The box needs to fit between the two motors. Probably not more than 3-4 inches deep.
Access gained from a removable or drop-down door.

 
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