The Gecko--A CBR Powered Sports Car

im ripping it all off

2009-07-19T20:33:00.000-07:00

i realized i forgot critical anti-dive and anti-squat design principles in my suspension planning, so i will be ripping off ALL of my completed rear suspension and starting over. i have met a man who has resources up the wazoo, so i will be getting them rebuilt the right way, so that is a plus.

updates as they come....

im back

2009-07-02T20:01:00.001-07:00

been back home visiting family for a week. got back to the shop today. good and bad day.

first off, bought the rest of the metal i need to finish the car. a piece of 1.5x3 tube for the top rails of the engine cradle to weld in to at the firewall. and a bunch a 1" 16ga pipe to go triangulation on the rear end of the car, as well as seat brackets.

i figured out how im gonna do the rear coilovers. i finally decided against pushrods on the back so i dont have a crazy firm ride. the pics show a mock up of how the rear susp will work.

at the very end of the day, i wanted to get the engine back under the chassis so i could see what kind of space i was working with for the fuel tank and also to make some engine mount templates. since i was alone, i lifted the back of the car (took the susp off so it was an empty shell) and propped it up a 4' section of metal so i could go over and get the engine. its on a little furniture roller and i rolled it over to the propped chassis. it BARELY tapped the chassis and that fell over, and for some reason the furniture roller broke in three pieces and the engine slammed to the floor. a dented oil cooler is all i can see right now. i didnt really see what happened so idk why everything broke.

pics were taken with my phone

mock up

2009-06-03T20:22:00.000-07:00

got all my new parts in and took it in to the shop to mock it all up. the pics show a potential set up for the rear pushrods, and the seats and steering wheel in place. heres pics:

more new parts

2009-05-30T09:41:00.000-07:00

got a bunch more parts in. these include:

seats
radiator
coilovers
steering wheel
weld in threaded bungs and tie rod ends
upper ball joints
wiring harness
some other little things

heres pics of a few of them:

one completed corner of suspension

2009-05-24T18:22:00.000-07:00

Well after being at the shop all weekend, i have...(drumroll please....)...one corner of suspension done. thats three less than i was planning on having done. oh well. the left rear suspension is completely welded up and kind of assembled. its held on with tie rod ends and weld in threaded bungs from the unbuilt wishbones, buts its attached to the car! i moved it through its paces and it looks great. i still have to weld on the pushrod attachment, but the hard geometry part is done. its starting to look more and more like a car!

i ordered the front upper ball joints and they will be here tuesday. my coilovers should be coming late this week or early next week, so HOPEFULLY (no promises) the car will be sitting on its own feet in two weeks

here's pics

(the soda can demonstrates full bump [the car would be bottoming out] and the wood demonstrates normal ride height)

total fab time: i finally lost count. 55+ hours for sure

Suspension begins

2009-05-03T20:00:00.000-07:00

well after looking online for four, five-foot sections of 1" pipe, i discovered it was gonna be $160.

i checked in to a local place, and they said it would be $8.32. so i doubled the order (for chassis reinforcements) and it ended up being $26 for 40ft. works for me.

so now i got more metal to continue work. first item of business was to weld in the triangular braces on the sides of the passenger compartment. to be honest, as these are just braces, the dimensions werent completely accurate to each side, but thats okay.

after that, i went in today to work on the suspension wishbones. the upper fronts are the simplest, so i started with those. i made up a jig out of wood so the dimensions would be accurate on each wishbone. i accounted for weld in threaded bungs and rod ends that will make up the ends of the wishbones.

here's pics from yesterday and today:

total fab time: 39.5 hours

Gauge Cluster

2009-04-30T19:53:00.001-07:00

picked up this used cluster for $150.

quite a bit smaller than i thought...

cool nonetheless.

How much does it weigh?

2009-04-25T16:47:00.000-07:00

i keep getting asked this.

i also get people saying "oh thats gonna be heavy" when i tell them im making it out of mild steel instead of some ultra low weight carbon fiber kevlar nonsense that they think it should be made out of.

well..maybe this pic helps:
weigh so far-191 lbs.
fab time so far-31.5 hours

(my shirts not tucked in...just small)

Welding

2009-04-21T19:57:00.001-07:00

even with a crappy welder at the shop (still trying to find a better one) i was able to get out a few good looking welds. here are some of the better ones.

Milestone #1--a completed chassis

2009-04-18T16:19:00.000-07:00

Well today was a big day for me. I spent another three hours at the shop. first item of business: welding and grinding down the faces of the firewall and the front bulkhead that the beam rails would be welded too.

next up i coped (or "fishmouthed") the ends of lower center rails that go through the firewall so they could be welded to the lower rear crossmember. this was a little tricky, and i got it wrong three times and and grind it down farther each time. i wasnt using the right tools, which would have helped.

once all of that was properly aligned, and the frame was aligned against a wall, i set the lower side rails (complete with unwelded crossmembers) on the ground against each subframe. the lower rails were tacked, then the crossmembers. next i positioned clams to hold the upper rails and dash crossmember up while i tacked it in place. all in all, after my three hours of work, this is what i have:

while it's still not 100% complete (i still need to add all the 1" pipe triangular bracing, and gusset plates), it is everything i could do with my initial shipment of metal. so everything that was once just a pallet of rough cut steel, is now a part of this chassis somewhere. next up is triangular bracing and suspension wishbones.

total fab time to date:
25 hours

-gecko

back on track.

2009-04-11T20:15:00.000-07:00

got down to the shop today after work. i told myself as i got there that i wasnt going to leave until the compound angles were cut. after a little bit of tricky math and some creative thinking, i had two upper beam rails mounted on magnets on the frame.

i also re-blasted my gloss black cv axle and hub and sprayed it flat black. i got high temp semi gloss black on the header, and orange on the front hubs (the rear hubs will recieve then same treatment once i get the axles off).

i also got the frame in perfect alignment using a wall, and a stress line on the floor. i was very pleased to discover that every measurement on the car was within 1/8" of actual blueprints. everything was level and true. pretty amazing considering i built it on a shop floor with a tape measure and a square. i did a little happy dance. (no one was watching).

i cut the holes cut in the upper beams for the dashboard rail and called it a night.

i was a happy camper.

total fab time to date:
22 hours

i slowed down a little bit

2009-04-08T20:17:00.001-07:00

so i was just killing it once i got the keys to the shop. well i've slowed down a little bit since last weekend. went to see the girl, and worked on CAD drawings of the suspension wishbones instead of manual labor.

got back to actual work today and cut and filed the holes for the lower crossmembers of the passenger compartment. four holes total were cut out of the two side beams that are the main rails on the lower sides of the pass. compartment.

next will be the compound cuts for the upper rails, and coping the ends of the engine cradle beams that stick out under where the seats will eventually sit.

i made one of the lower side rails too long by about 1/4" so that will be corrected as well.

total fab time to date:

18 hours

day eight

2009-04-02T19:02:00.000-07:00

headed to the shop last night to blast and paint my hubs/spindles. spent about an hour down there cleaning them all up. i painted one gloss black and hated it, so that one will be reblasted and repainted.

thank you david lee

2009-03-31T19:58:00.001-07:00

picked up a great deal from a guy on craigslist today.

all four hubs and spindles, plus two axles from a mazda miata. these are great because:

a) they are very compact
b)bolt right in to my differential
c) support double wishbone suspensions

schweet.

(they will be blasted and painted, dont worry)

day seven

2009-03-28T20:24:00.001-07:00

i got the lower main rails cut and worked on cad drawings done of some other components. the main problem right now is the compound angle of the top rails. still working on that gem....

pics i took today:

total fab time to date:

15.5 hours

day six pictures

2009-03-26T20:25:00.000-07:00

day six--the overall picture

2009-03-25T19:55:00.001-07:00

i got the rear bulkheads tacked and filed out the holes that the main beams travel through. i set everything up on the floor as if it were a completed chassis. essentially, it is, its just not welded. pics are on my phone, but i'll get ones with the camera tomorrow.

total fab time to date:

13 hours

Day Five

2009-03-23T20:21:00.000-07:00

headed over to the shop after school today to start tack welds.

wasnt there long, but I tacked both of the front bulkheads, as well as the firewall. pretty tricky when you dont have a level floor. close enough though!

total fab time to date:

11.5 Hours.

day four

2009-03-21T19:40:00.001-07:00

spent a good part of today in the shop. got there about 1:45 and was there until 8.

got all of my 45 degree cuts done, as well as finishing up the holes.

i accidentally drilled a hole in the firewall side, which doesnt need a hole, so i went and found one of the metal chips and welded it back in place, which took a few minutes as well as a run to Northern Tool to get a welding helmet and gloves.

all and all, the frame is ready to be tack welded. im going to tack it with the 120 thats at the shop, then rent or find a 220 and do the final welds.

also in the news: i got a copy of AutoCAD, so im working on "official" blueprints.

check out the pics from today's progress:

Day Three

2009-03-20T21:31:00.001-07:00

today i got back in the shop to start cutting holes in the rectangular tube for the circular pipe to fit in to. my pipe is 1.66" OD, and i found a 1.75" hole saw to be too large (i wanted a little play, but not that much). I got a 1.625 hole saw, and after the hole saw "walks" during the cutting process, the final hole came out just perfect for the pipe to fit in snug.

with just four cuts to do, and after running my hole saw at a higher RPM than recommended, the heat dulled down the teeth, and it was done. i mocked up the car again just to see how things fit and to sit in it once more :-)

i'll head back tomorrow to finish my holes, and get started (and hopefully finished) with the 45 degree cuts. i'll get some more pics tomorrow hopefully.

fab time to date:

5 hours

Day Two

2009-03-17T20:46:00.000-07:00

today was back to the shop for some measuring and marking. i marked out all of the diagonal cuts, and center punched where my holes will be.

nothing too exciting, but a vital step in the process.

fabrication time to date:

2.5 hours

It has started!! Day One.

2009-03-16T20:00:00.001-07:00

Well i think i can officially say that the gecko is underway.

terry gave me the keys to the PCS shop this afternoon, and i arrived prompty at 8:20 after school to immediately begin "work" on the car.

The first day of the build process was a simple one. i laid out all of my metal on the floor, roughly laid out in the shape of a finished gecko chassis. it gives a very loose idea of the final product, but a very good idea for the size. all parts were labeled and stored away again so i can begin cuts soon.

it was an awesome feeling having a 3d representation of the car wrapped around me.

pics from day one (thats mazer in the pics):

rumors...

2009-03-10T20:54:00.000-07:00

amongst the whispers i hear things....

....400 ponies....

....all wheel drive....

1000 lbs....

FourLogic Scorpion. a new sting.

And so it begins...

2009-03-04T19:31:00.001-08:00

when i got to work this morning, my skid of metal was waiting for me on the shipping dock. grabbed a friend and got it in to my car (yes, the entire dissembled chassis fits in the back of my dodge caliber hatchback). On my lunch break, i headed down to Production Control Services (optiflow parent company) to drop off the metal. the engine and other miscellany is already there, and now the chassis components join the ranks. i have to talk to Stuart about when i can build the dang thing. as of right now, weekends would be my only option, and no one is at the shop on weekends. but i'll get it figured out.

i can really feel it now. getting so close!

thanks again to my grandfather, Don Barber, and Aurora Industries, as well as Stuart Harlow and Terry Tremmel at Production Control Services. You guys have a been a huge help.

also, if anyone wishes to contact me, email is on the right, or IM me at FourLogic1000

Ladies and Gentlemen, its OFFICIAL!

2009-02-22T18:51:00.000-08:00

The gecko is no longer just doodles and dimensions!

Thanks to my amazing grandfather, it's now doodles and dimensions AND a pile of metal!

Thanks grandpa! I look forward to getting fabrication underway in the next couple of weeks

4Logic

2009-02-16T19:49:00.000-08:00

well ive come up with a name for the "manufacturer" of the gecko. I have decided to call it "4Logic" or "FourLogic." It represents the four main ideas behind the creation of the gecko--Performance, Handling, Efficiency, and Affordability. I.e., the four logics.

so it shall be a 4Logic Gecko, or the "Gecko by 4Logic Sports cars"

like any of these?

New Parts!!

2009-02-04T18:47:00.000-08:00

got some new parts.

picked up a mazda miata viscous limited slip differential (much smaller and lighter than the 8.8) for a killer deal, but after reading some things, im having second thoughts.

also got a pair of spindles off of a mini cooper for free from work. just need a good sandblasting and paint.

check out the pics, and note the difference in size between the miata diff and 8.8 diff.

i also sent the cutting list to my grandfather ( a master metal fabricator) and he said he should get to it this weekend. i can feel it now guys!

new body

2009-01-24T15:14:00.000-08:00

here is the shot of the body outline i just finished. i really liked the body on the gecko 2, and was happy i could maintain the overall looks of that car when designing this body. it's nearly the same, only being lengthened for the extended wheelbase. the windshield is also a full height windshield (to facilitate the targa top) and has a full roll to the front.

slow goings

2009-01-18T20:31:00.001-08:00

this weekend my wonderful girlfriend came to visit, so the gecko was put on hold. as of now, plans (the fourth redesign) have been finalized, and metal should be on its way...sometime soon. i have some other financial priorities in line, so the gecko might be on hold for say, three weeks or so. check back.

a word on subframes....

2009-01-08T17:20:00.001-08:00

this is why i use subframes in my design process:

below is a simple subframe for the front suspension and front bulkhead. i build this as its own component, and then attach it numerous other subframes to complete the whole car.

this is what the car looks like from the front with a bunch of other stuff drawn in too (about HALF of all components--remember, this is only the chassis!

did i get it right this time?

2009-01-05T19:41:00.001-08:00

well, gecko 3 (and a half?) is now reaching what i believe to be a "final" point. the mere word "final" pretty much means nothing with this project, but this is why i think this frame is a good one:

-the use of 1.5"x1.5"x3" rectangular tube as main support beams running the length of the car
-intersecting pipes, where 1.5" OD circular pipe goes through the rectangular tube, and is then welded on all edges for a VERY strong joint.
-48" of shoulder width, more than plenty comfortable for two people.
-53" of leg room.
-long suspension wishbones for smooth travel.
-front crash zone (an area of pipes and tube that will absorb energy in the front of the car)
-tri-supported roll bars
-the use of gusset plates in areas where intersecting joints are not used
-a hard top (although not yet designed) appears likely as an option

so hopefully, this will be it. a final design. the frame appears as though it would support a very angular, sharp body style. check it out, let me know what you think

Related Pictures

2009-01-04T12:36:00.001-08:00

i figured id share a couple pics i have in my archives that either inspired the gecko, or gave me guidance on key design principles. ill add more every now and then...

moving day

2009-01-04T12:27:00.001-08:00

all packed up in teh back of my car--everything I own dedicated to the gecko project. nearly a thousand bucks worth of stuff already...

here's what i have now:

-1000cc four cylinder engine out of a Honda CBR1000RR sport bike
-ECU module for the engine
-two stock airboxes with dual stage fuel injection fuel rails
-ignition cylinder with keys
-8.8 posi differential
-kick stand sensor switch
-airbox inlet pipe

key components i need in the near future:

-STEEL!
-front uprights/hubs
-steering rack
-wiring harness for the engine
-jet power commander
-fuel pump/lines (and prolly a fuel tank for that matter)
-battery

All packed up and ready to go:

well....

2009-01-01T20:19:00.000-08:00

interesting past couple days.

the redesign (now Gecko 3) is coming along alright. got a bit done while i was on vacation back home. due to recent events, i'll have more time to dedicate to the project, as well as some more funds as well. keep checking back for updates!

redesign? what?

2008-12-18T20:06:00.000-08:00

well, i made a choice today.

the gecko is about to hit the surgery table, and i barely have any parts. i am starting over, maintaining the same concept, but a radical redesign for four main reasons:

a) the most important reason for me is room. as it is now, it is VERY tight for two people. i want to widen it up a bit and have room for a hand operated shifter instead of paddles.

b) a frame that allows for longer front suspension which = a better ride.

c) i want to build a frame that easily accepts a removable hard top or targa top

d) weight reduction. with newly acquired information, i have realized a few unnecessary frame components., and im gonna redesign the frame with narrower tubing. two inch tube is huge.

Posi differential

2008-12-17T19:04:00.001-08:00

well i found a killer good deal on a Posi (limited slip) differential. only $50 instead of the normal $400+.

so now i have two of the most crucial parts of the car. the diff, and the engine, both of which i got great deals on.

check it out!

now for those of you wondering how the heck im going to make this work with a chain driven vehicle, try and follow me here.

i'll take the ring gear off (the largest gear visible in the pictures) and bolt a sprocket in its place. now i will have something that looks like this:

next up is to create a cylindrical housing to hold grease and protect the delicate internals of the differential. a sort of sleeve that spans from the inside edge of the sprocket, to the inside edge of the opposing bearing. something a bit like this:

notice the smooth housing to the right of the sprocket? the inside of that is filled with grease that would normally be contained withing the differential housing on a car.

next step is to make a carrier. this would be a triangular plate on either side of the differential, with holes that the CV axle splines and come through and attach to the differential. the top of this triangular formation will be held to the chassis with two threaded rods that can be tightened and loosened for chain tension adjustments. the whole housing comes out like so:
this particular example has a disc brake mounted to the caliper, instead of brakes out at the wheels.

in a nutshell, thats a chain drive limited slip differential! lots of work ahead of me on this one!

Color!

2008-12-14T18:50:00.001-08:00

played on rach's photoshop for a couple mins earlier. nothing fancy, but it just makes it that much more real :-)

Thank you Tony Pashley

2008-12-13T12:26:00.001-08:00

you, sir, rock.

i got the book "How to Build Motorcycle-engined Racecars" in the mail and guess what? it kicks ass. every suspension problem i had, now gone!

thank you 1.3:1 to 1.5:1.

Tony Pashley, if you're ever in Spring, TX, come hit me up. i'll buy you lunch for being my literary hero.

Numbers

2008-12-09T19:38:00.000-08:00

so here's a couple numbers that got my heart pumping a little bit just thinking about them...

i saw a similar car to mine...a FSAE car, and it had a 600cc CBR engine. compare some of these numbers:

600CC car:
74hp to the wheels
650 lbs
seats one
power to weight ratio--8.78 lbs per hp
0-60 time: 3.35 sec

non turbo gecko:
150hp to the rear wheels
900 lbs
seats two
power to weight ratio: 6 lbs per hp
est. 0-60 time: 2.8-3.0 sec

turbo gecko:
240 hp
935 (est) lbs
seats two
power to weight ratio: 3.75 lbs per hp
est 0-60 time: 2.2-2.7 sec

and they all get around FORTY MPG!

i love it :-)

Oh, such love!

2008-12-08T19:35:00.001-08:00

So the car is little more than hand drawn drafts and an engine (and an ignition cylinder), and i'm already getting overwhelming support from nearly everyone that hears about it! My blog has TWO followers (woot) and check out this great support from 1000rr.net: (im gecko1000)
http://www.1000rr.net/forums/showthread.php?t=56778

the model continues to take shape:big thanks to terry tremmel for the tool loans! i'll be moving the engine and what other little things i have to the shop this weekend!

Teaser Shot

2008-12-06T19:10:00.001-08:00

Here's a teaser for the final paint job (i realize i'm a ways off from that point, but here it is)

More scale model

2008-12-04T20:01:00.001-08:00

so this little model is a great help for me visualize the final product. it's also helping me identify a couple of potential problems. and third, it's getting me a little bit of that drive back.

here's some more progress pics of the model:

Oh fun, an ENGINE!

2008-12-02T19:55:00.001-08:00

Yes, I realize this is being posted right after the previous post, but i felt it needed to be separate. This post is to highlight my killer engine I have sitting in my living room right now. I found it from a guy on craigslist complete for only $800.

The engine is a four-stroke, four cylinder, fuel-injected motor out of a Honda CBR1000RR crotch rocket. The engine also features a dual-stage fuel injection system, meaning that at wide open throttle, fuel is injected in to the air intake as well as the cylinder heads, so the fuel coming in to the cylinders is already premixed with gasoline.

specs:

Displacement:	998.00 ccm (60.90 cubic inches)
Engine type:	In-line four
Stroke:	4
Compression:	11.9:1
Bore x stroke:	75.0 x 56.5 mm (3.0 x 2.2 inches)
Fuel system:	Injection. Dual Stage Fuel Injection (DSFI)
Fuel control:	DOHC
Ignition:	Computer-controlled digital transistorized with three-dimensional mapping
Starter:	Electric
Cooling system:	Liquid
Gearbox:	6-speed
Transmission type final drive:	Chain

all in all, the engine delivers about 150hp to the chain, and is capable of 300+ with a turbo and tuning.

I cut my thumb

2008-12-02T19:43:00.000-08:00

Yea, so for those of you that are familiar with my custom headlights on my caliber...you know the turn signals are exposed. well, a rock flew up and shattered one of them, and when i was trying to replace it, the broken glass SLICED my thumb open. its pretty hardcore.

anyways.

Back to the Gecko.

Not much going on with it today. in fact i didn't even touch the model OR the plans. but i can show you a parallel wishbone (a-arm) suspension drawing that i did the other day just to show off my drafting skills a bit.

i referred to my RC car (Tesla) to get approximate dimension ideas--mainly the relation between upper control arm length and lower control arm length. I concluded that, when mounted on the same plane, the upper wishbone is 93% the length of the lower wishbone.
the drawing is approximate, but as close as I know how to come to a scratch built susp. The strut/spring was a doosey to draw.
here's pic:

Scale Model

2008-12-01T19:05:00.001-08:00

I got a little more work done on the 1/18th scale model im working on of the gecko.

i'm trying to focus on suspension right now. I think i've narrowed it down for the front. I'm going to source off of a lotus kit car, using a package from the UK. like this. Still working on the back. I also bid on a limited slip differential on ebay. doubt i'll win tho. about to move my work in to the shop. Big thanks to OptiFlow and the Harlows for loaning me space!

Welcome

2008-11-30T17:52:00.000-08:00

I created this blog to document the design and construction of a sports car I have designed dubbed the "Gecko." The car is a very compact, two seater sports car powered by a Honda CBR1000RR engine out of a sport bike. As a current student in an automotive training program, progress might be slow, but I hope to have a completed car (less body) by mid summer 2009.

Why so small?
Several months ago, I got an addiction to micro cars. Cars like the Peel P50, the BMW Isetta, Fiat 500's, and the like. I kept thinking 'how cool would it be to drive one of those around!' I would have loved one of the cars, but I wanted something FAST. And 50cc moped engines just didn't do it for me. So I started laying out plans. Concept drawings of a tiny, roofless car. One design morphed in to the next, and what I ended up with was the Gecko.

How bout some specs?
The car is very compact, a 5'9" wheelbase, and total length of just over 8 feet. The CBR engine puts out about 150HP, and will chain-drive the rear wheels through a limited slip differential. I estimate that the car will stay under 900 lbs, and get to 60mph in about 3.2-3.5 seconds. The car will get around 35-40mpg, and take two people with it.

Here is the original Gecko side concept shot for starters: