Elio Type Vehicle Resurection --- AKA the BEX

[JEBar]

Per Mark Bex ....

I am most delighted with the results of the front subframe today, I have even named the picture "production front subframe".

It fell together so easily, giving me quiet confidence that only very minor mods will be required from here on in for it. There are more parts to it, but they all fitted up easily and as they should in theory.

This is a big step forward Folks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4c6zBD-RoA

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ...

Today's effort was for the dash panel, an important part of the structure, and I did 2 of the 3 main chassis crossmembers as well. All parts in red in the CAD picture.

Couple of smaller braces also, and the 2 big holes are for 6" radio/music speakers.

[JEBar]

when it was mentioned that having a foot of speakers in a 3 - 4 foot dash it should be easy to hear whatever is playing on the radio !!!


Response Per Mark BEX ....

Importantly I think. it allows for large storage area on the right side "not a door" doorwell, and the rear left side also.

That was the general thinking of keeping the speakers out of the doors, as well as less electrical wiring to worry about.


------------------------------

my comment ---- just one more example of his design experience in preventing potential problems before they ever happen

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ...

I've been look forward to this for a few weeks now, a successful test fit of the engine and gearbox.


Some simple minor adjustments needed, but nothing that's going to stop me using this subframe.


This is a very important step forward as you are looking at close to actual production parts here.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

Worked all day designing the firewall, including brake booster and pedals, get to the laser shop at 7pm to find they have been randomly targeted for emissions outputs testing by the local pollution police. So closed for 2 days while they do all their official tests.

Annoying because lasers put out about as much as the operator having a cigarette. Firewall is red part, and you can see the cnc laser file shows it's not as simple as it looks.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

Surprise call this morning from the laser shop, come and get your parts, the shop is supposed to be officially closed for a few days .... !

I did have to go to the separate office to get them though, the factory doors were closed. Happy about that, and now the firewall is in place with the brake booster and pedal box bolted up.

Happy days, going forward ...

It doesn't look it, but in the first picture the brake pedal is in the middle, optical illusion.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

Today's effort was getting the radiator and air conditioning condenser into place, I had to move them forward a little for clearance as they are now moved more to the right than they were in the donor car. I will new a new top radiator hose, but it's a simple 90 degree bend, but the bottom hose is fine.

I had a win with the clutch, as I can use the 'off the shelf' standard clutch cable, there's one less headache. That may sound strange, but remember I have moved the pedals from the left side of the car, to the center, some 500mm/20" to the right, so not everything simply fits again. Luckily the clutch cable was already long and did a 360 degree loop in the donor car, and I have done the same, follow the red dots in the picture

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

I got around to fitting the rear subframe today, fitted like a treat, looks good, very simple and fast to make.

I was a little surprised that the rear suspension frame mount, red arrow, matched up perfectly to the new subframe, thought I was going to have to make a new one, I'll take that, a win is a win, and allows me to move forward a little each time I have a win

[JEBar]

per Hannibal of the A-Team, I love it when a plan comes together

[JEBar]

When asked :

"Please excuse my ignorance of the subject. All this fitting of so many different pieces together looks to be very time and labor intensive. I can see why it's needed in building a prototype but could all this be streamlined by making the production car with a one piece, stamped frame with the body joined? "unibody".... I think that's what they call it."


Mark Responded :

I have a unibody manufacturer at the ready if required, but as mentioned, the cost of dies is quite overwhelming, at least initially for the project. I'm the tall guy with the funny hat, who isn't Chinese ...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nHtAPjr8o8&t=13s

I have a unibody manufacturer at the ready if required, but as mentioned, the cost of dies is quite overwhelming, at least initially for the project. I'm the tall guy with the funny hat, who isn't Chinese ...

I try everywhere I can to reduce number of pieces, cost and especially time, and of course the biggy: "Off the shelf" parts where ever and as many as possible, this will include OEM doors.

The entire side panels are one piece.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

I thought up, designed, lasered and folded the new rear swingarm in a half day today, quite happy how it turned out too.
It's a simple 'tophat' fold, with the tube nuts and tube holes lasered out so it just all fits together in minutes, and gets welded.

Note it is quite wider than the roll bars, intentional to help stop it progressing forward into the cabin in a rear accident.
For those wondering, yes, it will be triangulated later.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ...

Finished the basic swingarm today, a few minor dimensional modifications are needed, but not to the basic design itself. I'll add a triangulation later, first make sure everything is going to clear everything.

One side is prettier than the other side, so I'll show that side ...

Was a bit of effort to clean the old brackets off the old rear suspension tube, I hope the manufacturer will sell me the tubes raw, if not, I will have to find an alternate tube to weld to the stub axle, just way too much time, noise and cost in cleaning the old brackets off.

I also mucked up something in the height, the 4 holes I lasered were way too low, circled in red below, so I had to hand drill 4 new ones, but that's cool, makes the brackets shorter, stronger and cheaper.

I am so used to laser cutting everything now, it was a shock to drill them by hand, along with grinding off the brackets, it was almost like work!

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

Will be a couple of quiet days now while designing.. I am very happy with the front subframe assembly, quite close to production worthy after a few touchups here and there, and I am now integrating it into the rollcage, main chassis rails etc, first in CAD, then for real. Not that far away from having a rolling chassis number 000.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

Still designing, have found a couple of major tricks to improve production speed, increase simplification, and less material, i.e. cheaper. Mostly for the "B Pillars' and side bar intrusion protection. Ahh if I only could see these things sooner.

211204 001 latest frame 001.jpg (18.86 KiB) Viewed 2050 times

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

Well the new chassis is going to be put together step by step these days, the difference from before is I think this will be a production chassis completion, or one that will only require minor modifications from here on in. (picture 1)

The new design B Pillars are being laser cut, and folded tomorrow I hope. (picture 2)

Part of the reason is to incorporate side intrusion bars (picture above)

Also, I've also been experimenting with the rear seat setup, you Ladies can tell your husbands that they are going to be very comfortable back there ...

[JEBar]

my wife is delighted to see Mark say this .... the last time we drove to an Elio show was in early March of 2016 .... the picture below shows us sitting in the one on display .... with its single door, she was very uneasy and lost a good bit of enthusiasm about getting one

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

B Pillar was laser cut today, I took it to get folded, and started to look at the setup for issues.

You can see the jigging plate being used to line it up, using the door hinge holes, and I sat the side protection bars in looking for issues ... so far none.

As you will recall I had steel tube before, but this created alignment headaches, every bend can not be perfect, just a tenth of a degree difference in each of the total 10 bends in the 3 main roll hoops, and it ends up out of alignment very quickly.

The laser'ed parts are super accurate, and this makes the 2 main longitunal bars easier to be consistently placed accurately.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ----

While quite happy with the B pillar design, as you can see with the red arrows, I can and will widen the top more to tuck it in closer to the bodywork. My fault, I played it too safe, worried about clearance issues, but pretty good overall first a first attempt, and you can see the lower half tucks in very nicely.

The panel with the yellow arrow, is an alignment jig, it doesn't stay there. It is the same alignment jig I use for the front firewall as well

You can see the side impact bars here, they are in their final position.

[markiver54]

Wow!
That thing is really coming along!

[JEBar]

Wow!
That thing is really coming along!

that it is .... Mark is a remarkable person .... he's doing almost everything from design to building himself .... I no longer have any doubt that he will get it to market and we are looking forward to having one