End of an era.

This little guy drove out of my garage for the last time this morning. It's being handed off to its new owner soon. Just firing it up and giving the engine a good boot as I headed for the trailer was enough to almost give me second thoughts. The engine in this thing is one of the greats, and the chassis does it justice. I keep forgetting how visceral acceleration feels in this thing. There's no slop, no padding - the engine note goes hard and it just rips forward.

This isn't my first project car, but it's the first car I conjured out of thin air. My girlfriend at the time helped me paint the frame, and we'll be celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary next spring. It was the subject of a book, it kicked an Atom's ass in a GRM test and was praised in Car and Driver - getting me called a "ringer" in both magazines.

I'm not selling it for the money or because I need the space - although both will be nice - but because it was just sitting. It's only been used about three times in six years, and it doesn't even get right of first refusal for track time anymore. The new owner is someone I've known for about a quarter century and it'll get exercise. I also have visitation rights.

Goodbye, you crazy little orange bastard.

I don't know whether to smile or cry.

Sniff.

Need to get rid of that CRX with Ronals in the background as well?

Your book had me all fired up to build one of my own. But having half the tools, 5% of the money and none of the time necessary to undertake such an endeavor it was and always will be just a dream.

Hopefully the car will now get driven the way it was built to be driven.

84FSP wrote: Need to get rid of that CRX with Ronals in the background as well?

This was EXACTLY what i was going to say

Hi Keith, end of an era indeed, but you are absolutely doing the right thing by letting it go, given how little use it has gotten. I was at the same point 2 years ago when I sold my Locost. Every time I walked by it in the garage, I thought that it was a shame that I only drove it a handful of times each summer.

I sold it a guy who lives near my in-laws, and I was so happy to see him and his girlfriend having a blast with it on the road and autocrossing it regularly. A highlight for me was riding shotgun in it while the new owner piloted it through the cones!

If I've learned anything about building a car, it is that if it doesn't get driven, it doesn't get enjoyed. I still look back very fondly at all the memories I made with it, but have zero regrets about selling it. It also helps significantly that I've got a new scratch built car project well underway that I will be able to drive more of the year, and take my family along for the fun!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGcyS42BH3w

Dude...that's like shooting your dog.

It will probably help that I'm going to have to move it in and out of the trailer something like 5-6 times before the new owner takes delivery - I'm delivering it during one of my press trips, and it rides in the back end of the trailer. Cold starts with a significant altitude change. I predict it will, at some point, make me happy to let it go It's never been happy coming out of a trailer. Shoulda brought a set of fresh plugs...

As for the CRX, no chance. It's my daily driver half the time, sharing duties with a turbo 1990 Miata. However, the Caddy is teetering on the edge of either a pro touring build or a for sale sign.

Congrats on the sale Keith. I may go back and re-read your book since I have it on my bookshelf. It will be a sad day for you, but think of what a great day it will be for the new owner.

Is it too much to ask to print a very short hardware list? Engine/Trans/rear etc? HP? Performance numbers you may have?

Edit: just read the C&D article. That's telling us all we need to know.

Does flyinmiata still sell the Westfield kit? I've read the book, did Westfield sort out all the issues you had with your build?

Parts list has been online for over a decade Parts list

Instrumented performance:
0-60, 4.7 seconds
1/4 mile, 13.8 seconds at 97.4 mph
70-0 braking, 141.4 ft and 1.156G
skidpad, 0.98G

The Locost frame is basically a Westfield copy. The Miata-based Westfield introduces a number of its own issues, such as a refusal to comprehend basic hydraulics which requires you do to things like relocate their clutch master cylinder. So it's a different set of challenges. Flyin' Miata just recently decided to stop selling that kit, mostly because we couldn't give it enough time to do it justice.

In reply to Keith Tanner:

Parts list is easy enough to find. I just figured they belonged printed in your farewell thread.

Since you seem to be rationalizing the fleet, is the GT next on the chopping block?

No, the GT is staying for the time being at least. So's Basil the Land Rover, even though he rarely gets out either. The GT will probably get some decent work this winter to sort out some problems and make it a better daily.