Progress on the Locost has stalled recently due to several factors including a jealous Jeep Cherokee that needs to be readied for winter.
Auto parts offer some really good online deals in December making it an ideal time to buy parts. The exhaust pipes and muffler on the Jeep are riddled with pin holes and the catalytic converter rattles so replacements have been ordered. The actual work of replacing them however may wait until either the noise becomes unbearable or the weather warms up!
More recently the power steering pump on the Jeep self-destructed causing the serpentine belt to completely lose tension. This lead to the loss of alternator voltage, power steering, and coolant circulation… luckily I noticed the heavy steering and quickly pulled over before the engine overheated. It happened an hour from home, but Stephanie and I were able to track down parts at surrounding parts stores and had it running by days end.
Aside from that I cut some rusty spots out of the Jeep body and welded patches in before spraying with bed liner. This of course led to the discovery of more rusting areas which will be tackled some other day- when it’s warmer.
My latest project involves replacing the awful stock headlights. Nearly all of my driving is done on dark two lane back roads, so having better lights will make a major difference! I’ve made an upgraded harness complete with heavier wiring, fuses, and relays and have ordered a set of Hella E-Code headlamps that utilize H4 Halogen bulbs. Feedback on the Jeep XJ forums indicates this system drastically improves performance without the expense of HID projector retrofits. As a minimum I’ll replicate the same system on the Locost.
If you’re considering retrofitting HID projectors on a vehicle you may wish to visit The Retrofit Source to see their complete conversion kits. I’m currently daydreaming about swapping out the standard “Blazer” projector fog lights on the Camaro with a set of identical-looking Blazer HIDs and could definitely see a set of HID projectors integrated into the Locost… even though they are not “low cost”.
