Introducing the owner/builder
I am providing a little bit of information about myself to clarify why I have changed some of the dimensions and design of my Locost. I use a wheelchair to get around so when I took on this project I had to make some adjustments to the car to make it easier to get in and out of and carry my wheelchair. I made it larger, fitted hand controls and used an automatic to make it easier to drive.
I had a serious accident in 1982 while racing Super Karts. I badly injured my back (spinal cord) which left me a paraplegic. Using a wheelchair for my mobility hasn’t slowed me down much, and over the years I have raised three fantastic kids, played wheelchair basketball at a state and national level, traveled Australia & overseas and built a career in senior management.
In my spare time I have restored a couple of Jaguars in recent years and you can access those pages by going to My Web Garage.
Getting a bit more mature, with no kids at home and having a bit of spare cash available has enabled me to indulge my interest in classic cars that I had admired for so long.
I was a Panel Beater in the 70’s & 80’s but haven’t worked in the trade for over 26 years. The skills are still there and I have the enthusiasm for working on my own project but the wheelchair does make it a bit more difficult to handle some of the large, heavy or awkward work, but I can still handle most of it - although generally at a reduced pace.
I am lucky to have some good friends who help with the more difficult aspects of the work, mainly the lifting of heavy and awkward items. I must admit that without one particular friend, Malcolm, my garage projects would not be possible.
So there you have a bit of background on me. I hope your visit to this site is informative and entertaining. Feel free to E-mail me with any comments, suggestions or questions - I am always open to a chat with like minded enthusiasts.
Don Lewis Melbourne, Australia
|