Lyka MkII - Poppapope's Build -

Greetings all.

I am starting this thread as part of the record of my build.
My first 13 Kits are siting on a pallet at STW and soon will be en-route to me in Denver, Colorado USA.



Sorry about the rotation, not sure how to cure that.

I am going to keep a detailed blog at:
https://poppapope-steamcar.blogspot.com/

This thread will be for important Q&A, mistakes and fixes, kind words of encouragement etc.

From what I can tell, I am the first blogger for this series of kits.  This may be important (or not).
There was a previous series of the Model 2 that occurred over the last 4-5 years, (sorry if I am wrong on the time).
This previous build was important in that it was the FIRST - Model 2 series, but this also meant that builders were out there
on the "bleeding edge" so to speak.  Dean and company were finishing the design on each kit as they were produced, making changes
to the prototype and then releasing the rest of the kits.  So there were some miss-steps along the way, corrected of course, but I can only
assume that some of the builders were frustrated with the process.  

While I have not talked to Dean about this, and will stand corrected if I have miss-spoken,  
I will assume that the corrections and fine tuning have all taken place and this series of kits is the result
of all the engineering reviews being in place.

SO - Time will tell if I am correct.

I will try to be faithful in my reporting and honest in covering my mistakes and resulting corrections.

I hope you enjoy the build, I know I will.

I want to thank Grier for all his current and future assistance.

OH - ONE LAST THING.
I am not a "car guy".  I have never packed a bearing, bled a brake system, wired a tail light.
So as we go along you will see a true and accurate "beginner's point of view".

Take care,
Get your boosters.

Jim Pope
Poppapope
Denver, CO
USA

Hi Jim.
I started building the current series Feb 2020 and have recently received  kit 13. The final engine kit ie. The valve bits etc. Although I have fitted the brakes I have not yet put fluid in and bled them. Brake fluid absorbs moisture over time hence why car manufacturers replace the fluid every few years.

The build does go together with a bit of fettling without needing special workshop tools. Although it is a good excuse , if needed , to acquire a few more toys ( tools)

Hello Ian,

Thanks for the information on your build and the encouraging news as to the quality of the kits so far.

I do not know if it is available in the UK, but over here there is a DOT5 brake fluid that is
a lot friendlier to your paint job if spilled.

Regards,
Jim Pope

My pallet has made it's way to Heathrow, waiting for a plane on Wed or Thurs next week.
I have finally figured out at least part of the International Freight process, so I owe Rosemary at STW an
apology for badgering her every day for news. Basically, you have to make a reservation a week or so out,
and wait for the airline to acknowledge they have the room. oh yeah - and trust STW and the Freight Forwarder -
they do know how to do this.


So in preparation - to keep myself busy, I have been spending money on the "extras" -

Batteries - Optima Blue Top Deep cycle.

Black Oxide Supplies - If I do not paint/powder coat a piece, I will blacken it. Nuts and bolts too.
But only after I experiment - new technology to me.

Lots of metric bolts. nuts, washers all different sizes. Just to have a selection.
Plus I like to use washers - flat and split - It's just the way my father taught me.

Oh - And because you can not have enough tools - I got a battery powered angle-grinder,
in the same series as my drill and impact driver, just to share batteries.
Along with a multi-grit package to flap discs.

More to come, thanks for reading.
Jim Pope
Denver, CO
USA

I think someone's getting quite excited

It is a quiet Memorial Day Monday here in Denver. For those in the UK (and around the world), we spend the day reflecting on those who gave all in the defense of these United States.

Or so it is supposed to be. In reality it is mostly an excuse to have a three-day weekend, followed by a 4 day work-week, where nothing gets done.
A day to wash the car, or the boat, get ready for the antics of summer, and finally be socially acceptable to wear flowered Hawaiian Shirts.

I am sitting on my patio, with three Greyhounds at my feet, enjoying the quiet ripple of water in the fountains in the garden,
and mentally going over the first steps I will take when my pile of goodies (kits) arrives - maybe by the end of the week.

So - to those of you around the world - please raise a pint to Absent Friends, and take care to keep all the fingers out of harms way.

More to come -

Thanks for reading.

Jim Pope
Denver,CO
USA

Hello from Denver,

I received my shipment yesterday.
Sorted it out and started to wrap my head around the process ahead of me.  

One thing I will say to all of you over here on this side of the pond that may be
batching your kits - "Trust the process" but know that information is few and far between during the actual transit.

For someone who is spoiled by "insta-cart" and Amazon - where I can track a shipment down to watching the truck
go around my neighbor hood and receive updates every 15 minutes when it is getting close to my turn, - The whole
importing $12K worth of stuff and not even know when it passed thru customs, there is a secret code for each step in
the process, but no one will tell you what it means, can be very nerve racking.  

So my apologies to Dean and Rosalie and everyone else for badgering them.  All is good - and I have a lot of work to go.

Here is my shipment - now in my garage -
(with the QC inspector at hand)

You will now wake up in the middle of the night thinking about which parts from which kits to sequence to keep everything flowing in an orderly way. What things you may have forgotten to do and other things that need to be done. Getting multiple kits is fun, complicating too as best how to start and finish these kits. And it is all fun!

Yep - already done that - woke up yesterday trying to figure out in my head which surfaces to mask off for the powder coater.

So far I have sorted out Kits 1,2 & 3. Put my eyes on all the parts, leaving the fiddley bits in the baggies for now.
Mocked up the chassis, and put some cleaning effort in. Masked off the obvious places, like the bearing locations
and threads on the studs.

Off to the powder coater tomorrow, time to learn the best way to use their services.

More details in the blog:
https://poppapope-steamcar.blogspot.com/
I am not sure how to get notices on updates, so check back often.

Thanks for reading -
Regards,
Jim Pope
Denver, CO USA

Mid July now.

I have my chassis on wheels - I had a few trials getting there, but she freely rolls down hill at this point.

The Blog has the meaty details, but here are some pictures:  

The first few parts coming back from the powder coating company.



First assembly on rolling jack stands:


Now on wheels, Differential built and all greased up with nowhere to go:




So please see my blog, hope you enjoy it, comments welcome.

Regards to all,
Jim Pope
Denver, CO USA

Greetings,

I have gotten the frame pieces back from the powder coater.  Got some help sorting screws.



Assembled the base section on the jack stands and then fitted to the chassis.






Off to California to visit the grandkids, more progress later this week.

Well, here it is, December 11.  

I am pausing my build to wait for the boiler and other kits that STW has been piling up for me.  
Dean has explained that the whole boiler certification process has become very convoluted.

Here in the US, we do not have any regulations at the national level, each state has their own (if any).
In Colorado, where I live, most regulations concern themselves with boilers inside buildings.  
I have yet to find any that apply to Automotive boilers.  

While I am getting impatient to resume my build, I appreciate that there is someone who knows more than I
making the judgement call on the design and construction of the 300 PSI "Seat Cushion" .

In the meantime, I have been gathering together some accessories and supplies that may come in handy.

I will be posting in my blog over the next few days on some of the things I am considering adding.

So -

https://poppapope-steamcar.blogspot.com/

Everyone have a Happy Holiday Season.

Regards,
Jim "Poppa" Pope
Denver, CO USA

JPDenver wrote:
Here in the US, we do not have any regulations at the national level, each state has their own (if any).
In Colorado, where I live, most regulations concern themselves with boilers inside buildings.  
I have yet to find any that apply to Automotive boilers.  

That does surprise me, would it not come under the standard BOILER AND PRESSURE VESSEL REGULATIONS ?

https://ops.colorado.gov/sites/ops/files/BoilerRegulations120108.pdf

I dont think we have any specific boiler regs for automotive stuff but all our boilers still come under our pressure vessel regs because its still a pressure vessel.

I could be wrong of course but I'd definitely check.

Full details in the blog.  but here is a short video of my Lyka Engine running on air.

I rigged up a tube with a compressor fitting and flex tubing thru a "T" to the top of each cylinder.
Then I plugged the hole in the face plate of the valve chest,  after sealing the valve chest with
"RectorSeal 5" which is a sealer for medium pressure and temperature.  I will re-seal the whole thing up after
any tweaks are made.



The I hooked up my little compressor.   It has a small tank and max pressure of 150 PSI.    The first run was at 70 PSI which
emptied the tank in about 30 seconds.  After some experimentation, I was able to run the engine at 25-30 psi.  
I am not sure if the clicks I hear are normal engine noise, or something I need to hunt down.






There are more video on my youtube channel,
see my signature.

Still waiting on the boiler and piping, Dean tells me things are on order and progressing.

Regards,
Jim Pope
Denver, CO USA

Hello,

I made some adjustments,  looking for sources of clicks and possible knocks.

I found one of the piston rod packing gland nuts was a little loose, and also that
there was some rattle in the linkage for the water pumps.  
I am not sure how "tight" to try to make things so I will probably let well enough alone for now.



Please visit my blog for the full story.

Thanks for reading,
Jim Pope
Denver, CO
USA

Greetings Fellow Steamers.

I just thought I would update my thread as of 11 October 2023.  

The short story is that I am stalled waiting on STW to pull the Lyka project back on track.  
But - I do not fault STW (or Dean or Rosemary or Lynn individually) for the delays.  
I am sure that the other Lyka builders in this series are in the same state as myself.

I must say that Dean has been pretty transparent about the issues surrounding the boiler approval process and delays.
Here in the Great State of Colorado - no one cares about a boiler that is not in a multi-family dwelling, much less a car.
Insurance coverage is concerned with one car impacting something or someone, and not about a steam plant.
Motor Vehicle Departments are concerned with collecting Taxes and License Fees, not how fast you are going or how slow you are.
The local police are more likely to pull you over to ask you about your car than to hassle you over the fact that you look like a 4-wheel bicycle contraption
and maybe should not be on the road.  

In short, you poor sods over there in the UK must spend half your time chasing down paperwork just to drive your projects down the local lane!
(kidding- sort of)

BUT AGAIN - we do not have the network of Steam Enthusiasts and Shows/Steam-Ups that you have either.  From the looks of the posts of gatherings
there must be a Steam-Up every weekend.   Over here in the wild-wild-west  there are minimal gatherings, certainly only every 6 months or so,
and 500-1000 miles away.   Since I do not have an operating vehicle, I have not shown up at any of the local car-club gatherings, although most are
street-rods and low-riders.  (Google it and look at images).  

I guess there are tradeoffs.  Maybe if I show up at a local car club show I can find someone to pin-stripe my Lyka as my hands shake too much.

-----

Dean tells me that my Lyka should be complete by January if the current momentum is maintained.    
That is great to hear.    

I am a little concerned that Dean said, " The current batch of Lykamobiles has totally sold out and may well be our last, so grab an opportunity while you can."
in a post about a Lyka from the previous series available in the "For Sale" section.  

This kinda supports a suspicion I have had that the Lyka seems to be a model of kit that few at STW fully understand.  
After all, it is a rather large departure from the Traction Engine/Tractor/Steam Roller models that have been the primary offerings for many years.  

I get a feeling that whatever happens that we Lyka Owners will be able to get spare parts, but I hope that if STW does discontinue the Lyka we will be able to also
get the documentation we need, dimension drawings and such,  along with access to sources of the "acquired" parts - like Brake Pads, Tubes, and consumables.

------
It is Fall now - Winter is coming, and I do not have a heated garage where I can work on parts without pushing the car outside.
My wife re-claimed her 1/2 of the garage after 45 years and so i am limited on space.  

I may have Dean send me the body panels to work on, but save everything else for a big shipment next year when all is complete.

My goal will be to be able to drive my bride to dinner on our 50th anniversary in June.  
Then I hope to take the Lyka up Pike's Peak and recreate a trip first taken in 1901 with one of the first Locomobiles in Colorado.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/smithsonian-libraries-and-archives/2023/08/11/ascending-pikes-peak-in-a-locomobile/
-----
Here are some pics of my Lyka so far.

Here are a few more pics.

Note, I added a small dashboard to sit right behind the larger front panel and hold some instrumentation.
It is removable, and all the controls can be bypassed with a single plug inserted in the end of the cable.





Again -
more details in my blog.

https://poppapope-steamcar.blogspot.com/

Regards to all,
Comments welcome.

Jim Pope
Denver, CO USA