LocostUSA.com

Maybe I need a slightly fatter 'fat Lola'. Maybe fatten the fenders some so fatter rubber will fit.

BTW, I'm not all that enamored by the replica concept, other than in having a more aerodynamic body that'll drop on a Locost without killing its classic looks--and by aero, in my case (street driving and maybe autocross) I mean slippery rather than sticky. As far as style goes, well, I don't have any myself, so if my cars do it'll be either because I stood on the shoulders of giants or because I got real lucky.

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Locost builder and adventurer, and founder (but no longer owner) of Kinetic Vehicles

Jack,

There is another approach for the fat Lola, which I believe you imply in your last post. Don't touch the centre line of the car at all: instead, take a strip out of the fender tops and insert a wider bit. The transition in the mid-body of the car might be difficult, but it would address the modern tyre and track width issues.

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Warren
Isuzu Pickup/SR20DE, +401 COLD frame
Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11601

Yes, exactly what I implied. There's a guy on this board who did that with a set of Curtis clamshells and posted pics and guidance, but I haven't found the the thread--anybody know where it is? His came out looking quite the treat.

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Locost builder and adventurer, and founder (but no longer owner) of Kinetic Vehicles

Jack, I think you're thinking of Raceral.

viewtopic.php?f=35&t=2391&start=165

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Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

I know this has been considered on this forum in the past but how about the Subaru flat four. It is a fairly compact 2.5L with lots of horsepower that can be make verrry low.

John

I think somebody played with one in CAD for a traditional lotus 7 and it didn't fit all that well. I think the leading edge of the cylinder heads are too wide for the chassis.

I did measurements on my 2.0 from my wrx and it was a tad wide for even a 442. Now I still thought about using one and just polishing up the valve covers and sticking them out the sides anyway but, I got a good price on my 2.3L.

Here's an old (EA81?) Subaru flat-four in a Lcoost-ish frame. I have no more information on this car but I believe it was built in NZ.




Dominic

My objective is a drop-on body for a "normal" (lacking a more appropriate word) Locost--which means adaptable to various width cars and capable of covering a Miata engine. I'm not trying to make a replica anything, but I want the feel and spirit of sports racers of The Day. So...while there's a million (okay, 4,627) ways to make a stylin' bod, I want one I can put a Locost under without doing an engine swap, and certainly without doing an engine position swap.

Thus an in-line banger under the hood.

I know this isn't everybody's dream car. But it's mine. Maybe I need to rename the thread, since the Lotus 15 looked like maybe a solution, when I never really defined the problem.

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Locost builder and adventurer, and founder (but no longer owner) of Kinetic Vehicles

We have 2 scarabs at www.brightonmotorsports.com at the moment,one a finished car and the other a car that we are finishing for a customer..we are the dealer for the scarab and take them from a bare aluminum roller to turnkey,the people that make the handmade bodys are the same people that built the russian mig jet aircraft.

Jack, I'm not sure if you're aware of this or not, but Fisher actually offers two different bodies and two different front clams with the Fury. The body variants are with doors and a windshield or without them; the clam variants are big-bulge, small-bulge. (http://www.fishersportscars.co.uk/ - Click on "Fury" on the left side and then follow the "next" button to page 3.)

I'm sure you would rather avoid two complete sets of molds, but I figured you might find the information interesting.

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.. in the world

Jack I agree that we need a more aero, fully body option in the US. Sort of like a Fisher Fury. I think a widened and bulged Lotus 11 (or 15) or Lola Mk1 could fit the bill. Personally I like the Lola better, and the more exposed wheels seems like a big advantage (the Loti pontoon fenders will need a lot of work to fit modern size rubber, my target would be a Spec Miata size 225/50-15 tire, and their looks could easily be ruined by the modification). And Curtis Unlimited has molds to provide a starting point.

Another classic looking option would be a Devin style body. Theses were available in different sizes to suit different mechanicals, up to V8/Corvette stuff, I have to think one of those would be a good size to fit modern hardware. And surely there are some body molds floating around somewhere.

http://www.devinspecial.com/

Of course, Burt Curtis mentioned one time that he had the molds for a special that looked like a 7/8th scale Ferrari 250 GTO coupe. Maybe a roadster version of that would work?

I have the complete fiberglass front end of the 250 GTO for the Datsun Z

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mobilito ergo sum
I drive therefore I am

I can explain it to you,
but I can't understand it for you.

I still like the Lola Mk1, but I understand the issues that have arisen with the small body. Yes, the lotus 15 is pretty, as is the scarab, Fisher, Fury, et. al. But I have one more contender to throw in, due to the fact it was made for large engines. Also, it keeps the whole "open-air racer" look. I present Ak Miller's El Caballo De Hiero II, which uses a Kurtis 500x body, which can be viewed here: http://www.luxury4play.com/automotive/7 ... lo-ii.html

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The Ayatollah of Rock n' Rolla lives here.

That's ugly.

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mobilito ergo sum
I drive therefore I am

I can explain it to you,
but I can't understand it for you.