LocostUSA.com

Learning how to build Lotus Seven replicas...together!
It is currently March 28, 2024, 8:38 am

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


Forum rules


Welcome to The Builders Logs. This area is for showing your current build/your completed car. Please only create a thread if you are currently building a car/showing off a finished project. Please do not create any other topics in this forum; any other subject should be posted in the correct forum. Please also only create one thread per user per project.



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 10 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Lotus S3 clone
PostPosted: November 29, 2013, 1:27 pm 
Offline

Joined: November 29, 2013, 12:09 pm
Posts: 10
I have visited this board off and on for a while and would like to share my completed build of a lotus 7 Series 3 replica. I have never seen a S3 in person, but photoshop is quite usefull to figure out dimensions and proportions. After 3+ years of self imposing a no sports car rule to keep the drive to finish the 7 I now have a car that puts a bigger smile on my face than any other car I have owned. In any case on to the good stuff:

Frame: Mixture of 1" square, 3/4" sqaure, and .09" 5052 Al floor pans/firewalls. The firewalls and transmission tunnel are sikaflex and SS riveted to the frame. The result is very stiff and seems very well behaved on the road. An IRS system was also squeezed into the package.

Running Gear:
A 94 miata donor was used for the majority of the parts.
Torsen LSD diff
1.8l miata motor
5 spd tranny
QA-1 coilovers with adjustable dampeners.
Summit springs.
miata hubs and brakes
Tilton dual master pedal assembly
civic radiator and catch can
modified miata axles
modified/depowered miata steering rack
Caterham rear fenders and nose
Koso gauge cluster
Kirkey 15.5" drag seats with 5 point harness. Driver seat is on an adjustable slide.
10 gallon custom fuel cell.

Wheel Base : 87.5"
Track F/R: 54" 53.5"
Weight: 1290lb wet

Overall Driving impressions over the last 300 miles: The car tracks well with a surprisingly smooth ride for such a short wheelbase. I spent a little time with the dampener settings and have the balance pretty neutral with a little understeer when pushed that transitions to a controlled oversteer nicely.

More detail pictures to come.

Next upgrades:
Tires: The current ones are pretty worn and generic all weathers. Makes driving on the street fun!
MORE POWER!!! planning on putting a TD04 turbo with a wrx intercooler.
Doors - Durng nice weather doors are not needed. However, in the cool mornings and on mountain roads, doors will be a nice to have item and keep the wife happier.


Last edited by CCR7 on March 25, 2014, 8:41 am, edited 1 time in total.

Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Lotus S7 clone
PostPosted: November 29, 2013, 2:51 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: July 4, 2006, 5:40 pm
Posts: 1994
Location: Novato, CA
Beautiful. But that's not nearly enough details for us. Do you have a build log posted anywhere? BTW, very hearty congratulations, that's a huge accomplishment.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Lotus S7 clone
PostPosted: November 29, 2013, 3:01 pm 
Offline

Joined: December 29, 2007, 10:41 pm
Posts: 1004
Location: Vancouver, BC
Very nicely done. Please put up some more pics of the car.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Lotus S7 clone
PostPosted: November 29, 2013, 11:51 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: September 30, 2005, 1:28 am
Posts: 1329
Location: Sunny-Okanagan, Canada, eh?!
That is dimensionally gorgeous.

Did you make the scuttle?

Did you use a set of existing plans, or make your own out of your head?

More detailed pictures please, especially of the build.

_________________
The Lethal Locost
The Lethal Locost 2 - Even More Lethalerer


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Lotus S7 clone
PostPosted: November 29, 2013, 11:57 pm 
Offline

Joined: May 25, 2006, 9:39 pm
Posts: 346
What Skinny said......


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Lotus S7 clone
PostPosted: November 30, 2013, 12:05 am 
Offline
Always Moore!
User avatar

Joined: November 9, 2007, 3:40 pm
Posts: 4074
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Great looking car and more build pics please. :cheers:

_________________
-Andrew
Build Log
Youtube


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Lotus S7 clone
PostPosted: November 30, 2013, 12:07 am 
Offline

Joined: October 29, 2008, 5:53 pm
Posts: 62
Location: WA U.S.A
^ Agreed with SkinnyG and dfdahl. We need more photos and details. :D
You have a very nice seven there. very well done!

_________________
......


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Lotus S7 clone
PostPosted: November 30, 2013, 9:50 am 
Offline

Joined: November 29, 2013, 12:09 pm
Posts: 10
Thanks guys! The frame design is a conglomerate of other's ideas and solutions. The dimensions were estimated using photo shop and taking time in CAD to get it to look aesthetically pleasing as possible.

The scuttle was formed by first using a brake to put in the offset where the hood sits. A local shop has an edge hem tool to put a finish on the cockpit side. A plywood form was made to bend and secure the scuttle into final shape and the edge that forms around the firewall was beat into place. I'll post pictures when I get a chance.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Lotus S7 clone
PostPosted: November 30, 2013, 9:53 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: September 22, 2005, 8:12 am
Posts: 1879
Location: 4AGE in S.E. Michigan
A great looking Seven!! Looks the size of the orginial seven with the downward slope on rear boot plus the shaper rear kick up and a shorter cocpit. Definitely a SUPER Seven. :cheers: Dave W


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Lotus 7 S3 clone
PostPosted: December 1, 2013, 11:16 pm 
Offline

Joined: November 29, 2013, 12:09 pm
Posts: 10
tbd


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 10 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
POWERED_BY