RE: ROCKET RELAUNCHES!

[Suckmychrsitmas]

Looks like a pretty nice car, all things considered. Quite a lot of money, though. (Which isn't to say it doesn't per se represent good value, just that it's relatively expensive for what is basically a weekend toy and so shan't, I'd expect, sell in large numbers . . . doubt they could have made the same car for less, however, so . . .)

[paul_pot]

Whatever happened to the Lightning?

Sounded like a fantastic machine, with that V8 derived from two FZR engines, and Peter Stevens styling. Always thought it was a shame that didn't go anywhere.

[ewenm]

paul_pot said:

Whatever happened to the Lightning?

Sounded like a fantastic machine, with that V8 derived from two FZR engines, and Peter Stevens styling. Always thought it was a shame that didn't go anywhere.

There's an interesting Caterham with one of these V8s fitted: www.rst-v8.co.uk/

Very impressive engine

[hahithestevieboy]

flemke said:

hahithestevieboy said:

flemke said:

Fittster said:

HiRich said:

flemke said:

I think the point of the continuation of the Rockets (if that's how to think of them)...

That's a very significant point. When the Crafts took over the Rocket, they released the ten race chassis converted to road use (if the buyer wanted). These went very quickly. There is a demand for the cars, so Luke has done some mild tweaks and put the original car back on the market.
.

If there was such demand how come the original company didn't survive?

Markets change, people change...

Things get cheaper...

In Britain???
Apart from the cost of some goods imported from Asia, I don't see a lot that is not more expensive than it was fifteen (or even two) years ago.

Touche....... me niether when i think about it. Dont get me started on things government and financial...things are in a bit of a mess IMHO

[koen0373]

Great to see the press is picking up the news about the relaunch! I'm also one of the lucky 40, or rather 37 (one was destroyed and 38 were build in the first production run).

Please do check these videos for Rocket thrills:

AutoCar published a videotest last week that can be viewed here:

www.autocar.co.uk/VideosWallpapers/Video.aspx?AR=225196&Mode=B

I got a tip this week about this particular car on YouTube

www.youtube.com/v/KOL6udOY2xE

Or ultimately, hop in for a ride with Chris Craft himself (in car footage!):

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KN1uDon4TWM

And i invite anyone who wants more info to visit the enthusiasts site, where you'll find all the old roadtests from the early nineties:
www.lccrocket.com

Cheers,

Koen

[loach]

Thanks for the links. Must say, I really enjoy those little Chris Harris clips on the Autocar site. His segment on the R400 so close to that on the Rocket, really does heighten the pricing : performance disparity between the Rocket and some of its competition. Much as I'd love a Rocket, at the proposed prices it really can't be justified unless money is absolutely no object.... which unfortunately for me, it is.

[loach]

ewenm said:

paul_pot said:

Whatever happened to the Lightning?

Sounded like a fantastic machine, with that V8 derived from two FZR engines, and Peter Stevens styling. Always thought it was a shame that didn't go anywhere.

There's an interesting Caterham with one of these V8s fitted: www.rst-v8.co.uk/

Very impressive engine

Wow. That is impressive. Nice installation in that Caterham. Anyone know what one of these V8s costs - just out of interest?

[magic torch]

loach said:

ewenm said:

paul_pot said:

Whatever happened to the Lightning?

Sounded like a fantastic machine, with that V8 derived from two FZR engines, and Peter Stevens styling. Always thought it was a shame that didn't go anywhere.

There's an interesting Caterham with one of these V8s fitted: www.rst-v8.co.uk/

Very impressive engine

Wow. That is impressive. Nice installation in that Caterham. Anyone know what one of these V8s costs - just out of interest?

More to the point, what does a third of one cost?

[loach]

magic torch said:

loach said:

ewenm said:

paul_pot said:

Whatever happened to the Lightning?

Sounded like a fantastic machine, with that V8 derived from two FZR engines, and Peter Stevens styling. Always thought it was a shame that didn't go anywhere.

There's an interesting Caterham with one of these V8s fitted: www.rst-v8.co.uk/

Very impressive engine

Wow. That is impressive. Nice installation in that Caterham. Anyone know what one of these V8s costs - just out of interest?

More to the point, what does a third of one cost?

I had hardly dared to hope that you'd say that. Who says prayers don't get answered? Just left a message with the 'other one' telling him we need a Caterham.

[loach]

At the risk of hijacking and monopolising the thread, a small and largely irrelevant thought occurred to me. I may have dreamed it, but does the Rocket not have a little lever somewhere in the cabin to raise the lights? I seem to recall something down in the left hand footwell that allowed me to raise them but not retract them; or vice versa. Have I got this wrong?


ETA - Having re-read and re-watched all the links and articles supplied, I would love one. Maybe a demo will come up at some stage or something.

Edited by loach on Thursday 19th April 19:20

[rimmer]

extremely cool it looks like nothing else

[grahambell]

Chadspeed said:

Never neard of the Roadrazer before Do any exist in the uk on the road?

hahithestevieboy said:

I dont know if any but the prototype exist anywhere. I assume not. There are no drives in the press that i have seen either which is a bit of a shame.

Had a chat with the guy behind this at the Autosport Show where the prototype was on display. They were still doing the final development so I doubt there are any customer cars around yet. He definitely regarded the UK as his main market though so expect to see press reports here when the car is ready.

[nervous]

sure its fast, but does it have to be so ugly?

[ewenm]

loach said:

ewenm said:

paul_pot said:

Whatever happened to the Lightning?

Sounded like a fantastic machine, with that V8 derived from two FZR engines, and Peter Stevens styling. Always thought it was a shame that didn't go anywhere.

There's an interesting Caterham with one of these V8s fitted: www.rst-v8.co.uk/

Very impressive engine

Wow. That is impressive. Nice installation in that Caterham. Anyone know what one of these V8s costs - just out of interest?

I think it is £16k for the engine... but that figure may be well out of date.

[koen0373]

@ Paul Pot
The Lightning chassis and the V8 are currently at the Rocket workshop. Chris would need 36 hours in a day to finish it, i'm afraid.

@ Loach
The price is indeed pretty high (says one of the lucky basterds that bought a second-hand one), but don't forget so is the quality. As Flemke said before it is beautifully machined. No compromises anywhere. Many of the parts are specificly designed for the Rocket, like the Weismann transaxle. It is by far more exclusive then any car currently available. It's a Gordon Murray design, which also adds to the magic. And the thrill you get driving it is unique. The single seater position, the noise, the vibrations, the speed, handling and braking, everything is just fantastic.

@Flemke: Is yours ready yet? I saw it in the workshop a few months ago, and it looks great!

Edited by koen0373 on Thursday 19th April 21:13

Edited by koen0373 on Thursday 19th April 21:27

[loach]

koen0373 said:

@ Loach
The price is indeed pretty high (says one of the lucky basterds that bought a second-hand one), but don't forget so is the quality. As Flemke said before it is beautifully machined. No compromises anywhere. Many of the parts are specificly designed for the Rocket, like the Weismann transaxle. It is by far more exclusive then any car currently available. It's a Gordon Murray design, which also adds to the magic. And the thrill you get driving it is unique. The single seater position, the noise, the vibrations, the speed, handling and braking, everything is just fantastic.

I know all of that, sadly. I've been to visit LCC and had a test drive and so on. I know they're great, and indeed I'd love one. Just a bit too hard for me to justify at nearly 60k (as naturally, I'd want the 171 BHP one, or what would be the point).


ETA - somewhat pathetically, given that you seem to have all the nice cars ever made flemke, could I ask what colour scheme you went for? Any chance you might email me a picture or post one here? I might, with some dread at the consequences, drag myself back to LCC for another look. I mean - I could just not eat for a year or something.

Edited by loach on Thursday 19th April 22:11

[koen0373]

loach said:

I'd want the 171 BHP one, or what would be the point).

No you don't! You'd wait for the supercharged 220 Bhp the Crafts are developing at the moment. :-)

[dandarez]

If you want to make a packet (rocket) aim at those with more money (than sense).

It may be bespoke, meticulous in places...
so it bl..dy should be for 50 grand!

Yet this is the driving experience?!!

'...at higher speeds, the Rocket is unnerving. ...

the thing is so light, so flighty, that you never fully trust the front end...

The light steering, kick-back over mid-bend bumps and occasional sniffing around changing cambers and grooved surfaces keeps you on tenterhooks...

That and the crosswinds, which can catch it out,

plus the fact that the steering, at 2.4 turns lock to lock, isn’t really as direct as it could – and should - be...

ENOUGH!

[edb49]

220bhp would break the 500bhp/tonne barrier quite comfortably. The problem is that 500bhp/tonne gets worse and worse, the lighter you go. (A lawnmower with 2bhp weighing 4kg gives the same power to weight ratio, but when you add a driver it goes out the window.)

[loach]

koen0373 said:

loach said:

I'd want the 171 BHP one, or what would be the point).

No you don't! You'd wait for the supercharged 220 Bhp the Crafts are developing at the moment. :-)

At 70k no doubt, at which point I'd be measuring what the car cost per ounce, and just sticking it in the bank.