Formula 27 - what are they like?

[Woody]

Guys,
Been looking at a couple of Formula 27's in the classifieds.
Trawled the web but my google powers are weak.......
What's the history behind these?
I've noticed they're produced by Imgae Sports Cars and that they're either car or bike engined.
They also seem to have inboard front dampers - whats the rear set-up? is it IRS?

Cheers.

Chris

[Corpulent Tosser]

I know a guy who has one and has done rather well in sprints/hillclimbs with it, it is bike engined and has a live axle.

[Mr2Mike]

The original Formula 27 had a rather odd leading link live axle rear suspension with very short leading arms. It's the only LSIS I know of that used this system and I don't recall it getting a lot of praise.

The newer cars had a more traditional linkages with a De-dion axle.

[Woody]

Mr2Mike said:

The original Formula 27 had a rather odd leading link live axle rear suspension with very short leading arms. It's the only LSIS I know of that used this system and I don't recall it getting a lot of praise.

The newer cars had a more traditional linkages with a De-dion axle.

When you say 'newer' cars what sort of year are we looking at?
Quite liking the look of a 2000 factory built one in the classifieds at the mo.

[Sam_68]

Mr2Mike said:

The original Formula 27 had a rather odd leading link live axle rear suspension with very short leading arms. It's the only LSIS I know of that used this system...

I didn't recall that... I'll have to dig the original KCI review out of my archive and have a look. My recollection was that it was a conventional (albeit short, like the Westfield SE) trailing arm set-up, but you may well be right. Certainly the original car was a bit of a budget shed... the inboard front suspension was/is a bit iffy, as the top rocker arm is inadequately braced to deal with heavy braking loads if used with sticky tyres.

As an aside, leading arm suspension was used by Frank Costin on the original Marcos, the TMC Costin (which could be described as a LSIS if you squint a bit) and (IIRC) the Costin Amigo. There's no fundamental reason it shouldn't work, but it's not usually as structurally convenient as a trailing arm arrangement.

[Mr2Mike]

Definitely leading link, and IIRC the links were rather shorter than the Locost trailing links, which are already too short. This was back in the day when the Formula 27 was a set of plans, like a Locost, rather than a complete chassis supplied as part of a kit.

[Woody]

Mr2Mike said:

Definitely leading link, and IIRC the links were rather shorter than the Locost trailing links, which are already too short. This was back in the day when the Formula 27 was a set of plans, like a Locost, rather than a complete chassis supplied as part of a kit.

Wow - strange looking rear suspension set up.
Not seen a leading link set up before.

[one eyed mick]

Very similar set up to the Marcos I had in the early 70's it had a panhard rod as well worked ok with in the limits of a live axle . The F 27 's I have seen for sale seemed to be rather highly priced for quite ordinary 7 clone cars but no doubt an owner will want to correct me!