Rare thing - A Clan Crusader

[rallycross]

Not seen one of these for a while a Clan Crusader
I tried to buy a yellow one of these that was road rally prepared when I was 17 but the owner would not sell it even though it was left to rot outside his house.

The add says its fitted with a K series engine so it should be plenty quick as they only had Imp engines when new.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Clan-crusader-1974-facto...

Anyone ever driven one?

[Pistom]

Quite some time ago but handling was incredible in its day. Almost Elise like in the 1970s!

[Steffan]

I did drive several years ago. Exceptional handling for the time but like the Biota which was an ugly Mini variant the Clan looks always seemed very very poor to me. The Mini Jem, Cox GTM and similar efforts seemed far better cars overall to me but looks are a very subjective subject.

These cars do appear from time to time on Ebay etc. I would think an unrestored example would fetch little money and this car looks somewhat overpriced to me.

[Astacus]

I never could get on with the looks, but I am told that handling was phenomenal for its day. Shame then that they seem to have given so little thought to the shape

[Pistom]

I feel the shape has aged well and looks cool now, especially in colours like lime green or powder blue.

[CooperD]

I used to see one of these quite often a few years ago when I lived in Felixstowe. It was red and looked very good.

[Skyedriver]

Lovely clever little car, suprisingly spacious although maybe not as pretty as a G15.
F/G monocoque with plywood reinforcement, I owned one for 6 years.
Imp engine & box excellent and match the car, not sure about a "beetle" box.
Silver not my fave colour and the bootlid is non original
It may have been factory built but it's no longer original

[renaultgeek]

Am I correct in saying there was some sort of resin-rope rollcage structure built into the roof?

[Steffan]

renaultgeek said:

Am I correct in saying there was some sort of resin-rope rollcage structure built into the roof?

Probably. There were several kit cars of that era (which I remember reasonably well building my first kit car in 1962) which used reinforcing in the roof as a quasi roll cage strengthener. It depends on the individual build but certainly there were Clans (and Mini Marcos cars and The subsequent Midas) which used such rope strengtheners. I still personally find the shape unconvincing. Compare it to thw Westfield tribute Lotus eleven style and I think you are looking at chalk and cheese.

This photo shows that car:

Now that is a very good looking car! But if you like the Clan good luck to you.

[56Lotus]

Hi there

That photo is a genuine Lotus Eleven, give aways are the lack of indicators and the fuel filler on the passenger side.



Still a good looking car!

Jon

[renaultgeek]

Clan Clover is nicer, but I still like the quirkiness of the crusader, and I've actually never seen a cloveri n real life, and only 1 crusader.

[IanOE]

I saw a yellow Clan Crusader at an autosolo earlier this year. It did well too as far as I can remember.

I must admit that to my eyes it did look a bit like a cross between a wedge of cheese and a Flora tub.

[storminnorman]

Saw one at Harewood Hillclimb about two years ago. Looked wierd but seemed to go well

[72twink]

Yes, I've owned and run one which I bought as a rolling chassis and found an engine/box to complete it. Great fun to drive and very Lotus like in feel and finesse. I personally would put a quick 998 and Imp box back in that car and fit the correct engine cover - this would instantly add value and integrity. My fear is that the handlng has been compromised with the heavier K series, it really is a one man job carrying an Imp engine about, not sure the same can be said for a K? As for the monocoque make sure all the plywood diaphragms are intact and un-rotten, the fire wall and inner sills are bonded in and can rot or be modified compromising their strength. All of the rest of the car is Imp with a few Triumph bits so all easy and cheap to service. My cars claim to fame was a run from Tonbridge to Castle Combe and back on one tank ...... a 6 gallon tank!

[dave stew]

These were quite common as clubman rally cars in the early 80s.

[Steffan]

56Lotus said:

Hi there

That photo is a genuine Lotus Eleven, give aways are the lack of indicators and the fuel filler on the passenger side.



Still a good looking car!

Jon

You are quite correct but I drove several of the early Chris Smith Westfield copies back in the 1980's when I was working with Westfield and the differences are not apparent to many. You obviously know your Lotus cars.

A well constructed Westfield copy is one of the prettiest Kit Cars I have seen and on a par with the latest efforts from Stuart Mills with the Replicar (Aston Martin DB2 Tribute) which is one of the best I have seen in recent kit car designs. Clearly the Clan has and retains a serious following in Kit Cars but not my personal choice.

[TurboClan]

Hi
Lurking Clan nut here. Storminnorman, it could have been mine you saw at Harewood. Its a Luff shell (made by ex lotus man Brian Luff after the factory closed), fitted with wide arches and an 'irish' front bumper. Engine is still Imp with the addition of fuel injection and a Turbo .



My other Clan is an Irish one as shown below at Le Mans this year. The Irish ones were made in the early to mid 1980's using the same tub and running gear, but had pop-ups and different bumpers and a different interior, oh and were made in Newtownards in Northern Ireland. I've had this one for 15 years, still fitted with the original 'Hartwell' 998cc imp engine with twin forties and big valve head. Car is approaching 90,000 miles and the engine is still on original pistons and rings. Used as an everday car ( although I walk to work) and on its recent trip to Le mans, didn't miss a beat in a 1000 mile trip and averaged 39 mpg.
As others have mentioned, they handle superbly, go pretty well with a tuned Imp engine. Imp gearbox is a delight with a short little gearlever. The don't really rot, just some plywood diaphragms can crumble away, but can be easily fixed. Bodywork is nice and thick as they are a monocoupe, and was painted very well at the factory.





I did have a third one, which I sold last year to a guy in Munich, so beware they can become addictive.

[72twink]

I saw your turboclan at Palace, did you have issues as it wasn't running the day I was there?

[TurboClan]

Hi 72twink, yep I was at the Crystal Palace Sprint again this year. Unfortunately the gearbox started to make some 'not nice' noises during practice. At lunch we were asked to do a convoy run for the spectators, so I duly obliged. The gearbox (well Transaxle) really didn't sound healthy, especially without me wearing a helmet this time, so I decided to withdraw whilst all the bits were still in the casings.
This is the main pinion gear as removed from the Transaxle.



That was the only damage - even the Crownwheel looked okay. It has lasted 3 years of abuse, handling 170 bhp ( approx 120 in first gear), so I'm not overly upset. Its a Jack Knight Dog Box, which still uses a standard Imp Crownwheel and pinion. The pinion shaft is modified for the dog gears, and luckily a specialist had just had some modified recently, so items duly bought and gearbox rebuilt for a Sprint 2 weeks later.

[onomatopoeia]

Mine: