anyone here got a L.C.C Rocket ?

[Crockefeller]

Quite far north of £45k these days...

You can move the fuel tank to where the passenger would sit, as a couple of owners have done. Lower centre of gravity but you lose the ability to share the experience with another passenger/victim. Swings and roundabouts.

[Sway]

I thought they might be.

That was the sort of thing I was thinking, low fuel tank under a luggage compartment. The vast majority of my driving is solo, with me and a rucksack (plus possibly a bag of shopping or gym kit).

Does anyone know if the Rocket transaxle is commercially available? I'm stuck at figuring out if it's a true transaxle (removing the gearbox from the bike engine) or a direct mounted, stressed member lsd/reversing box...

[Crockefeller]

The latter. I'm pretty sure it's not commercially available and it would be expensive if it were. It was built by weissman so maybe you could get in touch with them for more information.

[Sway]

Thanks.

In that case (and bearing in mind Weissman recently went under IIRC), I'll look at the Hewland/Quaife options that seem to do the same thing (although not as a stressed member).

[Crockefeller]

Is the car manufacturer weissman definitely the same company that makes the transaxles? Maybe only the car building arm went under.

http://www.weismann.net/newproducts.htm

[Sway]

Ah, that makes sense.

Completely different firms, on different continents!

Some very interesting stuff on that page, appreciated.

[TheRocket]

I think this latest Duncan Hamilton car is already sold, I am led to believe it was actually not the one pictured (they sold that car last year) but a metallic grey car and went for north of £70k.

Ref the transaxle, yes it is a direct mounted, stressed member lsd/reversing box but also has 2 sets of ratios, which is chain driven by the bike engine and gearbox, they are somewhat fragile if not looked after properly and expensive, I also can't imagine them ever being commercially available either and reality is I think there are probably now better solutions from Hewland/Quaife as this is effectively a 20 plus year old design.

I've toyed with the idea of losing the passenger seat for the fuel tank but I don't think my son would ever speak to me again...

Good chance you may see mine at FOS next year or at a Goodwood Breakfast club meeting.

[Crockefeller]

The above orange one is definitely available at the moment. It's possible that it's the same orange one they've sold previously. I think they sold 3 last year. And it's north north north of 70k

[Sway]

TheRocket said:

I think this latest Duncan Hamilton car is already sold, I am led to believe it was actually not the one pictured (they sold that car last year) but a metallic grey car and went for north of £70k.

Ref the transaxle, yes it is a direct mounted, stressed member lsd/reversing box but also has 2 sets of ratios, which is chain driven by the bike engine and gearbox, they are somewhat fragile if not looked after properly and expensive, I also can't imagine them ever being commercially available either and reality is I think there are probably now better solutions from Hewland/Quaife as this is effectively a 20 plus year old design.

I've toyed with the idea of losing the passenger seat for the fuel tank but I don't think my son would ever speak to me again...

Good chance you may see mine at FOS next year or at a Goodwood Breakfast club meeting.

If I could be cheeky - I'm only ten miles from Goodwood, if you're heading down in the Rocket (and you remember!) could you drop me a PM?

I'd love to spend a few hours poring over one!

Thanks for the info on the box, does sound like the recent increase in BEC popularity has led to some new thinking.

[bertie]

Crockefeller said:

The above orange one is definitely available at the moment. It's possible that it's the same orange one they've sold previously. I think they sold 3 last year. And it's north north north of 70k

Wow, didn't realised they'd hit that high.

Crazy money IMHO, I can't see them at that in my mind.

[DannyScene]

bertie said:

Crockefeller said:

The above orange one is definitely available at the moment. It's possible that it's the same orange one they've sold previously. I think they sold 3 last year. And it's north north north of 70k

Wow, didn't realised they'd hit that high.

Crazy money IMHO, I can't see them at that in my mind.

Especially when they are so ugly!!

[bertie]

DannyScene said:

Especially when they are so ugly!!

Oohh no!

They're a fabulous looking thing, beautifully engineered, and I'd dearly love one, but like Ferrari Dinos at £350k I can't see them at £70k plus price levels in my head.

Market obviously thinks different mind you.

[TheRocket]

Whilst I have a vested interest in saying so, if Mclaren F1's can go from £635,000 to something close to £6 million (i.e. 10 times the purchase price) in 20 years, why can't a car with some of its pedigree go from £40k to £70k (i.e. 2 times)? Also please remember there are less than 50 of these ever made, look at the price of a BAC mono and I think a used Rocket looks pretty good value, with upside investment potential. But I fully accept it is a lot for a toy but that's not to say its not worth to it to some. If they were to make them today I think they would be edging closer to £75-100k mark to make any real meaningful profit on them, such is the bespoke nature and small volumes.

Sway, I'm happy to let you know when i'm next heading to Goodwood.

[Robert Elise]

bertie said:

Oohh no!

They're a fabulous looking thing, beautifully engineered, and I'd dearly love one, but like Ferrari Dinos at £350k I can't see them at £70k plus price levels in my head.

Market obviously thinks different mind you.

Agree, they are beautiful. Form AND Function.
Market ups and downs to one side (i do hope for a crash soon...) the Rocket will generally rise in value. GM is a true great and it's part of his legacy. If his new ventures take off (city car and low cost sports car) you can expect the Rocket to rise more.

[SydneyBridge]

Love them - Duncan Hamilton are near where I live so will have to have a look out for any driving around.

found this article which is very interesting

http://www.pistonheads.com/doc.asp?c=102&i=161...

[Crockefeller]

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C922620

[Caddyshack]

Would it not be worth trying to see if you could get a Tiger ERA road reg? MUCH cheaper and similar thrills I would have thought?

https://www.tigerracing.com/model/era-hss/

[sc0tt]

£95k?

[Sway]

sc0tt said:

£95k?

Seems very much the going rate, and they don't appear to be hanging around for long at that money...