ECOTEC KITCAR DESIGN PROJECT

[fuoriserie]

While looking for some info on the Ecotec engine, I stumbled upon this kitcar Magazine project in the USA.

http://kitcarmag.com/projectbuild/142

Looks very interesting as a project kit, maybe we need the interest of some publishers.......

What do you guys think, you get an old English kitcar, update the design and transplant in it a modern engine

What kitcar, in your opinion, is in need of a similar makeover

[LotusNova]

Been there, doing that & got the t-shirt

Current pic of my Nova based on a Lotus chassis & 200bhp Zetec:



and underneath:

Edited by LotusNova on Thursday 8th June 12:05

[fuoriserie]

LotusNova said:

Been there, doing that & got the t-shirt

Current pic of my Nova based on a Lotus chassis & 200bhp Zetec:



and underneath:

Edited by LotusNova on Thursday 8th June 12:05

Very nice project, do you have a website or a blog to follow your build?

Italo

[LotusNova]

Thanks Italo

There's a bunch of pics of the rebuild so far on the Nova site (www.nova-international.net). It's under 'Owners Rides', but the link seems to be broken
I'll see if the admin can fix it.

"Old kit cars never die, they just get more tweaked"

[annodomini2]

Is that an Esprit chassis?

[LotusNova]

No, Europa S2 (it was closest in wheelbase to the original Beetle chassis).
www.spydercars.co.uk/pg8_spy_eur_sf_chassis.htm

Edited by LotusNova on Friday 9th June 16:01

[fuoriserie]

Very interesting website and info, but is the chassis design an exact replica of the Lotus chassis?
Can they do this without having lotus cars lawyers on their backs......

I guess you could replicate a complete Lotus, from a new chassis to a body if funds permited!

I like your idea of using the old Nova design with this new chassis, should be a cracker when it's finished.

[LotusNova]

No, it's not exact - they've made a few improvements. The original Lotus Europa chassis has a bad reputation for 2 reasons:
1. Rusting on the front crossmember because it wasn't sealed.
2. Breaking halfshafts because they were a stressed member (no upper rear suspension wishbone).
Spyder's version addresses both these issues.

On the legal side (I may be wrong but) I believe Spyder actually started (they've been going 30 odd years) because at some point in the past Lotus couldn't deal with the demand for replacement chassis for their older cars (due to rusting). So they welcomed Spyder when they came along and have been working happily together ever since.

Edited by LotusNova on Friday 9th June 19:14

[fuoriserie]

thanks for the info, I will keep it in mind for a few ideas I have...

[ferg]

I'm sure Lotus have accepted the Spyder chassis as a replacement part, because as you say it is an improvement over the original and not a copy.
Spyder, as I'm sure everyone knows, sell a remanufactured Elan+2 with (I think) a Zetec engine using one of their replacement chassis.