I have decided to build a car based on the Lotus 7 design. If you are not familiar with this name, you have probably heard of similar cars like Westfield, Caterham, Dax Rush, Robin Hood. These are all kit cars but the car i intend to build is made completely from bought and found steel and various bits from several different cars. At this point, nothing is set in stone about the final product, although i am following rough guidelines set out in a book entitled "Build Your Own Sports Car For As Little As 250 pounds (and race it)"
This book tells you how to manufacture the basic chassis and is focussed on using a MkII Ford escort as a single Donor. Unfortunately, here in Australia, this is not an option due to strict emmissions, safety and design rules applicable to independantly constructed vehicles. Instead, we are forced to think outside the box (or book) and use donor cars, parts, materials and design features which are available locally, cost effective and are viable options with regard to local design rules. For example, the "book chassis" will not pass the torsional rigidity regulations here in Australia so additional strengthening must be factored in. In England, it is possible to use the crossflow engine from the donor escort, or use carburettors but here our engines must pass emmissions tests as per 1998 regulations so we must use engines from cars built after this date and use their original (or better) fuel and emmissions equipment.
So with this in mind, i will start my build and look for suitable donor parts along the way!
1st step is the table......
Built the building table, all marked out and ready to start! (VERY EXCITING!)
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