I'm beginning to think about a project to start in the next couple of years as and when I have the finances and garage space to commence. In the meantime I'm looking at the options and I'm overwhelmed.

Are there any articles comparing the various designs, engine combinations out there?

I'm probably looking to build a car closely resembling the original seven with a car engine in the 160BHP area. Maybe K Series, MX5 or Zeetec/Duratec based?

I know the Haynes book is out there but isn't that based around a pinto lump?

Greetings mate, nice to see another west wales person on here.

My brother went to uni in Aber

Check your U2U private messages

total kit car did a "comaprison" of the 7 style kits.

You can buy it smiths still sometimes as they reprint it pretty regularly.

Having bought it I can confirm it is a waste of money.

Its not critical of anything, in any way, so isnt worth the paper its written on.

Its the result of the kit car world being very small, and people worrying if they slate a car it will come back on them.

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Originally posted by Dangle_kt
total kit car did a "comaprison" of the 7 style kits.

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The Haynes Roadster will take any engine you care to fit.
It is designed around the Sierra for the diff, drive shafts, front uprights and the gearbox but the beauty and simplicity of the chassis is such that with a very little work you can make almost any running gear fit

I can not comment on the haynes roadster, as i have never read the book, but with the original "build a sportscar for £250", the book was rather vague, so a builder could, and have build to there own specifications, but using the overall guidelines of the book,

That is why my car (book built exactley) and Hicost's cars are so different, yet both built from the same edition original book

Also engine choice really needs to be early in the building sequence, as even though the engine bay has scope for lots of motors width wise, height is an area of concern,
to high an engine, ie pinto in a standard body would be a differnt looking 7 to say my 1600 xflow car

Regards

Steve

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Originally posted by Peteff

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Originally posted by Dangle_kt
total kit car did a "comaprison" of the 7 style kits.

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Comaprison sounds like a medical punishment

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If your not ready to start yet then I would hold of for a bit. There will be a big shift in the donor over the coming years. With either mx5 or 3 series bmw beeing the main choice. This will alter the look and proportions of the car.
If you want a very small lotus looking car I would start looking for a good escort axle and cortina uprights now.

if you are looking at buying a kit, (and if i was going to start over, thats what i would do) you could do a lot worse than roadrunner racing's SR2 - its based on mx5 running gear, and is race designed so should be quick, light, and adjustable where you want it. Looks good too.

Comprehensive starter kit costs 4 grand, and to be honest, in my build i have about half of the items included in that starter kit, and its almost cost me that already! And the chassis looks well designed.

I don't have anything to do with the company btw! Its just that i would chose that car if i were starting from scratch!

Al

From my experience, and as said before, get your driveline together before you start building the chassis.
I went with a Toyota Corolla GTS (Levine over there) and had to cut out the transmission tunnel as the Toyota diffi is off set to the near side on the solid axle.
I too am trying to mimic the MK 2 Lotus 7.