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PostPosted: February 8, 2011, 3:17 am 
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Hi
I am dead keen on having a go at scratch building a Lotus 23, does anyone know of plans / dimensions available somewhere?
I know where I can get a body moulded.
Thanks

Patrick


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PostPosted: February 8, 2011, 11:17 am 
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You might try sending a PM to "cs3tcr". Just because he has built a Lotus 19, which is at least numerically a lot closer to 23 then 7. :) He seem knowledgable on this stuff.

If you get the bodywork and have some pictures, you should be able to get pretty close.

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PostPosted: February 8, 2011, 12:08 pm 
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PostPosted: February 8, 2011, 3:09 pm 
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Patrick, there used to be a very nice Lotus 23 kit made in the UK (still might be.) They may have some good data/visuals in their marketing info. I probably have a brochure in my files somewhere...

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PostPosted: February 8, 2011, 3:38 pm 
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bzrseven wrote:
Hi
I am dead keen on having a go at scratch building a Lotus 23, does anyone know of plans / dimensions available somewhere?
I know where I can get a body moulded.
Thanks

Patrick

For street or track? These car are VERY low, so low that they're virtually invisible in a SUV's rear-view mirror.

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PostPosted: February 8, 2011, 5:53 pm 
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I had the intention that it would be both track and road, yea, I know they are small.
I am not 100% sure I'd do a 23, but it is on the short list.

Thanks
Patrick


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PostPosted: February 9, 2011, 11:00 am 
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Marcus,
I built an Eleven, not a 19 (wish i had the blueprints for one though).

But i may be able to help. If you join the Yahoo Lotus 23 group, there is/was a DWG for a 23 replica. Its basically the same as the Lotus drawing but had been altered slightly for some more modern bits. If you contact me off list i can give you some contacts that may have exactly what you're looking for.

Oh, and as for the 23 being too low, i agree its low, but its not much lower than the Eleven. You just have to drive very defensively.


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PostPosted: April 4, 2011, 9:27 pm 
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KB58 wrote:
bzrseven wrote:
Hi
I am dead keen on having a go at scratch building a Lotus 23, does anyone know of plans / dimensions available somewhere?
I know where I can get a body moulded.
Thanks

Patrick

For street or track? These car are VERY low, so low that they're virtually invisible in a SUV's rear-view mirror.


Good post. I have a seven and a 23 and the seven feels like it is an SUV after driving round in the 23. A 23 makes a good track day car only. It is other wise a death trap. Thats even with high profile tyres and the suspension jacked up.

Makes a good mobile exhaust checker at the lights though for the car next to you. :-)


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PostPosted: April 5, 2011, 12:34 am 
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The first Lotus that I ever saw "in the flesh" was a 23. I was only 11 or 12 at the time and it seemed tiny to me then. I can't imagine anybody being able to make a 23 safe or legal for the street, and still have it look like a 23. If you're willing to try though, more power to ya! Keep us posted.

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PostPosted: April 5, 2011, 1:06 am 
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http://members.toast.net/joerger/noble/
http://www.mambamotorsport.co.uk/c23/index.html


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PostPosted: April 12, 2011, 7:19 pm 
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[/quote]

Good post. I have a seven and a 23 and the seven feels like it is an SUV after driving round in the 23. A 23 makes a good track day car only. It is other wise a death trap. Thats even with high profile tyres and the suspension jacked up.

Makes a good mobile exhaust checker at the lights though for the car next to you. :-)[/quote]

Yea, thanks for your input.
Yes, I understand what you mean, and I suppose it depends on what roads it is to be driven. There is no way I'd drive into town to do the shopping or on the NZ equivelent of your freeways.
I use my seven for rural road as I would the 23s, I live in a town with stuff all traffic and can drive to the track or some fantastic driving roads in 10-20 mins and see maybe 5 cars.

Patrick


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PostPosted: April 13, 2011, 6:39 am 
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If you're willing to consider an "inspired by" solution it might be worth looking into the Sylva J15 (link: http://www.sylva.co.uk/j15.html).

From the Sylva website:
Image

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PostPosted: April 14, 2011, 9:52 pm 
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Patrick,

I ran across this 16 page brochure while organizing some files. Its probably 15+ years old. Not too much detail, but some interesting drawings, etc. I could scan and email you a copy. Let me know if you are interested.


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

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PostPosted: April 15, 2011, 3:51 am 
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erioshi wrote:
If you're willing to consider an "inspired by" solution it might be worth looking into the Sylva J15 (link: http://www.sylva.co.uk/j15.html).

From the Sylva website:
Image


Nice looking car - prettier than the 23, but no. Remember I am scratch building and I can get 23 fibreglass mouldings from 2 sources locally. I now have design approval from NZ low volume vehicle technical association, so in principle it is road legal in New Zealand. I have partly built the four chassis bulkheads and have bought A arm material, rear brakes, 1/2 shafts and hubs, triumph uprights and rack.
Too late for gouing back now......
I have started a build diary here:
http://www.lotus7.co.nz/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=1449
Although I haven't reported much.

Thanks for the input.
Patrick


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PostPosted: April 15, 2011, 3:52 am 
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seattletom wrote:
Patrick,

I ran across this 16 page brochure while organizing some files. Its probably 15+ years old. Not too much detail, but some interesting drawings, etc. I could scan and email you a copy. Let me know if you are interested.


Yes please, the more info the better!


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