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Learning how to build Lotus Seven replicas...together!
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PostPosted: February 23, 2012, 9:41 am 
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Joined: August 13, 2010, 9:26 am
Posts: 56
Location: greater cleveland area
Hey John...I found you! I was looking through a old kit car mag, again, and saw the Chestnut Roadster. Awesume car :cheers: I called you back in 2009 because you were to be at the Carlisle Kit car show, I want to see this car! but did not see you there. Anyway, I really like the concept of this lsX powered t56 c6 suspended car. Are you still doing anything with this? BTW this miata base look good...very Corba'ish front end...my heart has an affection for a good old American V8 tied to a 5 - 6 speed manual transmission with nice side pipes for the sound!

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PostPosted: February 23, 2012, 7:09 pm 
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Joined: June 12, 2011, 1:28 pm
Posts: 29
Hello Don, I had to take some time off to take care of some health issues and to take care of my father and grandmother that were terminally ill. I am just getting back to normal. I have sent you an email. Thanks for the post, John


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PostPosted: February 25, 2012, 4:29 am 
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Joined: January 22, 2007, 5:13 pm
Posts: 313
Location: Anchorage Alaska
The photoshop picture of the Miata roadster kit is beautiful.
I am looking forward to more pictures of it with the new windscreen too.

Great attitude John!
Don't do it to make money, do it to have fun and enjoy being alive.
Helping other people make a dream turn into reality is better than making a big profit.
I wondered if the stock Miata uprights would clear the hood or if small "bumps" would be required.

The Miata/Sammy will be an excellent option for us builders.
Using a single donor car with the suspension subframes really speeds up the build.
And a sleek retro body really sets the car apart from the typical Locost/7.

So glad to see progress after so long. :cheers:

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PostPosted: May 29, 2012, 11:07 am 
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Joined: August 4, 2008, 4:43 pm
Posts: 167
Keep me in the loop on this one too! I saw your thread on Miata.net and still believe this is one of the slickest looking kits out there. Good luck in the building of a frame that will work and keep the design as close as possible to your sketches. I think I would be a buyer at $5k for the kit plus a donor. I think the whole car would be completed for under around $12k this way with some good shocks and decent wheels / tires.
:)
BT


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PostPosted: August 10, 2012, 12:33 am 
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Joined: November 13, 2008, 3:28 pm
Posts: 159
Location: Washington and California
Where do I sign up for one?


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PostPosted: November 3, 2012, 8:16 pm 
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Joined: June 12, 2011, 1:28 pm
Posts: 29
Hello everyone, I haven't posted in awhile. It took forever to get the body. When it arrived I was extremely disappointed. It was a twisted mess and of very poor quality. I could have fixed it but I didn't want to be associated with the company that produced it. To be fair, I recently read that the business had been sold and that the new owner has shut down for awhile to address quality issues.

In the mean time I had a lot happen in my life this year which has kept me from doing any work on a project car. Last week I finally got things in order and have spent a couple of days working on a concept body. You will see it's different than the Sammio but still in the 50's style.

I was going to build a dedicated frame. But at this time I am building on an NA chassis. I unbolted everything that I could and then cut out the windshield, rear fenders, and deck. I will fabricated a tubular structure that will tie the rear shock towers to a roll bar support. Side impact bars will tie into this and bolt into the Miata door hinge mounts.

The car will use Porsche 356 Speedster windshield. The front will be 1 piece and tilt forward to open. I plan on having the seam line half way up the belt line. The car will have half doors, the bottom seam in line with the hood.

What you see here has a lot of cardboard and duct tape covered with black primer to try and blend everything together. Once I get the look right I will use foam and bondo to do the final shaping. Not building a race car. Just a fun little roadster. Having fun, John
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PostPosted: November 8, 2012, 6:09 pm 
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Joined: January 22, 2007, 5:13 pm
Posts: 313
Location: Anchorage Alaska
Sorry to read of the problems but glad you haven't thrown in the towel.
Keep at it, we are watching.... 8)

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PostPosted: November 12, 2012, 7:12 pm 
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Joined: January 31, 2008, 5:34 pm
Posts: 781
Location: SW Wes Consin
A miniature Ferrari Testa Rossa body by Scaglietti. A very nice look 8) As recently sold for 16M. I guess you could say it was and will be a very pretty car.


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PostPosted: August 13, 2013, 12:03 pm 
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Joined: August 13, 2013, 11:51 am
Posts: 1
Hi
I am ingested in the cr you are building.
any other updates on the body?
Glenn


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PostPosted: August 18, 2013, 8:01 pm 
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Joined: June 15, 2013, 6:50 pm
Posts: 4
This project, as you can see has been through a bunch of changes. But, I have finally settled on what I am doing. I decided not to use the Miata tub and create a body to fit it. The Miata's short wheelbase, center seating position, high cowl, forward mounted and high mounted engine just didn't allow me to get the look that I wanted. I like the the rear seating position, lower cowl, and long bonnet look of the old sports racers.

I built a dedicated space frame for the Miata suspension parts and drive train to bolt into. I set the wheelbase at 95 inches. Then moved the engine rearward by 8.2 inches. This gets the engine lower as well. I shortened the torque arm by 8.2 inches as well. The ride height is 4.5 inches and the oil pan is flush with the bottom of the frame. The finished frame with roll bar weighs 229lbs. The roller weighs 1252lbs. Not a light weight but I think it's pretty good.

I did not use the Miata pedals and MCs. I am using floor mounted ones. This allowed me to lower the cowl height significantly. The 95 inch wheelbase lets me sit much lower. I am shooting for 54% rear weight with me in the car. I am using the collapsible portion of the Miata steering shaft. I turned it down so that it fits into a standard 3/4 inch ujoint. The balance of the steering is race car style with a quick release hub.


The Miata has very high shock towers. I didn't want to use stock shocks as the tower height would impede on the lower bonnet look that I am going for. I found that small body racing coilover shocks and springs fit perfectly. In the pictures my motor mounts and shock towers do not have the final bracing. That's about all that is left to do though.

I am making a couple of bodies to fit the frame. More to follow. I am skinning the sides with aluminum then making a front and rear clip out of fiberglass for a 7 inspired look. I purchased a 1958 Devin SS inspired replica body that I am using to create the 50's sports racer. I am widening, lengthening, and changing it to my taste. Because my frame has a stressed backbone I can have function doors. The 7 inspired body will not have doors. The Sports racer body will have functioning half doors.

The windshield is from a Porsche 356 Speedster. I think that it has the correct look, is legal, and is readily available at a reasonable price. Plus it is available in 3 heights, Speedster, Convertible, and Coupe. Using it will allow me to develop different versions.

I am totally into getting this done now. Having fun.

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PostPosted: August 18, 2013, 8:29 pm 
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Joined: November 13, 2008, 3:28 pm
Posts: 159
Location: Washington and California
Really like the look


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PostPosted: August 19, 2013, 2:36 am 
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Joined: July 29, 2006, 9:10 pm
Posts: 3160
Location: Oregon, usually
Man, that's gorgeous! So out with it: what are your production plans?

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PostPosted: August 19, 2013, 9:11 am 
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Joined: January 31, 2012, 12:49 pm
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Location: Louisville KY
JackMcCornack wrote:
Man, that's gorgeous! So out with it: what are your production plans?


I was wondering when Jack was gonna chime in... (grins).

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Louisville, KY
Hayes front, S10 +2 rear, Lalo body.


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PostPosted: August 19, 2013, 10:16 am 
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Joined: June 15, 2013, 6:50 pm
Posts: 4
Thanks for the comments.

I am retired and am doing this as a hobby and for fun. I am passionate about unique, great performing cars. I have been working with a retired GM chassis Engineer and a Mechanical Engineer for the frame design. I think that it's a winner.

I have a good friend that has a race car chassis building business. I designed the chassis (made changes that the engineers wanted) and he and I built it. He did all of the welding. :) I have 3 frames done. 1 to be used to develop bodies, 1 to build out, and 1 to keep as a reference frame for building more. The jigs are done.

I am doing the body shaping and fitment. Then a friend of mine that owns a fiberglass production company will pull professional molds.

I plan to introduce the finished car at the Carlisle Kit Car and Import show in May of 2014. I'm going to have a website built by then and will offer my parts for sale starting in May.

I am building this for me. If I sell any that's great but it's not my motive. By outsourcing production of the body and frame I eliminate over head. Fortunately, I don't need to make money from this. But, I think it would be cool to have a few running around and to be able to interact with like minded car nuts.


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