LocostUSA.com

I just returned from a trip waaaay back east--to the coast of Maryland--to pick up the Kokopelli molds and fixtures. Widened Lotus 11 inspired bodies are now available from Kinetic Vehicles (full disclosure: that's me, duh), all the fiberglass bits (nose, scuttle, doors, stern, trunk lid) for $3500 if somebody needs one right away.The 15 nose bubble mold is not shown (cameraman error; sorry), but I've got it. The head faring (shown) is another option. If you're not familiar with Kokopelli, here's an 11ish one with a head fairing......and a 15ish one with the nose bubble ("speed bump") to fit the Miata powerplant.I'm not going to get hyper involved with developing the rest of the car 'till the Lola-like body kits are a production item, but if somebody wants just the body bits, the same way Kokopelli made them, that much is a done deal.

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Locost builder and adventurer, and founder (but no longer owner) of Kinetic Vehicles

Thats cool Jack ! Need to get back to my 15. Do you have a source for windscreens
Randy ?

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American 7 5.0 T5
Lotus 15 ish?
914/H6

No, but they're not complex curves; they're not molded, just cut from flat plastic and fastened to the flanges of the scuttle and doors. Just make yourself a pattern out of posterboard and trace it to Lexan or the like.

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Locost builder and adventurer, and founder (but no longer owner) of Kinetic Vehicles

The photo I have been working from has a formed windscreen ,Jack ?
Just wish I know how to form lexan .
Randy

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American 7 5.0 T5
Lotus 15 ish?
914/H6

The Kokopelli's were based on the Elevens, and I believe that Malcolm Linder did the original molds or body parts that the molds were taken from. They're based on the series 1 body shape with the "crease" in the front wing. So, being Eleven based they would have the single curvature windscreen (though there were a few Series 2 Le Mans cars that had the highback bodywork with the double curvature windscreens).

There was a guy on the Westfield 11 yahoo group who did make up a double curve windscreen, but I cant recall who he is at the moment. I do remember that he made the windscreen in Plexi not Lexan. I tried to make a Lexan screen for my old car, but gave up as it was too difficult to for, I ended up using Plexi (or Perspex).


Rod

Rod, yours was a work of ART !

Any regrets in selling her ?
Randy

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American 7 5.0 T5
Lotus 15 ish?
914/H6

well they've gone to a good home now, good for you Jack.

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this story shall the good man teach his son,
and chrispin chrispian shall ne'er go by,
from this day to the end of the world.
but we in it shall be remembered.

Wow Jack, I like your new bod...Wait, no! That didn't come out right. I mean, I'd love to mount it on my...Damn, that either! I mean, you know what I mean.

While an awesome car, I actually never considered the 11 to be truly great looking...That is, until I saw this:

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-Justin

"Orville Wright did not have a pilots license." - Gordon MacKenzie

Jack-
The Lotus 11/15 chassis looks somewhat different than the Lotus 7. Has anyone taken a crack at sketching the chassis? Looks to be a lot more "little box sections" and struts or brackets. How would one fit a fiberglass component to the chassis without having some knowledge of interface or physical dimensions of the piece?

Cheers,
Roy

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Build log http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=16510

Roy,
The Eleven chassis is completely different than the 15. The 11 is very similar to the Lotus 7 chassis, albeit with body mounts. Somewhere on my computer I have a "non detailed" CAD file of the Eleven S2 chassis and I think a detailed Eleven S1 chassis drawing. The 15 is a taller chassis and is set up for Chapman strut rear suspension. I do have a rough sketch of the Lotus 17 chassis which is similar in regards to the rear section of the 15 chassis. The front section of the 15 is unique.

If I get a chance today I'll try to find the Eleven S2 drawing & the Seven drawing and do an overlay.


Randy,
Some days I regret selling it, but to be honest I never really had that much fun driving it. I was always worried about breaking the expensive bits (mostly the motor). Plus it was a pain to drive in traffic. The new owner seems to be enjoying it:


Rod

How would a young lad, such as myself, choose between these two supermodels? Should we just break down and buy both? What do you see being the difference or features of each? Is the Lalo larger?

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Marcus Barrow - Car9 an open design community supported sports car for home builders!
SketchUp collection for LocostUSA: "Dream it, Build it, Drive it!"
Car9 Roadster information - models, drawings, resources etc.

Justin, that car is outrageous! I've never seen it before. What is it, who made it, where can I learn more?Good question, Marcus--I'm going to need some extra time on that one, but it's a good question. I think the Lotus 11 (the Kokopelli version, at least) is larger than the Lola Mk1 (the Kinetic version, at least), and certainly so under the hood. I'll measure them both and get back to you--the Lola looks sleeker and "racier" to me, but it's a couple years newer design than the 11 and back in the late '50s, race car tech was changing fast.Roy, I'm not interested (personally) in making replica chassis--I'm a fan of the locost philosophy (light, strong, cheap) when it comes to chassis--and as long as the body is bigger than a Locost I'm comfortable that body attachments can be built. That said, I'm tempted to make a full body version of the locost chassis for extra foot room (though it will lose the tapered nose and thus be unsuitable for a traditional Seven-style body).

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Locost builder and adventurer, and founder (but no longer owner) of Kinetic Vehicles

Roy, hre some ideas I am working with. I went with the BEC,because I'm dumb. Oh,and I love the sound it makes !

viewtopic.php?f=36&t=3386

Randy

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American 7 5.0 T5
Lotus 15 ish?
914/H6

Jack,
I'm sorry to say that this thread contains the sum total of information I have found to exist on the internet so far about this mysterious and intriguing car. I know that seattletom did have at least a brief chance to talk with the owner, although I don't think he found out much more than that about it. If it shows up to that event again next year, or at any other local car events I happen to be at, I'll certainly be making sure I hang around enough to chat with the owner for a bit next time.

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-Justin

"Orville Wright did not have a pilots license." - Gordon MacKenzie

I like these big arched versions of the yesteryear themed racers.



I always hankered after a tvr like the ones below.








So the music in my head made me buy a bodyshell for a similar project later. Its complete with doors, glass etc.

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Build Log viewtopic.php?f=35&t=16640&p=187700#p187700

Mancave http://s1116.photobucket.com/user/mypic ... ow/mancave