Did someone say performance?

The lightest car I can find crammed with the one motor that has the most power to weight that I can think of. Lotus 7 and a Honda F20C.

Of course, it needed a brake upgrade and the whole rear end had to be redone to take the power. And there will be a lot of cutting of the car and it's hood to get the tall motor to fit, but it'll be worth it. Oh, and this is not normal F20C, it's gonna have individual throttle bodies and a 4-2-1 header making it nice and heavy breathing, and keep throttle response instant. Not a particularly complex project at fist glance, but the Lotus is tiny, and the F20C is surprisingly large. So there's a long way to go on this one.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/willimo/Lotus704.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/willimo/Lotus703.jpg

wow! looking good, great concept!

very cool. Can't wait to see more progress.

thats pretty cool

Doesn't S27 make an F20C, but label it as S2000 engine? Correct me if I'm wrong, not too big on Hondas.

Yes, because the F20C is the motor that lives in the S2000.

Awesome stuff!!:sunglasse

Sounds like a really cool project!

A very, very interesting project Will!
I'm busting because it reminds me of my SR20 swap into the Datsun.
Tell me more about the quad throttle bodies...aftermarket item or fabbed? Will the injectors be wired :naughty:

What did you have to mod in the rear end/suspension?

Is the 7 a left/right hand drive? Do you have to mod the steering column for clearance?

You are the man if you cast that F20C :)

I like the way you think!

Great project! Very creative.

I like the cycle fender conversion.

thats gonna be pimp daddy cool! Never thought of a revamp like that! Much props for bringing the monster out of that 1! any color ideas? Newer colors or traditional colors?

A very, very interesting project Will!
I'm busting because it reminds me of my SR20 swap into the Datsun.
Tell me more about the quad throttle bodies...aftermarket item or fabbed? Will the injectors be wired :naughty:

What did you have to mod in the rear end/suspension?

Is the 7 a left/right hand drive? Do you have to mod the steering column for clearance?

You are the man if you cast that F20C :)

I like the way you think!

The throttle bodies I made myself. Some styrene rod, some styrene sheet, some styrene strip for the bodies themselves (some widgetry, unfortunately), I stuck a thin wire through all four to control the butterfly valves, and used a velocity stack as provided in the Tamiya kit as the throttle valve thing... the part that attaches to the cable that hooks to the go pedal. You know what I mean. Then I used Sakatsu turned aluminum velocity stacks, and some aluminum tube for the runners. You can see it on the hood in the pics, needs detail paint and the flange to bolt to the head still.

The mods to the rear suspension - didn't use a single Lotus part. I have a couple S2000 kits that are being parted out, so I narrowed the S2000 rear end (it's a simple tube job) and stuck it in. Some trial and error and it fit fine.

It's right hand drive. At first I cursed it, as I wanted to make it an American racer, but it turns out to be better as it would be harder to rout stuff around the throttle bodies than the header. I have a little more latitude with the header and where I route it. I do, however have to box out the entire footwell from scratch - a total pain as I have to get around the pedals and the F20 tranny (I will actually have to sand away some tranny... shhh!). The actual steering column will need u-jointsto get around the header, which will also be a pain. Yarr!

The biggest problem will be the hood. I will need a rather large hump in the hood just to clear the motor, an it will look funny with as far forward as it has to start. Oh well. The price we pay for mad power at the track, eh? And I guess it's good that I never did find the aluminum Sakatsu hood, would've been useless.

thats gonna be pimp daddy cool! Never thought of a revamp like that! Much props for bringing the monster out of that 1! any color ideas? Newer colors or traditional colors?

Color will be a dark blue, with a black stripe around the nose like Lotus puts on their 7's nowadays. Number roundels on the hood and sides, and British plates, one applied over the nose and a metal one in the back.

Thanks for the interest, guys, I have no idea how quickly this will go. The coming semester is going to be brutal, and this is going to be extra complicated. And the exposed nature of the car is going to beg for extra detailing. I smell trouble.

Very sweet willimo. I still remember the comment you made about lemon squares at 4:30 when I joined!

I though the racing stripe went aorund the nose, and then straight back the middle of the car? Or was that only on the british racing green w/ yellow stripe super sevens?

Nice car with an even nicer engine. You have to sell these great engines! :D

awesome work!

Kewl!!! One of my fav cars, can't wait to see more progress. :icon16:

Great stuff, I always wanted one of those.

Awesome project! I'll be following!

Steady work but not very fast. I decided to paint it before going further, and since the car is open, most detailing can be done after paint and major assembly, and indeed will be easier. Right now it's in Tamiya gloss aluminum, waiting for blue lacquer through the airbrush tomorrow. That'll give it a nice week before I polish it. This model will probably go months before the hood is made and put on. HLJ just sent my last order from them (I had an outstanding order of a Sakatsu motor, velocity stacks and aluminum hood and I didn't cancel it in time) so I have a hood coming in, I am thinking about somehow pressing the bulge in the hood. Yeah right. You can't tell in the picture but that motor sticks about 2.5mm over the hood, it'll be a big bulge. I'll let it run straight back and have it vent out like a.... whatever hood it is muscle cars get with the vent in front of the windscreen. What else? The hole where the original Lotus 7 exhaust goes will get an bent aluminum sheet scoop, and will wash air over an oil cooler that will nestle under the throttle bodies. I will have to cut a hole in the other side for the new header, but it will be surrounded by an aluminum sheild, so the cuts in the paint will be covered. I'm planning on plumbing the brakes and the clutch, wiring the battery to a fusebox and ECU (though they may be imaginary and in the passenger footwell) and all that jazz. The only thing it needs that I don't have laying around is a "Powered by HONDA decal... though I'm sure if I scour my decal sets I'll find one.

Just in case anyone's interested, this probably has a higher percentage of aluminum than an NSX. For a tenth the cost. [/pretending the car is real]

Oh yeah.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/willimo/DSC01156.jpg

I talk a lot late at night. Yuck.

Damn those are really nice ITB's! Keep up the good work! :iceslolan

Willimo

Just a thought, even though it looks like you're pretty far along. In an S2000 this motor is leaned over at an angle to lower the CofG and get the motor lower, isthis possible to reduce the size of the bulge, it may also make the routing of your steering column easier.. Just a thought.

looks to be fantastic progress. Is there any chance we can get some close up pics with macros? especially of the engine and velocity stacks? Thanks!

The hood you described sounds like a cowl induction hood.

Also, very nice coffin for the F20...looks better and beter by the minute!

Update: I suck at using an airbrush.

Elaborate...

Not much to it. I used an airbrush, paint sucked. Have to give it another go later

:iamwithst

Yeah, I'm a beginner at using an airbrush and I don't get the best paintjobs. . . yet.

how could I miss this thread?

man it is awesome!

A little back pedalling and then starting back in the right direction. The blue crapjob paint was stripped, and I did the hood while it the rest was in primer. Better idea. This time the car will be green. Unfortunately, in primer, you can't really tell how the hump in the hood looks. Let's just say it big, and funny looking. But I kind of like how it's got to have the big hump to hold all the performance in. I also opened holes in the hood for the intake and the exhaust. Thanks, CADguy for finding me such a great header! Though, my girlfriend called me out in the hobby shop ("Hey, isn't that the kit you want for one part?") and I got a lecture from the car guy there ("You should scratchbuild the header from solder [young lazy punk kid - ed].") Oh well. Looks perfect, though. This car looks really weird with no wheels, by the way.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/willimo/Lotus706.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/willimo/Lotus705.jpg

And here is something I've been working on on the side, a Buddy Club style kit for the Revell Civics. A long way to go - modelling after a prototype is hard! I'll probably do stuff like this during the coming semester, I won't have time for a full model but for parts, I can probably swing it and it'll be just as soothing.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/willimo/BuddyClub01.jpg

This is one awesome build! I like the whole idea behind it.
Great looking bumper on the civic too.

This car looks awesome! :)
You're executing your concept to perfection.
Those headers are very fitting for sprint cars, salt flat racers, and Super 7's alike ;)

I really like the header and the hood. As it's an open wheeler, what about making an airbox like in the F3 euro series ? Something like that:
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/501/11169820040801155716.jpg
If there's enough room with the left wheel on it could add a good "performance" touch, and the engine would like that IMHO.

Looks like a flinstone car with the markers. Does look great though.

looks awesome man! Hood looks great! gives the car even more of a agressive look! Oh, and the buddy club kit looks sweet also!

Well, Willimo, I m sorry I seemed to have missed this thread! It's simply stellar what you re trying to achieve here, I hope all goes well and probably we ll see more of the actual bulge when the paint is on!

Good work!

Olivier

Great looking headers! I also want see more of the buddy club civic.

wow, I think you have definitely turned that 7 into a modern day supercar. I think the S2000 mill and rear suspension are a perfect match. keep it up!

Nice and nice. Both are looking really good so far!

As it's an open wheeler, what about making an airbox like in the F3 euro series ?

I like those very much, too, the site I was using to reference the throttle bodies showed those and I was tempted to tell the truth. However, I think I like the velocity stacks better on this one. It may have a modern powerplant and suspension, but it's still a 7 and I kind of want to keep that vintage flair. Plus the four shiny bits add a little visual interst. Good idea, though, maybe next time.

On second though, I actually don't think there's room....

wow, I think you have definitely turned that 7 into a modern day supercar. I think the S2000 mill and rear suspension are a perfect match. keep it up!

They really are. Except for the big bulge, the engine fits ok, and the rear suspension seems as if it were made to be modified and stuck under the rear. I cut, I think, a 1/4" out of the middle of the suspension, and haven't had to make any other changes. As the build goes on, and I mock up more suspension parts, I begin wonder how much of this compatibility is on accident...?

Mmm lookin good. I love this car. I was thinking of doin one with an diffrent engine. anyway looks good.

Marathon building. Opening all my seized paint bottles is hurting my hands.

Anyway, got some orange-peely paint on it. Painted the seats, painted and assembled the rear end (colorfull!), got the header prepped for paint and detail. Still another 26.2 miles to go.

Having some trouble adding a fuel rail and injectors, it's gonna have to hang off the bottome of the throttle bodies, no room on top! Gotta paint the inside all aluminum, tough! I had been planning on putting numbers in roundels on the car, but I fear the Tamiya decal won't be quite opaque enough. I either gotta find a second set or screw it. I was thinking of adding a heat wrap around the header - but not sure, wouldn't know where to end it anyway. So here it is.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/willimo/Lotus707.jpg

holy crap that looks good! awesome man! I have to get 1 of those!

A couple pics with the wheels under it, since I'm putting it away for a while. Stupid college. RRR!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/willimo/Lotus708.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/willimo/Lotus709.jpg

man i love this thing!

wow nice!

bt yea i was wondering how do u mold the putty to make the buddyclub civic kit?am a newbie at modeling :(

bt yea i was wondering how do u mold the putty to make the buddyclub civic kit?am a newbie at modeling :(

I didn't mold any putty. Any putty used on it was used only to fill gaps, scratches, pits and mistakes. All the contours were made with plastic stock - strip, sheet and rod. It is much easier to built up the contours, shapes, and edges with plastic than to carve it out of putty.

Sweet!
Can't wait to see the engine detailing complete :smile:

Wow, your doing great on this car and on that Buddy Club front bumper. Looks just like it. :)

Very NiCE. Can we take a spin when its done. SHOTGUN!

JeFF

Did a little work this weekend. Slow and steady on this girl. Some motor work, most of the plumbing is done. Still have to add a O2 sensor and bung to the exhaust, wires for the fuel injectors throttle sensor and map sensor and stuff. Have to still prepare the cap that goes on the oil filter hole, and sends oil to the remote cooler. Also have to add the fuel line to the rail and the return line (with a banjo bolt). But mostly the motor is done. Save for the Vtec solenoid, damn I keep forgetting about that bit. Oh well. Here it is, the all-motor F20C.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/willimo/Lotus711.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/willimo/Lotus710.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v417/willimo/Lotus712.jpg

Wow. Super detailed! I love the spark plugs, and the headers look superb!

Man that is one neat F20C! Loving every bit of it! :iceslolan

Nice job Willimo. You attention to detail is amazing. There is something about that header I really like but I dont know what it is!

*Speachless*

Oh man :)
Love those velocity stacks.
Out of curiosity, the 4 thingys on the valve cover are spark plugs/coil packs?
What happened to the VTEC strip on top, or does that come on later?
What size/type wire are you using because it looks so money!!

Good job with the wiring, and i love the header too. But didn't you put the A/C compressor in place of the alternator ?

*Speachless*
:eek: Same for me! The more time I spend here the less word I find to express myself seeing the beautifull models exposed here!
And this one is just... Oh god! It looks so fast! And your work is so impressive!
:thumbsup: is not enough. (lol, there's been a James Bond last night on TV)

Out of curiosity, the 4 thingys on the valve cover are spark plugs/coil packs?
What happened to the VTEC strip on top, or does that come on later?
What size/type wire are you using because it looks so money!!

The for thingies on the valve cover are supposed to be the coils, or at least a reasonable facsimile. I'm not going to use the VTEC strips since most of the real heavy duty performance engines I see do away with pretty stuff like that (extra weight, I suppose) and because it's a photoetch part in the Sakatsu set that I didn't cast. The wire I use is Detail Master, though I can't tell you the size. I just grab what I can at my LHS, bring it home, and use whatever wire looks the right size. Since they are usually funny colors (mostly blue wire was used on this) I paint it with Tamiya acrylic, which is ok if you don't handle it. Some of the vacuum lines are miniature solder, and connecters may be the wires from inside a telephone wire. All painted, of course.

But didn't you put the A/C compressor in place of the alternator?

I did put the alternator where the A/C compressor normally goes to save some underhood space, but it is indeed the alternator. I figured with the amount of fab work the owner had to do with this, relocationg the alternator wasn't any biggie for him.

Thanks for the replies all. I noticed that photobucket is down this morning, hopefully the red X's will turn pretty soon.

The wiring and attention to detail is superb.. not nit picking from me :) btw the open mouth stacks look fantastic!