Group Build: WIP - Lotus-Super 2

[deltableh]

Well, here's my thread, with a funny name. Why the funny name? Because it shortens to LS2... which is the same as the code for the engine I'm using!

Yes indeed, I'm using the Corvette C6's LS2 V-8 in the Lotus. So, where my model hasn't arrive yet, I still have some pictures to show you. First, some parts. You'll see the LS2 connected to the transaxle, seats from a Viper, valve covers (see close up), and the wheels from the C6 that I'll be using thus far. Nothing has been painted yet, but the wheels will be stripped and painted body color, which is gonna be [content deleted]. I'm thinking of maybe doing motorcycle fenders, which will need to be widened front and rear. I'll also be building a custom roll-bar for the rear of the car. I can't wait for my model to arrive... it's gonna rock!

Here are the pictures:

[quadzero]

I look forward to following along with this group build. Nice to get a sneak preview of your plans with this. I like where your ideas are heading.

[sportracer02]

Hi,

looks interesting, but you should wait until you get the Lotus Super 7 kit for test-fitting. I guess, the interior is too narrow for these seats. Even on the 1:1 car I have never seen some Sparco or Recaro seats because of space problems.

[deltableh]

Ah, that's a point I didn't think of. I guess it's lucky that the seats and engine are 1/25, and the model is 1/24, no? Well, we'll see what kind of dance I'll have to play with the seats, as the transaxle is going to cause some problems itself, of where it'll sit in the car and such. Lots of scratching will be going on, I can promise that.

[008]

Caliper says you have about 15mm on each side of the driveshaft tunnel to fit seats. Putting the transaxle in there makes things even worse. The stock tunnel is barely wide enough to fit a driveshaft through.

With those seats, I'd hack off the side bolsters and replace them with sheet plastic to mimic an aluminum seat, or scratchbuild one. Building an "aluminum" seat is easy, all it takes is 3 sheets of plastic. I did a pair but I can't find pics of it.

You'll be in for a surprise when the kit comes in. It is tiny!

[CeeElle]

i don't think that V8 is gonna fit... the 7 is a tiny car, and the Cosworth 4 it used for many years barely fit. of course, you could fabricate a trick hood with open sides and cover it with carbon fiber... that'd look pretty sweet!

[digitalbanzai]

let the madness begin!

[deltableh]

Originally Posted by CeeElle

i don't think that V8 is gonna fit... the 7 is a tiny car, and the Cosworth 4 it used for many years barely fit. of course, you could fabricate a trick hood with open sides and cover it with carbon fiber... that'd look pretty sweet!

You mean like one of those '30s Rods that are cruising around with the bare minimum of a hood? I might do that, in fact... carbon on the inside, outside would have to be body color, since I'm going for a pretty subtle look on the car.

As far as the driveshaft tunnel, my current plan is to hack up the Corvette chassis and interior, and fit that tunnel. Or I just might throw the whole tub in, I dunno. We'll have to see when my model actually arrives. Until then, this is a whole lot of speculation. The interior will be, however, mostly tan with some black and silver detailing. That might be able to give you a few ideas of what color the car can be.

[MPWR]

Cool, somebody's got to be first!

I like you're powertrain idea- but I worry you're going to be a bit surprised by the size of the 7. In 1/24, the cockpit is only 1.5" wide. Subtract 0.3" for the width of the transmission tunnel, and each seat can only be 0.6" wide. A typical Recaro is 0.8" wide (is usually put in a space 1.0" wide), and is 0.6" if you cut off all of the side bolsters.

Is that the gearbox attatched to the differential, instead of the back of the engine? Again this will present a bit of a challenge, as the transmission tunnel is only 0.3" wide (0.2 on the inside)- if you make it wider, your seat space will quickly disapear. There's a bit more room if the transmission is on the engine.

I'm totally not trying to be discouraging, and I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with this one. The V8 would look awesome in the engine bay (who care's about a lid if you have a V8 to show off?), but I think you may be in for some plastic surgery.

[deltableh]

Yes, that is the transaxle at the rear of the car. I believe Chevy put it there for better weight distrobution. And I know I'm gonna have some wicked scratch-building to do! I might just modify the Corvette interior tub to work in the Lotus, and drop that in instead. The seats are 1/25th and right out of a Viper, so they're gonna be a bit smaller than the Recaros you've all used in the past.

But, with all the difficulties I'm facing, I'm really looking forward to the build. Since there's no transmission on the front, I can mount the engine farther back in the bay, and perhaps use the stock Corvette airbox, which looks really cool. I've got about a 1/3rd of a sheet of SMS carbon fiber left, so I'll be seeing where that fits in, and where I decide to do it. And when all is said and done... it's gonna be kinda Foose-esk, that big diamond in the little black box, as he would say.

Oh, did I mention I have to get it mostly done before I go back to college on Aug 25th?

[wouter1981]

First entry, first crazy idee. But I agree with most here... you're going to have a verry hard time fitting it all into that tiny tiny car! Perhaps the easiets way is to enlarge the car? Make it a little bit wider and longer in the places you need it...Of course this is against the principle of colin chapman. He wanted the lightets possible car with a just strong enough engine. But then again, there are no limitations here!

edit:
I've posted it on the main group build threat, but I'm going to repeat myself. Why not switch the driver and the engine? You put the driver in the front of the car (his feets where the radiator would be) and the engine where the seats would be et voila: a singel seater, midengined, trackdaymonster. Not sure about crash safety.. ;-)

[deltableh]

The pictures Nutsforcars posted in the other thread tell me a few things. 1) I will more than likely have to use the Corvette tub for the Lotus. 2) The V8 should easily fit in that nice, long nose. Remember, the Lotus had an I4, and I'm putting in a V8, which is just two I4's at an angle. The only modification is possibly shortening the driveshaft. And 3) The biggest challenge is going to be the transaxle. I can see that right out. I can always dump the Viper seats if I need to, but I don't think I will. But the rear axle is a little bit farther up than I had hoped, and so I'm gonna have to fuss with the transaxle a bit. Hopefully the Corvette tub might alleviate this, though. We'll have to see.

EDIT: I just did a test fitting of the Viper seats in the Corvette tub. Good news is that they fit, and nicely. However, I also decided to do some measurements... the seats, at their widest point, are about 5mm (3/4 inch) wide. And the transaxle, where it would extend outward from the little groove in the tunnel, is about 6mm (7/8 inch) long. So, I'll have to fix accordingly. The Corvette's tub is 2.5 inches wide at the widest point I'll include, however, that includes the bump-outs for the door panels, an area that will obviously be cut off, saving me a quarter inch of space. So, that makes it 2.25 inches wide. I need this model here, and soon, so I can start cutting!

[008]

the seats, at their widest point, are about 5mm (3/4 inch) wide.

That's more like 20mm. The stock tub is 1.45" wide.

[deltableh]

Originally Posted by 008

That's more like 20mm. The stock tub is 1.45" wide.

Well then, it's 5 whatever units of measurement are on the other side of my ruler. It's too small to be a centimeter, I know that. Stupid metal ruler with unlabled scales!

[CeeElle]

i'll be watching this, as i'll most likely have many spare Ferrari F40 parts lying around by the time i'm ready for the group build.

hmmm.... F40 powered S7...