garethpowys
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| posted on 1/11/02 at 05:24 PM |
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Lolita
No, it's not what you think from the subject line 
Looking back through some old copies of Mini Magazine I came across a car called a Lolita. So named because the guy who built it used to work for Lola
and he built it like a little Lola. There was a Mk1 and a Mk2, the first car having a tubular space frame the later car being Ali semi monocoque. The
earlier car is styled like a seven, which doesn't really work. The later car looks like a Can Am car and is much nicer.
Anyhow the unique thing about these cars is that the Mini engine and transmission is tilted forwars 60 degrees. It's a really neat solution as it
keeps the rear of the car nice and low and shifts the centre of mass forward and down. I can't for the life of me figure out how the got the gear
change to work - but I'm thinking hard.
Gareth
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philgregson
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| posted on 7/11/02 at 01:17 PM |
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It wouldn't be a good idea to own one of these though would it?
Once the tabloid reading population of your local council estate (sweeping description I know but, if you remember the paedeatritian incident, they
were) heard you had a lolita in your garage they'd come round and fire bomb your house!!
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wayner
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| posted on 8/11/02 at 09:12 AM |
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One of Terrapin series ( I think by memory ) had a mini engine canted foward as described, look under Allan Staniforth book Race & Rally Car Source
Book which has lots of detail on these and other Formulae 750 single seaters ( just widen the cockpit area to get your mate / s in ), it is quite an
informative book actually ( including using rubber bands for suspension, no don't knock it, rubber has alsorts of wonderbar properties particularly
for suspension ). I always remember it competing at a local hill climb and it used to thrash all in sundry.
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