leto
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| posted on 26/2/08 at 09:27 PM |
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About as low as you can get - Lotus 23 body based builds
We are a few friends how are just starting build projects based on Lotus 23. We have acquired a set of good GRP-molds and at the moment we are
looking for someone to make the bodies. We have also started to model a frame in 3d-cad after a set of paper drawings we bought a from Lee Chapman
Racing.
At the moment we are talking about two builds with bike engines and VW-trans axles and two with engine and gearbox from some front wheel drive car,
possibly Suzuki Swift, plus one more still to be decided. It is still very early in planing so expect changes.
Biggest problem at the moment is deciding on what front uprights to use. The frames will probably stray more or less from the original. I'm
planing a build mainly for road use. with square tube frame, slightly longer and wider cockpit and a transverse engine. In time (likely looong), we
hope to be able to release drawings for the frames.
 
23-frame01
“I'm gonna ride around in style
I'm gonna drive everybody wild
'Cause I'll have the only one there is a round”. (J. Cash)
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Guinness
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| posted on 26/2/08 at 09:34 PM |
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Cool!
My friend, Andy, bought a 23C last year. He races it in the HSCC.
 
Andy in a Lotus 23c at Cadwell
Mike
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stevebubs
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| posted on 26/2/08 at 09:50 PM |
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Hmm...any plans to produce extra bodies?
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andybod
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| posted on 26/2/08 at 09:52 PM |
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hi i'm currently rebuilding a noble 23 which is lee noble recreation of the lotus23 but the body tub is a few inches wider the noble uses
cortina front uprights and square box frame chassis if you wat any easurements off mine don't hessitate to ask hopefuly a picture before it was
painted
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kb58
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| posted on 26/2/08 at 10:30 PM |
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The 23 is the only car that I thought, "No way I'd ever drive that on the street." Waaaay too low. Your head is about the same
height as wheel hubs of trucks. Get any closer than 50ft behind a minivan and you're absolutely invisible.
[Edited on 2/26/08 by kb58]
Mid-engine Locost - http://www.midlana.com
And the book - http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/midlana/paperback/product-21330662.html
Kimini - a tube-frame, carbon shell, Honda Prelude VTEC mid-engine Mini: http://www.kimini.com
And its book -
http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/kimini-how-to-design-and-build-a-mid-engine-sports-car-from-scratch/paperback/product-4858803.html
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Rogue Se7ens
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| posted on 27/2/08 at 01:53 AM |
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I love the 23 and before getting into locost I looked far and wide for frame drawings but finally gave up.
I am currently developing uprights for my composite Mini and Locost projects, that use standard hub assemblies and hope to sell them aftermarket once
I get them completed and tested.
Let us know if you think you will send anything stateside.
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leto
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| posted on 29/2/08 at 04:51 PM |
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Guinness
Nice! I don't think we will get into more serious racing than a trackday now and then.
stevebubs
Well, yes. But the transport might be a problem, we are located in Sweden.
andybod
Lovely. A little wider on the “inside” won't hurt. The original is less then 36” wide, a 7-S2 is 37”.
kb58
A 23 is lower than a seven alright but not that much lower. About an inch or two, so the problem is about the same.
Rogue Se7ens
At the moment we are only producing dreams and we can make them here. When needs get more specific we'll let you know. Thanks!
“I'm gonna ride around in style
I'm gonna drive everybody wild
'Cause I'll have the only one there is a round”. (J. Cash)
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kb58
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| posted on 29/2/08 at 09:27 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by leto
kb58
A 23 is lower than a seven alright but not that much lower. About an inch or two, so the problem is about the same.
Do you have numbers to compare? I stood next to an authentic Lotus 23, and it was very, very low. My impression was that it was maybe 25% lower than a
Seven.
Also, "just a couple inches" is far more than just that. Those few inches are the difference between being really hard to see, and
invisible.
Mid-engine Locost - http://www.midlana.com
And the book - http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/midlana/paperback/product-21330662.html
Kimini - a tube-frame, carbon shell, Honda Prelude VTEC mid-engine Mini: http://www.kimini.com
And its book -
http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/kimini-how-to-design-and-build-a-mid-engine-sports-car-from-scratch/paperback/product-4858803.html
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stevebubs
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| posted on 29/2/08 at 11:01 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by leto
stevebubs
Well, yes. But the transport might be a problem, we are located in Sweden.
Ignoring transport costs, I'd be interested in knowing how much a bodyshell would be (will send U2U with my email address)
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leto
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| posted on 1/3/08 at 12:21 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by kb58
quote:
Originally posted by leto
kb58
A 23 is lower than a seven alright but not that much lower. About an inch or two, so the problem is about the same.
Do you have numbers to compare? I stood next to an authentic Lotus 23, and it was very, very low. My impression was that it was maybe 25% lower than a
Seven.
Also, "just a couple inches" is far more than just that. Those few inches are the difference between being really hard to see, and
invisible.
If you count the windscreen you are right, considering how visible the windscreen of a seven is I don't think that's a fair comparison.
The 23 is listed at 26” here. The body of a “by the book”-locost with a 5”
ground clearance is just over 26”. The only listing of a seven's body hight i found is for S1 at 27.5”
lhere. A S2 with 5” ground clearance will also land at 27,5” according to
George Cushing's drawing.
We got a body and most parts for a rolling chassis together with the molds so I have a pretty good idea what a 23 looks like beside a seven. I
believe the narrow body of a seven makes it look higher than it actually is
“I'm gonna ride around in style
I'm gonna drive everybody wild
'Cause I'll have the only one there is a round”. (J. Cash)
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leto
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| posted on 1/3/08 at 09:00 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by stevebubs
quote:
Originally posted by leto
stevebubs
Well, yes. But the transport might be a problem, we are located in Sweden.
Ignoring transport costs, I'd be interested in knowing how much a bodyshell would be (will send U2U with my email address)
We don't know any prices yet and it will be some time until we do. I'll return when I have some answers. We hope to beat these guys:
link-1, link-2
The 23 is not that rare, if you ask around some, especially in historic racing circles, theres a good chance you can track down someone how has a set
of molds. That's what we did and “someone” was in the mood to sell, lucky us 
“I'm gonna ride around in style
I'm gonna drive everybody wild
'Cause I'll have the only one there is a round”. (J. Cash)
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Andy S
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| posted on 3/7/09 at 02:17 PM |
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Resurrection of an old thread I know but I have just popped onto my local industrial estate to see if i could get some glass fibre resin and mat from
a local moulder - Guess what - Yep Lotus 23 mold in the back of the shop and yes he would build one if you wanted and even had plenty of Racing green
gel coat - price is very reasonable.
Hmmmmmmmm. 
Andrew
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iank
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| posted on 3/7/09 at 07:31 PM |
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Having been in Guinness' mates garage I can say with certainty that the 23c is at it's highest point (back end) roughly the same height as
a Lotus 7 mk4's bonnet.
You do sit a lot more reclined in it though so your eye height is lower.
It looks a lot lower because the front end is very very low, and considerably shorter than a 7. So low it will be difficult to get the lights legal
for a road car I'd have thought.
Wasn't there someone here rebuilding a Noble replica?
--
Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.
Anonymous
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andybod
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| posted on 23/12/09 at 09:19 AM |
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i'm still building the noble and at it's highest point i think it's 32 inches now all in paint and slowly being rebuilt hopefully there
should be a picture atached
 
Rescued attachment nokia 015.jpg
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Ivan
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| posted on 23/12/09 at 11:42 AM |
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A local race workshop has a full set off blue prints measured off an original Lotus 23 - made when he did an exact copy for the owner of an original
who wanted to race the copy and preserve the original - I am sure he would be happy to make a copy for you. (The copy has a Toyota 20V in it.
U2U me and if there is interest I can talk to him.
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designer
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| posted on 23/12/09 at 11:34 PM |
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Like most early Lotus and Brabhams, the 23'S front uprights were from the Triumph Herald.
I have forgotten the company that made them.
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iank
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| posted on 24/12/09 at 12:03 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by designer
I have forgotten the company that made them.
Alford & Adler
See this thread for more
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=87851
--
Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.
Anonymous
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Angel Acevedo
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| posted on 24/12/09 at 06:39 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by kb58
quote:
Originally posted by leto
kb58
A 23 is lower than a seven alright but not that much lower. About an inch or two, so the problem is about the same.
Do you have numbers to compare? I stood next to an authentic Lotus 23, and it was very, very low. My impression was that it was maybe 25% lower than a
Seven.
Also, "just a couple inches" is far more than just that. Those few inches are the difference between being really hard to see, and
invisible.
If you have any doubts, ask James Dean.
Beware of what you wish.. for it may come true....
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Alan B
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| posted on 24/12/09 at 01:52 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Angel Acevedo
much snipped......
Also, "just a couple inches" is far more than just that. Those few inches are the difference between being really hard to see, and
invisible.
If you have any doubts, ask James Dean.
But that was a Porsche right?.....but I think I get your point
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iank
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| posted on 24/12/09 at 03:02 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Alan B
quote:
Originally posted by Angel Acevedo
much snipped......
Also, "just a couple inches" is far more than just that. Those few inches are the difference between being really hard to see, and
invisible.
If you have any doubts, ask James Dean.
But that was a Porsche right?.....but I think I get your point
Yes a 550 spyder, and a silver one at that.
If you have a small low car don't have them painted in difficult to see colours.
--
Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.
Anonymous
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Ivan
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| posted on 8/1/10 at 08:08 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Ivan
A local race workshop has a full set off blue prints measured off an original Lotus 23 - made when he did an exact copy for the owner of an original
who wanted to race the copy and preserve the original - I am sure he would be happy to make a copy for you. (The copy has a Toyota 20V in it.
U2U me and if there is interest I can talk to him.
Have subsequently spoken to them - can't let you have copy of plans as plans don't belong to them, they say plan isn't an exact
replica but substantially the same and suspension pick up points are as per original.
Off the cuff he thinks he can make a chassis for around 3500 pounds + transport to England from SA
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dmulally
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| posted on 14/1/10 at 09:54 AM |
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I have done some testing of my 23 on the road.
I could write war and peace but the bottom line is that its a death trap.
A fun one though.
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Neville Jones
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| posted on 14/1/10 at 12:20 PM |
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I was a young boy, and present at Lakeside, when a mate of my father was killed in one of those. They went to school together, and were very close
friends.
A traumatic day which I still remember vividly. It went under the armco, just exiting the downhill onto the straight.
I can still see the state of the car, as it sat on the recovery truck. Not a pretty sight.
Circuits now have better safety, and I'd like to think this would never happen again. But, armco on some roads and highways is still too high at
the bottom edge.
Nev.
[Edited on 14/1/10 by Neville Jones]
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ettore bugatti
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| posted on 14/1/10 at 01:51 PM |
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The current Caterham upright is improved over the older Triumph design, just search on trunnion here.
Geometry should be better then the Cortina ones.
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designer
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| posted on 15/1/10 at 01:54 AM |
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Lotus 23 drawing
/http://enderw88.wordpress.com/drawings/
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