Rotus Project Build

[Jamie R]

Well thats a blow!!!

Finally got round to weighing the Rotus. Some may rememer my original target of 750-800Kgs..... Well Im nowhere near!

Original Elan +2 comes in on average dependant of where you read at 916Kg

So why do I have a lardy car at 1120kg??? WTF is going on? What have I added to the car that the original didnt have.

Well.....
Rollcage
RX8 engine and box
Rear diff
Front and rear suspension
85 litre tank
17" wheels and tyres
RX8 brakes
wider wings
bigger front end
side skirts
spolier
diffuser
3" stainless exhaust
oil coolers
Roof scoop
larger dashboard
full underfloor

So lets run some stats

1972 Elan +2 916Kg, 130bhp .....142 horses per ton

2004 RX8     1350Kg, 231bhp.... 171 horse per ton

Rotus        1120Kg  keep it the same as i dunno what diff the porting has made.... 231bhp, 205 horse per ton.

Gutted ! a mere 230Kg saving over the Rx8, I may as well have not bothered, saved myself 5 years of breathing in crap and just stripped out the standard donor RX8

FML ....

[Casey]

Maybe disappointing wrt your target, but a unique work of art and should still have decent performance. Looking forward to seeing it on track!

[boosted]

How did you weigh it?
When i got Westory corner weighted on proper scales was 650kg.

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[MattScott]

Mister Chapman was the king of lightness so you've pitted yourself against a master and built something truly unique! I can understand your disappointment but its still epic and hopefully driving her in anger will make up for a little weight gain.

[Jamie R]

Well after a days reflecting on think i was clearly deluded that removing the rear seats, interior, glass and electric windows from the Elan, and adding all the RX8 drivetrain and suspension + aero was going to equate to less weight than a stock Elan.

 230Kgs lighter than a stock RX8, hopefully will pay off. Thats like 2 of me sat on the back seat !

I dunno what the porting the tertiary ports and exhausts will have done, but a lightened flywheel and a 4.7 diff will hopefully make it feel spritely

[Jamie R]

Mister Chapman was the king of lightness so you've pitted yourself against a master and built something truly unique! I can understand your disappointment but its still epic and hopefully driving her in anger will make up for a little weight gain.

He had the right philosophy of lightness, but there was an argument to say that he may have taken it too far and sacrificed safety...

I saw those a pillars on the Elan. There's no way I would have survived a roll over

Not quite as bad as lancia using cardboard tubes as a roll cage in group b .... But not far off lol


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[Hobbawobba]

Don't forget about the worlds heaviest and thickest 2 stroke tank!

[Eccentric shaft]

He had the right philosophy of lightness, but there was an argument to say that he may have taken it too far and sacrificed safety...

That's a diplomatic way of putting it. By giving them in race cars made of tin foil and paper clips he killed:

Alan Stacey 1960
Ricardo Rodriguez 1962
Gary Hocking 1962
Jim Clark 1968
Jochen Rindt 1970
Ronnie Peterson 1978

You can also add a number of attempted murders on Graham Hill and others.
That's only the formula class cars.

And in the end he smuggled drugs to try to keep his business afloat.
He made some great cars, but he was a total ****

[Jamie R]

He had the right philosophy of lightness, but there was an argument to say that he may have taken it too far and sacrificed safety...

That's a diplomatic way of putting it. By giving them in race cars made of tin foil and paper clips he killed:

Alan Stacey 1960
Ricardo Rodriguez 1962
Gary Hocking 1962
Jim Clark 1968
Jochen Rindt 1970
Ronnie Peterson 1978

You can also add a number of attempted murders on Graham Hill and others.
That's only the formula class cars.

And in the end he smuggled drugs to try to keep his business afloat.
He made some great cars, but he was a total ****

Ah I don't quite know as much history as you about him.

I knew he didn't play with a straight bat


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[Eccentric shaft]

So, I really wouldn't worry that your fabulous creation deviates a bit from the much hyped "add lightness philosophy". You'll be a lot safer in the Rotus for that. 

[clive]

 Jamie
Ah I don't quite know as much history as you about him.

I knew he didn't play with a straight bat
[/quote]


Allegedly he died just one week before he was about to be indited along with John DeLorean, for scamming the British government out of money.

As for his drivers, not sure he really cared, Jochen Rindt fell out with Chapman after the car broke and put him in a barrier, then the car killed him next time out at Monza!

Such was the obsession with lightness, Saloon racer Dave Brodie told the story of going to Snetterton and while testing seeing the chassis collapse under the first heavy braking!  Chapman response was to go just one gauge up on the gauge thickness.

[clive]

Back to the car.

Jamie, I would go for a recount.

With at least half a tank of fuel on board with my very heavy roll cage at Brands at Snett the car weighed in at around 1250 kilo 

[Jamie R]

Passenger footwell going in

Sill protectors stuck on.

Door cards upholstered

Ordered some laser cut parts to make hub stands ...... can do the corner weights properly without wheels fitted

Then it's book MOT and insure


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[Casey]

Some nice finishing touches there 

Ooooh, almost MOT time, excellent 

[MattScott]

Almost there... �