well what constitutes a vintage car is that it is a vintage car. some
organizations are fine with letting a car like the Eastlake run, and some as
long as no one makes a stink about it, and it is not winning. Some others
would just show you their nose hair and tell you to go away, that is of
course if they knew enough to know it was not a true 11. Well here comes my
two cents. First of all my car is the Eastlake that started this thread.
Having not been blessed by the money gods to be able to afford a true Lotus
11 or to be able to race one, this looked like a affordable route to go.
Lets look at the differences.
BODY: Eastlake-Fiberglass and Aluminum
Lotus 11-Aluminum some have been fitted with Fiberglass
due to the
expense of the aluminum body but it is still
a lotus
FRAME: Eastlake- Hand build tube frame of correct Lotus
dimension plus
current SCCA approved roll bar for sports
racer "SAFE"
Lotus- hand build tube frame, built 43 years ago with
small roll hoop
"ouch"
SUSPENSION: Eastlake- FRONT twin A arm coil over tube shock
REAR solid
tube axle coil over
Lotus- FRONT some solid axle some twin A arm
coil over REAR some solid
axle some Dion axle
ENGINE: Eastlake- 1275cc BMC early 60's era
Lotus-1000cc thru 1500cc various engines
TIRES& Rims: Eastlake (mine only) 13X6 panasports kumho 13 X
215 yes
bigger but never got alot of tire temp in tires
may be to big wanted
safer rims than wires
Lotus-skinny 15" wire wheels
PLEASE NOTE: the above lotus information is true to the best of my
knowledge which is not much so if not correct please feel free to rip me a
new one.
So I feel that I have no advantage over anyone in racing the Eastlake and
after all how many true Lotus 11's do people ever get to see. My cars draws
alot of lookers and interest. As one SCCA drivers school official had this
ducky comment about the car "It may not be the fastest car out there but it
is sure the best looking". So it draws interest, is competitive and truly
fits the vintage mold. so what is the problem it's not like it is a
fiberglass body on a VW floor pan or a cobra body on a current era frame
with a fuel injected 5 liter. it's put together with vintage parts, and the
fit and finish of this car is impeccable it will in no way lower the
standards of any vintage organization, as with anything that Pat Prince has
a hand in is perfect. OK let me have it.
Craig
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-vintage-race@autox.team.net
[mailto:owner-vintage-race@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of Gregory Nagy
Sent: Tuesday, November 07, 2000 4:59 AM
To: vintage-race@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Eastlake
----- Original Message -----
From: <Bill5600@aol.com>
To: <malcox@sonic.net>
Cc: <vintage-race@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, November 06, 2000 6:23 PM
Subject: Re: Eastlake
> Dear Malcolm;
>
> There is a gentleman from around Sterling, Iowa who races an Eastlake with
> V.S.C.D.A. His car was built in part if not entirely by Pat Prince in
> Sterling. The name Eastlake is a play on words relating to the Westlake
cars
> from England. During the 80's Chris Smith started the manufacture of kit
cars
> one being a sports car that looked like a Lotus 7 called the Westfield 7
he
> also made a sports racing car based on Sprite / Midget running gear that
had
> a body that was a copy of a Lotus 11. The Westfield 11 won many races in
> England with engines from 750 cc to 1500 cc. The cars were imported by a
> fellow in Florida for US distribution. More info can be found on the
> Westfield web site, www.open.org/joerger/westfield.html. I have a
Westfield
> 11 for sale that is 98% completed with less than 1 mile (around the block)
> fitted with 1275, 5 speed Datsun gearbox, 14" wire wheels, which was built
by
> the importers head mechanic. The car is eligible to race with several
groups
> or can be driven on the street. If interested let me know and I can give
you
> more info.
>
> Bill Alexander
>
>
>
I am sur teh answer varies from organization to organization, but what
constitutes a "vintage/historic" sports racing car? Westfield 11s were built
in the 80's, but are based pretty soundly on 50's/60's chassis technology, a
60's motor, and a bodyshape very close to a 50's/60's sports racer. It looks
like a vintage racer, it drives like a vintage racer, but IS it a vintage
racer?
Recently, I received the Ron Champion book "How to build a sports car
for 250 Pounds" (obviously mis-titled). This book details how to construct a
lotus 7 replica using donor car parts and fabricating the
chassis/body/suspension parts. If such a car was built out of period bmc or
ford parts, is it a vinage sports racer? The gentleman who wrote the book,
in partnership with another company, has come up with chassis modifications
and fiberglass body parts for a lotus 11 replica (does have non-lotus
power-bulge to clear all manner of motors in a 7-type chassis).It is
obviously not a Lotus, but is it a vintage sports racer? What if my donor
car is an early spridget?
|