I think I should mention that some(at least the three 1100cc team cars of
1958) had fiberglass nose and tail. Obviously very rare indeed. Mine is one
of these cars and if you take the time to look at details of the panels, you
can tell they were factory built. I also have the build card which shows
this to be true and period photos also.
No Lotus Eleven had any kind of rollover protection from the factory. All
have been added to comply with later rules. My car was imported into the US
in 1960 after two very successful seasons in the UK, and there was no
rollbar. The 1" diameter bar was added that year to meet the new SCCA
regulations.
Roger Sieling, 4DTN
PS: I wasn't born with a silver spoon either, but was lucky enough to find
my car in restorable condition just before the values went up.
>From: "Craig J. Froeter" <cjthedad@essex1.com>
>Reply-To: "Craig J. Froeter" <cjthedad@essex1.com>
>To: "Gregory Nagy" <gnagy@intrepid.net>, <vintage-race@autox.team.net>
>Subject: RE: Eastlake
>Date: Tue, 7 Nov 2000 10:46:27 -0600
>
> 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?
>
>
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