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New(ish) car .. not really Lotus Content and a long wait..

Posted: Fri May 12, 2017 9:39 pm
by renmure
*edited to change images from Photobucker to Imgur so they hopefully work*

Before Christmas 2016 I was thinking about getting an Audi R8 V10 because I wanted something sensible that I could use and enjoy without every journey being "all about the car" but never really bit the bullet. I also had been through to MMC a few times to look at the conveyor belt of new Elise / Exige and Evora models but only really fancied the newer and more extreme looking Exiges and they seemed awfy pricey these days.

So, I seem to have headed off at a bit of a left-field tangent and put a deposit on a fairly bespoke commission build of a Lister Bell Lancia Stratos.

The Stratos was always the 1st WTF car I remember seeing on telly when watching rallying on telly and I am actually really excited.

The car will be a Group 4 replica with the full painted Alitalia livery of Car number 4 from the 1977 Tour de Corse. Engine will be a totally rebuilt and refreshed 3.2 litre Alfa Romeo V6 on Jenvey individual throttle bodies with an Emerald programmable ECU which I am told will allow me to have a couple of sensible maps for MOT and road use and a full-on pop/bang/crackle flame spitting rally mode for fun. Should be around 300bhp which is about 120bhp more than the original cars. It will be built LHD and will have the full Group 4 rally dashboard as per the original. No half measures :)

The bugging thing is the wait.... 12 months before anything even starts getting built!!

Anyhow.. no pics of the car but some pics of what it should (hopefully) exactly look like. Appreciate it might not be to everyones taste but if nothing else, it will stand out from the crowd (which may be good... or bad) 8)

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Dash is going to be the GP4 rally dash:
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Re: New(ish) car .. not really Lotus Content and a long wait

Posted: Fri May 12, 2017 10:01 pm
by mik
Wow :shock:

Love the stratos. Will look amazing, and that spec sounds tasty (despite you showing images of a scalextric car or something :lol: )

Front screen on the Evora always reminded me of the Stratos.... :thumbsup

Re: New(ish) car .. not really Lotus Content and a long wait

Posted: Fri May 12, 2017 10:04 pm
by campbell
Jim. You're bonkers. Love it :-)

Re: New(ish) car .. not really Lotus Content and a long wait

Posted: Fri May 12, 2017 10:13 pm
by Mr Momo
Wow - I really want to see this when its built.

I am struggling to understand how you get in - is it as easy as the Radical ? :shock:

Re: New(ish) car .. not really Lotus Content and a long wait

Posted: Fri May 12, 2017 10:23 pm
by renmure
mik wrote:

Love the stratos. Will look amazing, and that spec sounds tasty (despite you showing images of a scalextric car or something :lol: )
lol. That is a 1:18th scale model of the car that I bought.

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Getting in and out was no more difficult that I found doing it in the Caterham with the roof on. At least my hands don't have to touch the ground :) Anyhow, I am beginning to almost look balletic getting in and out of the Ultima so the limbo dance training is working.

I was taken on a demo drive yesterday around the country lanes near Nottingham and thankfully the driver knew the roads well. Sitting in the right hand side with no wheel and no brake was, err, exciting!!

Re: New(ish) car .. not really Lotus Content and a long wait

Posted: Fri May 12, 2017 10:33 pm
by rawsco
renmure wrote:because I wanted something sensible that I could use and enjoy without every journey being "all about the car"
Buys lancia stratos replica, probably removes exhaust, fits 6 scaffolding pipes, puts ear plugs in wonders what the fuss is all about and why people are pointing!

You sir are the man!

Re: New(ish) car .. not really Lotus Content and a long wait

Posted: Sat May 13, 2017 2:48 am
by AllyY
"WTF" car indeed 8) - that's going to turn a head or two, no matter what MOT/nutter mapping you've got it set to :lol: Look forward to seeing it on the road in due course.

Re: New(ish) car .. not really Lotus Content and a long wait

Posted: Sat May 13, 2017 6:15 am
by Scottish Scrutineer
I'm joining the queue of folks wanting to see it. Should look and sound spectacular.


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Re: New(ish) car .. not really Lotus Content and a long wait

Posted: Sat May 13, 2017 7:06 am
by thinfourth
Not much room for the dogs then

Re: New(ish) car .. not really Lotus Content and a long wait

Posted: Sat May 13, 2017 7:41 am
by H8OAG
Wendy should be made a Saint........

:cheers

Re: New(ish) car .. not really Lotus Content and a long wait

Posted: Sat May 13, 2017 8:12 am
by c8rkh
Stunning. Not a fan of the light pods at the front but understand why you'd want them. Not green with envy at all..... Honest.....

I was looking at the Carteroni Lancia O37 recreation from New Zealand but not brave enough yet to pull the switch. If I do, would be a great photo call...... the 037 is my favourite all time WRC car.

Re: New(ish) car .. not really Lotus Content and a long wait

Posted: Sat May 13, 2017 9:09 am
by SAJ
:thumbsup

Re: New(ish) car .. not really Lotus Content and a long wait

Posted: Sat May 13, 2017 11:45 am
by renmure
c8rkh wrote: Not a fan of the light pods at the front but understand why you'd want them.
They do a replica of the Stradale or street version of the car which is very pretty but is narrower and a bit more refined. They were telling me that there is about a 60/40 split with most folk ordering the more aggressive looking wide arch cars although there aren't too many full on rally replicas.

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as opposed to...

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My thinking was in for a penny, in for a pound. :oops: :shock: :lol:

Re: New(ish) car .. not really Lotus Content and a long wait

Posted: Sat May 13, 2017 12:55 pm
by j2 lot
I am sooooo jealous Jim. The Stratos has been my dream car since I followed rallying. I will be stalking you once you get it :mrgreen:

Re: New(ish) car .. not really Lotus Content and a long wait

Posted: Sat May 13, 2017 8:42 pm
by AJT
What a brilliant addition to your garage.
There is a guy over on Seloc who is doing a self build of the same car http://forums.seloc.org/viewthread.php?tid=411682