Designing a locost style Lotus 7 Replica

Discussion regarding putting a non MX-5 engine in your MX-5, Exocet, Locost, FM Westfield and other MX-5 based kit cars.

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Caffeine
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Re: Designing a locost style Lotus 7 Replica

Postby Caffeine » Thu Jul 01, 2010 10:18 am

Juffa wrote:It has a 4AGE 16 valve engine,


Not sure if you are allowed to do 'new build' clubmans with the 4AGE, I could be wrong though...
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Re: Designing a locost style Lotus 7 Replica

Postby bruce » Thu Jul 01, 2010 10:38 am

Getting it road registered sounds like a world of pain. It's never been rego'd so it would have to be ICV'd. Problem is, who will do that? Locost will sell you a chassis but they won't sell you Compliance (they would have to supply the whole kit to ensure compliance). To individually ICV it is not going to happen.

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Re: Designing a locost style Lotus 7 Replica

Postby Juffa » Thu Jul 01, 2010 11:54 am

Caffeine wrote:
Juffa wrote:It has a 4AGE 16 valve engine,


Not sure if you are allowed to do 'new build' clubmans with the 4AGE, I could be wrong though...


Thanks Caff. Is that due to the latest emmision requirements and the age of the 4AGE engine? If so, I believe that Arrow Clubmans (Aust company) have had the 4AGE ECU complied for the latest requirements. I was going to paste a link from the OZ Clubbies website, but having problems with their search engine today.

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Re: Designing a locost style Lotus 7 Replica

Postby Juffa » Thu Jul 01, 2010 11:59 am

bruce wrote:Getting it road registered sounds like a world of pain. It's never been rego'd so it would have to be ICV'd. Problem is, who will do that? Locost will sell you a chassis but they won't sell you Compliance (they would have to supply the whole kit to ensure compliance). To individually ICV it is not going to happen.


Thanks Brue. Yes, the ICV process is quite a task from what I found during my initial research. Need to engage with a certified engineer to ensure the chassis meets the requirements. Also trying to find out if Arrow Clubmans have actually had the 4AGE ECU complied for the lastest emission requirements, if so it might be a case of buying one of these ECU from them.......and heaps more. There is a great deal of info on the OZ Clubbies website, and other resources.....it is a matter of finding my way through it and sorting out the facts from the fiction.

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Re: Designing a locost style Lotus 7 Replica

Postby mazlot » Thu Jul 01, 2010 12:25 pm

If you are serious about building a Clubbie, take it from me, as I have done it, go find a good one for sale, and buy it.

A lot less stressful, and a smaller dent in the bank balance. And the bonus is you can drive it tomorrow, not in 3 years or so if you try and build it yourself.

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$30k later, the yellow one.

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Re: Designing a locost style Lotus 7 Replica

Postby Juffa » Thu Jul 01, 2010 12:46 pm

mazlot wrote:If you are serious about building a Clubbie, take it from me, as I have done it, go find a good one for sale, and buy it.

A lot less stressful, and a smaller dent in the bank balance. And the bonus is you can drive it tomorrow, not in 3 years or so if you try and build it yourself.



Thanks Mazlot. Yes, I suspect that I might be better off buying a completed clubman and there are a few out there. Problem with this is I want a project....something to tinker with. At this point I don't really care how long it will take.....and I don't have the money to buy a completed one upfront, but believe I can get the basics now and get the missing bits as and when the budget allows.

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Re: Designing a locost style Lotus 7 Replica

Postby 93_Clubman » Tue Jul 06, 2010 2:40 pm

J, if Arrow have modified & complied the 4AGE ECU for the lastest emission requirements, then that Amaroo clubman at Yarra Glen could be a good buy - from memory it was $11k when I last saw it on carsales a couple of months ago. It was advertised for a long time & hadn't been registered with its 4AGE motor, which from reading ozclubbies last year, meant it wasn't registerable according to the previous or current owner of Amaroo clubmans, though that may have now changed in light of the availability of a modified ECU.

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Re: Designing a locost style Lotus 7 Replica

Postby Black_Penguin » Tue Jul 06, 2010 7:36 pm

The only problem with that plan is that Arrow is only selling the ADR 79/00 (Euro 3) and ADR 79/01(Euro 4) ECU retune to Arrow customers ie someone who buys an Arrow kit. They will sell the ADR 37/01 to anyone and this maybe an option as the RTA is considering making ICV's only comply to this emmision standard. How ever seeing the way the RTA treats ICV's I wouldn't hold my breath.
PS I helped my dad build a Arrow kit so I know the pain and suffering that the RTA sends people through when they want something out side the box.
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Re: Designing a locost style Lotus 7 Replica

Postby 93_Clubman » Wed Jul 07, 2010 12:26 pm

Tks for the clarification BP - agree not wise to hold breath & there's also the VicRoads factor for us.


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