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It’s an RM-8.

If the “7” is too much of a project for you, she also has a ‘58 Bugeye for sake. https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/555947843970903/?ref=marketplace_profile

Here’s a “project” in San Jose. Yikes!

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1169730547710612 This one is an RM-8 “wide-body” .

That newly listed Toyota-powered custom Lotus 7 boasts of having “north of 200hp” from a 4AG. That would need to be a Formula Atlantic spec motor to get that kind of power. If it is, that would make for a fun ride, but I would suspect it’s probably 150+/-. Would love to see what’s inside to support the hp claim.

Anyone familiar with this photo?

Good evening all, Dan Lipperini Jr here. I am the one who fabricated the cage for Jon’s car. I’ll give you a bit of info on how it was accomplished. The entire cage is made from 1.50” x 0.125” DOM tubing. The mounting slugs which attach the cage to the frame began as 1.50” solid bar stock which are cut to 2” lengths and then have the center milled out 1.0” x 1.75” leaving 0.250” walls. The frame inserts are 3/4” OD with 1/2”-13 threads. I figure out where the cage is going to be located and on this case which original rivet holes were going to be used. I drill a 1/4” hole through both sides of the 1” frame tube as close to centered as possible. I then use a 1.5” hole saw to cut through the aluminum skin almost all the way and the piece of aluminum removed. Then a 3/4” hole gets drilled in the outer frame tube followed by a 5/8” hole in the inner frame tube. I take the frame insert and turn the one side down to 5/8”, measure it to length(approx 1.25” and cut/face to length. This makes a shoulder and a nice fit in the both sides of the frame tube. It then gets welded in place. Then repeat another 5 times. The main roll hoop uses the original mounting location threaded inserts(3 per side) onto a 3/16” plate. The rear down tubes now go all the way to the bottom rear rail instead of to the rear vertical support tubes. I welded a plate between the fuel cell mount and frame rail which uses 4 3/8” bolts per side to hold it as well as the new rear bumper. Now comes the fun part, its time to grab some tubing, a tape measure, a Sharpie and figure out what it’s going to look like and where it’s going to mount. Then a bend here, a weld there and PRESTO, an SCCA legal rollcage is born. The nice thing about these cages are that they are totally removable in about 20 minutes. You just need to find someone else to help lift it off the car. That’s an overview of what’s done, but if anyone has specific questions, please feel free to ask. Thanks, Dan

Good afternoon everyone. I’m fabricating an SCCA legal roll cage for a customers Series 3 Caterham. I’ve done several before(Locost, Westfield and Rotus) but I’m wondering if anyone can take a measurement or 2 for me? First and foremost is building a safe cage, but there is a certain aesthetic that I would like to have as well. I don’t want it to look out of proportion when completed. This wouldn’t normally be a problem, but the car is stripped, no scuttle, hood, nose or windshield to draw any reference from. I have the main roll hoop at 18.5” above the chassis. The owner sat in the car and I measured the top of his helmet at 14.5” in the stock seat. Taking into account a “worst cast scenario” if the car/driver get upside down, I want to allow for the “stretch in the belts” and deformation of the shoulders/body when inverted. Can anyone measure the height of their main roll hoop for me? Thank-you, Dan

The Gen1 RX-7 had a “live axle” with solid disc brakes and 4x110mm bolt pattern in the GSL model or vented discs and 4x4.5” bolt pattern on the GSL-SE model. The Gen2 RX-7 had an independent rear end.

This car advertised as a Rotus, is actually an RM-Eight narrow chassis/body car. He might be calling it a “rotus” because it’s a rotary-powered Lotus replica, but the body and chassis certainly aren’t Rotus. RM body/chassis sitting here at the shop and my old one on-track at Pocono.

I mean this with the utmost of sincerity and by no means is it a “dig” at anyone here or on other forums where this has been discussed. If the seller actually went out in his garage and “built” this from tubing and hard work, then he’s miles ahead of most. It is a LoCost type vehicle that has obviously taken inspiration from our beloved 7 and good old American hotrodding in its most raw form. Most people “buy” a car and add their personal touches to it. How many have the ability, initiative and time to bring something, no matter what it is, to completion and driving it with pride. Most don’t, most buy a car. I’ve done both. I’ve seen some beautiful(in my eyes) rolling down the road that I know friends have built. I’ve seem many that aren’t to my taste, but I can still appreciate all of the hard work, effort and vision it to to take their creation to that point. Here’s the point that going to get me banned or bashed. How many of you just wrote a check for your car? Who built their cars from repurposed parts, lengths of tubing, hours of welding and on and on? Good for you, that the fruits of your careers have allowed you to write that kind of check, but to criticize someone else for what their vision produced is quite close minded and sad in a lot of ways. You can kick me out at this point for my view and I would be happy to go grab a beer with the seller and talk to him bout his car.

I agree with Astro Bob, in my opinion your car is much more attractive.

Turbo rotary 7 replicas are FUN, FUN, FUN!

I’ve titled 2 different “special construction” 7’s here in PA. From memory(many years ago), the wording was something like, “if equipped, the must cycle x-number of times per minute”. My cars were not equipped with a wiper motor therefore exempt from that part of the inspection. I would look into the actual wording in their inspection guidelines.

It’s a BEVA. Built by Chris Williams up in Vankleek Hill Ontario. I have one of the body/chassis kits here in my shop.

You’re welcome. I finally contributed something constructive to this forum!:hurray:

The first one, from Canada is called a “Beva”. Sort of the love child between a Lotus 7 and a Dutton. Made by Chris Williams from EVA Motorsports in Vankleek Hill, Ontario. He also built the "Diva”.

What condition are the motor and trans in? I have a turbo 13B Rotus here in northeast PA. http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=16045&stc=1 http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=16044&stc=1

I would build the next set with thicker wall tubing. Also, I would build a “jig” so that if there is ever an unfortunate situation that arises, they can easily be reproduced.

Strange? Tim has a 42-44 waist, he's a big guy, and fit in mine. I'll measure the width today and post a measurement.

My Rotus is rather LARGE in the cockpit. A friend of mine who is 6'1", 275# with a 34" inseam fit fine. I made him sit in it because he swore that there was no possible way he would fit. now he wont stop bugging me about getting it done so he can drive it. He has size 11 shoes but when he was at the shop, he was wearing work boots and obviously had to remove them, so was in his stocking feet. Would more than likely need sneakers to manipulate the pedals, but that's nothing new in any 7.

There are several ROTUS around with V-8's installed, Rover 3500's and LS's. Mine has a 13-B turbo which fits with LOTS of room and I have measured the engine bay for a V-8 swap. I don't think it would be a problem. I measured the engine and trans in my Miata, which is a Ford 302/T5.

It's been a hectic year with new house, a new commercial property, business obligations and an ill fiancée. I've been trying to sneak some time in the shop to work on the V-8 Miata(rollcage), the MGB V-8, the RM-8 build that I'm trying to get done for my father and the Rotus. I should have been in the circus as I've become quite good at juggling. The Rotus is getting a set of clamshell fenders installed. I mounted them, make support brackets and they are at the bodyshop getting painted. Matte black I think will look good, so we are going that route and will see if I'm right or wrong. With doing the clamshells, the offset of the front wheels was wrong, so I regretfully removed the Panasports and picked up a set of XXR's in 7's and 8's in the proper offsets. The only thing that needed to be changed were the rear axle studs. The new wheels have a much thicker hub, so I bought some ARP extended studs and pressed them in. Next while looking around the engine bay, I noticed the "handy work" of some previous owner! It's unbelievable what some people will do! I looked at the radiator and fan set-up and upon close inspection, someone had them both held in place with 3 pieces of safety wire strung right thru the aluminum radiator! I removed their "mounts" and fabricated correct mounts for the radiator and purchased a new SPAL fan. I need to made some ductwork to the opening in the nose and the cooling system should work well. I also cut and welded the thermostat housing and clocked it in a different direction to eliminate about an extra foot of upper radiator hose. I purchased SAMCO hoses for both upper and lower radiator connections and with the proper angles, eliminated ALOT of unnecessary hose. Finally I made some custom length sparkplug wires and eliminated about 18" of extra length that was there. I guess someone just bought stock wires, threw them on and coiled up the extra length. http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=12193&stc=1 http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=12194&stc=1

If you have the ambition, skills and tool required to swap in a different rear axle tube, there are several other Toyota units that you can use or as you mentioned, the 1st Generation RX-7 GSL. There are many different r&p ratio's available as well as clutch and Torsen diffs for the RX-7 as they use the same as the Miata. Toyota info: http://www.legendsracer.com/index.php?action=printpage;topic=113.0

Toyota rear axles, ring & pinions, brakes and differentials are normally used in numerous of their other vehicles. Even though it may be from a vehicle that was never offered in the US, there is a good chance that an LSD from a different Toyota vehicle will work. By pulling the rear "chunk" out and doing a bit of research, I would bet you can find something that fits. Good Luck and let the search begin.