redbaron

I completed my Rotus in 1992 when I was at the tender age of 62. Now some 15 years later and at age 77 I still have it and enjoy driving it immensely. For me there is something therapeutic about those "wind in your face" drives that relaxes me and causes me to smile both internally and externally. I built it as a cruiser not a racer but the modified Ford 2.3 liter turbocharged and intercooled engine provides spirited performance, much to the surprise of the local Mustang and import sports car crowd. I plan to keep it until the old joints don't allow me to get in and out of it any more. I have even given thought to ultimately attaching six handles on it and using it in lieu of a casket when that time arises. Sort of adds a new dimension to the definition of "long term relationship" doesn't it? Red Baron

John, contact Dennis Hedges via internet on: shortmt@adelphia.net or via land line on 304-274-3078. As I recall he built up a Rotus with a BMW engine about the time he was working on mine back in 1992. I don't remember the specific BMW engine but he may be able to give you some useful information. As an aside, I powered my Rotus with a Ford 2.3 liter OHC, turbocharged and intercooled engine with other performancements as well. Regards, Red Baron

Andrew, I was faced with the same problem when I had my Rotus in Michigan and experienced here in Florida as well on those cool days we sometimes get in Jan. & Feb. What I did was to fabricate a backlite out of Lexan and attach it to the roll bar. With the side curtains installed the backlite pevents most of that annoying "blow back" on your neck and back of head. It doesn't eliminate the need of a jacket and head cover but it is sure provides a lot more enjoyable driving experience. The cockpit becomes a pod of sorts and turbulence is greatly reduced. See my posting of 05/08/06 0n page 8 for pictures of my set up. Red Baron

Does the fact that I will be 77 by 07/07 bode well for me? Red Baron

scannon, send your email address to me at campgreenlake@aol.com I will send you some pictures of my intercooler installation which I took yesterday when the car was on a hoist. Red Baron

The intercooler is mounted behind the radiator between the inboard mounted shock absorbers and the engine. I would have preferred to mount it in front of the radiator but I couldn't do that with my particular cooler.I did manage to install a fresh air intake duct along the lower edge of the radiator as shown in the attached picture. It directs cool air to the bottom half of the intercooler. Without dismantling the air vane meter and attached plumbing it is impossible to get a good picture of the intercooler system from on top of the vehicle. I am having new tires installed in the next few days so I will take my digital cam along and gets some pictures from the underside of the vehicle when it is up on a hoist. These may show sufficient detail to help you with your proposed installation. Red Baron http://www.usa7s.com/forum/uploads/20070122_202959_Rotus_Intercool.jpg

Thia is my Rotus that I completed in 1994 when I was at the tender age of 64. I continue to derive great pleasue from driving it to this day. It is powered by a Ford 2.3 liter I4 turbocharged intercooled engine with a modified EEC IV management system and a host of other "go fast" goodies. While not a flat out race car the performance is spirited enough to keep life interesting. http://www.usa7s.com/forum/uploads/20070121_192205_-lQ-rtmyCXnoKvD.jpg

Kitcat, although the following is not really Sevens related I thought that since you are one of very few people who know about the Jaguar XJ13, you might find the following sites interesting. http://www.jag-lovers.org/snaps/snap_view.php3?id=1070075826 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5E3KX3REcA0

A close up of the unloading ramp. http://www.usa7s.com/forum/uploads/20070120_022445_0HNxQCOIyE70TeY.jpg

This is the transporter we used to move my Jaguar XJ13 recreation around to various car events. It is a stretched Ford motorhome chassis with a custom built elongated motorhome shell. http://www.usa7s.com/forum/uploads/20070120_021910_JZV5tGrgD2fJiCB.jpg

For that I have the sound track from the video "Rendezvous", which is a Ferrari running flat out through the streets of Paris in the wee hours of the morning. The sweet sound of that V12 engine being paddled through the gears is guaranteed to make one's spine tingle.

I thought you used it to play the Borla sound when the car is not running http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/images/emoticons/biggrin5.gif

For the record, the sterio turned out to be a big waste of effort. Can't hear it above the rumble of the Borla exhaust system.

I have added a few "creature comforts" to my Rotus to make it more streetable. In addition to the top, side curtains, and heater which came with the car I have added a footwell ventilation system, an IP storage bin, carpeting in both the cockpit and the boot, an AM/FM stereo with a tape deck and 4 speakers, a parking brake warning light, a map light, windshield washer sustem, a 12 V cigarette lighter outlet, a Grant removable steering wheel, an on- board fire extinguisher, a passenger assist handle, a boot lid lock, roll bar padding and a Lexan backlight to reduce wind blow back. Obviously, I use the vehicle as a cruiser, not as a track car but the Ford 2.3 liter turbo charged / intercooled engine does provide spirited performance.

Rob, the situation on the other side wasn't as bad. The lens and lens gasket were OK. Only the tail lamp spacer had turned to jello so all that I had to do was clean up the gook and install the new tail lamp spacer I obtained from Dennis. By the way, I use the Grant "No Wheel - No Steal" set up on my Rotus.

http://www.usa7s.com/forum/uploads/20070102_173218_IMG_1618.JPG

I can finally close the book on this tail lamp fiasco. Dennis prevailed upon his source to run some additional plastic tail lamp spacers and I procured a set.They survived the high temperature of a Florida summer and did not turn into jello. The folks at "MAN-A-FIRE" in California (http://www.man-a-fre.com/pa/taillights.htm)came up with the correct lens and lens gasket. The attached shows the refurbished tail lamp installation.

Oops, a bad link for pictur4es of my Jag. Try >http://www.jcna.com/gallery/main.php?Vref=nc19&Vfnum=900&Vthread=184 Red Baronslngsht2007-01-01 11:16:51

Hey John, as I tell the senior citizens here in Florida who look at me askance when I am out with my Rotus, "us old farts need to have some fun once in a while you know." Red Baron

Humm, I may be a bit out of my element here. I built my Rotus at age 64 and still derive great pleasue driving it at age 76. Red Baron

I am a retired Engineering Design Manager having spent some 36 years with what I fear is about to become the defunct Ford Motor Company. After spending most of my career being involved in the build of many concept and prototype vehicles I found I couldn't go "Cold Turkey" so I decided to build a Rotus for myself and have been enjoying it for some 12 years now. More recently I built a replica of a Jaguar XJ13.(http://www.jag-lovers.org/snaps/snap_view.php3?id=1070075826) For pictures of my Rotus go to page 7 and see my 01/06/06 posting entitled "Photos of the Red Baron."

Although my Rotus is "streetable"I assiduously avoid driving it to any events more than 50 miles away. For that I use a tow dolly. The observation that these vehicles are really 4 wheeled motorcycles is right on. I equipped my Rotus with various creature comforts like a radio/tape deck which can't be heard over the Borla exhaust and a heater which is not need until the ambient falls below 15F and is completely useless now that I have moved from Michigan to Florida. Two items I did add that have proven worth while are a NACA duct footwell vent on the driver side and a removable Lexan backlite which reduces blow back which, when combined with the side curtains, makes cool weather driving considerably more comfortable for my 76 year old body.(See my 01/06/06 poating entitled "Footwell Ventilation" and my 05/08/06 posting entitled "Cool Weather Driving" for pictures of these items.) In summary, a "daily driver" no but a great big boy toy. PS, no cupholders. Red Baron

Oops! Sorry guys but I goofed on the rim size. They are 1992 Ford Mustang OEM aluminum wheels and are 16 x 7, 4 bolt, 5 spoke wheels. I should have caught that when I looked up the recommended rim widths for the 205/45x16 tire size.

OK guys, I need some advice on tires for my Rotus. I currently run 205/45 ZR16 Goodyear Eagle GT on 16 x 8.5 in rims. Although they have minimal wear I feel that since they are some 14 years old they are due for replacement. Also, I would like to take advantage of the technical advances in current tread patterns and material compounding. For asthetic reasons I wish to retain my current rims and I would prefer to use the same size tire all around. Obviously, the current Z rated tires are extreme "overkill" in this department. I am not concerned about tire wear so I would like a tire that would maximize handling should I desire to autocross the car.

I believe that a "purpose designed" tandem axle steel frame trailer would weigh considerably less than the 1600 lbs I was quoted. These plain vanila utility trailrts have frames designed to handle the load capacity of the axles that are utilzed. Given the usual 3500. lb rating for the ususl axle this gets one to a 7,000 lb GVW. Assuming a 1600 lb. unloaded trailer weight this allows for a 5400 lb. vehicle load, far greater than the weight of a typical Lotus 7 or or Lotus 7 clone.A steel trailer designed to handle a 2000 lb. payload instead of 5400 lb. could be fabricated from lighter gage structural steel and would greatly reduce the steel versus aluminum weight differential, perhaps like the 200 lb. I alluded to prior a my prior email