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my GTO is all but finished and my splitty will be on going and going and going
so I am looking to what next.The car of my childhood want list 1st the lotus europa. has anyone got a kit in production I am thinking of giving it ago myself looking at base cars I have a mx5 ltd edition waiting but I think the mgf is a better wheel base ......any thoughts guys
funny I read that earlier today dam shame he did not Finnish one, just looking on ebay for fibreglass matting, what do you think for a base car the mgf looks good for the wheel base and no roof means I will not be cutting into the shell.
In terms of an IVA free blank canvas you'll be hard pushed find better than a VX220.
Getting expensive for a donor at 5k odd undamaged tho - but there are minimal restrictions in what you can create around it. Evocation of the Miura concept car would be quite nice!
Isn't the VX220 just an Elise fitted with an ashtray for Vauxhall's astramaxvan customers who've made a few quid and can afford a weekend toy?
Seriously though, there must be a lot more panel damaged Elises available and the tub's the same isn't it?
Great idea for a donor, I especially like the sound of a Muira replica that actually works. The opening scene from The Italian Job is one of my all-time favourite car-in-movie moments.
Yes it is - but crucially the VX220 values are less than Elise (badge snobbery and all that!). It also has bullet proof 2.0 Vauxhall lump which is an easy 250bhp when after market supercharged. The K series is getting fragile when pushing 200.
What struck me about this pic is there's just nothing in the way in terms of bodywork shape if you can live with windscreen shape/rake and fixed point in relation wheel position. On the other hand there ain't a lot to hang the body from!
if you were going to buy a kit car shell over body call it what you want like the mx250. Ware someone had dune all the all the design work and you new it was going to fit the donor chase like a glove then its worth the wonga to get the car you want. but at 3k plus its a big punt to take you could end up with a top not car or a pile of scrap. to build a kit car I personally would not spend more than 2k for a donor car that and the cost of the kit would be pushing 5k a big stretch for your average guy in the garage at the bottom of the garden.
well with many thanks to hammy in a couple of weeks what's left of the lotus will be in my garage. So the hunt is back on for a donor car thinking caps back on people. needs to be cheapish and still in production for parts dont mind chopping doors up and re skinning to fit in with the lines of the car. any ideas
I hope you do come up with something Andy. I visited a squadron at Leeming during the summer where one of the execs has a Europa, Gold on Brown and it looked absolutely stunning. Not really an era or a colour scheme that I would go for but it looked the business.
well I can only try,and try I will. I am not looking to a copy although I do want it to look the part getting the car wheel base looking right will be the biggest stumbling block. I am still leaning towards the mgf the door line is not perfect but they can be changed or over skinned.
Good luck with your project. The wheelbase of the MGF is only 64mm more than the Europa and body width is 3mm narrower so should be be a good donor I think.
been digging around the tin ter net and found this by a company call blaze,
a bit of before and after but very encouraging and one of the few that do use the mgf chases not just the parts off it.
Good luck with your project. The wheelbase of the MGF is only 64mm more than the Europa and body width is 3mm narrower so should be be a good donor I think.
Seems to work OK. Drop the Lotus bonnet line at the nose, add 3-4 inches into the Lotus belt line, lower the MG a bit.
Door shuts and side glass could be altered to use MGF shapes.
hwell: 
