Small block ford in a Lotus?

Not that I have a lot of time on my hands, but I have a flat crank V8 project I would like to make some progress with. I had intended to put this into an old Indy car chassis and go track day racing. I had a deal on an old Indy car chassis but the seller refused to complete the deal when he found out what I was intending to do with it. I think he was concerned about liability, thinking the car should just be a show car going forward. I was also finding a lot of resistance to allowing an open wheel car on the track with closed wheel cars. That's not surprising, I understand the logic.

So here's the next thought.....how about putting this in an old Lotus Esprit? I like the looks of the 1988+ cars. I'm guessing the SBF with an audi or porsche or renault box can be squeezed in.

Does anyone know if this has been done before?
 

Ron Earp

Admin
I used to have a 1991 Esprit Turbo. There is plenty of room in the engine bay for a SBF or SBC. The cars came with a Renault box so you're halfway home there. And it has been done before. When I was active on the Lotus boards there were a couple of them floating around. The Lotus faithful don't like the conversions, but screw em. The Lotus four pot isn't a motor you want to mess with, and the 3.5L V8 Lotus produced is just as bad.
 

Fran Hall RCR

GT40s Sponsor
Chapmans V8 Ford powered car....reputed to be a terrible handling beast that should never have seen the light of day....
Also said to be his attempt to lure Ford to have him be the "go to company" for the car we all now know as the GT40...

Lotus 30
 
I know someone who did some Esprit conversions, but I believe with LS3 engines and also he did a interior conversion, way better looks afterwards instead of the square dash etc :thumbsup: the example on the web is not all ofcourse, that was some taste of someone, you can order like you wish I believe, he does not update the website, he's more a worker I think.

Also I believed he have worked for Lotus on the motorsport department also, and helped to make some special lotuses, think his name is Simon, is some time (years) ago I had some e-mail contact about a longer wheelbase lotus elise (exige look) V8, he also build those for reasonable money! and if you wish then say 1.000 or 1.200hp in it that was also possible for maybe a tenth of the money ala Henn.s...y

have to take a look on my PC if I can find it...

ah,
Caral Automotive have engineered the Le Mans winning Corvette LS range of V8 engines to fit in the Esprit chassis.
Coupled to the Audi 6 speed transaxle it offers customers a more powerful and reliable option to the standard Lotus engine and Renault gearbox package.

mostly those engine's he works with>
Engines - Caral manufacturers of performance sports cars

and here about the Esprit>
Lotus Esprit - Caral manufacturers of performance sports cars
 
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