Customer Reviews

Build Your Own Sports Car for as Little as £250 and Race It!, 2nd Ed.

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What a concept! Building your own car! With this book Ron Champion outlines a plan for building your own Lotus Seven/Westfield clone. Some sections may be not as detailed as some people would prefer but overall it is excellent and informative. There are lots of builders and discussion groups that readers could join and learn from. The most valuable part of this book, in my opinion, is how to build the frame. The frame is built from square section steel tubing and welding equipment is required. Parts like the nosecone, windscreen, etc. can be fabricated or bought. There are quite a few Seven clone manufacturers around the world. The 'for as little as..' part may be a slightly incorrect but its much cheaper than most kit cars. In the course of building this car the reader will have to learn a lot about suspensions, drivetrain and engine rebuilding, fibreglass work, etc. It's almost like an outline for a course in Motor Vehicle Technology! I must say that this is one of the best car books I have ever read and if you've ever had schoolboy dreams of building your own roadster type car then you've definitely got to get this book!

And you won't have to do it alone. This is not another 'how to' book,...This is a phenomenon! Like the orginal Lotus 'Seven' by Colin Chapman, on which it's based, interest in Ron Champions Locost 'Seven' has vastly exceeded it's creator's expectations and attracted a world-wide following of builders, planners, drivers and dreamers. So what does the book tell us? Everything we need to know to build a very desirable ('very', in this context, is supreme understatement) road-registered sports/racing car in the UK. Since the first edition of BYOSC, clubs, race teams, 'E'groups and individual websites have formed, all sharing experiences, helping source parts, find answers to builders' questions, and, for builders elsewhere, advise on variations or plan modifications required to comply with design regulations wherever you decide you've gotta have one. This co-operative system is well supported by the second edition book, which list's organisations, books, and specialists who can provide project support. It has been particularly helpful where different market conditions, environmental or legal requirements make sourcing of donor vehicles and parts as specified in 'the book' somewhat difficult. For instance, as a frustrated Aussie builder, I was referred to "E-groups-Locost" where fellow enthusiasts told me how to re-spec'with GM Holden and Toyota bits, so I'm now powering my first chassis with a Toyota 4A-GE 1600cc,DOHC,16valve,fuel injected 'V8killer'. There will be other performance enhancing modifications too, all made possible by the research and development of the support network, and the fact that Mr. Champions masterly design is capable of absorbing considerable 'tweaking'. (wait till the $40000+ Lotus/Caterham bunch see this one! )..... Probably the most glaring omission from this book is a warning of the addictive effect of reading it! Go on, read it anyway,...your build-project will add to the statistics that will help me justify my project to 'herself' when she realises that the steel tubing delivered last month is not going to be the new pergola she expected.

The book (a second edition with some additions) details the build of the Locost (Low Cost) replica of the Lotus Super 7. It's a solid primer on the subject, complete with plans for building the chassis, panels, suspension, etc. However, the book was written based on stripping parts primarily from a Euro Ford Mk2 Escort (RWD). While the car was sold in the UK, and other parts of the world, this car was never sold in America. Americans wishing to build a Locost will have to get a little more creative in sourcing parts!

Its an exciting read and I look forward to attempting my own Locost build (albeit with American-sourced components) at some point in the future.

The Locost is really a homebuilt-as in, from scratch-Lotus 7, and for the person with more time than money, it's a magnificently educational project.

My only caveat is, it's tiny. Before you start cutting metal, at least sit in one , if you can't arrange a drive. Also, you may have to import components or scrounge very, very carefully in the US for the needed parts, as the English Fords the Locost is designed around are scarce on the ground in America.

Ultimately, the American reader/builder would probably be better off with a scaled up version around common RWD Japanese and other common bits from U.S. junkyards and a bigger cockpit-Americans tend to be heftier than Europeans. Engines readily available in the U.S. such as the Quad 4 and the 20R/22R Toyota which make ideal sense, also, are a bit big for the Locost as designed.

That doesn't take away from this book one iota-it's worth five stars for inspiration alone.

Great book, made the process straightforward and understandable. If you simply follow the steps in the book you will end up with a really good little sports car. If you also incorporate some information from Caroll Smith and Allen Staninforth's books you will have a car that will beat the pants off a Caterham.
Great read, empowering... even if you never build the car.

I know how to weld, cut metal, design and tune suspensions from scratch adapt junk to something useful, the list of things I can do seems endless sometimes. Before I got this book I could do none of these things THIS is the book that gave me the bug that bit me and inspired me to learn to do all these things and to search for knowledge online, in books etc. It all began with this book. This book has forced me to take back all my sarcastic cynical remarks about actually building your own car when my wife bought this book for me. It is not a perfect book If it was I wouldnt have learned half of what I do now about suspensions etc since ford cortinas are not sold here But that is part of this books charm its hook is in getting you off your back side and into the pursuit of your own personal sports car. Its been a fantastic ride and I hope you buy a copy too

This book has been my first step to a component car creation. It has outlined all the skills required and assists the builder by suggesting further reading. I have not as yet made any further in roads into the production of my Locost but intend to in the near future. I must admit living in Yugoslavia helps as parts are available here and there are enterprising individuals building parts to meet Ron's specification. Would reccomend this book for anybody on lwo budget who wants a great car.

This is an excellent book to help you develop your own first kit car. It will guide you step by step including how to weld, where to source parts, etc. It is an inspiring book!

I am building a Locost sportscar from THE BOOK as we reverently refer to it. The builder is well advised to seek council [...] and be directed to the files of corrections to Ron's measurements and callouts. It will save miscut metal and under-engineered sections. Basically it is a good work, but for instance, no one would make lower A arms out of 3/4" 16 ga. round tubing. Our thinking is he meant either 1" dia. or 14 ga. tubing. Keith Williams

I got exactly what I bought and in a very reasonable period of time. Quality was very good.