The Alternative

Of backbone spaceframe design, with steel infills to reinforce the spine, the Spyder chassis features a purpose-made double wishbone suspension system with Spax coil-overs, Ford Sierra hubs and matching disc brakes (vented up front). At the front there's also a Spyder anti roll bar and steering rack conversion. Finished to a standard and with 200bhp of grunt eager to please from its tuned engine, the Stott Plus Two eventually took  pride of place at Donington's Lotus Festival last year and created massive interest. So, all systems go for a full project.

At the time of our visit Spyder's Plus Two Zetec demonstrator was painted, nearing completion and looking very nice indeed. The company is planning to launch it at the London Classic Motor show at Alexandra palace this month before embarking on a full show programme that includes the Stonleigh, Brooklands and Donington Kit car events. Needless to say, the order book is already open.

Sounds slightly disrespectful to call the lovely Elan Plus Two a donor vehicle but that's really what it has come to - Colin Chapman would turn in his grave. There again, if he could only have driven an example with uprated suspension, 200bhp and a slick 5-speed gearbox he would probably have been mightily impressed.

About 5200 Elan Plus Twos left the Lotus factory between 1967 and 1974, all of them supplied as complete turn-key cars. Most of them are still in this country and you should be able to acquire one from around £1500. At that price it might be a runner in need of TLC. Pay less and you're talking worse; pay up to £3000 and it'll probably be a road legal car with half-decent paint and a respectable interior - something you could run for a while as you plan your rebuild. Hmm...a 30-year old Lotus. What, for example, will the bodywork be like? Over to Andy Widnall: "The GRP has stood up well to the test of time, although some gel-coat cracking is hardly going to be a surprise. Paint then was nowhere near as good as it is today and it tended to suffer blistering, so any rebuilt car is likely to need a respray. Inside the cabin one of the worst areas is wet carpets where the door seals have leaked.

As for the original chassis, they simply fall to pieces," continues Andy. "The worst corrosion is always around the front suspension bulkhead and rear suspension pick-up points. The front uprights are old Triumph Vitesse ones and they tend to wear badly if not properly maintained. However, to drive the car is pretty good, friendlier than the Elan and more stable thanks to the longer wheelbase." So, a bit of this and a bit of that but, overall, a rather aristocratic donor vehicle for a build project. A rather upmarket end result, too - an almost-as-good-as-new 2+2 Lotus classic with a superbly engineered chassis, all-independent suspension, modern Ford 16-valve power and a 5-speed gearbox. Plus, of course, elegant looks, fine handling, over 35mpg and decent family practicality.

It doesn't even sound as though the build is too taxing. Once the Spyder chassis is p to full rolling stage and the Plus Two body painted, only twelve bolts mate the two together. The original Lotus interior, instrumentation, wiring loom and finishing details can be retained (although a retrim could be desirable) leaving only some new 6x14" Minilite wheels with 185/60x14 tyres to add. Total cost, as mentioned earlier should be no more than £10,000 - about what it cost Mick Stott to complete his example.

"with between 160-200bhp easily available you're talking about quite serious performance from the lightweight Lotus"

Depending on engine tune, Spyder Engineering is quoting a 0-60mph figure of around 6 seconds and a top speed of some 130pmh for its thoroughly re-energised Elan Plus Two. Prices start at £1595 + VAT for the new chassis and continue with front and rear suspension systems at £945 + VAT and £920 + VAT respectively. One more important point to bear in mind when pricing-up is that the original Lotus engine, gearbox, front and rear suspension and wheels from your donor car can be sold to marque devotees, for something like £1500. Worth doing, that's for sure.

All in all, then, this appears to be a truly alternative and very viable way of going about building a car> No SVA is required and the end result of all your labours will be a beautiful Lotus that should be worth every penny invested in it. We look forward to Spyder's completed demonstrator as soon as it's ready.

For full details and price list contact Spydercars, Station Road Industrial Estate, Whittlesey, Peterborough, Cambs PE7 2EY. Tel: 01733 205639

Which Kit April 2002