Which Kit page 3

The Lotus twin-cam, gearbox, rear diff and other ancillaries will have a value to Lotus enthusiasts (typically around £1500), meaning that if you've bought a half-decent +2, for say £3000 then the bodywork and interior will end up costing you about £1500 by the time you've sold everything else. Not bad value when you consider it includes the glass, interior and potentially, an adequate paint job.

While Mick Stott had to do a lot of the development work on his car himself, Spyder Engineering has now productionised the package to its typically immaculate standards. As we outlined in our original feature, this is a company of high repute, having developed chassis for a number of well respected production and kit car manufacturers. Since we've already looked in detail at the background to the project in our last feature, this more recent visit was aimed at trying out the finished article. Spyder has recently completed its own demo car, debuting it at a Lotus festival in May before trying its hand at the kit car side of things at Newark in June. According to Spyder's Andy Widnall, the donor was in a very sorry state when he bought it, but once the running gear had been disposed of, the 'shell given a cheap paint job and the interior a basic trim, all the components have come up a treat.

Above: Original interior has a distinctly 'classic' ambience.

All the components have come up a treat. In terms of finding donors, he knows of well over 30 potential projects, some of 17 of which are owned by the same person! So getting hold of a car at reasonable cost shouldn't be an issue.

Painted in a modern Lotus Elise metallic grey, the Spyder Elan really looks the part - other colours might look more sporty, but this has a quality touch seemingly in keeping with the +2's grown-up styling. Most striking feature for us is the wheels which, with their low profile tyres, not only stick out just a little too far but don't seem to fill the arches quite as well as they might.

Above: Elan is a proper +2 with enough room for kids.

For Spyder, they offer an upgrade over the knock-on 13x6" original Lotus alloys - the tyre options for this now unusual size are very limited if you want anything with the move up to 14x6" alloys opens up the market considerably.

Features which tend to set the Lotus apart from its kit car compatriots include the lovely chromed window surrounds and large doors which open wide and feel weighted inside, the cockpit has a truly classic feel, while electric windows are a surprising touch. The original seats are comfortable but offer only limited side support, the wood dash on this car is beginning to look a little tired and the original switches are, to be frank, knackered. The vinyl trim is another surprise negative for a car with such a potentially upmarket feel.

Of course, once the suspension is going non-original, then we'd be seriously tempted to revamp the interior while retaining its classic looks. Leather trim (or even more carefully chosen vinyl) would make the world of difference, while the dash could easily be given a spruce up with new switches etc.

As one might expect from a Lotus, the driving position is instantly comfortable and natural. A move to a smaller steering wheel is probably a good thing although, when on the move, your hands tend to obscure the vital line-of-sight gauges.

Pendulum pedals down in the footwell are well spaced and operate smoothly, while visibility both front and back is excellent (only the front nose is initially difficult to judge).

Spyder's Ford Zetec installation sits neatly under the bonnet, benefiting from jenvey throttle bodies and an aftermarket airbox. While second-hand units are readily available, the company can supply brand new 2-litre twin-cams for just £1,200. However, once the throttle bodies and ECU are added into the equation you'll be looking at over £2,000 plus gearbox, so the second-hand route is probably more appealing.

Above: With a modern engine, updated suspension and disc brakes all round, the Spyder drives like a up to date car.