Introduction

My plans to build some sort of ‘Seven’ go back to September 2001 when I sold my TVR Griffith 500 to Steve Heath (he was looking for a ‘shopping car’).

(donut.mpg - 456KB)

Whilst the Griff was a fantastic car, since the birth of my daughter I was only really using it for trackdays. A TVR is a very expensive car to run just for trackdays so I decided to put it up for sale and buy or build a more trackday specific car.

I rapidly narrowed the shortlist down to some sort of ‘Seven’. I discounted Caterham as too expensive and my first choice became Westfield. I visited the factory twice and test drove a Megabird, Megabusa and 1800 Zetec. It took me a long time to decide between bike or car engine. The bike engined models were more exciting to drive no question, but I wanted to be able to use my car frequently and I was worried that a bike engined car would be too frenetic. I wanted a modern engine, so I did some research into fitting a Zetec. A Zetec engine would require carbs or throttle bodies and I would also have to source a gearbox and fit a windscreen and a heater. These requirements added considerably to the price and complexity of the build. As this is my first kit car build, I decided to keep the build simple and go for a bike engine.

I was all set on ordering a Mega starter kit from Westfield when I went to the Stafford Car Craft show. First thing that caught my eye was the Tiger stand where they were offering a comprehensive Avon starter kit for the same price as the Westfield starter kit. I began to think Westfield were expensive for what you get. Then I went to talk to Martin Keenan of MK Engineering. I was very impressed with his chassis and concluded that I could build an MK to rolling chassis stage for the price that Westfield charge for a chassis and body kit. Westfield were out.

However, I didn’t really like the ‘wide track’ look of the MK Indy chassis, which uses standard Sierra driveshafts. Also the Indy features a slightly taller bonnet to accommodate a Ford Pinto, which I didn’t need. So, I called Stuart Taylor (who weren’t even at the Stafford show!) and ordered a Loco chassis with IRS. Amazingly Ian Gray at Stuart Taylor said I could pick it up in a week! So I did.

If money was no object I would go for a Honda Blackbird or Suzuki Hayabusa, but in the real world, the choice was between the Honda Fireblade and Kawasaki Ninja ZX-9R units. I chose the ZX-9R as it is generally cheaper than a Fireblade, more powerful, revs higher and is reputed to have a smoother gear change. Therefore my Locost will be a Locosaki or a:

Anyway, my mate Ross has already got a Locoblade...

(Locoblade driveby at Oulton Park mpg - 424KB)