A few pics from our play with a Spyder

[v7slr]

Thought you might like these. The quality of the car is astonishing.

My wife and the Spyder 1
My wife and the Spyder 2
My wife and the Spyder 3
My wife and the Spyder 4
My wife and the Spyder 5
My wife and the Spyder 5
Zetec

[Hamish Coutts]

Amazing.

After 30+ years a design can still look brill. Lower it an inch or two and it would look stunning.

What did your wife think of it? She looked like she was enjoying herself. Good move to involve the other half. My compliments.

I have a +2 S130 which I co own with my partner. That way when I go out to the garage I can say that I'm going to work or 'our' car. Handy 'cos she also pays ? the bills and I get to drive it most of the time!

I'm only 3 years off retirement so the 130 will have to do me.
The Spyder must feel fanastic with all that tractible power. The interior looked nice as well.

Regards,

Hamish.

[masermartin]

Congrats!

The car looks spectacular.

What year is it?

[v7slr]

Not sure about the car. In case anyone thinks it's mine, it's not. Wifey and I accepted Spyder's kind invitation to test their latest demonstrator at Bruntingthorpe last Sunday. The car was superb. There's a few changes I'd make but that's the beauty of the Spyder. It's virtually a new car so you can tailor it to your requirements. I'd want one more hardcore than that.

We watched our Caterham drive away this afternoon with its new owner, with not a hint of sadness. We've outgrown it. It's too hardcore for my wife, and we have a little one now who we want to involve in our driving and touring holidays. We don't want to package him off to Nan and Grandad's even though they'd love to have him.

Wifey loved the +2. It's much easier to drive than our Caterham but too soft and not powerful enough for me, so we'll harden it up a little but not so much that she can't drive it. It's important that we both enjoy it. That said, wifey ordered her new car last weekend so she doesn't feel left out (a Merc).

Yes, it is very important to involve the family. We enjoy Summer tours with the Se7ens list http://www.se7ens.net. In fact that's how we met, but lately there have been one or two non-Se7ens creeping into the touring party. The +2 will fit in a treat.

I'm expecting to order one in about 18 months. Until then, I shall be building a bit of a special engine to put in it, and sourcing an alternative to the MT75 gearbox. I think the Mt75 would be harder to live with than I'd previously hoped.

[M100]

Maybe its just me but I totally fail to see the point of the Spyder +2 above that of a good well maintained original example (or a rebuilt one) for a hell of a lot less.

If you buy a basket case car, get a new chassis, a new Zetec + gearbox together with a full suspension rebuild/renew, a full rewire, respray and retrim it would, I think, run to around 12k. The 20-30k figures that are being banded about are just plain silly in my view - but each to their own.

If I needed a 4 seat Lotus i'd get an ultra reliable Excel for 6k, if I wanted to spend 20-30k on a newish Lotus I'd buy an Exige and if I wanted a new 4 seat Lotus I'd wait a while and buy a new "Europa"

[berni29]

Hi

What if you like the plus 2 like I do? I drive a well sorted standard plus 2 with a spyder chassis and can totally see the point of the Zetec car. The only thing that I really do not like about my car is the lack of headrests.

All the best

Berni

[M100]

The engine replacement is probably a good idea given the age and condition of a lot of twincams - until a few months ago I would have preferred a K series being more in line with Chapman's ideals but then why go to the complication and vast expense of replacing *every* bit of running gear on the car with something else with unknown future parts support - does the Classic Sierra/Focus Club exist?

New fully balljointed front uprights might be a good idea but is it really necessary to replace say the rear diff with a totally different design when you can still get the perfectly suited original ones new? Also if you hit a kerb with the Lotus design wishbones you might bend them but usually preserve the chassis - do the same on the Spyder tubular ones and (in a couple of cases I know) they move the front chassis towers. I know what i'd prefer!

Similarly with the rear suspension - the original, or if necessary the Tony Thompson rear strut/uprights will last a long time and are a well proven design, the Spyder double wishbones at the back are ok but why bother to change what ain't broke?

[v7slr]

I like the +2 styling but not the age of the drive. The work involved in the Spyder conversion brings the car into the 21st century.

I also want a LOT more power than any of the original Lotus drivetrain would allow. I also want to fit in with friends in other Chapman inspired cars from eras even further in the past. I don't want a more modern "looking" car.

[thor]

hm.. I've just got my +2S130/5 which has got a Spyder chassis/wishbones/sills and Spax's fitted. I've had it only three days and have been busy polishing and driving, but no crawling under yet.
from reading the replies on this post, are vital parts of the suspension and specially the rear the actually altered compared to the original set-up ?

very very very happy by the way, the car had an engineer owner for the last 26years, and the paint may be a bit faded, but the car, ride and engine is flawless.

Finally the end of rattly Triumphs, and into a proper sophisticated fast GT.

) Thor

[v7slr]

The original has a single wishbone (lower) on each side. The spring/damper provided location for the upper part of the upright in conjunction with the driveshafts, and the consequence of this was the rubber doughnuts on the driveshafts. It was an elegant solution in an age before the sticky tyres of today but with a bit more power and modern tyres you really need double wishbones... which Spyder provides.

[thor]

But I've still got the donuts..., did they first produce a replacement chassis and wishbones without this modification then?

[v7slr]

Yes, absolutely. They will supply you quite a few replacement parts for the standard configuration. In fact they started off producing replacement chassis before they branched out into "modified" configurations.

[lotusanglia1965]

Hi all!
there seem to be a lot of people questioning the point of spyder's complete reworking of the plus 2 running gear. I actually phoned Andy at spyder to ask about the possibility of just fitting zetec engine. The reply was simple,even un-tuned,the zetec produces much more torque than the twin-cam.It is torque that will break the original components in the driveline,not bhp. Makes sense to me,which is why i decided to stick with a 1600 engine in my rebuild,also I prefer to keep knock-on wheels as i think they are part of the character,but thats another story!
cheers,
Martin

[chrishewett]

I have to say that I cant really see the point of this car. If you want a car with the modern feel of the spyder elan then why dont you buy a modern car. I am not a Luddite and I am not averse to upgrading an elan but as far as I can see the spyder is just an elan bodyshell with nothing else in the spirit of Colin Chapman. What is the point of a classic elan without a Lotus twincam engine? It may be a great drive and good value for money but I do not see what it has to do with this forum.
Sorry but I just had to say it.
Chris

[v7slr]

Yes I met a few people like you when I was a Caterham owner. Heritage above all else, eh?