A fresh look...

[Chip42]

That Élan has double wishbones all around.

I'd think long and hard About a Mk2 MR2 with a 3S-GTE or getting a 3S-GE made legal.

yup - 97ish JDM Gen 3 3SGE from the MR2 G Limited would be my choice. though a de-truboed GTE migt do very well too.

either way, at 2800 #s, that's a lot of MR2 to haul about.

[Xian]

Hmmmm... K20 powered S2000 an option? What about an MX3 with one of the hottish engine options thrown out above? 1st Gen MR2 with the 2ZZ? Isn't there a 20v JDM engine that will bolt in (if it were legal)? Maybe the 90/91 Corolla GTS?

[Dano77]

MZR in the late eighties protege 323 GTX. Thats a pretty cool idea. Or Even the later Protege AWD with a New MZR

[Chip42]

Hmmmm... K20 powered S2000 an option? What about an MX3 with one of the hottish engine options thrown out above? 1st Gen MR2 with the 2ZZ? Isn't there a 20v JDM engine that will bolt in (if it were legal)? Maybe the 90/91 Corolla GTS?

the S2000 is excluded from STL, so no dice there.

Christian hit on an oldy but goldy in 1st gen MR2 with a 20V. it is the easiest option on that chassis, and with the most recent round of OMG RWD!!!!!11 adder changes, it's now 2236# (RWD 1600cc). previously, it was too much car for the motor, now it's an option. (I have my fat ass in the ITB car at 2335 with over 25# in ballast and no etreme lightening efforts). Not worth the effort for the 2ZZ/AW11 combo, IMHO. the 20V 4AGE has a way better head than the 16v, not just because of the extra valves, making it on par with the B16 in specific output.

hell - a 20V 4AGE in the MR2 spyder chassis sounds pretty compelling now. ZERO issues with weight, that's for sure.

[mossaidis]

I think the S2000 chasis is fine in STL, the S2000 motor is not.

[Chip42]

yup, I was wrong. was on the illegal chassis list earlier this year, I guess I didn't notice or forgot that they allowed it.

[JeffYoung]

I've done some poking around on the Elan. Double wishbone, pretty damn awesome stock suspension. VEry short wheelbase, very good aero (factory hardtop available).

The N/A 1.6 Isuzu motor made 130 hp stock. Not much build data out there on it, but I talked to a local Mazda four cylinder guy and he thought it ought to do as least as well as the Mazda and Honda 1.6s.

I think the car has a chance if someone spends the money on it. Great basic suspension design, good aero, short wb, decent power/torque, lightweight.

You can get a decent car for 10k. I bet you spend another 30-40k making it nationally competitive though.

[Chip42]

and, being a lotus, you could drop in other more common lotus power plants, such as the 2ZZ-GE toyota that keeps popping up.

you could possibly argue an allowance to use the next gen version of the Isuzu 4XE1 motor which was sold in the JDM gemini coupe or piazza/USDM storm GSi/USDM impulse (canada got some too). these would be much more common than the loti. I say possibly because the swap rules with mixed marques/badges are a mess.