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So I bought a Lotus 7 Replica Kit Car & drove it 2500 miles home...
1 Attachment(s)
I got the crazy idea to buy a kit car from the Tulsa, OK area and drive it 2500 miles home to CT (ok I took the long route via the Smokey Mountains hehe). Here's the beast that was for sale:
Attachment 291103 I got my first ride in a Lotus 7 replica (Birkin I think) from a corner worker helping out at this year's Winged Warrier charity event (http://www.wingedwarrior.org/) in Indianapolis: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._3748234_n.jpg More pics of the event here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...1&l=42e9534c1c I had a serious motorcycle accident in 2007 when I hit a deer on my touring bike in WV and I purchased an EVO IX to try and get that feeling back, but sadly it hasn't done it for me and as a result I've driven around in a babied EVO IX SE for 45k miles getting ~great~ gas mileage haha. But once I got that ride in the 7 replica, I had to have one..... I did a lot of research on the various 7 replica manufacturers and considered building one. Important factors to me were reliability & made from as many US parts as possible.... after-all I plan to take long trips around the country in this car and track it from time to time. Having a reliable US-based car allows me to source parts easily on the road were I to have a problem. Through my research I decided on a "Brunton Super Stalker" (http://www.bruntonauto.com/) My particular one came with an engine from a 2000 Buick Regal - 3.8l supercharged putting out 275hp/300ft-lbs tq. through a T5 transmission. 0-60mph 2.5 seconds w/ right tires, corners better than anything I've ever been in, yada yada yada. So I found the only current Stalker owner in CT (afaik). My GF and I stopped by to sit in the car and hear her start up: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._5961336_n.jpg After that, I was sold. I booked the flight to Tulsa, OK for 8/26 and I would get the car home by 9/2. The builder also put together a HF trailer I bought to bring home some spare parts. He also fabricated an accessory shelf for the hitch, for later use while touring w/ the GF. This trailer will connect to the 1 1/4in hitch on the back of the SS. The plan was to drive from Tulsa, OK straight to some friends north of Atlanta, GA. On Sunday the 29th, I'd drive to Helen, GA to participate with the rest of the Stalker owners in the annual Stalker Ambush gathering. I'll unhitch the trailer and spend a few days having fun in the twisties and then reattach the trailer to slab it home on the highway by Sept. 2nd. Here is me leaving the seller's garage all loaded up: http://usa7s.com/vb/attachment.php?a...1&d=1282875643 Here is the full thread/trip log from the USA7s website: http://usa7s.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5443 |
First day
Here are comments from my priginal thread on USA7s:
http://usa7s.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5443 Got in a few minutes ago and have been uploading picture from my phone as I go to Facebook... First gas stop, 19.4 MPG pulling a trailer at 70-75mph. Not bad: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._5164640_n.jpg Some of my friends think I'm cool, others think I'm nuts: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...89&id=17506531 Here I am running with the truckers in the night with a near full moon....was pretty cool, but I was watching for deer: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._3765793_n.jpg And here is the SS asleep for the night in Conway, AR: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._5752873_n.jpg Random comments: -I am glad I brought my watershoes, as there is NOT a lot of room in the footbox w/ the pedals. -Need to add some lumbar support, otherwise, comfy seat and ride. -It goes like stink. -Glad I had earplugs and a helmet, or my hearing would be gone. As it is I may want to quiet down the exhaust later on. -An observation I forgot last night, but you all knew this already..... damn this car is an attention getter. I've never had my picture taken so much in my life, haha. Tomorrow I pass through Birmingham, AL...can anyone guess what museum I plan to stop by late in the afternoon? ;) |
Next few days...playing w/ an EVO!
Here are comments from my priginal thread on USA7s:
http://usa7s.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5443 Alright, I got lazy with the updates because either I was troubleshooting a trouble here or there or out having Fun...so here goes. I left everyone off in Conway, AR for the night. The next day I was to travel to Woodstock, GA and stop by the Barber Motorsports park along the way. I merely passed by the exit and shed a tear as I puttering along. :cuss: But....I did enjoy the early part of the day, with people waving and snapping pictures. Once interested guy owned the same car as me, an EVO IX: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._1958745_n.jpg We were having so much fun enjoying each other's company just cruising along..... in unison...not competing in any way, shape or form...we were both laughing. Near Hamilton, AL to car began to cut out, and would not accelerate, finally it died by the side of the road in the baking sun in the middle of no where. After checking some vacuum lines on the engine, and the check valve to make sure the gas tank was venting properly, I suspected the fuel filters as the fuel pump was hot enough to fry an egg on it: http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b5...r/26600024.jpg I did not have the tools to inspect fuel filters, so I gave myself a good sunburn waiting for an hour or two by the side of the road and hoped the fuel pump cooled off enough to nurse myself into town. When I rolled in, I went to the first place I saw: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._2243045_n.jpg |
Troubleshooting....
Here are comments from my priginal thread on USA7s:
http://usa7s.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5443 Turns out the fuel filter between the tank and the suction side of the pump was gunked up: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._1667091_n.jpg It prob. had some old gas in it, or I got it from a station along the way. The little flecks u see are the foam from the fuel tank. I think the foam is good, but the filter probably caught the few flecks of foam that were shaved off when the foam was installed. We pitched the paper filter and took the 100 micro filter from the outflow side of the pump, cleaned it with some carb cleaner and installed it on the inlet side of the fuel pump. Running with one filter to get me to Woodstock, GA, but not before the worse sunburn of my life. I kept checking each gas station for sunblock, but no dice and I was too stupid to divert to a Walmart, so that plus the long time by the road in the hot sun got me this: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._7665742_n.jpg Between Birmingham, AL and Atlanta, GA, I ran into some nasty construction traffic. The car has no radiator fan and this was the first of many times where I wish I had one: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._2165949_n.jpg |
Here are comments from my priginal thread on USA7s:
http://usa7s.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5443 I spent 1.5 hours w/ "Jean" the 70 year old night watchman from Louisiana who was watching the construction trailers while I waited for the traffic to lighten up. He smoked a pack an hour, was NOT fond of the current President, talked of methamphetamine he used as a trucker, working oil drilling rigs, and his pacemaker. Not the best company I had for 1.5, hours but he was interesting to say the least, and not a bad guy: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._3154466_n.jpg I made it to Woodstock, GA at 1am and went to bed at one of my bud's house from HS. I spent the rest of the wknd with him and his wife doing things other than the Stalker, but I did give each of them a short test drive the morning I left. Big smiles....seems like that's the expected reaction of passengers in this type of car, even while pulling a trailer. :lol: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._7236452_n.jpg http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-...2_712340_n.jpg |
Here are comments from my priginal thread on USA7s:
http://usa7s.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5443 Sunday morning I was supposed to head North to Helen, Ga, but thought better of it and detoured 120 miles round trip to McDonough, GA Summit Racing's warehouse. My car has Aeromotive fittings and fuel pump, so I couldn't just run to the local automotive parts place to get new filters just in case: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._8202635_n.jpg The place was like a toy store for motor heads. :) Sunday afternoon I arrived at the Riverbend Motel or what I like to refer to as "heaven:" http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._7744540_n.jpg The place was very accommodating for all the trucks and trailers as well as noisy cars. Nice place by the water where u could float down in a tube if you wanted to relax. Next I got some major help in troubleshooting my weak brakes. We noticed a leak in the hard line and I braced for the worst...having to trailer the car home. But in the end it was just some loose fittings, and once tightened we used a little improvisation to refill the reservoir: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._5805885_n.jpg |
Here are comments from my priginal thread on USA7s:
http://usa7s.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5443 The next morning I came out to a puddle underneath my car....coolant. Turns out the clamps on the silicone hoses were lose and eventually I sprung a leak. Some helping hands from some Stalker owners, and I was on the way with some Poland Springs water for the day. hehe. The day also included twisties (of course) and a stop at the local racing hall of fame. We stopped for a few photos: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._5672401_n.jpg We also stopped at a very tightly packed used/antique motorcycle shop: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._8230907_n.jpg http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._2129388_n.jpg http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._1434354_n.jpg |
Here are comments from my priginal thread on USA7s:
http://usa7s.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5443 The next day involved a trip to my old stomping grounds on the bike, Two Wheels Only. The Stalker owners have a special deal with the owners, as we're the only 4-wheeled vehicles allowed apparently. Pretty special eh? The place is awesome to walk around in and the local roads are top notch: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._2075683_n.jpg http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._2869300_n.jpg http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._2022554_n.jpg We also staged the cars for some pics: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._7059461_n.jpg |
Here are comments from my priginal thread on USA7s:
http://usa7s.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5443 I'd like some stickier rubber for the beast, but they were good enough to get the job done and really see how awesome this car handles. It was like glue on Deal's gap, and sportbikes were merely in my way. haha. No good pictures because there was some traffic that did not lend us to great photo staging, but we had the usual batch of motorcyclists come over and inquire about the cars. Here we are at the overlook at the bottom of the Gap: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._2584443_n.jpg |
900 Mile Day Home to CT....
Here are comments from my priginal thread on USA7s:
http://usa7s.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5443 7am on Thursday I set off for my near 900 mile trip from Helen, Ga to Norwalk, CT: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._7795375_n.jpg The trip took me a little less than 17 hours while playing w/ 18 wheelers: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._8300671_n.jpg And steering clear of oversized loads: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._6561466_n.jpg |
Here are comments from my priginal thread on USA7s:
http://usa7s.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5443 I thought I was home free with my last Gas stop for the evening as the sun set: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._5210406_n.jpg ....but of course, there had to be some more construction in PA where the road crew almost had to tow my car for safety reasons: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-...1_129951_n.jpg Made it home a little before 12am after ~2500 miles in total and boy did I sleep well. :) Thanks for following along....now I begin the long process of going through the car further to learn all it's inter-workings and preparing it for CT kit car inspection *groan* Unfortunately I won't have the Stalker owners by my side (though they will be online and on the phone) to help out as they did time and time again with my car. If I didn't have them to troubleshoot some my my car's teething problems, I wouldn't of made it. They really are a great group of drivers and mechanics, but most of all just enjoyable people to be around. They were awesome and I can't wait for next year! Til next time!!!!! :seeya: |
And that was my trip folks, I hope you enjoyed the posts.... suffice to day, the EVO will be going up for sale in the spring. It's been fun, but I drive it like a grandpa as I'm not willing to beat on such a nice car. haha.
To cap it off my little brother came down for my Bday wknd. Here's him giving the stalker a ~little~ gas (I think I put the fear of God in him b4 he got into the driver's seast. :p): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Y9vnhZaPpU Thanks! :thumbup: |
Wow, that is a great looking car. I have always been a fan of the Caterham 7 replica, but the price was always WAY too high, IMO. This is just about perfect. Great car and cool trip.
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I know of two for sale.... ;)
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Very cool. Thanks for sharing !
LG |
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