Freeflow Lotus rarity?

[zinger565]

Picked up a Lotus body, pretty sure it's an early one. It's already had its anno stripped, but still has a threaded feedneck.

Question being: how rare/precious is it? It's drilled for eyes, so I was already planning on getting that filled, but was debating having the feedneck modified for Empire feeds and the little sight rail/tail lopped off. However, I don't want to hack up anything that's too important to history.

[zinger565]

Seller's picture of the body

[Chuck E Ducky]

By the time you spend all that cash to mod and patch you could just sell it and get one you don't have to patch or ano. They remade thoes.

[Chuck E Ducky]

You could throw an e blade on it. But if you have the parts to complete it that’s a different story. I was just saying if you have to buy the rest of the stuff to complete it would be a lot cheaper to just get an undrilled body if that’s what you are looking for.

[zinger565]

Yeah, I'm at the point where I could throw good parts on it tomorrow and get it running (minus a bolt), just been looking for a nicer/neater body.

Still, you're right, I could flip this and grab something needing less work.

[Chuck E Ducky]

The newer bodies have all the upgrades already done on them you want to do. But most of them will be complete markers as they were recently rereleased.

[Shaftski]

i'm with Chucky, it's not worth it. unless you are totally set on an early lotus being your holy grail, in that case it sometimes make sense to spend a lil more.

This lotus is just sitting in the dealer's forum and it's a beauty, modern Lotus that's midblocked. Something like this is a better route IMO.

[Alexndl]

Check with superman to see how much he would charge to make the mods (feedneck and midblock). Add the ano cost and see if its worth it to go that route or just buy a complete one.

[Ecapnation]

The wire detent model ones are fairly rare.....

[latches109]

I thought the wire detent version was the only legitimate copy, and the ball detent was an overseas knockoff.

[Ecapnation]

There's both....only way to tell overseas ones apart is a ridge on the inside of the breach

[zinger565]

What am I looking for Ecapnation ? This body has seen a good chunk of wear and appears to have been sanded inside and out to strip anno.

[Jonnydread]

REAL OG Lotus bodies are rare, Air Challenger a bit less so. This model is rare, but since it's already been modded/stripped I wouldn't worry too much about preserving its historic integrity. as others have mentioned it's going to be quite expensive once you factor in ano costs and other body work.

[zinger565]

Yeah, that's kinda what I thought. I remember Lotus' being coveted even back when I left the sport in '12. Good to know that I wouldn't be "wrecking" something that should be a museum piece.

Not really worried about the cost, familiar with anno costs as well as other body work (ie/feedneck modding)

[scottieb]

Be careful with the p blocks on these. They strip easier than a hooker on ecstasy.

[maggot]

Lol. No doubt an issue on the majority of these, they outsourced production to Taiwan (became Air Challenger) and started using crappy Chinese aluminum. Those are the ones that strip faster than a housewife after a guzzle of boxed wine. His looks to be one of the good, original ones though (wire detent is the indicator).

[zinger565]

Quick mock-up. Waiting on a different LPR and still need to find a bolt. Might pick up a shocktech 3-way this weekend at ICPL and just go full ST pneus. At this point I might skip the eye patch and pick up a cover. At most I'll get it feedneck modded, and then out for anno.