The Stratos project breathes and roars! It’s alive!
Archive for the ‘Lancia Stratos LB Project’ Category
Lancia Stratos LB Project: First Start & Roll Out
August 31, 2016Lancia Stratos LB Project: Crossing the finish line
July 12, 2016
The Stratos project is (quite) finished! Recently the car was submitted for an IVA test which it successfully passed.
Summing up: This machine is best described as a Lister Bell Corse “S” because the central chassis section and the suspension are from a Litton Corse “S” kit and the rest of the chassis and all other components are as supplied by Lister Bell Automotive.
The engine is a 2.5 litre V6 from an Alfa 156 donor vehicle and runs with the 6 speed gearbox from the same car. The wedge shaped body is fitted with the Group 4 round arch style rear bodywork and is also notable for the Prototipo-type air exit on the nose section.
In the next step some details will be changed and added (mirrors, badges, decals …) to make it look like the original.
Lancia Stratos LB Project: Interior/Upholstery fitted
January 17, 2016
The bucket seats, dash, door trim and carpets have been sitting for a while after coming back from the upholsterer.
All interior components have been fitted to the cockpit now.
Seats, dash and door trim are covered in dark grey Alcantara leather. Side panels of the seats are done in black imitation leather.
Lancia Stratos LB Project: Coming together, piece by piece
August 20, 2015
Slowly, the car is coming together. The rear end got the tail lights fitted. Same goes for the front end.
Coffin-spoke front wheels measure 15″ while the rear wheels are 16″ diameter. Shoes are from Falken.
Door boards, shift console and carpets are a big puzzle which will be assembled in the cockpit.
The aluminium instrument panel houses authentic Veglia Borletti gauges.
Lancia Stratos LB Project: Progress & Details
August 26, 2014
Lister Bell is doing progress on the Stratos project:
Most things are near complete in the engine bay. They have fitted new parts for the spark plugs and clutch slave cylinder. The drive shafts were stripped, cleaned and the CV joints rebuilt but fitted with new custom driveshafts. Made with the best grade material.
Work on the interior started with the dash panel.
It is really a pleasure to see how detailed the work is carried out. And all done at the highest standard!
Lancia Stratos LB Project: Upgrades & Custom made parts
July 4, 2014
The people at Lister Bell got their hands on some special made parts and upgrades.
At this point the decision was made to upgrade the radiator to a larger aluminium cored unit which also has the benefit of accepting 12 inch radiator fans. To avoid ‘greenhouse effect’ in the cockpit an AC unit was added to provide fresh air.
The front brake got an upgrade to a 2 piece 300 mm disc and bell arrangement.
One-off piece fabricated pieces include: horn mount, rack boot, battery tray, front caliper mounts.
Lister Bell Stratos – Autocar Test
December 9, 2013Autocar Magazine UK did a nice review of the first turn-key Lister Bell Stratos:
The video gives an idea how our Lancia Stratos LB Project will appear and drive like when it’s finished. Watch out!
Lancia Stratos LB Project: Starting to become a Stratos
April 23, 2013
Recently, I visited Lister Bell in order to check the progress of my Stratos. At this stage things are starting to gain shape now …
Chassis work was already finished some time ago. And suspension & the brake system were installed. The 2.5 V6 is also in place. The specially-made engine covers look great on the engine, as well – just like in the design sketch.
I am very impressed by the build quality – Craig is not a man of half measures. All parts are being made on a very high standard.
Some of the body parts are still in the mold but should be finished very soon. Wheels have been ordered and should arrive soon. The same goes for the interior which is currently being upholstered …
Lancia Stratos LB Project: Designing the Shift Knob
November 4, 2012The original Lancia Stratos wooden gear knob does not really fit on the 6-speed Alfa Romeo gear lever as the Alfa Romeo shift stick has a lockout mechanism (for reverse gear). So it’s pretty hard to find an item with the correct structural layout and furthermore looks similar to the original Stratos shift knob.
Due to these reasons the consequence was the creation of an own design. Lister Bell provided measurements that were considered for the shift knobs’ styling.
Design-wise the new gear knob should reflect the shape of the original combined with purism as it can be seen on gear knobs of older Ferraris and other 70s sports cars.
Design sketches, 3D data and technical drawings were created and then sent to a factory specialized in the production of metal & aluminium parts. A few weeks later the shift knob was ready. It came out exactly as instructed: New Design/Shape – finished off in black anodized aluminium with a slightly engraved shift pattern.
Lancia Stratos LB Project: Alfa-to-Ferrari “Engine Conversion”
September 18, 2012The original Lancia Stratos was powered by a 2.4 litre Ferrari V6. My Stratos will be powered by a more reliable Alfa Romeo V6 with 2.5 litre displacement.
A few weeks ago I visited the Lister Bell workshop to see the progress of the buildup and bodywork. I also checked the Alfa V6 donor engine and thought that it would be neat to change the Alfa Romeo branding into Ferrari. To give the impression of a real Ferrari powerplant. Therefore measures from the valve cover and the plenum were taken and noted.
Back in the office, research on Ferrari engines was done and then 3D renderings for engine covers were created. The 3D data was sent to a company specialized in CNC aluminium parts. One week later the engine covers arrived. For the finishing touch the parts were painted black and the embossed structure sanded and polished on top.
Also a badge for the Oil Filler cap was designed and a decal produced. The illusion of a real Ferrari engine is now perfect.
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