Just bought a Stratos in Australia - Grateful for any Info on the Car

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Thanks Steve, very clear now that you have showed me where to look. Sean

Sorry Sean, I think I've just checked mine and found my memory is failing. It's at the top on the rear face as per below. Hope you didn't waste too much time looking

[StruanR]

Sorry Sean, I think I've just checked mine and found my memory is failing. It's at the top on the rear face as per below. Hope you didn't waist too much time looking

Yep mine is in the same place, 1986 vintage...!

[SBDaytona]

Thanks Guys, I have found the number on the rear of the chassis (like in the photo Steve) and it reads the same as the number on the registration (what people tell me is a Beta donor number). No sign of any other numbers that might tell me a bit more about the Hawk / Transformer build etc.
Thanks for the tips on wheel alignment. Usually do this myself but need to get the car on a good four wheel aligner to get it properly squared up. I suspect it is not square from a few string line measurements. Got a good place where we can take it after hours - so we can take our time. Good to know about X19 measurements being a good start thanks. I have a Stratos Manual which has some specs but not sure if these are ok for my car. I will compare with X19 and see how different the specs are.
Got the car registered and took it for a run. Pretty good all up. Didn't get stuck at the side of the road in any case. Engine was sweet. Shift is good. Clutch feels like a competition unit - very rapid take up. Lots of hot air and some fumes making their way into the cabin - mostly through the shift gate. Quite the sauna on a 30 degree day. Windows down seemed to make no difference whatsoever. A bit twitchy and nervous (wheel alignment will fix this I am sure). Great fun.

[SBDaytona]

As has already been mentioned the chassis number is that of a Lancia Beta donor car. The Transformer (or Hawk) chassis number should be stamped in two places, most obvious one will be on the front of the servo mounting bracket under the front clip. The same number will appear on the rear of the chassis to the left of the removeable section. It's probably something along the lines of "SPY8805048" (which is my chassis number). This breaks down as a Spyder chassis from 1988, May to be precise, and the 48th chassis made by Transformer Cars.

Given that this car is Dino powered which is rare I believe that this is the car that was built by Peter Ashdown in the UK way back when! If it's this car I remember seeing at a show in the UK and talking to Peter, probably in 1988 or 1989, probably at Stafford. The car was on Gerrys stand with the front and rear clips open to show the engine off and the front suspension etc. We chatted for 20 minutes before he closed the panels up and I could see the number plates on the car. If you've got any UK registration documentation it will show PFY1T if it's this car. Which is REALLY annoying as I asked Peter to sell me the plate if he ever sold the car. Which he forgot to do.... My car is registered PFY3T you see...... AND the Fiat Punto I have is PFY2T. Strange that two Beta's, originally registered here in Liverpool two plates apart ended up as donors for Stratos replicas.

Should you have the registration docs for this car please PM me, I may be interested is a copy

Guy

Hi Guy, I was talking to one of the previous owners of the car - the guy who imported it to Australia in fact. He was kind enough to offer me some old photos of the car competing in the Rally of Tasmania. When the photos turned up there was also a copy of the Australian Import Permit and a copy of a past Registration Document from the UK. I have only glanced at it but it shows Peter Ashdown as the owner and the registration as PFY1T. Which confirms your suspicions. Let me know if you would like a copy of the doc. Sean

[Guy Mayers]

Thanks Sean, I'd love a copy of that! I won't be able to obtain the plate but it'd be nice to see it! My email is guymayers@blueyonder.co.uk

Cheers

Guy

[Bernard]

Thanks Sean, I'd love a copy of that! I won't be able to obtain the plate but it'd be nice to see it! My email is guymayers@blueyonder.co.uk

Cheers

Guy

Why not Guy ??.... if it is no longer required because the car is registered in Oz !....... should be worth investigating
Phil

[Guy Mayers]

I'm pretty sure that they won't reissue a plate once the car it was originally attached to is no longer in existence. Short of re-importing the car or finding the original donor (it was a Beta saloon) the only other possibility is ringing another Sedan. And that's not something I'd contemplate, the criminal conviction would have a really serious impact on me! It may be worth a call to the DVLA though if I could "buy" the cherished plate from the owner in Aus!

Guy

[Bernard]

Go for it Guy...... They can only say no at worse !

[SBDaytona]

Just finished a wheel alignment on the Stratos. The behaviour of the car is transformed. The alignment was way out - making the car very nervous and twitchy. I don't know how people can put up with such a poorly sorted car. We have gone for a very conservative set up for now just to see how the car behaves. Basically 2mm toe & 1 degree Neg camber in front with neutral rear & 1.5 degree neg camber on the rear. The car is very well behaved now - sharp turn-in, nicely balanced and no longer tram rails over the bumps and imperfections in the road. You can take your hands off the wheel at 160 with no dramas. Very happy.

Havent forgotten the rego doc Guy - have been travelling and the file on the car is with my partner - will get to it. Sorry for the delay.
Sean

[Strat Fan]

Hi Sean,

Front sounds fines but I would suggest the same amount of toe in on the rear as the front for a bit of extra stability under braking.

Cheers