Can I ask what the difference between the allora corse hawk Lb kit if any
Can I ask what the difference between the allora corse hawk Lb kit if any
All of them are different under the skin, and there are also differences in the skin of almost every variant...
You're unlikely to find an Allora now, there were only 13 or 14 made and distinguished by the slightly pointy nose.
The Transformer and Hawks are made by Gerry and have changed very little over the years. Mainly one chassis member and double suspension pick up points.
I'll let someone more knowledgable come along to give you the low-down on the Litton/Corse/Napiersport cars which have completely different chassis to the Hawks and LB cars.
Come down to Stoneleigh - that's the place you'll see the differences!
Guy
Last edited by Guy Mayers; 17-02-2022 at 21:38.
Bloody L, where to start....
OK. In the beginning (1986) two Stratos rep kits came out. One was the Transformer, the other was the Allora. The Transformer was a more faithful copy of the original while the Allora, although also taking its body moulds from a genuine car, was more of a homage than trying to be a faithful copy. The Allora sold 14 cars before the company went under, and it was bought by Steve Greenwood who renamed it Litton Cars, and the cars themselves became the Corse, with a totally redesigned chassis. The Transformer, meanwhile, was doing very well with those who wanted to replicate a Stratos as closely as possible.
Anyway, time passed and Transformer became Hawk (same cars and people, just a name change) and Steve G sold the Litton project to Hugh Carson, who carried on with the Corse, but the company was now CAE. Eventually Hugh sold up and the firm became Napiersport, in about 2004.
Fast forward to 2010-11 and Craig White started ListerBell with a completely new take on a Strat rep. Although influenced to a degree by the Corse, there was a whole new chassis and body moulds made to a very high standard, with bespoke suspension and many other parts. The aim was to create a Stratos for the new century using modern components, a sort of "restomod" approach (but obviously not using an original car as a base). This idea seems to have struck a chord with lots of people - previously folk were more interested in making an exact a copy of an original car, but these days there's room for both camps. And all this time, Hawk have continued to make their cars, with a few mods here and there as time went by.
In the last few years Stratos reps have come to be sought after by serious collectors, with the result that prices have shot up. All of them are (or can be) worthy cars, but the quality of the build is everything. You really need to try and see examples of each of them if you can, and you'll have your own ideas about what sort of car you want to build. If it's a close replica you want you'll be looking at a Hawk, but it's a kit from the 80s so not the easiest thing to build. If faithfulness isn't that important then it'll be the others, but remember that none of them, hawk included, are true copies - they all use a steel spaceframe chassis with glassfibre bodies, where an original had a steel centre tub. Although saying that, Hawk have just brought out that very thing, if you're suitably minted...
There's a lot more to be said about all these cars, but this'll be enough to get you started. Try and get along to a garage day that some members occasionally hold - there are always several cars at them - or even the club AGM at Stoneleigh. They're a great place to meet people and get inside info , and also to realise what sad bastards we all areMeanwhile, I'm sure others will chip in with more details.
A follow-up question from me...Originally Posted by Normb666
If I'm looking at general photos (cars on show, cars at a meet etc) are there some easy things to see or to look for which could clearly help identify a Hawk from an LB from an other? It's only recently that I discovered that the originals had fuel filler caps on either side so that helps me there... if I can see them.
STONELIGH - There'll be Hawks. LB's and (possibly) Corse and Allora there too. Just look and learn! Too many differences to list and, even after all these years i struggle to know if it's a Corse or a Napiersport....
Last edited by Guy Mayers; 17-02-2022 at 23:18.
Yup, I’ve been, often, and am still none the wiser hence the question and needing to do an 800 mile round trip to a once a year event is a pretty inefficient way to learn methinks.
I need to get a little bit less than a mile away, to tell which is which.
In the last twelve years I owned a Napiersport Corse a Hawk HF 3000 and now a LB kit under construction…there are actually a lot of differences between them!
Only the Hawk has got both fuel tank and filler like the original car (think it’s optionnal on LB with Toyota engine only if not wrong)
Corse has a different tubular chassis than original one but the inner cockpit is more spacious than original car and the Hawk ( a trouble for tall driver more 6’ like me!!)
the Hawk has floor lowered ( you can see easily on the Hawk sides the lower floor under the chassis not on the others!)
LB is a little bit heavier than other ones but is built with modern parts like brake suspension ….
Last edited by Stratie.fr; 18-02-2022 at 08:11.
Actually, at the end of the day any of the differences are pretty irrelevant. All of them drive and handle well beyond our abilities when used on public roads. They're all similar to look at underneath paint schemes and it's what brings a group like this together. We all love the Stratos!
All types of Stratos replica have the potential to be finished to a high standard.
Given how few come up for sale, you'd probably have to grab whatever came up for sale first. In any case, you need lots of patience.
In the last couple of years, these cars and kits have come up for sale:
May 2019 - Lister Bell STR, finished car £54,000 (I think that was the asking price, and the goal posts on completed and registered cars have probably moved since?)
September 2020 - Transformer (Hawk) HF registered properly, but needed finishing and painting £19,099
June 2021 - Litton Corse, asking £23,000
Have there been any more recently?
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