Quote:
Originally Posted by JackMcCornack
If we crank up the time machine ahead ten years, we get the 1964 Cobra Coupe, also a successful endurance racer and another source of inspiration...but to me it looks too modern, too fast, and I think an econocar version would seem like a parody rather than an homage (and I wouldn't do it anyway because like the Bristol, that body would be too expensive). Still, it would fit the Lotus 7 layout and if you got rid of the spoiler it would be pretty slippery.
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I think the Cobra Daytona is ideal for what you want to do, but it doesn't work out without changes as you note. It's coupe, kamm-back, aerodynamic, and fits the cab-rearward layout.
I think the Locost puts the driver lower than the cobra appears to and you can deal with a flatter/lower roof. Adding a beltline dip toward the rear of the door will maintain some Lotus style. Making the front end more blunt could continue to ape the Lotus but substantially differentiate it from the Cobra. Changing the boattail/Kammback to more closely mimic the Superformance Daytona might help as its tail appears to be cut more vertically.
Key things to carry over from the Daytona: full front enclosure to prevent fender scooping of air and to block airflow over the suspension. Forward-tilting radiator out front vented to the low-pressure bubble in the middle of the hood and to the fender-side vents behind the front tires. Taper the boat tail both in plan- and profile-views. From your sketches on your site it looks to me like your rear fenders need more (some) plan taper.
Personally I don't care for the appearance of 20s/30s era floating fenders, but if you do it's your car. I do think they make aero design harder. The late-40s drop fenders that were attached but lower than the hood look fine (there's a version of them on my modern truck), but with a vehicle as low and compact as the Locost your fenders and hood are even anyway. If you don't like the rounded/contoured look of the Cobra front you could maintain the airflow advantages of its design but style it more sharply such as the early 2nd generation Corvettes (which were also raced contemporary with the Cobra).
edit: Might you also want to run narrower tires? The tall tire with sane aspect ratio should be good for aero but they look wide unless it's a visual trick due to the diminutive nature of the car. With the low-power engine it'll be hard to overcook even a narrow tire.