Hornet (car)

The Hornet is a Lotus Seven copy created as a kit car by T&J Sportscars to use components from the Ford Cortina Mk3 and later Mk4 or Mk5. This allowed a choice of 1300/1600 OHV pushrod Ford Kent engines or 1600/2000 single overhead camshaft Ford Pinto engines. All the running gear is sourced from the Cortina, although T&J-manufactured front wishbones were an option to replace the Cortina pressed-steel items. Parts needing modification are the propshaft, which needs to be shortened, and the alternator that needs to be repositioned.
The body tub uses the same concept as the earlier version known as Locust, and is built from ¾" plywood, to plans supplied. The wooden tub is then skinned with thin gauge aluminium-sheet. The tub is fitted to a ladder chassis supplied by the manufacturer. Unlike the Locust where most other Seven-style body components will fit, the size of the Hornet meant that the builder is limited to items provided by the manufacturer.
Specification
*Donor vehicle - Cortina MK3,4,5
*Chassis - Twin rail ladder in Rectangular Hollow Section with suspension points, body outriggers and roll bar plinths
*Front Suspension - Cortina wishbones with optional tubular wishbones allowing full castor/camber adjustment
*Rear Suspension - Cortina four-link suspension using donor springs and shock absorbers
*Engine - Normally Cortina, but other RWD engine/gearbox combinations could be accommodated
*Build time - Estimated 360 hours
The Hornet was manufactured by BWE Sportscars and like the Locust can be built using Ford Sierra components. Bev Evans of BWE died on Thursday 10 April 2014. BWE Sportscars is no longer trading.

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