Leela Motors

The Leela Spyder is based on the mechanicals of the Alfa Romeo Milano/GTV6. The engine, transaxle, brakes and suspension are virtually unmodified. Similar suspension location points were kept in an attempt to carryover the excellent handling of the original.

Engine:

2.5 V6 SOHC aluminum block and heads

Transmission:

5 speed and reverse, rear transaxle, single piece drive shaft with 3 safety rings

Chassis:

Steel tube spaceframe varying from .75" to 1.5 X 2.0" square tubing.

93.5" wheelbase

Suspension:

Front: lower A arms, adjustable torsion bars, upper lateral links, tube shocks, anti-roll bar

Rear: de Dion tube, Watts link, adjustable coil over shocks, anti-roll bar

Wheels & Tires:

17 X 7.5 5 bolt; 225 X 35 series front, 235 X 40 series rear

Brakes:

Vented discs front, solid in-board discs at rear

Steering:

MGB rack and pinion

Body:

RTM glass/carbon combination with 3mm sorec core

Features:

*ATL fuel cell

*SCCA spec roll bar

*SCCA spec racing harnesses

*carbon fiber rear view mirrors

*Hella projector beam headlights, high and low beam; fog lamps optional

*Billet machined LED tailights, & back-up lights

*Momo racing drivers seat, Momo adjustable passenger seat

*Full set of gages

*Air horns

*Leather hold-down straps for hood and deck lid

*Cobra style quick fill gas cap

*CNC brake pedal with balance bar, clutch and gas pedal

*Momo quick release steering wheel

*Custom interiors available as an option by Alan Taylor Co. of Escondido, Ca.

Making the Leela a pleasure to look at, fun to drive, easy to work on, and not outrageaously expensive to fix, were all given consideration. What separates this car from a lot of others is the finish work on the interior. It is no doubt minimal in character with it being a race car, but the view from the drivers seat is quite unusual: there is machined turned aluminum face mounted on a carbon fiber dash. The gages all have individual bezels with stainless steel screws making them easy to work on. The windshield mounts are CNC machined and then hand shaped and polished.

Since I drive and race the Leela making the car easy to work on at the track is very important. For example when the drive shaft donuts need to be replaced, the driveshaft cover and the three safety rings come off exposing the entire driveshaft. It then can be taken out the top of the car, rather than having to remove the exhaust, loosen the de Dion tube etc.  

The front torsion bars are adjustable with an allen wrench from the driver seat, and the rear coil-overs are also adjustable. For better access the hood and tail end can be completely removed from the car with 2 bolts each and unplugging the wiring. There is room in the trunk for a full size spare too. 

The leather straps are both functional and add some old world charm to the car. It makes it look like an expensive european car! The NACA ducts are real too. They take air to aluminum tubes which cradle both the discs and the calipers, at the same time shielding the gas tank from excess heat.

Tail lights are LED units mounted in a billet machined alu. housing.

Aerodynamics:

 Aero effects on the Leela Spyder have been artfully integrated into the design of the car. From the winglets cradling the Leela grill to the underbody wing in the back, and the rear deck wing all serve to push the Leela to the ground as it goes through the air.  

photos by Rick Adams