The Locust is a Sevenesque type car not dissimilar to a Westfield or Caterham in looks. It differs from most kits as it is built using a wooden or MDF body tub.

The original kit/plans concept was conceived because the shape of a Seven lent itself to this type of body tub construction. The criteria being that there were no compound curves in the main body. The body tub is a small simple tapering box with slab sides. Only the GRP nose cone and wings have compound curves. The body is skinned in aluminium which only has to curve in one plane for the rear panels and the bonnet.The main components of the kit are a set of plans for the body tub and a chassis.

The chassis can be either Ford or Triumph based. The most popular chassis is for Ford components and most are fitted with a combination of Ford Escort MkII and Ford Cortina Mk IV running gear. The origional car used either Triumph or ford Cortina Front Suspension but over the years many variations and subtle changes in chassis design have taken place. There is an option from the manufacturer for double front wishbones and coil over shocks. Any engine that can be squeezed between the chassis rails can be fitted. The most popular are the Ford Kent/Xflow engine. Depending on which engine and carburettor are fitted various holes and bulges will have to be fitted to the bonnet. As the Locust is a plan built kit car, it means no two Locust cars are the same. Each builder will tackle the same area of the build in different ways using different components.

The car was origionally conceived and manufactured by John Cowperthwaite. It was marketed as the JC Locust by J.C. Auto Patterns. A copy of the origional J.C. brochure can be viewed here. The brochure included one of the first articles on the Locust.

The rights of manufacture passed to T&J Sportscars who also took over the manufacture of the Midge (a traditionally styled roadster). The later introduced a slightly larger version of the Locust based on Cortina coponents called the Hornet. A copy of the T&J Sportcars brocure can be viewed here.

The project then passed on to White Rose Vehicles - WRV. They developed the original Locust into the current Locust ES and also introduced a new model. The new SIII was designed with the SVA in mind and uses the Ford Sierra as the donor vehicle. A Copy of the WRV Web Information can be found here.

In April 2000 the Locust ES project was passed on to BWE Sportcars who also distribute the Locust's big brother, the Hornet and the baby of the family the Grasshopper. BWE are developing all models to utilise Ford Sierra running gear. BWE can be contacted at the following address:

BWE Sportscars
13 Knowsley St
Barnsley
South Yorkshire

Telephone - 01226 293717

The Sierra based Series III project was taken over by Road Tech Engineering anybody interested should try Richard Tilley on 01293 550808