1965 Seven S2

[vstibbard]

Thank you, ours is 1962 Super Seven and is in used and enjoyed condition.

In Australia, due to the unleaded fuels and blend, if a car sits for any length of time the fuels seem to go to a gel like state, if its had E10 ethanol based fuel then its worse with the white powder blocking passages and float valves etc.

Cheers

V

[SENC]

Thanks Vaughn. Think I've been lucky, no sign of either, suspect the car just hasn't been used much at all in the days of ethanol, and I'll do my best to keep it that way.

[vstibbard]

My children love the 7, think because its small and they can get a feel for what its doing, 60kph seems like a lot more to them, being the road flashing past and wind in their hair... I enjoy the immediate feedback and simplicity of it all.

We're constantly working on it small projects, we recently source a spare differential which we will build up with 3.9 (the original diff is 4.55) to make it more useable and able to flow with modern traffic with rose joined centre mount to diff to stop the cracking and oil fatigue on the bush.

Cheers

Vaughan

[SENC]

Helicoiled the bottom screw on the back carb, got everything laid out for reassembly.

Got a great surprise from an Australian Lotus fanatic who has been helping me try to find the original owner (along with several here). We learned the original owner had passed, but that his wife at the time is still alive and today Mike emailed me scans of a couple pictures she sent him. Great fun to see some history (these are circa 1966), and to learn the car left Cheshunt green with a red nose (their records had indicated red, which I'd assumed had been aluminum and red).

[The Veg]

Very cool! I'd love to see pics of my car from the original owner. Don't know if he's still alive but I know his name and where he lived when he sold the car to the second owner 13 years ago.

[StressCraxx]

Where's the "Like" button?
Awesome to find the original owners and learn of the history.

[vstibbard]

I'd love to get some pictures from the original owner of mine, which was registered DMM 18A

I have pictures of mine 54 years ago in UK when purchased by Peter Hay from Performance Cars in Brentford Middlesex in 1965. I bought it from Peter who had emigrated to Australia in Jan 2011 before it came out to Australia to live 5 houses up from where we live today in Manly!!!

Cheers

V

[SENC]

Yes, I'm quite excited to have them.

Vaughan (etal), if you haven't come across it already, the linked pdf is quite useful in researching old UK registrations.

http://www.cvpg.co.uk/REG.pdf

Pre-DVLA records are available through many county archives, so you may very well be able to find out who originally owned and registered your car and start the search for that person/family. In my case, KAR965C was issued by Hertfordshire County, who were able to provide me a copy of the logbook page indicating registration number issuances. I got very lucky as the line for my registration number had Lotus/Cheshunt, chassis number and the original owner's name and address - whereas many other entries just had dealer/garage names.

[vstibbard]

Many thanks I was not aware of that option to get the cars early history.

Cheers

Vaughan

[SENC]

Carburetors cleaned up and back together, with only 1 additional surprise. I somehow missed on disassembly that 1 of the air correctors in the main jet assembly was different than the others (should be 180s, one was a 160 - so obviously someone has been in the back carb). The originals are in the carburetors for now, a simple swap when the new ones arrive.

The throttle linkage cleaned up nicely, but the main rod and brass bushings for the manifold were both highly worn, so I cut some new bushings and a piece of ss rod to replace them, just need to drill the rod for cotter pins.

[vstibbard]

Also check the brass arms that connect to the throttle carefully where the pinch bolt goes, mine had the finest crack which only appeared as it was tightened. New assemblies are available from Xtra Special Sevens in UK.

I've no relationship other than as a buyer of their parts but have found the guys at Xtra Special Sevens to have a good range of early Seven parts, good knowledge and advice.

Cheers

V

[SENC]

Yes, Mick is a very knowledgeable and responsive fellow, he did the replacement seats and wiring loom for the PO.

As I somewhat expected, drilling 1/32" holes through stainless is above my capability and facility, so after a failed attempt and a few bits I decided to groove the bar slightly and use e-rings. I think that will work fine and maybe look cleaner, but I also made a rod from mild steel that I drilled and polished as a backup.

Did a dry fit and part check, perhaps get everything back together next weekend.

[TBG]

That seems to me a very complicated way of linking the carburettors to the throttle cable. Am I missing something here (more than possible!) In an Elan the two Webers are linked between the two of them. No shafts, no complicated linkages and so on.

[vstibbard]

Only thing you've missed is its the throttle linkage assembly that was fitted by Cosworth/Lotus from new and as with Elans originality is something to aim for.

And you're right the Elans solution is simple and effective and Suspect Colin Chapmans response to the Seven's being expensive to make, he had already removed tubes and replaced aluminium nose etc on the S2 Sevens to reduce costs!

Cheers

V

[TBG]

Yes I understand originality - don't do it myself and I think Uncle Colin was always looking for better = cheaper solutions!

First picture a particularly clunky badly designed effort from some company or other!

Second picture, yours truly attempt that is so smooth in operation you would not believe it!!

The tricky bit to make!!

Oh I forgot to include the bracket.......