SENC

https://www.berlinetta-auctions.co.uk/weekly/car-detail/lot-116-1963-lotus-seven-series-2-america?fbclid=IwAR0WxP6q5gndDzrWpZZQeyGhJp2zaZgGL9nEqxmkuah8wXIuAxqPxdGuagU

Agree, looks like fun and a heckuva a buy!

Look forward to the report. Changing jets is dead simple if its better but not perfect and you want to keep tweaking yourself. I'm experimenting with Keith Frank's emulsion tubes and various main fuel and air jets as well as idle jets (actually I'm on hold while I rebuild my starter), and happy to share bits once I get settled on the right mix for mine. I will say that his emulsion tubes are an improvement over the Weber F16s, at least on my setup.

Good, brief overview, thanks for sharing!

First, let me recommend a couple great resources for historical pictures and descriptions that are helpful if interested in older Lotus 7s and identifying originality - lotus7register.co.uk and simplesevens.org. John Watson runs the first and John Donohoe the second, both are extremely knowledgeable. Second, I think this car looks like a good one and most have been modified or upgraded over the years, so don't mistake my comments as critiques. Croc pointed out several things already - specific to the rear wings, the S3s were wider than the S2s to accomodate a wider (and beefier) axle. You'll find many S2s with S3 wings because they upgraded from the original Standard10 axle to an Escort or other axle. The engine is a Kent crossflow engine (intake and exhaust on opposite sides) - I'll have to look further to see if there were any crossflow Cosworths, but I don't think so. There were only a few S2s with crossflows, generally called S2-1/2s, and they all had single carburetors to my knowledge. In S3 form, these engines were eventually tuned up by Holbay, not Cosworth. The 681 Ford block pictured would have been 1967 or later (early S2s with Kent pre-crossflows would be 105E, 116E andd 120E) The chassis plate shown is SB2317 - I believe the last S2 was SB2310, made in 1968. This plate did not come from a 1962 car. The Weber carburetors are appropriately 40DCOEs, but they are 151s, which are a much later carb (still in production, I think). S2s and S3s came with 40DCOE2s, I believe, so these would not be original carburetors. The gauges are later for sure, the revmeter and speedometer look like S4 vintage. The tunnel is flat, S2 and S3 tunnels (all I've seen) are rounded humps. Originally would have had a horizontal (and awkward) handbrake under the passenger side dash, not the vertical handbrake pictured. The louvred bonnet is late S2 or S3, not early 1960s. The headlight arrangement looks to be later. The triangular mounts for the aero screen are later - the Lotus windscreen mounts were 3 piece - this is a common Lotus v Caterham tell. The S2 currently on Bring-A-Trailer looks to be quite unmolested and would be a good comparison for you... and the pictures on both Johns' sites are hugely valuable.

Nice looking car, but agree there isn't much 1962 or S2 left, if there ever was any there.

SB1942 - another old school! https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1965-lotus-seven-5/

Given that, my first look would be at the idle jets. I'd pull them and blow them out first. What # idle jet are they? And what size choke do you have? I'd also inspect to see how the progression holes look as the butterflies open.

Is it hesitating on WOT between idle and 3k, or on gentle acceleration, or both?

At risk of being called soft like the Caterham lads, I've upgraded my fuel gauge and added some rain protection for when not moving.

So we need to hear more about your video consultant's advice, the video and audio are quite good.

While the guys with new toys were out adjusting their vibrating day/night mirrors and plugging in fuel injectors, I made progress in my analog world. Removed the bushing with a hacksaw blade (slow and tedious work to avoid damaging the end cap) and made the brush removal simple by drilling them out. Cleaned everything with CRC electric terminal cleaner and about ready to start putting things back together.

What's next, power steering!?! Looks like a great day!

Have been accumulating bits to rebuild the starter for my Seven - a Lucas M35G-1. I got lucky and found a NOS armature so don't have to try cleaning up the old one on my wood lathe. Would love some advice from those of you who've rebuilt these before - both any general advice and tips but also have a few specific questions: Any recommendations on removing the drive end bushing? Also need to clean up the body. The coils look just fine, can't think of a good reason to dismantle further. I assume a bath in kerosene or mineral spirits is the best path and wouldn't hurt anything inside? Last, any guidance on removing and replacing the brushes? I plan try to desolder them but not sure how crammed in that tube they are nor how to work the replacements back in.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2009-lotus-caterham-super-seven/ not mine, but timely.

Well, the original pushbutton "manual solenoid" under the dash, but not a coil-solenoid.

Fortunately the ring gear looks ok, at least what I can see through the "window": It is an M35G-1 starter, built in 6/65 so probably the right/original one for the car. I'm going to start searching for parts for a rebuild. Didn't look too bad internally when I took it apart for quick inspection, but definitely well-used.

No more playing and testing today, couldn't get the engine to turn over though starter clearly ran. Wonder why...

Similarly, as I've watched solar farms sprout where pine farms and corn/bean/tobacco fields once were, I've wondered about the cost of cleanup in 20-25 years. I suspect one day we'll get there with renewables, but I'm not convinced we're there yet.

Not defending the valuation (I think it is absurd), but EBITDA is a profitability measure not a revenue measure, rights? With $3b in EBITDA that puts them at a valuation over 75xEBIDTA, crazy territory in my opinion particularly given their track record. GM has 3-4x that much EBITDA and trades at 6xEBITDA (don't think I'd buy that, either). In my opinion this is a pure speculative bet that Tesla will do what Amazon has done. Amazon now has well over $30b in EBITDA and though still highly valued (over 30xEBITDA) it is down from prior years where it was trading at well into the 100s times EBITDA - in essence it has finally grown profitability to begin to match its value. If Tesla can do the same, though overvalued now it will look cheap in the future. I'm not making that bet.

As is so often the case with old cars, messing with one thing to fix another just leads to problems. In this case, trying to clear the "new" breather draft tube I crossthreaded the connection back to the fuel pump so when I cycled the starter to get it pumping it sprayed gas. Though I had an old one (from my Elan) and a spare gasket in my toolbox as an emergency backup, when installed the old pump it filled nicely to the carbs, then promptly began leaking (old glass bowl gasket had hardened). So a couple weeks of waiting on parts, but finally carved out a couple hours on Saturday and got it put back together and running, and started testing different idle jets and main wet/dry jets. Got a great idle, tips in very well at WOT above 2k rpm, and pulls like a train above 3k rpm. Just a little stumble when hitting WOT below about 1800 rpm, but plan to tweak a little more. This is also still on the Bosch distributor, about which I know little about the advance curve built in - but now that I have it close I'll switch over to the rebuilt original Lucas and see what fits the engine better. I realize it doesn't have the hp of the current crop of Sevens, but it really is an amazing little car, you just can't help but smile everytime you put your foot in the accelerator.:driving::driving::driving: Makes me sad I waited this long for a Seven!

:smilielol5: what next, a fuel gauge?

This thread needs pictures!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lotus-7X-Independent-rear-race-clubman-Magnesium-everything/303600659642?hash=item46b0026cba%3Ag%3AtCsAAOSweh5e7Kc0&LH_Auction=1&fbclid=IwAR1CIuMWoZCH2CqoVDt-tRBJYsTxF6Om4Ad_CaPzSJElKtx63wcko6YQes4

Well covered by the last 2 posts. Here is a snippet from Ortenburger's Legend of the Lotus Seven on the topic: