Al N.

A photo of Scott from 7-7-7. My old Superlight and his were "fraternal twins".

Folks- It is with the heaviest of hearts that I share the news that founding USA7s Club member Scott Lentz passed away this past weekend. A friend/relative posted on his Facebook page: "Had a mild heart attack Friday night and had an accident, walked to the ambulance then had a massive heart attack at the hospital." Scott was part of the original group which gathered in 2006 at Skyline Drive...a gathering that led to the founding of the first mixed-marque LSiS club in the country, and the 50th Anniversary event at the Tail of the Dragon. I only really knew Scott via our shared love of cars, but had seen him several times over the years at various events. He always had a smile for me — and always asked about how my kids were doing. Rest in Peace, friend. -Al Navarro

Will get some additional pix posted soon. Great to hear from some of the old guard. Tom...I have a tank from Axminster. It's not custom as much as it is just the bigger size from the period. But hand-fabbed. My car has what I think this the original (now badly dented for some reason?) 5 gallon tank, which made planning road trips fun. I had been delaying putting the tank in because I didn't want to cut or add to the frame. But an acquaintance had a great idea to make a sub-frame for the new tank that has a "plinth" of sorts that sits in the space where the old tank went.

An email from a fellow forum'er guilted me into coming back to check in on the forum. Been tied up with house, wife, children, parents, work, life...you know, Zorba's "full catastrophe". Still have SB1341 and am enjoying the car, though the heat this summer has kept my blats to a minimum. Took my older girl (the one who did the Denver to LA trip with me....now a college graduate and PhD candidate) out for a blat the other day and we had a blast. Car is in shop to finally install the 10 gallon gas tank I had commissioned a few years ago...we figured out a way to do that without messing with the frame (the rear section is original to the car). Anyway...was out of the country when the annual USA7s at NJMP gathering happened and will also be tied up during LOG this year. I'm relatively active on Facebook if anyone wants to connect with me there. Glad to see the forum is still alive and serving the USA Sevens community.

Light blue metallic with white top? Anyone on the forum?

Thanks for sharing the pix, vids, and stories for those of us who couldn't be there in person. So great to see this event growing and going strong year after year! Thanks Mike & Tom!

Really impressed with how this event has grown. Thanks for documenting and sharing pix/vids for people who couldn't make it. Will really try to make it back one of these years!

@Tom: The perennial issue with your trackway weekends for me is that the fencing Summer Nationals are often held around the same time of the year. So I'm in Salt Lake City this year. Otherwise, I would have definitely popped in...as I have in years past. Additionally, one thing I do like about LOG is that it allows me to see older (read "Lotus") Sevens in varying states of repair/originality...so I get a better benchmark of where my car stands in comparison wrt originality, aesthetics, etc.

In case anyone is interested in what Avon CR6zz tires look like in narrower sizes (they are apparently very popular for Cobra and GT40 folks in the wide sizes as well). Not cheap, but I think they look great in 175/70x13 size currently fitted to my car.

Bob- Sorry I didn't get to meet you in Birmingham. I was at the event for less than 24 hours total...but that gave me time to run into some old friends (like USA7s founding member Scott Nettleship, 7-7-7 attendees Taber Tompkins, Dean Giacopassi, and Norm Beaver, and one of the true OGs of the club, Scott Lentz...who I first met on the Blue Ridge 11 or so years ago) and make some new ones — including Seven owner Bill Baldwin, whose patina'd Series 2 has always been a bit of a benchmark for me. I had been to Barber back in 2009, the last time a LOG was held there, and the new addition and expanded exhibits are really wonderful and worth visiting even if you've been before. I didn't stay for the Saturday night banquet, but heard that Dean's Series 1 took first in the Sevens category of the informal concours! TBH, I was surprised there weren't more Sevens there, given it's the 60th anniversary and all... -Al N. P.S. A shoutout to Dave Hutchison of Ragtops & Roadsters for trailering "Bessie" (aka SB1341) down to Birmingham...thanks Dave (and his co-driver Al)!

Bought my plane tix and booked hotels last night....coming in for Friday night and Saturday only.

@Kitcat: I had the engine redone last year and it (1500 pre-crossflow) dyno'd 128hp at the crank...so it's got more pep than it had originally. Hmm. No one here runs Avon cr6zzs that you know of, do they? It's a pricey tire, but I've had my eye on them for a while. It is the one that comes in 175 or 185...the 6.40 is the Vredestein Sprint Classic.

Thanks Kitcat. Speaking of "taller"...I'm considering trying a vintage-specific repro tire (Vredestein Sprint Classic) that comes in a 6.40 x 13 size. The only thing is that these tires had something like a 90 aspect ratio. So the difference in diameter from what I'm running now is about 4 inches. I know I can get the speedo recalibrated for this new rolling diameter....but there have to be other downsides to going with taller tire...right?

Hey all....about to get a little freshening for SB1341 (aka "Bessie"). What pressures does everyone run? IIRC, most people were running significantly lower than spec'd on the tire...like in the teens. This is for a 175-185/70-13 tire on a vintage car. TIA for your input.

Any update? I am about to pull the trigger on new tires for my 1961 7.

Getting out of the hobby, Michael or on to a new car?

Why helmets? Have you ever seen the face of one of the Stalker folks after a day of their Ambush meet? It's covered in soot/oil in pretty much every place that isn't covered (by goggles, etc.). Of course, they are usually grinning ear to ear. Eye protection/general protection aside, I think helmets really help with the wind buffeting you'll experience driving a seven for prolonged stretches at speed. Frankly it beats you up and tires you out. 20 miles in one is VERY different than 2000. As for what type? We bought motorcycle helmets. For my wife/daughter, Bell Mag 8 (not full face, but deep shield); for me, a Schuberth Concept 2 (full face, and pretty tricked out). With my new vintage car, I am seriously lusting after a Chapal period-correct helmet and visor, but have not plunked down the cash for that just yet.

http://www.mikebrotherwood.com/Parts.html Scroll down to "Front Suspension" section of page...they seem to offer an adjustable top link.

I did 1200 miles in 3 days with a 16 year old "navigator", in a 1961 Series 2 that was fresh off a rebuild but not quite sorted. From Denver to LA. We survived and the car made it. But it was an adventure, I tell you. Pack no more than a backpack each, assemble a tool kit of essentials when you are there. Travel with a spare gallon of gas in the boot. Oh, and helmets. Definitely helmets. I'd recommend a day on the front end to familiarize yourself with the car as well.

With events at Barber and Talledega...and Sevens being the featured model (60th anniversary, dontchaknow). Caravan from Northeast (with obligatory stop by Tail of the Dragon on way down/up) anyone?

Like a few of the other guys who've already chimed in, I'm a serial Seven owner. First a Caterham Superlight R (new) and now a vintage mostly-Lotus Series 2 car. When I sold the Caterham — a fairly high-spec model in its time —*I got a price very close to what I paid for it... not counting all the various upgrades (you know how much an ATL fuel cell costs?!?) I had made to the car in the few years I owned it. I consider those "lost" dollars the cost of ownership. With my new (old) car, my buy-in was substantially lower than with the Caterham, but like Kitcat, I've got at least the same amount into it after sorting/upgrades. Could I have bought it and not done anything? I guess. But I now have a car I like more and that is faster and more reliable than when I first acquired it. I doubt I'll ever sell this one. In terms of which marque/model, same advice as others...drive a few, talk with owners, see what's available when you are truly ready to pull the trigger. If Donkevoorts were more common here in the states, I might have bought one of those instead of the Caterham. Love the lines of those cars.

Sorry I missed this event again. Unfortunately, the timing seems to generally conflict with the fencing summer nationals that I attend annually with my daughter. Happy to see that it's grown and thriving. Nice to see many of my favorite people in the hobby (and Mike and Tom ;-P) in the photos.

Back on the forum after another extended absence to report that SB1341 is on the road again. A cracked oil line fitting last fall was the impetus to pull the motor and get it rebuilt —*a task for which I chose Savannah Race Engineering (where famed Formula Ford engine builder Ted Wenz now practices his craft). The motor (1500 pre-crossflow running twin Weber DCOE 40 carbs that were original to car) dyno'd at over 120 hp, which is about 35 hp more than it had before the rebuild. In my short drive to/from the LOG36 meet (held in Princeton NJ this year), the car felt very strong and ran relatively cool. The car is never going to be anything close to original again, but that's fine with me. It's a hoot to drive and seems to make people smile (the driver and passenger most of all!)...plus the wobbly web wheels get the stamp of approval from the Lotus loyalists. All in all, happy have the car back and running. ^^^^My car, but not me in pic.

It was in fact, the very lady. Fresh off a rebuild of the 1500 pre-crossflow that came with the car among other improvements/remedies. I literally picked it up on Friday from Ragtops & Roadsters, took it off the trailer on Saturday morning and then drove down to the big LOG meet up in Washington Crossing. Great to see some old friends and make some new ones. Car felt strong and ran well to/from, even in the stop and go (mostly stop) traffic through New Hope. Was surprised that more of the NJ-area Seveners didn't show up. I'll try to make the NJMP event again soon...unfortunately it conflicts with the fencing summer nationals that I've been attending with my younger daughter for the past few years. FYI, the car in the third pic is the lovely Series 2 owned by Karl Darby. Took first in class, deservedly. The white car in the fourth pic is owned by John Gault (another 7-7-07 attendee).