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This is the original 1963 fuel tank. I don't think there was any foam or bladders installed. I have never seen any in my other Lotus' either.

And it's all nonferrous so I have no idea what it is. It clogged up my large funnel like mud. The color wasn't brown or black but a very burgundy red.

I cleaned a staggering amount of crap out of the tank.

This is the fuel line connection so no way to connect a vac line to it, or at least not easily. Strange thing is that I can push a wire through the line into the tank (I think) but I can not blow through the line. It's like there is a check valve in there.

Does anyone know what's at the end of the fuel tank pickup line? My tube is plugged but don't know if there is a screen at the end or just an open pipe. I'm trying to clean out the tank. The 1970's fuel has been drained but there is a ton of stuff in there. It sounds like a large bean bag sliding around when I tilt the tank side to side. a flashlight in the filler reveals a large pile of black stuff sliding around on the residual fuel. I'm not sure how to get all this out when the filler neck sits about an inch and a half into the tank. There is a small hole in the filler neck but all this junk is not going to fit through it. Yet another fun (and filthy) Lotus project.

I have 2211 miles on my 1963 Lotus Super Seven.

The headlamp flashers would work as turn signals? Can't say that I have ever seen that. I can understand turn signals and running lamps being optional back n the 60's but why add the lamps to the fenders and the big switch to the dash and not add the wires. It's usually the other way around; wire harness has all the options and just don't add the lamps and switches if they don't buy the option.

SENC, your side light looks like mine and your under wing picture is what I was expecting in terms of the hole for the wires. I don't have the separate indicators under the headlight, I think they were introduced with the S3. I believe my front wings are original to the car but the acorn nuts don't look right. It looks like your side light is doing double duty, also acting as the nut for the wing stay, how very Chapman of you.

Working through the electrical system while waiting for other restoration parts. The car is fitter with the L1130 side lamps but during troubleshooting I found not only are there no wires connected to the bulb holder but there are no holes in the fenders for the wires to exit the side lamp. Were these side lamps and turn signals optional? Is it common that no hole would be drilled for the wires? The car is fitted with the direction indicator switch so I can't imagine why there is a switch but no wires (or holes) to the lamps.

What software are you using to generate these AI images? And are you using text, image or a combination?

I read through the instructions for installing the headers and thought they were crazy, I gave up reading half way through. It can't be that complicated I said to my self. The diagram shows only two special Allan head bolts but all four of my uppers look like these special bolts.

I haven't had the pleasure yet

Some pictures. The only thing stamped on the head near the water intake is "185" stamped not cast. Its very small and faint and does not show on pictures. The number in the casting ("116E 6050 AB") is attached and is located towards the middle of the cylinder head. The block is definitely a 109E as can be seen in both the cast numbers and the stamped numbers above the engine mount.

MV8, I think that is all common sense. I will raise the piston to near TDC before inserting the straw (might as well use my very expensive Boba tea special tool ).

Thanks MV8, This is a very similar procedure to what I use on my Europa to find TDC but in that case I have to use a straw because the pistons are wedge shaped and the spark plug comes in from the side so whatever you stick into the plug hole gets crushed on the up stroke. Given my experience, I didn't want to stick anything into the plug hole until I knew what I was dealing with. It seems the Seven Kent is more similar to a Lotus twin came in that you can stick just about anything in the hole without fear of it getting crushed. I'll give it a go today. I plan to use the timing light as you mention but it is useless without first knowing TDC. Now you have me even more interested in knowing what engine I have. I have no timing cover, the block is "109E" and the head is "116E" and it is definitely not a X-flow.

My very rough estimate of TDC is somewhere around that red line. I cranked the engine by hand and noted where the intake valve closed and where the exhaust value opened on the #1 cylinder. The half way point gives me about where the red line is on the photo. Tomorrow I will pull out the timing light and set initial timing to this mark. Hopefully its close enough to get it started.

The plugs were pulled to add oil before any engine cranking. This is what the plugs looked like before any cranking. The Compression numbers are after adding oil to each cylinder. I will add a cup of MMO to each cylinder and let it sit, maybe the rings are stuck in the pistons. The engine is a little ways away from running. I have to rebuild the Weber's first. But you are right, I need to get it running first before the compression numbers have any meaning. I did this test just to check for any major damage like a hole in a piston. I'm not sure where TDC is thus my question. I know where it is approximately by observing the rocker arms while rotating the engine by hand. But I would like to know where the Zero deg mark is on the block so I can set initial ignition timing. I'm questioning this casting rib because when the timing mark on the pulley is aligned with this rib the rotor is pointing toward the #3 cylinder (as originally wired). Either the HT leads were in the wrong location or the engine was set to some crazy high spark advance.

My new (to me) Lotus arrived last weekend and I'm starting the long process of getting it back on the road. So, this may be the first of many questions. Car has been off the road since the early 70's. Car only has 2200 miles and still has its original top and tonneau cover and, gasp, tires. 1) The engine block shows "109E" in the cast numbers but the head has "116E". Is this the definition of the 116 engine? 2) I located the timing mark on the front pulley but what do you line it up to? Is it the left side of the casting rib (red line of the attached photo)? rad0fmt4.bmp 3) What is the correct cylinder compression. I am reading 150, 190, 165, 125 psi on cylinders 1-5 respectively. Spark plug were all on the black side with the exception of cylinder #1 which is brown, almost orange.

Joe, What is the size of the hole in the tunnel for that boot? I have a hole but I don't have a boot.

Thanks Joe. That's exactly what I needed. That MGA boot looks and fits great too.

Yeah, I don't think that one is going to buff out.

Joe, Your shifter looked familiar so I went through the boxes of spare parts I received with the car and found something similar but, it looks way too long. The O-ring at the bottom looks like crude vibration dampening. Is it typical these come so long and need to be cut down?

Thanks Joe, the picture is very helpful.

wdb, 61Elite3 mentioned that the shifter may be from a Lotus Elan. The early Elan shifters were straight like the Seven but later Elan shifters added a bushing to reduce vibration (see below). So if these do indeed fit, you may be able to source these shifters from the Dave Bean or RD Enterprise.

A couple of more photos of the transmission. From the above descriptions I believe this to be the Ford unit.