I know it is not to your taste but that is actually a pretty incredible find. I have only ever seen period photos of what the factory hardtop looked like. To know that someone bought one and kept it all this time plus is in quite remarkable condition for anything that came from Lotus....wow!
Steelboro were the manufacturers for Lotus in NZ. I don't think they are around today but they had a reputation for high quality unlike most UK manufactured Lotus products.
Now we do make fun of the Lotus Seven S4 today. Its a bit like that uncle you had in the family. You know the one, the anachronistic dinosaur who was a refugee from the 1970s. A safari suit with the flared trousers, mutton chop whiskers, dandruff, paisley tie, epic comb over, always saying the word "groovy." Rikker, I know you have many more years of experience over me and I can just picture you like that. :jester:
Back to the car. An S4 always works best in dark colors. A black one with gold pin striping a la JPS style looked really good. Even I would contemplate driving one of those. A dark green one with yellow stripe up for sale at Wirewheels a few years back also looked good. The 1970s burnt orange look I would give to Rikker to relive his 1970s glory days!