craig chima

Have a really nice RHD early Westfield that I am selling that needs only some minor finishing and TLC to be a really great car. For those who don't know, early Westies are virtually identically to S2 and S3 Lotus 7's chassis dimensionally (hence the lawsuit which forced them to change the later cars) and are very hard to tell from original cars. This was going to be a vintage race car project until plans changed and so now the car is for sale. The car has a very strong running Ford crossflow motor built on 711M block and twin Dellortos. The motor starts and idles easily and pulls strong without any smoke and runs cool. It has a standard 4 speed trans with alloy bellhousing and new starter. Also has a nicely done header and exhaust system that runs all the way to the back of the car (minimizes noise). There is a dual-circuit brake system (i.e. separate front and rear master cylinders -- both are new) with bias bar setup and a Fuel Safe Lotus 7 type fuel cell (these are now $2000) and new electric fuel pump so the car could easily do track days. Shocks are adjustable ride height and adjustable rebound Spax, and the front end is all Lotus/Triumph components per original cars (uprights, calipers, rack, hubs, etc) and the rear is all Sprite based (diff, housing, pumpkin, brakes, etc) which makes maintenance and parts-finding a breeze). All lights, signals, and gauges (tach, speedo, water temp, oil temp) work perfectly as does the horn. The interior and rear parcel area is done in a very nice red vinyl with white piping as per an original Lotus with a bench-type seat that will comfortably fit a 6' driver with up to 32" inseam. There is also a very nice Moto-Lita steering wheel and new plexiglass wind wings with the windshield. The chassis is straight and perfect and was recently restored and the car has all new aluminum skins that look excellent with the 13 x 6 Minilite knock-off wheels and Pirelli P400 tires that are in excellent condition. This is easily a $16000-$17000 car when finished and needs only some minor TLC and finishing to get to that point. As mentioned above, I was originally going to make into a vintage race car (with pre-crossflow 1500) and hence there is no cutout in the hood for the air cleaners (air cleaners included) but I can easily do that for a prospective buyer. The rear fenders are not great but are certainly salvageable by good body man, or new fiberglass fenders can be purchased from several sources for under $500/pr including shipping. I will include the front cycle fenders shown in the pictures or if the buyer prefers will include a nice set of clamshells and appropriate brackets but then holes will need drilled in the side skins. But aside from painting the fiberglass ($1000 to $1500 tops) and some TLC, this car is ready to enjoy as it runs and drives great. I have priced it extremely aggressively at $12,600 as-is, and it is located in Akron, OH. I am also happy to finish as specified by prospective buyer, including fenders, paint, potential rollbar installation, etc so please contact me with your interests. Craig Chima, CC Motorsports (330) 807-0742 or chima97@aol.com

sold

Might have what you are looking for. Send me and email and I'll send you pix of the one I have. Craig chima97@aol.com

Have a pair of 13" Wide Caterham rear fenders that are extra to my needs at the moment. Have been used on a vintage race car and are in good condition. British Racing green with Stainless stone guards on the front. One has a minor (2.5" long) crack on the outside edge that is barely noticeable and would be easily repairable with a layer or two of fiberglass underneath. $150 for the pair. Craig Chima, CC Motorsports, Akron, OH. (330) 807-0742 or chima97@aol.com. I'm going to try to post a couple of pix here, but in the interim, please feel free to contact me via email or phone for pix.

Have the nice alloy valve cover shown in the pix that will fit any Kent motor. $75 Also have a nice set of pre crossflow set of intake manifolds for dual Weber DCOE's $100.Also have a complete 1600Cortina GT motor that spins freely (block casting 2737) $200. plus misc other Kent engine parts so email with your needs. Craig Chima CC Motorsports Akron OH 3308070742 or chima97@aol.comhttp://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=13147&stc=1http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php[/email]?attachmentid=13148&stc=1

Meant to add this to the above post but doesn't happen often so I thought I'd post the picture. Shop is basically full of 7 race cars at the moment. All S2 cars with 1500 Pre Crossflow power and all vintage race cars. Just out of view in foreground is 1972 Mallock Mk 11B for those who couldn't guess and further out of view are Lotus 26R and Elva Courier restoration projects. Leaving today for Road America with the Old English White 7 and Red/Silver 7 along with two other cars (MG Midget and Ginetta G4) so if anyone happens to be heading there this weekend feel free to stop by and say hello. Craig

http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=12971&stc=1

If you are asking about VTO wheels, 16 x 8 is the largest wheel they manufacture in the "Classic 8" spoke version. Craig

Kurt, Not sure if you are going to stick with 16" wheels or go with a different size but as an FYI you might consider VTO wheels instead of Panasports, and likely save yourself at least $150-$200 for the set. I am a VTO distributor and have used them on all my "7" street cars and race cars for 10+ years without any issues and they are equal to Panasports in every respect in my estimation (I've raced for 35+ years and had numerous sets of Panasport race wheels and street wheels). Here is a link to a 15" VTO wheel and as you can see the look is almost identical to a Panasport or Minilite. If you let me know the actual size and backspace (distance from hub face to inner wheel lip) you are looking for I will be happy to get you pricing for exactly what you need. Craig Chima, CC Motorsports, Akron, OH, chima97@aol.com or (330)807-0742 (you can email me directly, or PM me through this website) http://vtowheels-com.3dcartstores.com/Classic-8-Wheel-15-x-7-Silver-With-Machined-Lip-4-x108mm-12mm_p_366.html

Selling a very nice 1600 Ford Kent wet sump oil pan. I believe that someone on the forum was looking for one of these awhile back and know that these are getting a bit scarce since most of the original ones have been converted to dry sump pans over the years. $100 and will include shipping to anywhere in the Continental U.S. for that price. Craig Chima, CC Motorsports (330) 807-0742 or chima97@aol.com call or email for pix if interested. Thanks, Craig

Looking for a core Ford crossflow cylinder head. Need the version with the small combustion chamber in it (i.e. not where the valves are flush with the bottom of the head). Looking for a stock, unmodified head. Craig Chima, CC Motorsports, Akron, OH (330) 807-0742 or chima97@aol.com

Guys, got it done using a large pallet as a base and then built a box around the pallet. Needed to buy some aluminum sheeting for a couple of projects currently in the shop and the aluminum came on a 4' x 8' pallet and that ended up being sufficient to use as the base (with some extra reinforcement). The box ended up being 30" high x 48" wide x 120" long and weighed just over 350# including the chassis and was just over $650 to ship to California from Ohio which I thought fairly reasonable. Should be there mid-week next week. And yes, it's the chassis that will replace the one that got written off during the F Production race at the Runoffs this year. Craig

Does anyone have any ideas on how best to go about shipping a complete, but otherwise bare Lotus 7 chassis (i.e. skinned, but nothing else on it -- just the chassis) from Ohio to California? Probably weighs 175# (some strengthening mods done to it). I could potentially build a crate and stick it inside but trying to avoid that option. Only other thing I can think of is to center it on a pallet and then bolt it down and maybe shrink wrap the whole thing…. Other thoughts or ideas greatly appreciated. Craig

Correct, James. Caterham technically not a Lotus 7 but Kim did win back in '05 in a crash filled EP race as he did a good job avoiding the last lap carnage. I was correct in saying only two wins for Lotus 7 in SCCA Runoffs history. Mike, SCCA never homologated the Ginetta G4 for club racing but it is a popular vintage race car here in the US (and Europe), for the most part using the same running gear as the pre-crossflow Lotus 7 (although some run 1 liter Kent motors, and some run twincams). I won FP in a Midget and EP in an Elva Courier. Craig

Couple thoughts/corrections to add to this thread. Mike, Mid Ohio is certainly not a course that favors aero. Mid Ohio is a classic handling track where if there was ever a chance for a car like a Lotus 7 to win, this was it. Top speeds at Mid Ohio in F Production are in the neighborhood of 128 mph in the front-running SCCA Lotus 7's, from pre-crossflow 1500cc Kent motors, so not a big "aero" influence at those speeds, and besides the back straight, Mid Ohio is all about handling and "transitions" where the Lotus 7 excels. This was why you saw 3 Lotus 7's qualify in the top 7, and none even bother to go to Daytona last year, and likely none will be able to qualify in the top 10 at Indy next year. If there was ever a year for a Lotus 7 to win the Runoffs, this was it and John Walker took advantage of it and congrats to him. He drove a car that his dad has been racing for probably 20 years and I actually did the setup on it on Monday morning before first qualifying. The Steve Hussey car that qualified 2nd may be a total write-off is a chassis that I built from scratch about 10 years ago and is a super-strong car that did it's job in a 120mph impact, and the Peter Morton car that ended up 5th is actually my old SCCA car that I raced in the late 90's and finished 2nd in. Eric Prill raced his dad's (Paul) Lotus for many years and qualified it on pole at the Runoffs in Topeka 7 or 8 years ago but has never won the Runoffs in a Lotus, or in his current Miata. A Lotus 7 had only once-previously won the Runoffs, back in 1978 I believe with Tom Robertson winning in CP, and that car can now be seen at the Barber Museum.

P.S. Need to clarify on the above because had a brief brain fart when doing my prior post. My adjustable arms for stock type suspension have adjustment on the inboard side just like in the picture I referenced above and meant to say that I can provide with or without rod ends, and not the outer ball joints. Further clarifying, the outboard side of my adjustable arm is completely stock, including the outer ball joint. Craig

The adjustable upper arm in the picture that Mike (Kitcat) posted is obviously on a car with a separate upper anti roll bar. I also have a set of very similar upper arms that are "done" and in stock that are very much like the arms in the picture in the post by "TheDingo8MyBaby" and are designed for a stock type suspension. Those arms are fully chrome plated just like the arms in the picture that Mike posted of my car, and I can provide complete with outer ball joints or not. Can send pictures if you like. Thanks, Craig Chima, CC Motorsports

Mike, Thanks for your kind words, and yes, I think that I described the car very fairly and accurately. Priced it that way too, and as such have a tentative agreement for purchase on the car. If anything falls through with the sale I will let everyone know but as of now, I believe it is a "done deal." Craig

This is a really nice, very original 1979 DSK Caterham that I purchased less than 2 months ago with the intent on putting a higher horsepower BDR 1700 cc engine in. As many on this forum know I am an "old school" guy, and am very picky about my cars and this car fit the bill for me. I purchased it from Mark Fortin in Massachusetts who is also a forum member, and over the several years that Mark owned the car, he poured closed to $7000 into various upgrades (I have all the receipts). In the time that I have owned it, I have installed a new Odyssey PC680 battery and aluminum cover, gone through the carbs, ignition system, brake system, done the camber and toe, and basically gotten the car so that it starts easily, drives great and is easy to enjoy (Mark just didn't drive it much over the last period of his ownership and it needed some attention). As it sits, the car is a very solid 8+ out of 10 (and maybe better than that). It is a car that you can drive anywhere and be proud of and even take to car shows, etc. It won't win a car show, but is just a super nice original Caterham. The owner prior to Mark spent probably double what Mark did on a full restoration of the car in the late 1990's (down to bare frame with skin off, etc) and the chassis is still in excellent condition from that restoration. There is a large plastic crate with files and files of receipts of all work done to this car for probably the past 30 years that will go with the sale (see picture). Anyway, in terms of some of the more important particulars, it is a rebuilt 1600 dry-sumped crossflow, with upgraded cam, pistons, and compression, and probably making close to 130bhp. The motor starts easily, idles great, sounds great, has perfect oil pressure and is not "fussy" at all. It does everything that a good Crossflow should do. Trans is close ratio and shifts great. Rear end is obviously solid axle as were all early cars, but has Quaife limited slip with alloy carrier for considerable weight savings. Front suspension has been upgraded to late model Caterham (see picture) with 5/8" sway bar, and shocks are double adjustable aluminum bodied QA1 on the front, and single adjustable on the rear. I have not put a ton of miles on this car, but given the DSK chassis, and the fact that the suspension has pretty much every conceivable upgrade you would every want on an early Caterham the car should be as tuneable as you would every want to your particular driving style (i.e. mild to super aggressive). The car has full length tonneau, soft top, and side curtains. The bench seats were purchased new by Mark and are still in perfect condition and will accommodate drivers up to 6'1" or perhaps even slightly taller than that. All aluminum pieces (skins, hood, cowl, etc) are in excellent condition with no appreciable dents, dings, etc. There are a couple of small stone chips here and there as would be expected for a car that is driven, but the paint is very, very nice. I paid Mark $19,500 for the car which I felt was a fair price for an original DSK car in overall excellent condition, plus have put some time and a little money into it, plus pickup costs from Ohio to Mass. As I posted in the General Forum, I had NO intent of selling this car until a friend of mine contacted me yesterday and offered me his SCCA prepared Lotus Super 7 F Production race car and it has given me the bug to go SCCA racing again after a 10 year hiatus. I need to move this car quickly if I have any hope of buying the race car and am offering it for $20K and am pretty firm at that price and it is very fairly priced for what all is there. I am sure that everyone has seen plenty of Crossflow cars offered in the $25K+ range over recent months and this car is every bit the equal of those with far more desirable lineage. Car is in Akron, OH Craig Chima (330) 807-0742 or chima97@aol.com

Mike, thanks for your post and for stopping by. A couple of additional points of clarification based on the photos. The silver/red Lotus and silver/blue Lotus, are both original 1962 chassis, albeit with considerable restoration and reinforcement to the chassis for racing purposes. Both are vintage race cars, but they are actually prepared to different rule sets. The red car runs to a much more liberal rule set, allowing modified front suspension, separate anti roll bar, etc, whereas the blue car is required to run basically stock suspension (anti roll bar as part of the upper a-arm) throughout. Both are dry sumped pre-crossflow 1498's (1538cc with .040 overbore) making around 170-173 bhp on 112 leaded race fuel. Obviously, a great amount of time, expense, and literally thousands of dyno runs have allowed us to achieve these power figures. The black MG Midget is a customer car that is now on it's way to Texas via car transport service, and the red MG Midget is actually a rather significant car in that it won the SCCA Runoffs in 1978 and is still in nearly identical configuration today as when it won, making it a true "vintage" race car. Lastly, as Mike suggested, the yellow Caterham is my own street car that I purchased a couple of months ago but as of today have decided to reluctantly put up for sale and will be placing an ad in the "cars for sale" section shortly. A longtime friend of mine has just put his SCCA prepared Lotus 7 up for sale and I have the "bug" to go back and do SCCA racing in a "7" after a 10 year hiatus from Club racing and need to move that car quickly if I have any hope of coming up with the $$ to purchase the race car. A person can have only so many toys.

Bump with price reduction to $11,500 including the exhaust. I really need to sell this motor and at this price it is a steal for what is included for an "all steel" dry-sumped BDA/BDR. I have a dry sump tank that fits nicely in a Caterham that I'll also include if that helps sweeten the deal for anyone. Craig

Latest update. Everything now spoken for except one pair of taillights. Thanks to all. Craig

FIA bar and front A-arms now spoken for. All that's left are 1 pair of taillights and 1 pair of the mid-fender stays. Thanks again, Craig

Hi All, Sorry for not being able to post here for the past 5-6 days, but I've been away at a vintage race at Summit point since last Wednesday morning. All of the seats have been spoken for for close to 2 weeks now (hence me removing them from the original posting). The parts listed at the top of the page are all that remain. Thanks for everyone's interest. Kurt, I sent you a PM last night about the other set of fender stays. Cheers, Craig

Complete Dry-Sumped, 1600 Crossflow (.030 over) built with very desirable 711M block. On Dellorto DHLA's with 32mm chokes. Compression is 9.0:1 so runs fine on even 91 octane pump gas. 1.53 intake/1.31 exhaust valves and ported and polished head with upgraded springs and Norris 286 cam. Titan dry sump pump and pan. Approximately 130-135bhp. Includes alternator, distributor, clutch, flywheel, very nice 4 into 2 into 1 header/exhaust system (completely Jet Hot coated) for Caterham and also dry sump tank. Pretty much everything you would need to "plug and play." $3500 for all listed above and would prefer to sell everything as a package deal. If someone wants the motor separately, I might sell the exhaust and other bits separately. A la carte pricing as follows: less the tank $3400, less the exhaust $3100, less the clutch and flywheel $3000. Craig (330) 807-0742 or chima97@aol.com[ATTACH=CONFIG]10870[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]10866[/ATTACH]