HankMauel

Hank, that is simply a beautiful build story and an exceptional conclusion to what must have been a lot of work. I had gone back through your threads and even noticed that you worked hard to match period style glass for the windscreen. Good job.

 

I was wondering however if the non-stock engine was of any concern. Wondering why you didn't rebuild the stock engine that came with the car?

The "stock engine" was long gone. The Twin Cam dry sump was part of the previous owner's bastardization of the car into (we guess) was to be an autocross vehicle. The pictures of the condition at the start of this project don't do justice to just how bad the car was abused.

With all that in mind, and with Mike Ostrov having a Lotus Seven America with the stock 948cc BMC engine (a roaring 36 horsepower) I decided to go to the Seven America configuration, but use the last iteration of the BMC A Series...the 1275cc found in the late Spridgets. (Please note that the car could be returned to a "bone stock" configuration quite easily with a 948cc motor as the mounts are the same) Rebuilt by Seven Enterprises here in Auburn (who build SCCA championship Mini Cooper engines/transmissions) it was bored .010 over to get 1310cc, with a mild cam, twin SU's and the four branch exhaust, it has an estimated 90 HP and loads of bottom end torque (a guy has to have some fun out there on the roads!). Added a Gustavsen hi torque starter in the process along with a Pertronix ignition. The Spal cooling fan is independently switched and fused and provides air flow in any stop and go situations of length. I completely rewired the chassis, using one gauge heavier wire in all runs, along with marine grade spade connectors. The gauges were all sourced to be period correct...Seven Americas had chrono tachs, I added a chrono speedo. And since I had been a fan of the original Prisoner tv show which I first saw in the late 1960's, I went with the green and yellow motif, but left the lower body natural aluminum.

It was a challenge, but an immense source of fun, to rebuild it into what you see now. But, approaching our 70's (like next November) the car is just "too much"...the missus doesn't like being wind buffeted any more, and I can't blame her, and much prefers the more refined ride and civility of the Lotus Elite. So, the Seven will be available for someone to become the next caretaker, to enjoy it, maintain it and pass it along in due time to another aficiando. Thanks for all the nice comments about the car.

Say it is not so Hank! :willy_nilly:

Yes, it's true. Not a fire sale but time to make room in the garage for the Elites and momma feels more comfortable in them than the 7. And after putting up with me for 48 years, and the 7 for 7 years, well.....

Look here for some details :http://www.simplesevens.org/2073/2073.htm More info available via PM.

How are those attached and isolated underneath? I don't need any clamps. I just need to properly mount the horizontal strap to the floor with proper isolation.

My mounts are fabricated "T"s. The top of the "T" holds the SS clamps while the leg of the "T" is bolted through the chassis tube just ahead of my passenger seat and through the chassis tube at the base of the passenger foot well/firewall at the rear of the engine bay. No iso mounts and it's been fine for 6 years.

My 1962 Lotus Seven will be up for sale soon. PM me if interested.

I got the spam from Bykajigo the other day. He was signed in as a "Guest". Got StephenMt earlier in the week. He was shown as a "Jr. Member" and spam came from Czech Republic. Today I got another from KorbGype, also shown as a "Jr. Member", apparently in Russia judging by the untranslated language.

I think I'll disable my PM function also until this matter is rectified.

Added: KoprbGype appears to be on line as of 10:40 AM west coast time. He and the others have no "User Info" posted on our site.

+1 for Reliable. Had my Elite shipped from LA to home in NorCal last year. Not cross country, but when they unloaded it, it was certainly prepared and secured for a cross country trip. Husband and wife driver team were wonderful...clean, neat, spoke English and appreciated the cargo they were transporting.

Pictures of the new shoes and the designer insoles. I wore them for a drive to a car show and then to a party on Saturday. They did well for new shoes and a lot of walking.

 

They felt better than my sneakers or the Pilotis while driving the Caterham today.

You be STYLIN'!

I have a similar set up with a mirror mounted on the lower portion of the windscreen support bracket. Too low for most rear vision but it's "legal" in CA. Scuttle mirror shows mostly the spare tire so I have a suction mounted mirror, top of windscreen, left of center. Works great. It's a "watch the baby in the rear car seat" application!

Taber,

 

You're welcome.

 

The green/yellow is OK for me too. It doesn't make much sense that the same shoe in blue with a different number on the toe would cost nearly $100 more. Blue with a 7 on the toe is a perfect match for my Caterham.

Stirling is still alive and probably getting an "endorsement" fee. Jimmy Clark, not so much. Still, a nice price score for you. Post up some photos of you, your new shoes and your car when they are all together at one time.

Sizing was "normal"...I wear a size 9 and ordered that...fits nicely like a driving shoe should. Wore them on the California Mille...4 days, 1000 miles in our Elite... this last spring and no discomfort at all. Use them in the 7 with success, too. Here are photos of me "suiting up" Monday morning at the start of the CA Mille.

I bought a set of these to go with my Green/yellow Lotus 7:

Look up Clark suede driving shoes. Cost about $70. Very comfortable and work well in both the 7 and my Elite.

Here's the link: http://www.worldclassmotoring.com/jim-clark-suede-driving-shoes/

Allan...I'm using the Kuhmo Solus KR 21 P155/80R13 with a wear rating of 640!

I'm using the Kumo Power Star 758 tires ...skinny and a wear index of about a "diamond" so they do slide a bit...all the more fun.

Keep at it...you'll be glad you took your time, sourced your needs and then started work. Keeps the work flow continuity rather than the starts and stops waiting for the next piece to arrive.

Yeah...I watched the Prisoner on it's original 1968 showing here in the US...and I was already married! Now I have the entire set on cd's!

Hey Hank;

 

That is a gorgious car, and I love that "Prisoner" paint scheme. I think like many others, that was my first sight of a Seven. I bought all new polished aluminum for my S2 from Caterham ( NOS from a PO bought years ago) and it still has the blue protective film, so I am tossed in keeping it all polished aluminum with BRG fenders and perhaps a Yellow nose, but still on the fence about that, need to see a few first. The Seven I have was in boxes and incomplete, so I am still searching for those hard to find bits like the Wing Guard tail lights, Smith's Crono's, and AC gauges. So not yet sure how original I can get the car, but nice to see that you went the extra mile on the glass stencil. BTW, do you know how the bottom frame rail ties into the top frame once the glass is installed? Is it just a friction fit being trapped by the side sanctions and scuttle, or is there a mechnical fastener of sorts. Thanks again Allan

It's not just the Prisoner paint scheme....

http://usa7s.com/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=4677&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1355783620

Hey Hank;

 

That is a gorgious car, and I love that "Prisoner" paint scheme. I think like many others, that was my first sight of a Seven. I bought all new polished aluminum for my S2 from Caterham ( NOS from a PO bought years ago) and it still has the blue protective film, so I am tossed in keeping it all polished aluminum with BRG fenders and perhaps a Yellow nose, but still on the fence about that, need to see a few first. The Seven I have was in boxes and incomplete, so I am still searching for those hard to find bits like the Wing Guard tail lights, Smith's Crono's, and AC gauges. So not yet sure how original I can get the car, but nice to see that you went the extra mile on the glass stencil. BTW, do you know how the bottom frame rail ties into the top frame once the glass is installed? Is it just a friction fit being trapped by the side sanctions and scuttle, or is there a mechnical fastener of sorts. Thanks again Allan

Thanks, Allen.

The lower windscreen frame (over the scuttle) is attached with small, threaded machine screws (countersunk heads) down near the junction of the lower bar and the vertical upright portion of the top bar. This is down below where the "point" of the safety glass terminates and the screws are hidden by the side support/attachment mounted lower on the scuttle side. I will look in my files to see if I have any photos showing this from when I replaced the glass. Maybe another member has a windscreen apart from the side supports and can offer some photos.

Now, if you want to get REAL picky, the original glass was from Royal Doulton and had a small, acid etched name at the bottom center of the glass. I had a rubber stamp made of it and my glass man did the etch using that stamp. I still have it, someplace in the shop. If you want to use it, I'll search it out. Here is what it looked like:

Here are two low down, head on views of my windscreen. There is no provision for "rake" on the bottom frame member. It sits proud of the scuttle and the space is filled with the rubber trim gasket.

Here are additional dimensions from my windscreen:

A....taken at the center of the windscreen...is 11 1/4". The top frame rail does NOT have a flat surface...it is in an arc so the "A" measurement will change at various point along the arc.

D...32 1/4" taken at the first top attachment pin on front of frame.

G....1 3/4", again at the first top attachment pin.

E... 15 1/2"

F... 3/4"... typical on all frame pieces.

RB...2 1/2" INSIDE radius

Both "C" and "RH" should be from a template taken from your scuttle. This will also provide you with the arc profile up and over the scuttle from one side of the car to the other.

Hope this helps...

Here are some basics dimensions from an old 2011 posting elsewhere:

I'd make a template from your actual scuttle for the lower radii bends. I'll try to get an upper radius off my windscreen and send it along.

Not in California on my 1963 Seven.

If you can't wait until next week, the Bugatti and Alfa 4C shows are on Science (Ch. 193 on DISH) at 6:30 and 7 PM West Coast time today. Repeated at 9:30 and 10 PM.

What I'd really like is a small four cylinder motorcycle engine back there to get the sound right but there just isn't enough room. I may have to cut a hole in the rear body panel for this larger Predator engine to clear the valve cover.

How about one of the smaller (500cc) Japanese twin cylinder MC engines? Set it in one gear (to optimize the rev/torque range) and use a centrifugal clutch. Or get real adventurous and figure out a shifter system....and raise the roll bar height!

Only 3.5 HP. and you bettered a Miata time. Dang, that low to the ground you must have felt like a rocket! Keep us posted on the effects of the "new, larger displacement engine";)

What kind of motor (size, type, power) do you have in that little giant?