rcollum

We ended up with a fair showing - 14 Lotus, but I had the only Seven there. It never rained, so we had a great time! A really good variety of Lotus models - my Seven, plus an Emira, a couple of Evoras, Elises, Exiges (including a really cool S1 Exige!), an M100 Elan, and two older Elans - and, an Esprit! --Bob Collum

Please note that, due to predicted rain, GYLO has a new date: September 27! ALL Sevens are welcome! Our twice-a-year event is very casual for any newcomers. We hand out awards for popular vote and have a raffle for all attendees. The record turnout for the event is 44 cars and we always hope for a couple more. The event usually lasts a couple of hours and folks come together for lunch afterwards. Note we have a new location as the old one in Great Falls is under construction. ● Date: Sunday, September 13th 27th ● Time: 9:00 AM ● Location: Changed! We are heading back to the ECLM hotel, Hilton Hotel Fair Lakes: 12777 Fair Lakes Circle, Fairfax, Virginia 22033

*** PLEASE NOTE: The date for our GYLO event had changed, due to weather. The new date (reflected below) is Sunday, Sept. 27th, starting at 9:00AM. *** OK, my Seven is clean, and ready for our Get Your Lotus Out event, being held Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, at 9:00AM at the Hilton Fair Lakes, 12777 Fair Lakes Circle, Fairfax, Virginia. It's a nice, big, safe parking lot. We will have a popular vote among the attending cars, and also a raffle for attendees that bring a Lotus or Seven. Join us for lunch at the hotel after, if you like. Attendees often organize drives, to or from the event. Please join us! --Bob Collum

Our twice-a-year event is very casual for any newcomers. (We welcome ALL Sevens!) We hand out awards from a popular vote and have a raffle for all attendees. The record turnout for the event is 44 cars and we always hope for a couple more. The event usually lasts a couple of hours and folks come together for lunch afterwards. Note: We have a new location as the old one in Great Falls is under construction. ● Date: Sunday, September 13th, 2026 ● Time: 9:00 AM ● Location: Changed! We are heading back to the hotel we used for our East Coast Lotus Meet, back in May, 2026: Hilton Hotel Fair Lakes: 12777 Fair Lakes Circle, Fairfax, Virginia 22033 Attendees often organize drives, before or after our GYLO events. Please feel free to do that! --Bob Collum, NoVA Lotus

That looks good; not exactly like mine, and, like mine, you'd need to fabricate and attach a horizontal piece to attach the Kenu - if that's your choice. --Bob Collum

Several years ago, I bought a simple, spring-aluminum strip from somebody on LotusTalk. (Sorry - I cannot find the post anymore!) It just fits over the dash - clips over the top edge of the dash, to underneath. The maker suggested some complicated mount for a phone, which I didn't care for. A friend just bolted a horizontal bar to the front of it, and the Kenu mount grips that horizonal bar perfectly! I have not had a problem with it. Good luck! --Bob Collum

After owning a lovely 2007 Jaguar XK Coupe for a couple of years, my wife admitted she was never comfortable with the driving position. No matter what she did with the many seat adjustments, she just was not comfortable driving it! Eventually, we decided to sell it, since the point was, we would have a 'fun' car we could both enjoy, besides our daily drivers. She said the fateful words (bless her!), "You can buy anything you want -- IF you sell the Jaguar first.." Music to my ears! The Jag went up for sale, shortly after. As soon as it was sold, I found our Seven, here on USA7S. We have both enjoyed the Seven, ever since we bought in, in 2015! --Bob Collum

EXACTLY!! I liked mine in the Seven so much, I bought another, and had a friend fabricate a mount, so I could use it in my Elise!

Almost by accident, I found this KENU mount online. $20 from Amazon, securely holds any phone I have tried, to the cowling, next to the steering wheel. Simple, and pretty stable! --Bob Collum

In the end, because I REALLY wanted the Orcus wheels, which are 15", I went with the Nankangs - 195/50 on the front, 205/50 on the rear. A good friend had them on his Birkin, which (like my car) has the Ford Focus SVT engine. He loves the tires, and they fit very well! The guy that mounted and balanced the tires was confused, when I told him the pressures I used were 20PSI all around. He was leaning toward over 30PSI, but I am currently trying 22PSI - we'll see how that works. I'll probably do the chalk line across the tread and sidewalls, to see if I have any unwanted tire flex. (So far, seems fine!) Thanks for the input! --Bob Collum

Me, signing the paperwork to ship my '72 Twincam off to the new owner in Detroit, back in 2001. I was the second owner, when I bought it in St. Louis, back in 1980. Drove it over 100,000 miles (it was my only car for several years, in St. Louis!). I owned the Europa for 21 years, through moves from STL to Houston, to Seattle, to Virginia, NJ, and back to VA. In 2001, I needed to sell the Europa, as we had a two-car garage - and two new cars, that needed to be garaged. We bided our time, and bought our Elise in 2007. 10 years ago, we were in a position to replace our beloved Europa with what I think is the PERFECT replacement - the Elise, and our Seven! --Bob Collum

I just got new wheels & tires on my Seven. I went from 14" wheels, and 185/60R14 tires, using 20lbs pressure, all around. I now have 15" wheels (picture below), with Nankang Sportnex CR-S tires, in 195-50R15 front, 205/50R15 rear. (Thanks to Greg Kuter from Time Machines, for the wheels!) Any suggestions on tire pressures? My Seven has the Focus SVT engine, so not crazy powerful, but it's 1323 lbs, with a full tank. Thanks, Bob Collum (Edit: I am trying 22lbs, all around. I will draw a chalk line across the tread, onto the edge of the sidewall, to see if there is excessive flex, over the next week or so.)

BTW, I am having the new wheels & tires installed tomorrow morning (7/27/26). Speak now, and I can have them leave the four x Dunlop Direzza ZII Star Spec Tires mounted. The tires are date coded 4115, but still sound, since they are always garaged.

I just got a new set of 15" wheels. I have 4 x 14" Minator wheels, available for pickup. Decent condition. Northern Virginia, outside Fairfax, VA. --Bob Collum

COOL JPS!! I loved how Lotus had the nerve to charge ~$100 for the black paint, and admit that they had to do extra sanding of the top, so the waves in the 'glas didn't show! Here's a couple of pics of my old Europa TC - (now living in Holland!) --Bob