rcollum

Thanks, Paul. We're thinking it's the fuel pump, which I believe is inside the gas tank. --Bob Collum (I love Europas; has a '72 Twincam for 21 years...)

This morning at Katie's was an interesting mix of good and not-so-good experiences... We had a good turnout early, but intermittent rain started around 7:30AM, which chased quite a few away. I did not have the top on my 7, so I got in to take it home, but it would not start. Many, many Katie's regulars spent a fair amount of time helping diagnose the problem. It seems like it may be a fuel pump problem, but I was able to get a flatbed tow from still another Katie's regular. During all this, a gentleman came by, and introduced himself... It was our own Mazda Ebrahimi! He added his expertise to the diagnostic process, and helped narrow down the possible issue and fix. Thanks! Here are the few pictures I had time to take this morning. I am thankful that I was among so many friends when I had such a car problem! --Bob Collum P.S.: A reminder - ALL Sevens are welcome to come to our Get Your Lotus Out event, next Sunday, 9/20/15, from 9:00AM - 11:00AM, at Katie's lower lot. We are following this event up with our Lotus picnic, which starts at Noon in Burke, VA. RSVP to me if you'd like to attend either! Here are the details: http://www.usa7s.net/vb/showthread.php?10692-GYLO-10-Get-Your-Lotus-Out-Sunday-9-20-15-(All-types-of-Sevens-welcome!) [ATTACH=CONFIG]9622[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]9621[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]9623[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]9624[/ATTACH]

Thanks, Michael!

Welcome to the area, Dave. If you like, send me an email - Robert(underscore)collum(at)Hotmail(dot)com and I will add you to my email list, so you are aware of Lotus events in the area. --Bob Collum

Sure thing, Michael - here are a few more from Saturday. Sorry, the ones I tried to take on Georgetown Pike didn't work. Is the alignment on your front tires OK? --Bob Collum [ATTACH=CONFIG]9604[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]9605[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]9603[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]9606[/ATTACH]

Not from Katie's, but at the Sunday cars & coffee event at Dulles Landing, on 09/06/15. I figured folks here would appreciate a high-dollar custom like this Moal Aerosport. Built by Steve Moal, based on a 1936 Ford, it has a supercharged Thunderbird engine. --Bob Collum [ATTACH=CONFIG]9602[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]9601[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]9600[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]9599[/ATTACH]

For the first time in a while, we had two Sevens at Katie's Cars & Coffee. This event, which runs every Saturday morning, always has interesting vehicles. Please note that we will hold an event for Lotus (including all Seven variants) here at Katie's on Sunday, September 20th. (We are holding the Lotus event on a Sunday to avoid the crowds of Katie's on Saturdays.) - http://www.usa7s.net/vb/showthread.php?10692-GYLO-10-Get-Your-Lotus-Out-Sunday-9-20-15-(All-types-of-Sevens-welcome!) Michael D came out with his Caterham, and I brought mine. I include several pictures of other interesting vehicles from the morning. --Bob Collum

Thanks, everyone! I contacted one of the US Distributors for Newton Equipment, and he was nice enough to suggest that he could sell me a brand-new lock module with two keys. Slomove, I hadn't considered the possibility of not locking the cap. That's also an option. Going for a drive with a friend tomorrow - looking forward to it! --Bob Collum

Sorry, not a very technical question, but I bought my '06 Caterham 3 weeks ago, and it had one set of keys. I found the ignition key blank, thanks to a post on this site. Now, I need to find out what the keycode is for the locking gas cap from Caterham. My local locksmith could not suss out where the key came from. Any help would be appreciated. A picture of the cap and the key, below. A side question - is there a way to reach someone at Caterham USA for parts orders? Thanks! Bob Collum

Our 10th-ever Get Your Lotus Out event is approaching. As of this writing, we are less than 3 weeks away - time to start RSVPs. We have moved venues - we will hold this GYLO at Katie's Coffee (760 Walker Rd in Great Falls, VA), on the lower parking lot. This is on a Sunday, so we should not have to worry about crowding. The event will run from 9:00AM - 11:00AM. Please RSVP if you will be coming. As we have done at GYLOs past, we will have a popular vote for 'favorite Lotus', and will have a drawing for door prizes. After GYLO, we have a bonus - Jenn and Tim Glahn will have a picnic at their house in Burke. We will caravan down there after the GYLO. The picnic will start around Noon. If you'd like to go, great - please let me know how many people you will have in your party. The Glahns will provide burgers and hot dogs, and water and soft drinks. We ask attendees to bring a side dish or dessert. If you have not been to a GYLO before, you're in for a treat - lots of interesting cars and car people, and a party atmosphere. This will be our first-ever NoVA Lotus picnic, so come be part of it! (For those in doubt, this is a social event; if your Lotus is laid up or just not available, come on out anyway - we will have separate parking for non-Lotus, and a liberal policy of what is a 'Lotus'.) Thanks, NoVA Lotus Here are some pictures of people having fun at previous Get Your Lotus Out events: [ATTACH=CONFIG]9586[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]9585[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]9584[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]9583[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]9582[/ATTACH]

My mistake, Paul. Those gravity F1 cars are beyond sleek!

This is the 'Lotus kart', though I understand they are built by 'Wildkart', and I do not know how much Lotus engineering is in them. http://lotuskarts.com/ --Bob Collum

Tom, you had Norm's Seven correct. Skip, absolutely correct - that is the Barber Museum's Lotus Type 119 gravity racer. The others - Michael D.'s BMW had to stand in for his Seven, which he's still working on. My wife and I drove up to the party from Virginia, she in the Elise, and I in the Seven. Michael came up the entrance ramp to 495, honking and waving. I thought it was some crazy man, but saw the 'Lotus' on the hood, and at least I knew where the crazy man was going. He helped us take a route to avoid most of the traffic. The Prisoner Edition Seven is Kevin McGovern's. The Fisher Fury I saw at Katie's Cars & Coffee in Great Falls VA, on Saturday morning. I chatted briefly with Kevin Kearney, the owner. Below is Norm B's trailer and tow vehicle, and the view over our Seven's bonnet of our Elise. --Bob Collum

I saw some cars & people of interest to this group this past Saturday, 08/29/15. Who can recognize the cars by owners? Extra points for anyone who knows what the second vehicle is. --Bob Collum

Besides, nobody worries about a Seven damaging their car opening the doors!

You're absolutely right, Paul - thank you. I have corrected my post to reflect the dates of the Princeton Lotus Owners Gathering being August 4th thru 8th, 2016. The newly-created LOG 36 website is here - http://www.lotusownersgathering36.com/ (That's my red Elise in the upper-righthand corner of the LOG 36 website!) --Bob Collum

Please note: Next year's LOG (Lotus Owners Gathering) will be held August 4th thru 8th, 2016 in Princeton, NJ. Have no doubt, Sevens will be welcome. Below, some examples of Sevens at this year's event in Colorado Springs. (The last picture is of two Sevens at the summit of Pike's Peak!) --Bob Collum

More than Sevens here, but I have met several Seven owners, and I am gathering good information! --Bob Collum [ATTACH=CONFIG]9519[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]9518[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]9517[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]9516[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]9515[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]9514[/ATTACH]

Lots of interesting cars here, not the least of which are lots of Sevens! --Bob Collum

Thanks!

Thanks, Mike - I'm enjoying your car! --Bob Collum 2006 Caterham 7 SVT (bought)

It has the DeDion rear, a Zetec SVT engine, and a 5-speed. 14" wheels. Never had a spare - just looks like the bracket that should hold the rear plate is missing.Did our first blat today, filled the tank, and took it to a Highway Patrol weigh station. Full tank, no driver - 1320 lbs! (My Europa was 1475 lbs, and my Elise is 1975 lbs.) I can see that my wife will be wanting to drive this every weekend!--Bob Collum

I think it's appropriate that the first place I post a picture of this car is on this forum, since I found this car via Croc's "lots of Sevens for sale" thread. Thanks for that! I've been on the Seven periphery for a long while. I have owned two Lotus, a '72 Europa Twincam for 21 years (sold in 2001), and still have the '07 Elise we bought new in 2007. I've known I wanted a Seven since I first drove one, probably over 20 years ago. Circumstances finally fell into place recently, and my wife is as excited about the new purchase as I am! My first order of business is to find a rear license plate frame, since I have the rear plate light fixture, but can't see a way to mount a plate.[ATTACH=CONFIG]9482[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]9481[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]9483[/ATTACH] --Bob Collum

Very impressive! Love the BDP! --Bob Collum

I am in the beginning stages of looking for a Caterham. My question is, does anyone have fairly recent experience getting a car from another state (titled an a 60's-era Lotus 7) titled in Virginia? I understand that the motivation to register the car as a 'continuation' or 'replica' is to avoid extensive emissions testing. I just need to know if it will be possible to register in VA, given the discrepancy between what it is, and what the title says it is. I understand that there is some requirement to be able to prove that major components (chassis and engine) are not stolen. I'm hoping Caterham USA can provide something like an archive document, proving they sold the chassis. I'd have to rely on the owner to provide a document proving they bought the engine installed. Am I missing anything? --Bob Collum