2004 WCM S2K for sale by editor of our Super Seven Manual

[Bruce K]

My 2004 WCM S2K Super Seven is for sale. This is an extreme performance vehicle, comparable to the 260 HP Cosworth-massaged Caterham SVR. The factory Wilwood brakes are phenomenal, and I have spent years dialing in the suspension, fuel, lube and other systems. The car's miniscule weight of 1,250 pounds is propelled through six gears by an all-aluminum 243 HP, 9,000 RPM, Formula One-derived Honda S2000 engine. 0 to 60 arrives in just over 3 seconds, insuring that you will not be shamed at streetlights by anything less than a Dodge Demon - and if you meet that Demon on a road course, it's arrivederci, baby!

​

My Seven is a full roadster, with individual windscreens and no top. ​ T​he ​​S2000 engine and trans ​have recorded​ 13,000 miles from new. The Subaru WRX rear suspension was upgraded to a 3.9:1 ratio LSD. Every brace and suspension mod recommended by the manufacturer has been installed, plus a complete new set of nylon and teflon heim joints, new uprated Moog ball joints and both bump-steer mods. Also fitted is a rear-mounted 3-quart Canton Accusump, which pre-oils the motor upon startup and adds oil if the pump cavitates in long turns. The engine is equipped with a Moroso baffled 7 quart aluminum oil sump - including the Accusump and lines, over 10 quarts of Amsoil racing synthetic 20W50 oil are available to the motor (Amsoil used exclusively since new). Also installed is a rear-mounted two-gallon anti-surge fuel system, so the engine cannot starve for fuel in long sweepers. Both the aforementioned fuel and oil systems, plus the mounting bracket, are aluminum for weight savings. ALL fuel and oil lines are stainless steel braided with -AN fittings. The new PIAA 525 halogen headlights with high and low beams and LED running lights are incredible - I have seen them reflected over a mile away. The exhaust system was cat-deleted and ceramic-coated last year. Note the GoPro camera mount on the roll bar. The driveshaft is new. The Toyo R888 rubber is excellent. Not shown in the photos are new carbon fiber aero-style side view mirrors, and a 170 degree field-of-vision stalk-mounted center mirror - over $700 in mirrors. The steering wheel is detachable Sparco and horns are FIAMM air (Ferrari sound). I recently installed an improved AEM System ECU and dyno-tuned the motor. The cost was $1,600, and including the cat delete, the engine gained 6 HP over stock to 243. Car has been corner-weighted and aligned every spring by the best - Charlie at Auto Europe in Birmingham MI, using their four-wheel laser alignment rack.

 

The car has been stored in a heated garage, and never driven in rain or snow. I am the second owner.

 

The sale also includes a a set of mid-life Hoosier slicks mounted on Black Diamond 10" W x 15" D lightweight steel racing wheels.

 

For the Californians among us, this car has a standard Michigan title indicating year and make "1966 LOTUS", so tailpipe or other emissions tests should not be required to acquire plates.

 

And since I am editor, the sale will most assuredly also include a copy of the "WCM S2K & Other Sevens Maintenance & Upgrade Manual", a 190 page master plan for modding and maintaining this awesome sports car.

Following are some older photos. I will add new images in the following weeks. I will also provide additional details in subsequent posts. $32,000. PS - I will continue to edit and distribute our manual, even if I am without a Super Seven for a while:

 

http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=13355&stc=1http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=13356&stc=1http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=13357&stc=1

Edited November 16, 2017 by Bruce K

[RGTorque]

best of luck Bruce. S2k's seem to get snatched up fairly quickly. i hope this one comes to the north east!

[Bruce K]

Thanks, Roman.

[Croc]

Beautifully presented. Great color choice for the car - it goes so well with the shape of the body.

[Bruce K]

Thanks for the compliment. When I picked up the car in Virginia from the original purchaser, it was 10 o'clock at night, and the color reminded me of washed-out robin's egg blue. The next day, when I dropped the trailer loading ramp and brought out the car, I was flabbergasted - in the daylight the color was perfect, with just enough metallic. Going down the road, she looks like a high blue sky with no clouds.

[Mondo]

Good luck with the sale... one of the most dialed in S2Ks out there!

[Bruce K]

Thanks, Mondo. Since I purchased my vintage 911, I've decided I must learn how to drive a rear-weight-bias car. My 911 provides a driving experience in many ways similar to my Super Seven - light chatty steering; instant turn-in; gut-wrenching braking; 0 to 60 in just over 3 seconds. But there's also that big supercharged motor hanging out over the rear axle, which has earned these cars the sobriquet "widowmaker". I've got to learn how to handle the oversteer, or get used to facing oncoming traffic at the local track! So, I will sell my magnificent Super Seven and purchase an older unmodified 911 that I can risk at the track. My vintage Porsche was so beautifully constructed, and so recently completed, I cannot risk running her into the armco. Here's a photo:

http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=13364&stc=1

Edited November 15, 2017 by Bruce K

[Kitcat]

I like how you roll:).

What are the tire sizes on your Ultralite-they look huge.

I think the fastest car I have ever driven was Romans Ultralight, and that was just poking around near the paddock.

Love your hot rod 911, but am also pretty smitten by the green 356 next to it! I am 70+ years old and Lotus 7's and Porsche 356's were my "gateway" cars in my early teens. I still cant get them out of my head....

[Bruce K]

Thanks, Kitkat. You don't write like you're 70+ - probably don't drive like it, either. My wheels are the stock 17" diameter units provided by Lorren, and the widths are 7.5" front and 9.5" rear. The tire sizes are 225/45 on the front and 275/35x17 rear. More info regarding workable tire sizes and wheel offsets and diameters is available in the manual.

 

The car has a Michigan title and license plate, and displays excellent street manners - in fact, it provides a better boulevard ride than my old Jag XKE. Though eminently tractable, these cars are cunningly fast, both in a straight line and on the track. I attend one or two HPDE track events a year to maintain my driving skills. At one event, I ran 6 consecutive laps with a race-only monster Vette. We ran so close, the lead car was blue-flagged every lap, and had to exchange positions with the follower. The most fun I ever had while wearing pants. And that guy had to read my license plate every time I passed him: "SUPER7"!

 

The 356's are really pretty, in a jelly-bean sort of way. However, I can't get past the 64 horses. Well, yes I can, in less than one second, and that's the problem - no torque thrills, momentum driving only. I feel the same way about the old Mini-Coopers as you do about the 356's. But if you drive a vintage 1275 Mini, your memory won't line up with the experience - it's nimble, but not nearly as quick to accelerate or brake as your remembered. And it pushes way more than a modern Mini.

Edited October 20, 2017 by Bruce K

[Bruce K]

These images show the new center-mounted 170 degree field-of-vision carbon fiber center and matching side view racing mirrors. You can also clearly see the laser-cut Super Seven logo on the grill, obtained from our member in Australia. I welded the logo onto the grill, then had the entire assembly polished and powder-coated:

 

http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=13371&stc=1

http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=13372&stc=1

http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=13373&stc=1

Edited October 26, 2017 by Bruce K

[xcarguy]

Beautiful, well-sorted car, Bruce. Someone will get a fantastic ride.

[Bruce K]

[Bruce K]

Here's an email response I submitted to an interested party. It contains important info on the car:

 

"Compared to a Honda S2000 sports car, the WCM S2K has more driver's side interior room, and many more potential seat and belt adjustments, but also a bit less passenger hip room. This is due to the use of a narrower seat on the passenger side, in order to allow more hip room for the driver. This adjustability was a design imperative, as competition drivers of all sizes must find relaxed, purposeful positions in their WCM S2K. The WCM S2K has an illustrious race record, including podium finishes in many lengthy enduros and more - these accomplishments are not acquired without properly accommodating the driver.

World Class Motorsports is not currently producing these cars. Production ended just short of 100 vehicles. However, nearly every part is a stock item from Summit Racing, Wilwood, Honda, Subaru and more, or can be readily fabricated. A significant exception is the hood. Lorren (the WCM manufacturer) has several hoods in stock, and also the molds, so hoods can be produced on demand, including in carbon fiber if you MUST shed those final few pounds. However, except in the case of a significant collision, the hood is fiberglass and eminently repairable. And if the collision is more than significant, the car will likely be totaled, so the issue is moot.

On the fabbing front, I cracked an upper front a-arm about two years ago. I pulled the a-arm off the other side, and had a local shop produce a mirror image, using slightly stronger steel, for about $150. The crack was detected on a weekend, and the car was back on the road by the following weekend. Think of the WCM S2K as a race car for the road. Most parts are available from speed shops, and the rest from major manufacturers like Honda and Subaru. In addition, our comprehensive manual provides parts lists and detailed repair instructions. This puts the WCM S2K, though out of production, head and shoulders above every Caterham, new or old. Caterhams (and Birkins, Westfields, Donkevoorts and many other Seven variants) rely on multitudes of proprietary parts. I have owned several Caterhams, and the delays and expense of ordering parts from England was a frequent nightmare. That was one of the reasons I chose the WCM S2K when I elected to get back behind the wheel of a Seven - parts availability."

Edited October 26, 2017 by Bruce K

[Croc]

BUMP to the top of the list for the best looking WCM Ultralite on the planet! :cheers:

[spitfun]

Is that your Cobra as well? Did you buy it over the last couple of years and is it an FFR with a Mach 1 supercharged motor in it? Sure does look like the one I owned a couple years back... Rich

Edited November 2, 2017 by spitfun

[Bruce K]

I owned that Backdraft Racing Roadster with 402 CI Roush motor, BMW suspension, Wilwood big brake kit for about 5 years. Lot's of fun, but my Super Seven was just as fast, cornered better, and was more fun because it required less effort and attention to drive. 2 sports cars is my limit, because I can't get enough saddle time in more than 2 sports cars. I sold the Backdraft and went looking for a very particular Porsche. Once I found it, it took exactly (to the day) 6 months and 100 emails to conclude the purchase. A very unique car, quite similar to my Seven in many respects - small footprint, very light, big power, huge brakes - see images above.

[Anaximander]

I owned that Backdraft Racing Roadster with 402 CI Roush motor, BMW suspension, Wilwood big brake kit for about 5 years. Lot's of fun, but my Super Seven was just as fast, cornered better, and was more fun because it required less effort and attention to drive. 2 sports cars is my limit, because I can't get enough saddle time in more than 2 sports cars. I sold the Backdraft and went looking for a very particular Porsche. Once I found it, it took exactly (to the day) 6 months and 100 emails to conclude the purchase. A very unique car, quite similar to my Seven in many respects - small footprint, very light, big power, huge brakes - see images above.

 

Bruce, As a former owner of a Cobra clone car and a sevenesque car, you have reinforced an issue that had been told to me and reportedly was personified by a group of Cobra owners excluding Sevens due to being badly shown up in a racing venue. I have long admired Shelby's design but have come to recognize that for a fraction of the cost, I can own a car that is as fast and can in some circumstances handle better than a Cobra or clone. OTOH, it is a real testament to cottage manufacturing in the USA that FFR has done so exceptionally well in the kit car business.

[Bruce K]

Agreed on FFR. Also agreed that a properly set-up Seven, compared to an equivalent Cobra, will likely outhandle the Cobras. The suspensions are similar, and the hp-to-weight are similar, but the Cobra weighs a lot more - usually about twice the weight. That's the biggest difference, to my mind. Remember, a Seven has 80% of the tread width and swept brake area, but only about 50% of the weight. That makes a huge difference at the end of every straight - the Seven can keep up on all but the longest straights, but needs only one-half to two-thirds of the brake zone. On tracks with very long straights, like Grattan outside of Grand Rapids MI, the advantage of the Seven's light weight is somewhat mitigated by lack of aero.

 

For anyone interested in purchasing my Seven, I will provide a report from a certified auto appraiser indicating a value of $35,000. Super Sevens are considered collector cars, plus the title reads "1966 LOTUS", providing a legal age of over 30 years, even though the car was built in 2004. The titular age and the appraisal will enable you to get 7 to 10 year collector car financing at low rates. In fact, you may be able to finance the entire purchase.

http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=13511&stc=1

[Mikey]

I was drooling over this car when the previous owner had it listed and you beat me to it. I actually had it as my background for a while. Beautiful car just out of my price range unfortunately. GLWS

[Bruce K]

Well, see what you can work out. I am about to list it on Ebay for a higher price. The current price continues to apply for USA7's members only. Good luck!