The Other Cars of USA7s Members (Non-Se7ens only)

[mrmustang]

That would be the one

[Croc]

14 hours ago, scannon said:

 

Are you referring tho the flight I made in a certain Miata?  I claim the record for the longest flight and highest altitude in a Miata.  That black line in the background is the track where lift off occurred on a banked turn at about 70 mph.  The rear wheels are about 3' off the ground.

 

 

 

Still one of my favorite photos.  

 

However, you are only in the running for the longest flight in a Miata award.  @Boxologist also did a similar leap in his Miata in rural eastern PA one day on the local Lotus group drive.  Launched over a deep ditch, cleared through a hole in the shrubbery/hedge while airborne and landed in a freshly plowed muddy field.  I think @11Budlite was there that day in his Birkin?  He came around the corner to the sight of me sprinting back along the road to find Jon. 

 

We may never know the winner.  However, I'd prefer to be deep in mud than s%$t and maybe that gives you the moral victory!   

 

Thanks for sharing the photos of the Corvette - you have not aged in the 12 years since you last educated me on how to drive a CO canyon!

 

 

 

[11Budlite]

I'll never forget that day. We came around the corner and wondered where the heck Jon went. Other than that mishap it was a fun day!

[S1Steve]

That was a PALS event. We were headed home and I went a different route . I told Jon not to turn off the Launch Control. Thank God that wasn’t in his Caterham…🤦🏼‍♂️😂😂

[MV8]

I've been slowly tinkering on a spitfire I bought at Road Atlanta many years ago at the Mitty. It had been badly butchered for a ford v8 and T5 so I made a very low offer for if it didn't sell over the weekend to bring it to my house. It was just a roller and no v8 or T5 and headed for the scrap yard. Extensive frame modifications, no body flares, filled the bonnet opening back in yet clearing a gm v6-60 with T5 as far back and low as practical, fabricated spindles based on a '96 ford taurus with mustang aluminum two -piston calipers, brembo rotors, and a narrowed ford thunderbird 8.8 disc brake irs. The wheels are 15x7 tbird twin spokes with 205-50-15 that required me to downgrade the SHO rotors to the standard size for caliper clearance. I'm having to make everything. Looking to finish up the irs this summer.

[Croc]

20 hours ago, MV8 said:

... a gm v6-60 with T5 

 

Is that the Buick 3.8L V6 unit you are referring to?

 

Hows the frame strength?  These were reputedly a bit of a wet noodle for strength but I have never seen one in person close up.

 

 

[Croc]

 

Time to share another project car.  1982 Ferrari 400i.  Yes it has a V12 with 5 speed gearbox.  I think of these as Daytona/365GTB experience for 10% of the cost.  Found one on Bringatrailer which was being beaten up by the usual uninformed peanut gallery.  They were asserting it needed a valve job (head off) and had been in an accident (because it had a color change), etc. (not true).  History was not known plus incomplete service records.  Clearly some deferred maintenance which I could deal with.  Peanut gallery were hung up on mileage at 120,000 miles.   It even was featured on Jalopnik as the world's worst Ferrari: 

 

Treat Yourself To The Best Version Of The Worst Ferrari (jalopnik.com)

 

 

So I bought it fairly well.  I then got a renegotiated price as the alternator conveniently failed before transport and they are not cheap via Ferrari (but are cheap if you source the same one as a GM part via Napa...).

 

 

 

History is now fulled defined and documented.  I am good at research so it just took time.  I know all the owners since new.  I have all service history paperwork since new.  It had no accidents.  The color change from Blue Sera to Rossa was done by the original dealer at the request of the first owner buying.  Door card has been pulled off to verify the original color inside.  Interior is all original - just needed a very good clean plus some electrical work on a few dash switches.  Door locks and handles were messed up - replacement is Fiat 130 part.  The true mileage is 71,000 miles.  One trick to these cars is that they were never intended for this market.  So they were bought in Italy and imported as one-offs.  To Federalize they just slapped a MPH/mile stick on the dials and did nothing else.  The odometer clicks over on km but the label says miles. 

 

The red exterior does no favors to the styling.  The styling on these cars only work - and work well - in dark colors as the crease lines are shown best.  I have plans to take it back to its original navy blue color.   The photo shows it as looking somewhat gawky and ungainly - its not that way in real life.  

 

 

Engine/drive train are all in good order.  The trick with these gearboxes is never stress them when cold, particularly 2nd gear.  Always wait for them to warm up fully.  If you do need to drive when not up to temp then low revs, nice slow changes and skip 2nd gear (i.e. go 1st to 3rd).  The plastic bits on the fuel injection needed replacing - that was the worst job.  

 

Plus it has pop up headlights 

 

 

 

I have another similar era V12 engine in a Lamborghini Espada and the experience is very different between the two.  The Ferrari is sewing machine smooth.  Quite precise and "finger tippy" to drive.  More of a city car than intercontinental GT car.  The 400 is an injection era car and it does miss out on the earlier model's weber intake noise.  But its smooth and refined in traffic.  Far quieter than the Espada.  I let @S1Steve loose in it once - what were your impressions Steve?

 

 

Interior is the one from the 365GTB from the early 1970s.  All lovely detail touches that were lost in the move to plastic in the 1980s.

 

Currently off the road while I wait for a radiator after I lunched it while doing a full bore acceleration run to prove it was "now reliable" (famous last words).  Covid has messed up Italian supply chains sadly.  

 

Where is @Bruce K  - time for you to share a car.

 

 

 

 

 

[MV8]

2 hours ago, Croc said:

 

Is that the Buick 3.8L V6 unit you are referring to?

 

Hows the frame strength?  These were reputedly a bit of a wet noodle for strength but I have never seen one in person close up.

 

 

Actually that is a 2.8l I had sitting around as a place holder for mock up. It will probably be getting a 3400.

 

Imho, the primary lack of torsional rigidity comes from no radiator core support between the IFS turrets and no stressed inner fenders or transmission tunnel. The original chassis is basically thin walled 2x3 and while what I've put back in is a bit thicker walled, it won't fix that. Just bolting in a trans cover that isn't abs plastic would help a lot. I fabbed the turret brace pictured but it isn't complete. I also made the alt bracket and mount brkts that use dodge truck v8 engine mounts about the size of a credit card. The black left side brkt was a first draft. The exhaust manifolds started out like this. I used dodge v10 exhaust studs and copper sheet to make gaskets.

The IFS turrets originally served as the engine mounting brackets. My engine is much further back than any original or modified GT6 or spitfire I've been able to find no matter what engine was installed. This allowed me to address the anti-ackerman and bumpsteer by narrowing, raising and moving the rack aft several inches since the engine was not in the way. Of course, no swing axle leaf sprung IRS and much longer lower control arms by narrowing the frame rails.

I also think blue is a much better color for that style ferrari.

Edited December 17, 2022 by MV8

[panamericano]

Croc,

 

Definitely agree on the conservative color for the 400.  I briefly had a grey one and it was invisible cop-wise compared to a red.  No-one noticed it or saw a Ferrari coming.  Makes it much easier to drive around.  One of the best ways to enjoy a V12, Though I loved a BMW 750 V12.

[Bruce K]

Great topic, Croc - everyone's OTHER cars!  In my case, remaining cars, because I was required to sell my gorgeous Caterham.  This happened because the wife capped me at three sports cars for the time being, and I never want that to happen again, because, believe me, getting capped hurts!

 

For all with any interest, my Caterham is now SOLD.  After a brief bidding war, the Cat went to an enthusiastic young man from NC for $53,500.  Because the new-to-my-garage third car is receiving updates and repairs in Atlanta GA, I agreed to deliver the Caterham on my way to pick up the Lola.

 

For me, the Lola is automotive sex, like it was in our twenties - still mysterious, incredibly exciting, just a skosh naughty, and all wrapped in a lithe and lissome body.  When I first laid eyes on the ad for the car, I was instantly transported to Watkins Glen, the Back Straight, yards from the rail, eardrums thwacked by dopplering straightpipes.  A Can-Am car with 383 mouse built to bursting by Hypercision!  Genuine AP racing brakes and Fuel-Safe cell.  An ex-works fiberglass body of Renaissance perfection laid over an aluminum and steel monocoque.  HSR and SVRA logbooks.  A flyweight English roadster for the ages - or in my case, the aged.

 

My Lola is a hybrid replica – a mixture of old and new - re-engineered via CAD / CAM for dual purpose street and track.  The exterior proportions are precise – the car wears factory panels from Huntingdon.  Track and wheelbase also match.  Original AP racing brakes drop anchor, and the underlying structure is familiar aluminum monocoque.  But the monocoque in my Lola is mated to a steel ladder frame, for improved resistance to harsh public roads.  For the same reason, the a-arms, uprights, hubs and spindles are C4 Corvette (fragile spindles nearly killed John Surtees while campaigning his famous red Lola at Mosport in 1965).  Additionally, the car is LHD, with a wider cockpit favoring passengers girthier than Wicket the Ewok or Tattoo from Fantasy Island.  But the list of street creds was incomplete.  Designer John Gyann of Can-Am Creations intended to produce a series of cars.  However, a recession intervened, and he produced just two in 2003, neither of them fully outfitted for street.  Turn signals, high beams, horns and much more were missing.   All are now supplied.  The car has a Georgia title, and will be plated in Michigan for road use.  Because of the HSR and SVRA logbooks, I may be able to fulfill a bucket-list dream of obtaining a racing license and competing in vintage events.

 

 

My purchase also included an expert inspection, and thus an opportunity to meet Jason Plante, proprietor of Balanced Performance Motors in Cumming GA.  I grew enamored of Jason and his second-generation knowledge of race and street performance.  His acumen, references and communication skills were superior, and so were his Georgia labor rates compared to high-cost Michigan.  Jason won the bid for a long list of upgrades and repairs.  He soon retrieved the car from Atlanta Motorsports Park, long my Lola’s home.  Thus were completed the first steps on my journey of a thousand miles.

 

At Jason’s enclave, Lola body panels flew up against the walls.  Her naked frame exposed vulnerability and lack of mass, not unlike  a boudoir experience.  Also exposed were the reasons for The Attack of the Killer Cockpit Fumes:  Blowback leaks from manifold couplings.  That, plus resonators that would no longer pass decibel muster at track, let alone the boulevard, meant a complete restoration of the exhaust system including new ceramic coating.  The grungy wheels required refinishing, with black and clear coat to match my car’s intended livery:  Lola T70 # 83 piloted by the immortal A. J. Foyt.  The carbon fiber spoiler on my car was replaced with raw aluminum to match # 83.  All the original rubber-cored lines wrapped with stainless weave were rotted or bulging - these were replaced with Teflon-cored varieties including new -AN fittings.  Every variety of fluid, and every hose, belt and tire, plus boxes of hardware were renewed.  Dual Hella air horns with steering wheel button were fitted.  New headlights with high intensity LED bulbs, integral turn signals and a convincing tri-bar look were installed.  The AP brakes went back to their factory for refurbishment, and ditto the QA-1 shocks.  A 14 gallon cell was fabricated by Fuel Safe. The 500 pound spring rate per corner was deemed essential for track days, and was not reduced – from other track cars converted to boulevardiering, I'd learned that a secondary thick memory foam pad under the seat cover substantially tames a track-capable ride.  A full tuneup and corner-weighted four-wheel alignment were the raisins in the spotted dick.

 

I'm still deciding where to have paint and livery applied - GA or MI.  White images below are the car with current livery.  Blue images are the livery I intend to apply:

 

 

Edited December 18, 2022 by Bruce K

[S1Steve]

18 hours ago, Croc said:

 

Time to share another project car.  1982 Ferrari 400i.  Yes it has a V12 with 5 speed gearbox.  I think of these as Daytona/365GTB experience for 10% of the cost.  Found one on Bringatrailer which was being beaten up by the usual uninformed peanut gallery.  They were asserting it needed a valve job (head off) and had been in an accident (because it had a color change), etc. (not true).  History was not known plus incomplete service records.  Clearly some deferred maintenance which I could deal with.  Peanut gallery were hung up on mileage at 120,000 miles.   It even was featured on Jalopnik as the world's worst Ferrari: 

 

Treat Yourself To The Best Version Of The Worst Ferrari (jalopnik.com)

 

 

So I bought it fairly well.  I then got a renegotiated price as the alternator conveniently failed before transport and they are not cheap via Ferrari (but are cheap if you source the same one as a GM part via Napa...).

 

 

 

History is now fulled defined and documented.  I am good at research so it just took time.  I know all the owners since new.  I have all service history paperwork since new.  It had no accidents.  The color change from Blue Sera to Rossa was done by the original dealer at the request of the first owner buying.  Door card has been pulled off to verify the original color inside.  Interior is all original - just needed a very good clean plus some electrical work on a few dash switches.  Door locks and handles were messed up - replacement is Fiat 130 part.  The true mileage is 71,000 miles.  One trick to these cars is that they were never intended for this market.  So they were bought in Italy and imported as one-offs.  To Federalize they just slapped a MPH/mile stick on the dials and did nothing else.  The odometer clicks over on km but the label says miles. 

 

The red exterior does no favors to the styling.  The styling on these cars only work - and work well - in dark colors as the crease lines are shown best.  I have plans to take it back to its original navy blue color.   The photo shows it as looking somewhat gawky and ungainly - its not that way in real life.  

 

 

Engine/drive train are all in good order.  The trick with these gearboxes is never stress them when cold, particularly 2nd gear.  Always wait for them to warm up fully.  If you do need to drive when not up to temp then low revs, nice slow changes and skip 2nd gear (i.e. go 1st to 3rd).  The plastic bits on the fuel injection needed replacing - that was the worst job.  

 

Plus it has pop up headlights 

 

 

 

I have another similar era V12 engine in a Lamborghini Espada and the experience is very different between the two.  The Ferrari is sewing machine smooth.  Quite precise and "finger tippy" to drive.  More of a city car than intercontinental GT car.  The 400 is an injection era car and it does miss out on the earlier model's weber intake noise.  But its smooth and refined in traffic.  Far quieter than the Espada.  I let @S1Steve loose in it once - what were your impressions Steve?

 

 

Interior is the one from the 365GTB from the early 1970s.  All lovely detail touches that were lost in the move to plastic in the 1980s.

 

Currently off the road while I wait for a radiator after I lunched it while doing a full bore acceleration run to prove it was "now reliable" (famous last words).  Covid has messed up Italian supply chains sadly.  

 

Where is @Bruce K  - time for you to share a car.

 

 

 

 

 

Well my Italian Heritage came poring out when I drove it. Your pictures don’t do it justice, it’s in top form. When the Espada comes home, that will probably be my new favorite..  Enjoy your Christmas down South..  Cheers Steve…

[toldfield]

I left the car world for a few decades and recently returned with my S-3.   While I was away from cars I fell into airplanes, so while this isn't a car it is a previous toy that is about as useful as a Seven.  Eventually we painted it red and rented it to Hollywood for movies and TV shows before selling it to Art Scholl.  Twenty gallons of gas and a quart of oil an hour was not prohibitive at the time.

 

Tom

 

[panamericano]

Now that is real flying, not sitting in a jet liner.   I got a wonderful ride in a Steerman, aerobatics and all.  Just super.  I think I paid like $30-$40 for the ride.  Worth ten times that.

[Bruce K]

A back-seat ride upside down a mile up in the sky?  For me, the logic in that proposition is what's upside down!  The plane looks neat, though.  Biplanes are so evocative of another era - of WW!, of barnstorming, of leather caps and long silk scarves.  They possess an undeniable pioneer spirit, an aura of possibility, a promise of freedom.

[MV8]

Should be dual controls and the pilot normally flies back seat. If you can taxi without ground looping, you can probably fly it.

[panamericano]

Bruce, the coolest part was a hammerhead.  After a fast dive, he headed up till the wings stalled and it fell over backwards.  Plenty of altitude to regain control.  

 

The next crazy trip to that air strip was to go up in a glider.  With a genuine WW2 German glider pilot.  The real surprise was when we found an updraft, it didn't "glide" up at an angle, but just felt like it was pushed straight up like a strong, fast elevator.  

[Bruce K]

I agree, those were incredible experiences, not duplicated in most ordinary lives.  But something must have happened to me during the last 40 years.  It's like I now believe that I could die while performing certain acts of bravado.  I never believed that while I was a kid or a young man.  I don't know what's wrong with me, but the concept of sharing crowded airspace with WWII fighters and bombers while riding in flivvers built of wood spars and canvas is offputting.  If I am totally honest, I must use the term frightening.

[toldfield]

2 hours ago, Bruce K said:

I agree, those were incredible experiences, not duplicated in most ordinary lives.  But something must have happened to me during the last 40 years.  It's like I now believe that I could die while performing certain acts of bravado.  I never believed that while I was a kid or a young man.  I don't know what's wrong with me, but the concept of sharing crowded airspace with WWII fighters and bombers while riding in flivvers built of wood spars and canvas is offputting.  If I am totally honest, I must use the term frightening.

At this point I agree with Bruce K.  Maybe it is that I've done enough dumb/scary stuff over the years that I don't want to take the chances that I used to or I fear the odds could be catching up with me.  But I'm okay with a Seven.

 

MV8 is correct, the pilot sits in the back seat.  The engine was a Pratt & Whitney R-985.  450hp at full chat and nine cylinders.  Buying 18 sparkplugs was ok, but adjusting the valves took an entire day.

[SENC]

1969 Lotus Elan S4.  This is the car that stoked my interest in wrenching on cars.  My dad bought it from the first (maybe second) owner around 1980 - it had been used for rallies and the like.  Dad always liked these little cars and had grown up working on cars, so this one that needed some love was perfect for him.  He restored it mechanically and had it resprayed (original color), and it was a daily driver for him for a number of years.  He also rallied it a bit.

 

I bought it from him about 10 years ago, as he had gotten to the age he couldn't get under it to work on it anymore - and 20+ years after it's restoration (a lot of them outside), it was needing a refresh.

 

I'd never really worked on cars other than helping him as a child.  I started out working on the brakes and then suspension, and found I really enjoyed it.  The gearbox leaked badly, so it came out (with the engine) and I rebuilt it.  The car is off the road again now as I need to investigate a valve issue.

 

A hugely fun little car.

 

[JohnCh]

As long as we're talking about yellow Elans...  I've lusted for an Elan since I was a kid and was finally able to scratch that itch 4 years ago.  It's ridiculously narrow, immense fun, and shockingly competent for a car introduced nearly 60 years ago.  The previous owner spent a bunch of money on a mechanical and interior refresh and various upgrades, including springs and shocks from Tony Thompson Racing in the UK, RD Enterprises header, small alternator, alloy fuel tank, Euro-style intake, bigger radiator, dual cooling fans and a few other items.  I added a hollow front ARB from Kelvedon, Michelin XAS FF tires (very grippy), swapped the spare tire for a lightweight compressor and tire repair kit, gear reduction starter, a programmable 123 Ignition that had the curve set on the dyno, and spent a lot of time tweaking the rebuilt Stromberg's to improve throttle response.  The car tips the scale a touch under 1500 lbs and never ceases to impress down a back road.

 

 

 

 

 

-John