Where can I get a nose cone for a Series 2, Lotus 7?

[Bill]

I have a restored Series 2 Chassis (thankyou Nathen Down) and have now discovered that the nose cone that came with the project is incorrect. Any ideas where I could source the correct nose cone? I understand (per Josh Robbins) that the correct nose cone depends on the bonnet length as the rear nosecone shelf has 2 different lengths available. My bonnet length is 37.5 inches. 

[Lotusfan]

I have a new spare nosecone that I bought years ago and have never used. If you can give me some measurements of what you have and what you are looking for I'll check it to see if it is what you are looking for. It's yellow like in your photo and looks similar. It measures about 26 inches from front to the back of the shelf, 24" from the front to the front of the shelf. 

[fotsyr]

All S2 Sevens had a short bonnet that covered the thermostat housing and a longer top section of the nose.. All Caterhams had a longer bonnet, allowing access to the thermostat housing and a shorter top section of the nose. 

[IamScotticus]

There's height difference on the front, also.

I'd like to know that measurement.  

[Eltojoe]

On 4/4/2024 at 9:20 AM, Lotusfan said:

I have a new spare nosecone that I bought years ago and have never used. If you can give me some measurements of what you have and what you are looking for I'll check it to see if it is what you are looking for. It's yellow like in your photo and looks similar. It measures about 26 inches from front to the back of the shelf, 24" from the front to the front of the shelf. 

Do you still have a nose available?

[IamScotticus]

If it helps anyone,

My 90s Cat nose measures 

Tip to bonnet relief lip 23"

Tip to rear edge 24.5"

The Bonnet top length is 38-7/8".

Edited April 21, 2024 by IamScotticus

[Eltojoe]

Thank you

 

[IamScotticus]

Any luck, Bill?

[Bill]

Hi Guys,  apologies for asking for help and then failing to follow up with your kind responses! My feeble excuse is that Chris at Redline said that he could furnish the series 2 nose cone that I need. That may have been a mistake as after 8 months he has not come through. In fairness, he has had trouble with his supplier and I am in no rush.....just taking my time and savoring this restoration. Here are some recent photos.

 

 

2025 Lotus2025 Lotus instrument panel.txt2024 Lotus wiring.txt instrument panel.txt

[Bill]

[IamScotticus]

Oh my goodness,  that's beautiful work.

At least CM gave you a reason.

What axle do you have?

[Bill]

Its a standard Triumph axel with Stegosaurus plate reinforcement. Nathen Down noted that welding on the plate often causes toe-out. Fortunately we discovered this problem with my axel before getting it cleaned up and powder coated. He is reworking it to get it back to neutral or slight toe-in. 

 

Incidentally, Nathen got 4th place in the Formula Ford 2024 SCCA National Championship Runoffs. (then 3rd and on the podium after one of the first 3 was disqualified)

The race is now on YouTube if you want to check it out.

[IamScotticus]

@Bill

What is this clamp used for?

 

[Bill]

Cycle fenders were an option and this clamp was used for the lower cycle fender support

[Timothy Keith-Lucas]

Bad news that Chris M. has not come though in eight months. I have a complete set of Series 2 fiberglass on order from him.

[IamScotticus]

Did you pay for them?

CM is a man of few words

[Timothy Keith-Lucas]

Nope. It's an order at this point. He said that it might be weeks before he received  BRG gelcoat flared wings, snout, and rear fenders. I'm doing the interior upholstery, cleaning up the engine, rewiring, and prepping the aluminum for painting. That last step will have to wait until I get the fiberglass, gien matching the color.

 

Anything that I should be doing to encourage him?

[IamScotticus]

The best advice I've ever heard is to ring him on the phone.  I expect he is swamped with orders and no secretary on staff to track and follow up.  I've made a few inquiries that went cold.

No money, no foul.  You have every right to keep shopping and he has every right to service the orders he can, and pass on one's he can't,  or put them in eternal limbo. I've never heard of him not provisioning a paid order.

 

Just keep in mind that there are plenty of other parts he can provide.  Try buying something small you need, like a clutch package.  He's good for that and may keep you on his radar.

Edited December 24, 2024 by IamScotticus

[EdWills]

Hey Scott and Bill.

 

Just found this post, and checked my files for other measurements on my Seven.  For a replacement Lotus nose cone from Redline, Chris advised in 2020 that the replacement colours available are yellow, green and red.  He also provided information that the inside measurement dimension - where it is held by the Dzus fasteners on the top of the chassis - is 25-1/2 inches with easy flex of 1/4 inch larger or smaller.  I have checked a nose cone that I purchased from Mick at Xtra Special Sevens, and his is slightly narrower than this to fit nicely on the chassis. 

 

Arch (Bruce Robinson) advised me some time ago that their "current Lotus S2/3 bonnet is 37 1/2 inches (measured along the centre line).  This would have been an average length of what had been previously produced". It came without any cut-outs for the 1/2 ice cream scoop or the cut-out for the downdraught Weber carb. He later advised that Arch were no longer selling the Lotus bonnet, but I'm not sure if this was temporary or permanent?  

 

My notes from my original car show that the the Lotus Seven nose cone from the very front to the Dzus fastener centre is 23-1/2 inches and the scuttle is 8-3/4 inches from top to bottom measured in the middle.  The centre of the Dzus bracket on top of the chassis, to the front of the chassis is 12-1/2 inches for a Lotus Seven S2/3, and this is confirmed with other Seven chassis drawings on the web.  I don't know if they are still posted, but Pat Prince who is/was a Seven chassis builder in the U.S., posted a series of drawings for a S2/3 taken from a Lotus Seven chassis.  Likewise another gent posted measurements from his Series 2.  Just a note:  There were two chassis builders of the Series 3 - Unirad and later Arch.  Each built their own jig with measurements supplied by Lotus.  My replacement Arch chassis does not exactly correspond with measurements that I took from my original Unirad chassis.  There is not very much in it, and possibly of no consequence, but adjustments may be required if fitting panels, for example, from one to the other. If anyone requires other measurements, I can check the drawings I have from the various sources, to hopefully come up with a satisfactory answer. W.

 

 

[EdWills]

On 12/23/2024 at 7:51 PM, IamScotticus said:

@Bill

What is this clamp used for?

 

Scott.  My 1969 Series 3, built in October 1968 and fully completed by Lotus, had one of these clamps fitted either side to my Unirad built chassis. Lotus was still using Series 2 specification chassis/body units for the Series 3 in late 1968 into 1969, only requiring Unirad to add an extra bracket for the extended exhaust as well as seat belt fastenings to the chassis frame (with other additions to the car by Lotus).  Unirad also used metal plates on either side of the two top wing mounting clamps to reinforce the clamps on the top tube in the form of a 'sandwich'.  Arch never seems to have adopted this procedure, merely welding the clamps directly to the top tube.  My car also came fitted with a front licence plate bracket, which the second owner made removable.  At the time, there was a requirement in the province where I live, to have a front licence plate attached.  This changed to a rear plate only, some time after.  I have only seen a couple of photos of Sevens (Series 2 or 3) in the U.S. or Canada fitted with the front licence plate bracket (another removable one on this site in Edmonton, AB, Canada), and assume that owners sawed them off?  There are old photos of Series 2 cars being loaded onto car carriers at the Lotus factory fitted with the bracket, but not many  - on Simple Sevens for example - still sporting them. W