Lotus_Repair Posted May 4 Share Posted May 4 Just joined this group. Many might know me from other groups. I just added my 10th Lotus to the collection in the Motorhouse. I am now the owner of the Super 907 S4 prototype. I am starting the evaluation process of what it needs and what parts I will have to source or make. Who is supplying S4 specific parts now? With Kyle's help I am learning more of the history of this car as i sort through all the photos and docs. I got a large stack of photos of the factory building the S4 cars. Chris K Maryland 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theDreamer Posted May 4 Share Posted May 4 WOW, Is this the car? If so very interesting... https://gglotus.org/blog/2010/09/20/super-907/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MV8 Posted May 4 Share Posted May 4 Very interesting story. I guess each seat is four inches wider with the body and chassis eight inches wider than a traditional S4. What S4 specific parts do you need? More photos please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted May 4 Share Posted May 4 A Steel Bros S4 was the first se7en I ever drove back when I lived in Australia. I think they were better made than the S4's that came out of the UK. Great back story to this car - very worthy project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carz01 Posted May 4 Share Posted May 4 Wow..what a great story and S4. I’ve always contemplated a 907 in a Seven. Please post some engine pics, they would be great to see. Have fun with this project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotus_Repair Posted May 4 Author Share Posted May 4 Matching up the parts that are Europa or another Lotus is not a problem. It is the parts that are only for a S4. On a quick inspection of the rear i noticed that one or both of the upper radius arms will need to be replaced. I know there are rear suspension items that are bent from the crash. I am going to start a new thread in the general section for topics on the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotus_Repair Posted May 5 Author Share Posted May 5 (edited) What I do need to locate is the chassis dimensions for repairing some accident damage on the rear suspension area. I will need to align the repairs when I get to that stage. Is there anyone else here with a Steel Bro car? Also need to find a wiring diagram for a S4 Edited May 5 by Lotus_Repair Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MV8 Posted May 5 Share Posted May 5 I don't know where you can find shared chassis repair data. The rear suspension Z-link upper arms are bent by design at the front for axle tube bump clearance. The rest of the upper link, the lower link, and the A-frame tubes are essentially straight. I suspect that in the side-view, the straight section of the rear links are parallel to the front links at loaded ride height (rear link chassis eye higher than the axle eye) for some anti-squat at the expense of pinion angle in bump and tighten on roll (oversteer). I doubt the unique, large compliant mounts on the chassis are available. You may need to make bolt-on spherical mounts to replace them (such as a 1/8 flange, a 1/8 wall tube boss, and a press-in 1/2 inch id spherical insert). Other bushes are likely y9 and 636. The rack should be from an escort mk2 (short pinion). I don't expect the wiring is much different from an s3. I've not seen an s4 specific schematic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted May 5 Share Posted May 5 11 hours ago, Lotus_Repair said: What I do need to locate is the chassis dimensions for repairing some accident damage on the rear suspension area. I will need to align the repairs when I get to that stage. Is there anyone else here with a Steel Bro car? Also need to find a wiring diagram for a S4 You are are the only Steel Bros car owner on USA7s. I am aware of one other Steel Bros car in the US but thats because it came up for auction once years ago - I don't know the owner. There is some specific information on S4 cars in the technical library on this site: Assembly manual Design Analysis From distant recollection (like 30 years ago), the Steel Bros wiring harness is different to the Lotus S4 as it was developed locally in NZ. There is some generic Lucas electrical detail in the library that may be of use since most components will likely be Lucas as NZ mostly imported from the UK at that time as it had no manufacturing base - find it by going top left menu bar BROWSE -> DOWNLOADS and then looking under electrical. To answer your earlier question on parts sourcing - some ideas: There is not going to be a single source supplier anywhere - be ready to use some creative thinking. Much of the parts were common with many of the mainstream Lotus cars of the time. Trying to do a match of those parts to another Lotus model through somewhere like RD Enterprises in PA will solve most suspension, drive train, electrical component items. A lot of Steel Bros S4s went to Australia. A lot stayed in NZ. Plugging into with a NZ or an Australian Lotus forum to find those other owners will connect you to people who have solved the problems you are trying to solve. Some discussion on Steel Bros has come up on an NZ based forum that I follow called Roaring Season. Its been useful for tracking down the history on two of my (non-Lotus cars over the years. A quick site search pulled up this link: http://www.theroaringseason.com/showthread.php?414-Widebody-S4-Lotus-Seven/page6 While it is dated (2012 is a long time ago), you may be able to reach out to some of the participants on that thread. One contributor (Binzy1) said he owned a Steel Bros car. There may be more information on that forum for Steel Bros with a bit of searching. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdWills Posted May 8 Share Posted May 8 Hi Chris. Dennis Ortenburger in his book 'Legend of the Lotus Seven' on pages 106 and 107 provides information on the Super 907 twin cam, and the deal between Lotus and Steel Brothers, heavy equipment manufacturers in Christchurch, New Zealand. I would try and copy the information to add here, but the book is new and doesn't fit very well in my printer. Steel Brothers only manufactured the cars until 1979 according to Ortenburger, as new safety regulations came in force in New Zealand at that time, and the 907 could not meet the standards. I contacted Steelbro in 2002, and a Mr. Alistair Coleman of Steelbro confirmed that his company sold the jigs, but understood that they had been sold on again to Club Lotus New Zealand, based in Auckland. He provided a contact phone number for Warwick Chandler in Auckland. Murray Osbourn of Club Lotus confirmed that they were attempting to keep the Series 4 going by providing parts and chassis for owners of the Series IV.. We are talking here about the early 2000s, so I do not know if this still holds true. As Steelbro were manufacturing the 'original' Series IV alongside Arch and Griston Engineering, parts should be interchangeable, except probably for the 907, as the chassis was stiffened to the tune of 20 lbs. of extra metal tubing, and widened. If the rear suspension links that you are wanting to repair weren't altered from the original IV jigs, Arch should still have the capability to either repair or fabricate new ones (preferably with bushes in place?). I have a very brief story of the Series 4 or IV if preferred, at anglocanadianlotus7.ca provided by the mechanic who worked on the Lotus production line. Tony Weale in his book also provides excellent details on the Series IV. hope this helps. Will. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IamScotticus Posted May 8 Share Posted May 8 Tony Weale's book, Lotus Seven, has an impressive chapter on the S4. 26 pages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MV8 Posted May 8 Share Posted May 8 Still looking for a deal on Weales' book. Just picked up Ortenburger's "legend" book ($7) and "The independents" book ($27) second hand in "very good" condition on ebay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdWills Posted May 8 Share Posted May 8 A good source of information regarding the Lotus Seven Series IV is a gent in Germany by the name of Hajo Steffen. He has produced a couple of Youtube videos, and runs the German Series 4/IV club. I do not have his current contact details, but he can be contacted via Youtube or Facebook? He can advise on parts availability as well as history on the Series IV as necessary. Will 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MV8 Posted May 8 Share Posted May 8 https://www.youtube.com/@hajosteffen9288/videos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdWills Posted May 9 Share Posted May 9 Redline Components U.K. has the chassis mounted rubber bush part number 046D 6000 in stock for just over 43.00 Pounds Sterling (each), if this is the part that MV8 was referring to above? This is/was possibly a front or rear bumper mounting rubber used on a different make and model of car, or possibly on another Lotus as an engine mounting rubber insulator. Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MV8 Posted May 9 Share Posted May 9 (edited) I'm sure that is it. 6000 is the right number. Here is a pic. Also used as the rear radius arm mount on the Esprit. Edited May 9 by MV8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdWills Posted May 9 Share Posted May 9 Someone going by the name of 'Barnblinker' http://barnblinker.com has very kindly taken the time to download the entire Lotus Seven Series IV parts and service manual on to his site. The Lotus Seven parts manual by Caterham covers the Series 2, Series 3, and Series 4, if you can find a copy. Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdWills Posted May 9 Share Posted May 9 (edited) This site (below) may be the same source as the assembly manual alluded to by 'Croc'. Apologies if this is duplication on my part. W. 2 hours ago, EdWills said: Someone going by the name of 'Barnblinker' http://barnblinker.com has very kindly taken the time to download the entire Lotus Seven Series IV parts and service manual on to his site. The Lotus Seven parts manual by Caterham covers the Series 2, Series 3, and Series 4, if you can find a copy. Will Edited May 9 by EdWills Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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