Lotus Exhibit

[Christopher smith]

Looks like the Simeone Museum will be having a pretty big Lotus event this Saturday. It is very near PHL airport. and worth going at any time but this Saturday may be special with a number of 7s and lots of other Lotus models along with a great bunch of historic race cars you might want to see. Worth the trip if you can make it.

[S1Steve]

[wdb]

I live roughly an hour west of the museum and have been there several times. It's worth a visit even if they weren't currently filling the hall with Lotus history. Dr. Simeone was far ahead of his time in desiring to preserve race cars rather than restore them, and the collection just drips with authenticity. As for the Lotus contingent, Ray of R.D. Enterprises fame will have his Elan there, maybe also his Lotus Cortina? 

 

That said, the weather Saturday is supposed to be atrocious! I wanted to attend but will have to wait and see.

[CBuff]

If it runs thru the 23rd. Maybe there is a weekend between now and then that has some seven friendly weather. Keeping an eye out. 

[wdb]

Saturday is actually looking better. Bad stuff is holding off until late in the day.

[CBuff]

Trying to motivate to make the run on Saturday. Going to be brisk. 

[Christopher smith]

I hope the weather guys are correct that the snow will hold off until very late in the afternoon but who knows. I live close enough so I'm not too worried. Hope to see everybody there who can make it

[Christopher smith]

Nice exhibit .They have examples of 6,7,9,11,23 Elan ,Elite , Europa and all sorts of more recent Lotus varieties and a couple of formula cars ( F5000 looked great)

Plus in the permanent collection real treasures from Maserati, Ferrari, Alfa, Ford GT, Daytona coup, 917, lightweight Corvette, Cunningham, Jaguar 120, C and D type etc, etc.

Definitely go if you can.

[wdb]

Fun day, cool cars. (I left before they rolled the 'Tourist Trophy' cars outside for Demo Day.) Here are the 7's, or nearly so:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the latest addition to the collection, unveiled for the first time today -- Lotus 30 with 289 Ford power:

 

[Christopher smith]

The 30 certainly was a great looking car. I don't think it had a great deal of success in Can-Am since it was up against McLaren and the Lola t70s but I still like it. The lotus 19 was in on the ground floor before Can-Am when it was called us rrc and people started putting V8 engines in the back instead of the Coventry climax. The lotus 23 at the exhibit was a tremendous success and lots of people tried to copy it.

[slowdude]

15 hours ago, wdb said:

Fun day, cool cars. (I left before they rolled the 'Tourist Trophy' cars outside for Demo Day.) Here are the 7's, or nearly so:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the latest addition to the collection, unveiled for the first time today -- Lotus 30 with 289 Ford power:

 

I just missed you. Rolled in right as they were starting the cars. 

 

Dang.

 

Also the lotus cortina will always be a big favorite.

 

 

[wdb]

1 hour ago, slowdude said:

 

Also the lotus cortina will always be a big favorite.

 

 

I sssoooooo craved one of those back in the 70's.  Couldn't afford it, ended up with a Cortina GT.

 

Sorry to have missed you.

[Christopher smith]

1 hour ago, wdb said:

 

I sssoooooo craved one of those back in the 70's.  Couldn't afford it, ended up with a Cortina GT.

 

Sorry to have missed you.

I sure remember the early days when the team was racing lotus cortina. Jim Clark of course was driving one but there was another fellow I saw I think it Watkins Glen that was really impressive. They certainly lifted a wheel very high going through the corners. But they somehow kept the cars upright at least most of the time. I think that driver was Sir John whitmore. Lots of great memories with the early lotus cars and now having a seven helps relive some of that although not on the track as I'm getting a bit old for that sort of thing

[slowdude]

1 hour ago, wdb said:

 

I sssoooooo craved one of those back in the 70's.  Couldn't afford it, ended up with a Cortina GT.

 

Sorry to have missed you.

I am looking at a rust free 2 door GT shell out in cali to transplant my GT running gear into and I just do not have the space to do it. It hurts big time after seeing that MK1.

[Christopher smith]

I guess that Mk1 GT running gear has a lot in common with some of the Series 2 Super 7s like the 1500 pre-crossflow (minus 2x40 DCOE and Cosworth cam originally anyway)  4 into 2 into 1 exhaust and same gearbox.

Is yours an early one with the early  rope seal rear crankshaft set-up?

[slowdude]

9 minutes ago, Christopher smith said:

I guess that Mk1 GT running gear has a lot in common with some of the Series 2 Super 7s like the 1500 pre-crossflow (minus 2x40 DCOE and Cosworth cam originally anyway)  4 into 2 into 1 exhaust and same gearbox.

Is yours an early one with the early  rope seal rear crankshaft set-up?

They have the A arm in the back too. Basically they took the early live axle with the A arm and threw it in the back.

 

I've got a 69 so slightly more refined driving experience and interior. Engine is formula ford spec, cams, 1600cc and 4 way disk brakes. Big deal for back then.

[Croc]

1 hour ago, Christopher smith said:

I sure remember the early days when the team was racing lotus cortina. Jim Clark of course was driving one but there was another fellow I saw I think it Watkins Glen that was really impressive. They certainly lifted a wheel very high going through the corners. But they somehow kept the cars upright at least most of the time. I think that driver was Sir John whitmore. Lots of great memories with the early lotus cars and now having a seven helps relive some of that although not on the track as I'm getting a bit old for that sort of thing

I was given the chance to do a single race in a Lotus Cortina as i swapped my Lotus 7 S2 - we both wanted to try each other’s cars out.  
 

The chassis was quite flexible, even with a roll cage, hence the wheel lifting.  But you never really felt the front wheels lift unlike other historic cars with chassis like a wet noodle (e.g. Holdens, Ford Falcons, Galaxies, or the later Capri, …).  You did know when the inside rear came up as that would cause the suspension to make crash noises as you hit max droop.  
 

it was quite underpowered, you drove it like a Mini - never ever lift - maintaining momentum was critical.  On bias ply tires it would easily rotate from rear offsetting the understeer you could get by stuffing it into a corner too fast with too much throttle.   Remarkably forgiving chassis.  You could get odd extreme steering angles and you could bring it back.  I don’t remember brakes being that effective - but that’s about normal for anything in the 1960s.  I cannot get a 1965 Mustang to stop today with modern pads but you did not need brakes on the Cortina whereas you do on the Mustang (or Galaxy if we are thinking period competitors - oh hell you needed brakes on the Galaxys!).  
 

For its period it was incredibly successful - bridging the mini and the Galaxy.  The mini needed more power for its chassis.  The Galaxy had power - oh Lordy did it ever - but it handled worse than a bag of potatoes and brakes were just words on a spec page.  

 

it was fragile in period.  Designed to last the length of a sprint race in the UK.  Most of this has been engineered out now in historic race cars although you still see the odd road car come down with the usual reliability afflictions. 
 

The Cortina’s success came from its ability to bridge its competitor’s weaknesses and be a better allrounder.  

Drive one if you get the chance.  It was a super car of its age.  
 

 

[11Budlite]

3 hours ago, Christopher smith said:

I sure remember the early days when the team was racing lotus cortina. Jim Clark of course was driving one but there was another fellow I saw I think it Watkins Glen that was really impressive. They certainly lifted a wheel very high going through the corners. But they somehow kept the cars upright at least most of the time. I think that driver was Sir John whitmore. Lots of great memories with the early lotus cars and now having a seven helps relive some of that although not on the track as I'm getting a bit old for that sort of thing

 

Sir John Whitmore drove a Cortina prepared by Alan Mann Racing and was very successful. Nice looking livery, almost as nice as the stock Lotus Cortina livery.

https://www.classicdriver.com/en/car/ford/lotus-cortina/1965/682840

[theDreamer]

I keep my eye open as I've always thought I'd like to have one. Very pricey these days and so everyone thinks they should get top dollar even if their car isn't up to snuff.

https://miami.craigslist.org/mdc/cto/d/miami-lotus-ford-cortina-race-car-1966/7823101841.html

[Christopher smith]

Lots of interest and input since I started this about a Lotus exhibit-thanks. Has anyone been to the Barber Museum, I think near Birmigham AL? It apparently has lots of Lotus cars along with motorcycles.

I don't think it has anything to do with Skip Barber. I visited his garage in Philadelphia with a mutual friend after he acquired a new, really fast 23 around 1964. That would have been a start of a great Lotus collection of course but I think Skip went another route forming a race training school.

 Another great museum is the Revs Institute in Florida that I can recommend. Loads of famous and rare road race examples.