Likely Engine in a 1962-63 Lotus 7

[Feffman]

Hi All:

 

Buddy of mine stumbled into a 7 barn find. It's a 1962-63 with Weber carbs. He's wondering about the engine. What are the likely engine choices for that time period? Thanks in advance.

 

Mark "Feff" Pfeffer

www.MVPTrackTime.com

 

[Kitcat]

Ford 109E, 1340cc? Perhaps prep'd by Cosworth? Described by"Lotus Seven and the Independents" as having an impressively short lifespan:). Or Ford 116E, a 1498 cc engine. Or almost anything. Some of the Lotus Seven gurus will have to speak up.

[Jim F.]

Hi, Mark;

I just did a look through Chris Rees's 2nd edition "The Magnificent 7" and found the following: '61-'68 Ford 105E Cosworth @ 997cc, '61-'62 Ford 109E Cosworth @ 1340cc, and '62-'68 Ford 116E Cosworth @ 1498 cc. The Webers all should be 40DCOE. There should be a stamping on the block near the sump that shows the type. Also, if you could post the chassis serial # I might be able to narrow it down for you. Years ago, my first 7 was a '61 S2 with the Cosworth 109E and twin DCOE's even though by my serial #, that motor hadn't yet been installed in my early '61. I was the 3rd owner, so maybe one of the previous owners did an engine swap, possibly. Anyway, hope this helps and the best of luck on your find! You could have stumbled upon a real collector car with a 5 figure valuation.

With best regards,

Jim F.

[slngsht]

Hi All:

 

Buddy of mine stumbled into a 7 barn find. It's a 1962-63 with Weber carbs. He's wondering about the engine. What are the likely engine choices for that time period? Thanks in advance.

 

Mark "Feff" Pfeffer

www.MVPTrackTime.com

 

Feff, subscribe to the Lotus yahoo! list. They obssess about every detail of the Lotus 7, and if you give them some info off the car, they may be able to find alot of history.

 

Word of caution... if you mention anything about modifying one, or a "clone", they might bite your head off :lol: .

[xflow7]

Word of caution... if you mention anything about modifying one, or a "clone", they might bite your head off :lol: .

 

In which case, come on back here and someone is *sure* to suggest you shove an LS-1 or a 'busa in it. :ack: :jester:

[locost7018]

OOOOOOH. Bring it to the Se7ens Gathering in KC over Labor Day weekend. IT will be a hit! You can enter it in the " Diamond in The Rough Class" (barn finds) and the 7's class. Russ

[slngsht]

 

In which case, come on back here and someone is *sure* to suggest you shove an LS-1 or a 'busa in it. :ack: :jester:

 

I would never suggest that for the original :thumbs:

[lowflyer]

Testing my memory here..... dangerous thing to do at my age.

 

Wasn't the "standard" 7 equipped with a BMC "A" series engine of around 970 cc? The "Super 7" or Seven America was the one with the Ford engines in them, as I recall.

 

Open to being corrected... it happens all the time.

 

I do know that the Ford 1340 with the dual Weber 40's was a killer engine in that car.

[11Budlite]

Lowflyer, I think you're correct. I think some of the early S2's that came to the US had BMC A-series motors in 948cc capacity. I remember reading an article in R&T about a 7 America that had flared fenders and it definitely had a 948cc motor. Not sure if it was a S1 or S2. But I checked on the Simple Sevens site and found this S2 here, as well as others with BMC motors: http://www.simplesevens.org/grosslight.htm

 

With Weber carbs I'm sure it's one of the Ford motors though. Hope to see some pictures at some point!!

 

Bruce :7drive:

[Feffman]

Potentail buyer called me yesterday after my question noting it looks like a Crossflow with Webers. He was thinking (hoping) it may have been a Coventry Climax. He made an offer and should know something this week.

 

Feff

[Boxologist]

 

In which case, come on back here and someone is *sure* to suggest you shove an LS-1 or a 'busa in it. :ack: :jester:

 

probably be a twin turbo suggestion despite someone's protestation to the contrary. i can easily see someone and their nephew rigging it so all the up and downpipes are on teh outside so the turbos look like 2 jet engines.

 

damn. i think i just gave them the idea to out hp Bob Drye. I guess we won't see Franken7 until another national meet.:banghead:

[lowflyer]

Probably not an original engine if it's a crossflow.

 

Thanks for reminding me that the BMC "A" used in the 7's was a 948 cc, the 970 was used in some Mini Cooper S models, I had one of those. You're also right about the Webers not being used on the BMC engines, at least not stock. They came with 2 SU's I believe

 

How about a trivia question: What does (did) "SU" stand for?

 

The 1340 was an original engine for the 7, and a 1500 non-crossflow was used later on, in the S3's as I recall. The 1500/1600 crossflow came along later.

 

 

[11Budlite]

"How about a trivia question: What does (did) "SU" stand for?"

 

Pretty easy for someone who's been messing with British cars for 35 years or so. It stands for Skinners Union. Named after the Skinner brothers who were in the leather business. They started making the early SU carbs with a leather bellows instead of the later dashpot assy. They're actually pretty good carbs if you understand them, set them up properly, and then leave them alone. The biggest issue with them is worn throttle shafts creating vacuum leaks. And don't forget to top up the dashpots with the proper oil every couple weeks or so!

 

Bruce :7drive:

[lowflyer]

Ding-Ding-Ding - we have a winner.

 

They are often described as a (semi) controlled fuel leak.

 

As you say, easy to work on - which of course means that they are easy to screw up as well.

 

Your advice is most telling, get them right and then leave them alone.

 

They were so good, in fact, that the Japanese even copied them with their Hitachi carbs used in the '60's and early '70's.