Caterham Lotus Super 7 - The Rebuild!

[Tunst]

I want it..

 

[Gaz.]

Ouch. "Valves, meet Piston. Piston, meet Valves." Going to be a big old rebuild, both chassis and engine wise.

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Ooooooft.

What a mess

 

[Šįk]

Ouch. "Valves, meet Piston. Piston, meet Valves." Going to be a big old rebuild, both chassis and engine wise.

This is what Im fearing!! Lol. No doubt the case..

Chassis will be getting scrapped. Will be buying a new one and transferring everything over.

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

This is what Im fearing!! Lol. No doubt the case..

Chassis will be getting scrapped. Will be buying a new one and transferring everything over.

 

[Smoothie Claymore]

I'm worried that'll be the case if the engine's knackered too. New chassis, new engine, there isn't really a whole lot else left. :dapprove:

 

[Šįk]

Update.

So tonight car was completely stripped and engine out. Next step will be to get a full inspection done on the engine..

Final strip stages by PSJHodgson, on Flickr

Final strip stages by PSJHodgson, on Flickr

Final strip stages by PSJHodgson, on Flickr

Then rebuild the engine it and buy a new chassis!

Iv been told by some1 in the know who has been an viewed the engine in person, that it will be repairable but will have scar wounds (welds) but this all adds character lol!

Piers,

 

[2Damnsly Andy]

Full repsect to you Piers for rebuilding the car back to its former glory. I have to admit very time I looked at it I'd still be crying. I hope you get it back to how it looked and enjoy it as much as your father did.

 

[Lal B3N]

Nice updates!

Wouldn't mind popping round for a look one day.

Certainly making for a proper project lol.

 

[Šįk]

Cheers

Yea, Ben Il let you've have a peek at it one day

 

[Šįk]

Here is a vid of another lotus 7 Twincam identical to ours, just to share what driving it was like.. Although not abroad lol.


Just a little update to say all is still very slowly moving on. Been trying to sort best option with this expensive engine! Since last update we've have the engine to bits and inspected top to bottom. One valve survived within the head lol! Most the damage is within the head so all head internals need replacing and we have been advised (whilst engine is apart) to replace the pistons too. They are re-usable but for peace of mind just to replace them.

We had a new head priced up (with internals ready to fit) as this was an option if worst came to worst - it came to £6k!! Thankfully we are able to repair the current head. which we have been quoted (estimate) £500+vat. Then there's the internals and new pistons to replace so we will still be looking at around £2k to sort the engine out no doubt.

So it will be getting sent of in the next few weeks no doubt.

Finally here is another mint 1965 super 7 which was fully restored in California.

Super7 by PSJHodgson, on Flickr

Piers.

 

[Rhys Beal]

That matt black 7 at the bottom is now in north Wales. I did some work on that in prep for historic racing.

 

[Šįk]

That matt black 7 at the bottom is now in north Wales. I did some work on that in prep for historic racing.

Nice, do tell me more! It's a brilliant example from the photos and FS add I found.. Didn't see how much it fetched though?

 

[Rhys Beal]

Unfortunately IMO it wasn't a great example in the flesh. Needed quite abit of stuff re-done on it. All of the internal aluminium was re-done, engine was replaced with a cross flow and the original twin cam wasn't as tuned as it stated. We also added to the roll bar to create a small cage and completely re-wired it. New Tillett seat went in too and I re-sprayed the chassis as it wasn't great. I will try and dig out a pic

 

[Rhys Beal]

 

[Rhys Beal]

 

[Šįk]

Shame, looks well in the pictures mind. Do you know how much it sold for by any chance?

Also thanks for sharing

 

[Rhys Beal]

I can't remember the exact figure. Around £26k rings a bell but I could be wrong. Then we did other work which basically consisted of a full rebuild again!

 

[Šįk]

Lol so not such a good example as I had read/seen/thought!

 

[James105]

Great to see this being rebuilt and nice to see the Lotus twin cam being retained. We have just built a race spec twin cam for our 1965 Elan appendix K, new block etc from states. Can't wait to hear it up and running. I'm currently installing a Syvecs S6 ECU to it, going to be a fantastic car!

 

[Šįk]

Great stuff! What power will that have then? I was hoping to up the power of this to around 140bhp seing as its getting rebuilt! Currently it was at 125-130bhp (big valve sprint spec with 4-2-1 exhaust and Dellorto 40 carbs).

 

[theduck]

What chassis will you be using for the rebuild?

 

[Šįk]

We will be buying a new chassis identical the the bent one as they are still available lol.. Even after all these years! We would like to re-use the current one, but its really bent and fairly old now so it will be rusting from inside out. So for piece of mind we are just going to buy new so it can last another 30/40years without worry.

 

[theduck]

Good! Too many people would use another chassis for costs and then not properly re-register. A genuine replacement is all good. I presume you will be getting a chassis from arch? As caterham chassis are metric now and yours would be an imperial chassis?

 

[Šįk]

Yes correct mate.

 

[Fred@BTM]

different reg number if new chassis?

 

[James105]

Great stuff! What power will that have then? I was hoping to up the power of this to around 140bhp seing as its getting rebuilt! Currently it was at 125-130bhp (big valve sprint spec with 4-2-1 exhaust and Dellorto 40 carbs).

I believe we are looking at a minimum of 150bhp hopefully is the aim. Limited as too what we were able to do due to regulations but we shall see in the next month or so I guess.

 

[theduck]

Can keep the reg with a replacement chassis iirc. (Replacement chassis veing one the same as the original) Will need a build up inspection though instead of IVA.

 

[Smoothie Claymore]

What happened to this? I hope you got it rebuilt.