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Re: Early Seven Frame/Photo!

To: john donohoe <gt6driver@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Early Seven Frame/Photo!
From: Steven Shipley <shiples@home.com>
Date: Fri, 04 Aug 2000 11:45:04 -0700
john donohoe wrote:
> 
> Thanks Keith,
> 
> Here's photos: http://www.bluepencil.com/7.jpg (106k)
> 
> Anybody care to look and tell me what they think I'd
> REALLY appreciate it!!!
> 
> The filler's in the "trunk"
Right
> It's got mix of Smiths and Jeager gauges
Should have Smiths and AC
> The bottom frame rails sport cylindrical brackets for
> (I think) cycle wings lower mount. The same type
> brackets are on the top rails and hold the headlight
> bracket tubes (and I suppose the top cycle wing
> mounts)
That's original Seven stuff
> 
> Cockpit sides and dash are currenly black vinyl
> covered.
Updated from original
> 4 wheels and steering wheel obviously not orig.
Yep
> 
> DRUM brakes all around.
Original
> 
> I'm told it's a very early '62 Seven S2, I've seen the
> VIN plate scribed E or B 1135, Frame welded tag in
> front of passenger seatsquab appears to say 135.

The discussion on the Chassis plate & frame number has
been good.  It's obviously not a pristine car, but I'm
pretty sure it's a Lotus.  What popped out in the picture
was the cover for the transmission.  That screams early
Lotus to me.  What I'm not sure of it whether this Lotus
left the factory as SB1135.  Scratching in the frame
number on the chassis plate might be an attempt by the
original importer to give the car an identity that was
acceptible to the local authorities.

The way to identify a replacement chassis plate is to
decide whether it's a flat piece of aluminum that's been
painted like the original or whether the plate is 
embossed.  What does the current plate say?
Lotus Components or Lotus Cars? 

Other items I'd like to know about.  Does it have
two trailing arms and a lower A-frame to locate the
rear axle?  Is the transmission mount rivetted into
the aluminum only?  What does the handbrake look 
like?

The original car would have Winguard tailights.  As these
tailights are unobtainable, they are commonly replaced by
Bugeye Sprite.  The sidelights on the front fenders look
original.

I think its an original car that has also been rehabbed
with new nose cone, fenders, and bonnet.  The rear
fenders appear to be 11 inch which are S3/Caterham
configuration.  There are probably a variety of details
that are also not original but that is to be expected.
> 
> Anybody care to look and tell me what they think I'd
> REALLY appreciate it!!!
> 
> Thanks so much,
> John Donohoe
> 
> --- Keith Gustafson <gusmach@shore.net> wrote:
> > Your seller is incorrect, as you have been advised.
> > His insistence on this
> > point would have me worried. There is nothing wrong
> > with a replacement
> > frame, so he should fess up, perhaps it was a DPO
> > who did the switch.
> >
> >
> > Here's a different tack. Original details. Who out
> > there can think of some
> > original details that wouldn't be on a later car?
> > Red lamiplate comes to
> > mind[cockpit sides, dash] Original gauges[non
> > smiths]fuel filler in trunk,
> > the construction of the tranny tunnel is different
> > on some cars. My caterham
> > supplied sheet metal has a rigid inverted "u"
> > riveted to the frame at the
> > front of the tunnel, forward of the shifter. The
> > original had a piece of
> > formed alloy that slid up into that spot, no rivets,
> > as are some other cars
> > i have seen.
> > Anything else?
> >
> >
> >
> 
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