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I recently read an article in this magazine that suggested the Lotus 7 possessed looks that only its mother could love. Based on this I have to confess to harbouring quite strong maternal feelings toward this particular style of car. I've fancied owning a car in the Lotus 7 style for quite some time. As a student I was asked to leave a prestige car dealership in Auckland for sitting in a yellow series 4. The colour didn't suit me anyway.
Much earlier than that my brother and I spent many wet school holiday afternoons leafing through my father's Auto Year books from the early 60's. These were huge, nearly A3 sized, glossy, hard covered books full of new car models from that era, as well as lots of international motorsport photos and results. My favourite centrefold picture was of one of an early mid engine Formula One car in British Racing green, most likely a Cooper I guess, at full speed on the infamous part of the old Nurbergring circuit that was effectively a jump, with all four wheels off the ground.
This may sound like a fairly tenuous link to the Lotus 7. However I was in Auckland as a student because I did my Mechanical Engineering training there. Through this and my inherited interest in motorsport I came to regard people like Bruce McLaren and Colin Chapman as inspirational figures.
I would probably never feel justified spending the money to own a real Lotus, and for me a McLaren is just academic, money-wise. Luckily the nice people at Chevron, Fraser, Leitch and others (I guess) make more than passable replicas, so that I can feel happy that my toy is an affordable indulgence.
I didn't actually make my toy (its a Chevron). I bought it just over a year ago, basically I couldn't see myself having the time or inclination to start from scratch. It was tidy and basically well put together, but starting to show its age (it was built in 1989) when I got it. I am slowly refurbishing it, and getting things the way I think they should be.
The reason I chose a Chevron is that they are one of the lower cost kits that still looks true to its roots. Some designs are classics and if you are going to make something that will be recognisable as a copy it seems almost disrespectful to mess with the shapes, form and basic technical specification too much. For example, my toy uses an 18RG Celica engine, its a four cylinder, wide head twin cam engine with two double barrel carbs, it looks the part. It could almost be a Lotus twin cam engine, apart from having Toyota cast prominently into the tappet covers of course. For a Lotus 7, a push rod four cylinder engine could also look the part, maybe an Escort or a Datsun 1200SSS engine. I don't really get why you'd put some other engine types into a Lotus 7 replica, though I've seen a number of Rotary and V8 versions. Similarly it seems odd to me that to put anything but a V8 into a Cobra replica. Of course if you build a car to your own design or even one of the many kits that aren't replicas then you make your own rules in terms of the details.
One of the fun things about owning the Chevron is the response it gets from others, almost always positive. People talk to you when they might not normally. I had a young woman ask me about the Chevron recently in the local supermarket carpark. She thought it might have been a classic collector's car (I just thought Evan Fray and his team at Chevron might appreciate that). For a few moments I felt quite special really, until I stalled the thing when I went to drive off.
My kids, the car and me in the sun at magic Manfeild
I've spent the most time so far since I've owned my toy on creating enough space to get my 6-foot plus body in the drivers seat comfortably and getting all the gauges to work properly. This winters projects were to strengthen the pedal box (this piece of information alone was worth this years club subscription), tidying up the engine bay and get the gearbox rebuilt. Its all back together again now, just in time for the training day at Manfeild, not that this means there isn't anything left to do, but that's for next winter. Summer is the time for driving.
PS
Manfeild Training Day. It was a beautiful sunny day, if a bit windy. Nice cruise up there and back. Good basic training talk and lots of time having fun on the circuit. No pressure and everyone seemed to behave themselves as far as I saw. Both my kids had a couple of rides around the circuit and enjoyed see all the other cars. All in all a really nice fun day out. Thanks to all the organisers. Photo of me, my kids and the car in the sun at magic Manfeild attached.
By Tony Pepperell
