Lotus 7 S4 1974: light restoration and modification
Discussion
Nearly done now
Just the seats to recover, propshaft to fabricate from the one I have and extend the steering rack shaft I am working on chassis assembly at the moment but cant decide on the route for the metal brake pipes
I know from the master cylinder it travels along the lhs chassis rail and drops down into the coupler where this is fixed I don't know I do know the position of the front flexible connection but not the rear
Can anyone advise me please
Thanks
Paul
Just the seats to recover, propshaft to fabricate from the one I have and extend the steering rack shaft I am working on chassis assembly at the moment but cant decide on the route for the metal brake pipes
I know from the master cylinder it travels along the lhs chassis rail and drops down into the coupler where this is fixed I don't know I do know the position of the front flexible connection but not the rear
Can anyone advise me please
Thanks
Paul
1966 Lotus 38, Indy 500, his holiness Jim Clark
ETA - http://www.oldracingcars.com/Images/nelson/Lotus38...
ETA - http://www.oldracingcars.com/Images/nelson/Lotus38...
Edited by Farlig on Sunday 6th April 21:31
Farlig said:
1966 Lotus 38, Indy 500, his holiness Jim Clark
ETA - http://www.oldracingcars.com/Images/nelson/Lotus38...
No, its not that one....but it was nice ETA - http://www.oldracingcars.com/Images/nelson/Lotus38...
Edited by Farlig on Sunday 6th April 21:31
Mirrors:
I used some aluminium soldering on the mirror stays. Worked briliantly
The mirrors is also part of the livery...
Today I welded up a cross-member. This chassis is a 1300 chasis, which doesn't have the round tube under the engine. I have made one, and it turned out ok. I planned on making it removable, but it was just too easy to weld it in place.
Edited by Kghaas on Monday 7th April 21:36
1968 Lotus 56 Turbine, Indy 500, Graham Hill
http://fotos.subefotos.com/833672cd2f9c50a90beb9d4...
http://fotos.subefotos.com/833672cd2f9c50a90beb9d4...
Edited by Farlig on Monday 7th April 22:05
No turbine, still Duratec 2.0 with ITB's
I have now been on my first 1 hour drive with mapping. Some first impressions:
1. Type 9 gearbox is nice
The gearbox is a standard Type 9 previously fitted to a K series Caterham. It is also fitted with a short shift and extension turret.
It is much smoother to operate than the 4 speed and the short shift makes it more fun to change gears. I have extended the gear lever which I also feel give a much better feeling. Having 5 gears makes the car much more comfortable. It is a perfect upgrade, but it is a lot of job on the S4...
2. Microsquirt with autotune function is nice
Microsquirt works realy well, and the autotune function tunes the VE table as you drive. After 15 min, the car is now all sorted in the cruising range, and it is only above 6000rpms which I have issues.
3. ITB's= fast response
The throttle is now a very much on/off switch. I will have to get used to it or see if there is something in the tune which can sort this out. On a track you wouldnt care, but for street it just too aggressive.
4. Duratec is powerful
There is a lot of power in the engine. It pulls from 700rpms in 5th all the way to 6000rpms where I currently stop. If you change 2-3 gears down and floor it, it really goes. Mind that this is currently in mapping mode so I cant be too wild..
5. Exhaust is too silent
I made up an 2" exhaust with only one silencer. My initial fear was that it would be too loud. It isn't. Its too quiet. I can still get some sound, but not the xflow scream and backfires. Maybe I will have to go to a 2.5"....
I have now been on my first 1 hour drive with mapping. Some first impressions:
1. Type 9 gearbox is nice
The gearbox is a standard Type 9 previously fitted to a K series Caterham. It is also fitted with a short shift and extension turret.
It is much smoother to operate than the 4 speed and the short shift makes it more fun to change gears. I have extended the gear lever which I also feel give a much better feeling. Having 5 gears makes the car much more comfortable. It is a perfect upgrade, but it is a lot of job on the S4...
2. Microsquirt with autotune function is nice
Microsquirt works realy well, and the autotune function tunes the VE table as you drive. After 15 min, the car is now all sorted in the cruising range, and it is only above 6000rpms which I have issues.
3. ITB's= fast response
The throttle is now a very much on/off switch. I will have to get used to it or see if there is something in the tune which can sort this out. On a track you wouldnt care, but for street it just too aggressive.
4. Duratec is powerful
There is a lot of power in the engine. It pulls from 700rpms in 5th all the way to 6000rpms where I currently stop. If you change 2-3 gears down and floor it, it really goes. Mind that this is currently in mapping mode so I cant be too wild..
5. Exhaust is too silent
I made up an 2" exhaust with only one silencer. My initial fear was that it would be too loud. It isn't. Its too quiet. I can still get some sound, but not the xflow scream and backfires. Maybe I will have to go to a 2.5"....
Hi Delavay,
- easiest way for this parts is to contact Redline (Mick Lincoln) - http://www.redlinecomponents.co.uk/
From own experience I can highly recommend them.
- easiest way for this parts is to contact Redline (Mick Lincoln) - http://www.redlinecomponents.co.uk/
From own experience I can highly recommend them.
Edited by 7s4whatelse on Friday 18th April 08:43
Duratec mapping second impression:
1. Remember to set rev limiter!
The Duratec is very rev happy, and when tuning the higher rpm band it is easy to over do it. I hit 8239rpms at the most. Huge fun, but lucky the engine survived. I had sett all the criteria for rev limit with both soft and hard cut, but forgot to activate. oops..
2. The afterburner is back.
I had a complaint about the Duratec being too quiet. I take it back. Using the rpm band between 3000-7200rpms (where the limit is now set) the engine is noisy enoguh and has a lot of bangs and crackel on decel. Huge fun!
3. The Duratec is powerful
My first impression was that the Duratec is very powerful low down, and has a very useful torqe down low. It is very cruiser and town friendly. On top of this I can add that the Duratec is a screamer from 3000rpms and up and is seriously fast. The power comes on very smooth and is very controllable. If you floor it in first at 20mph it will spin on dry tarmac. Haven't tried any other gear
4. Chassis is stiffer
I added a chassis brace, and the car feels much stiffer on the road. I actual think there is less body roll, but then again it might just be that it is 6months since I drove the car last.
Had a real blast today and got thumbs up from a few motorcyclist. They probably wish that had a Se7en
This is the last update on this thread for a while.
Small update:
Changed to Mintex 1144. Way better brake balance
Did a trackday, and was measured at 104db. Limit on the track is 100db, so the scrutineers let me out on the track to do a drive-by test. Got the green and managed to do 42 laps (each lap is 3,2km).
Car works very well. did half of the laps with Brooklands aero screens. Didn't really feel any different but I was driving without doors all day.
Engine and gearbox works really well. I guess the engine is about 160hp area. Future plans are rollbar and free flow exhaust.
Changed to Mintex 1144. Way better brake balance
Did a trackday, and was measured at 104db. Limit on the track is 100db, so the scrutineers let me out on the track to do a drive-by test. Got the green and managed to do 42 laps (each lap is 3,2km).
Car works very well. did half of the laps with Brooklands aero screens. Didn't really feel any different but I was driving without doors all day.
Engine and gearbox works really well. I guess the engine is about 160hp area. Future plans are rollbar and free flow exhaust.
Edited by Kghaas on Wednesday 11th June 19:43
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