Lotus 7 S4 1974: light restoration and modification

[Kghaas]

Short burst of startgas and fully charged battery. Fired right away. Driving in the snow however was a diferent storry. With summer tires and some fresh snow, there was virtualy no grip. Had to place 40kg of sand in the boot to get some traction.

[S47]

Fawcetteng
Thanks for the link :-
to your site.
Be sure to check out the other S4 seven thread:-
http://www.pistonheads.com/xforums/topic.asp?h=0&a...
If you have the standard S4 Axle it'll be the 'English' axle originally fitted to UK MK1 Ford Escorts.
From your websites description of your cars rear suspension it sounds like you have a Standard S4 'rearend'
There were several width 'English' axles I'm not at home at the mo so can't check my car, which has the normal width Escort axle, if you need a narrower axle then the UK Ford Anglia 'English' axle is what you need.
Hope this helps
Mal

Edited by S47 on Monday 25th February 15:41

Edited by S47 on Monday 25th February 15:44

ETA
Deemed as and advert.

Edited by Big Al. on Monday 25th February 18:17

[S47]

FAwcetteng
Just checked my standard width axle is ~54"
Hope this helps
Mal
ps
just noticed 'Big Al' has censored your website link

Edited by S47 on Saturday 2nd March 08:49

[Kghaas]

Not much happening, but have manged to fabricate my engine harness for the Duratec and almost finished with the oil pan.

But i have encountered another problem: i bought a new steering wheel, and managed to chase down The last Momo boss available. This was the last GAC6016X in the world! What are the odds that the currier looses it? Well, they did and now it is gone. So what do I do? I could weld something, but would rather keep the original splines....

Anyone have a boss laying arround? Any other boss known to fit? Any ideas out there....

[crafty]

We pulled apart the stock S4 steering wheel (steel bros car) and bolted a modern sparco wheel to it on by brother's S4.
I have a new motolita wheel n mine, they have bosses, but the centre is quite large,
if that doesnt work, I live in Hong Kong and have a race car down in China. There's a machine shop near the track that machines up all sorts of stuff for me at very cheap prices. Send me a stock boss (so they can copy the splines) and some dimensions and I could get one made for you... Probably USD 40 bucks based on stuff they've done for me.

[Kghaas]

Thanks for the offer Crafty! Realy appreciate it. I think however, that I will look a bit further. If it doesnt work out I will cut and weld on a snap off solution

[Kghaas]

Car is going into the garage tomorrow for an engine swap.
Should hopefully be up and running by end of June. Anyone interested in an xflow to Duratec step by step guide?

[mickrick]

Yes please!

[Farlig]

yes please +1!

[mickrick]

I don´t need a guide, I´m just interested in your project. Keep posting

[Batwing 7]

The 'longer' gearbox has the first gear ratio best suited for a Seven - that's why Caterham used it. The stock ratio is terrible. It might pay to hunt out the other 'box or get a new first gear from Burton Power while it is all still in pieces....

[7s4whatelse]

Hi Knut,
- there is more interest in your project than you think... (many lurkers)

You had much luck to source the gb with the longer input shaft - as "batwing" said, the longer 1st suits the seven better. You can get a ready available spacer from Redline Comp. - as I did for ma project. This spacer was developed by Caterham and sits between gbox and bellhouse. Regarding your propshaft splines: I sourced a Caterham 5-speed prop and married this to the rest of my 4-speed. Would be interesting to hear what you plan to do with the gearbox crossmember...

best wishes, Hajo

Edited by 7s4whatelse on Sunday 23 June 11:08

Edited by 7s4whatelse on Sunday 30th June 02:31

[jomicjp]

Can anyone tell me if you can still obtain a workshop/owners manual covering a Lotus 7 S4 1972 (fibreglass top body type). Trying to help a friend with a LHD version in Portugal. 1.6 Ford big valve engine (lotus head)

[Batwing 7]

You can get an S4 Workshop Manual from here:

http://www.lotus-books.com/super_seven.html

[7s4whatelse]

Hi jomicjp,

- depends on the planned task(s)...
for engine problems: the mentioned S4 workshop manual
for all other matters: the fantastic Tony Weale book "Restauration, Preparation, Maintenance" which (long out of print) can actually be found at Ebay UK for under UKP 50,--
Please post some photos of the car!

[anp]

Hi Knut

Thanks for your reply my car is missing the rear axle I have a standard axle (not mexico with link lugs) I made templates & took dimensions for the tie rods & a frame and the axle link lugs & shock absorber mounts but have lost the dimensions to fix these brackets in a track axis and also in a radial manner

I think if the axle diferential flange was vertical the shock absorber mounts would also be vertical ? but the link lugs would not and be a number of degrees of vertical ? or some dimesion from the axis towards the front of the car ?

Maybe you could advise

Thanks Paul

[Kghaas]

anp said:

Hi Knut

Thanks for your reply my car is missing the rear axle I have a standard axle (not mexico with link lugs) I made templates & took dimensions for the tie rods & a frame and the axle link lugs & shock absorber mounts but have lost the dimensions to fix these brackets in a track axis and also in a radial manner

I think if the axle diferential flange was vertical the shock absorber mounts would also be vertical ? but the link lugs would not and be a number of degrees of vertical ? or some dimesion from the axis towards the front of the car ?

Maybe you could advise

Thanks Paul

If I understand correctly, you have a standard english axel which you are going to weld on all the different brackets?
If you indicate in the pics what measures you want I will be happy to help.

[anp]

Hi Thanks for posting the pictures I have done a sketch maybe you can help I assume that the drive flange is vertical and that hole c may not be in line with the vertical axis as shown on the sketch my templates and the fabricated brackets are accurate they were made from an original axle

best regrds

Paul

[Kghaas]

Here are some of the measurements. Unfortunately the axle is in the car so its not that easy to take the measures. I will probably take the axle out of the car at some stage this winter but not at the moment.

[anp]

OK thanks for the information on the axle that's the next job welding on the brackets

I have retrieved all the parts from the loft painted them and started to repair the storage damage to the Chassis

I think it was about 30 years ago that Delorean borrowed the money from Margaret Thatcher to build his cars in the UK hence a large plastic coating oven was built in an existing coating works in our town to coat the Delorean chassis they did a few but unfortunately they did the S4 chassis as well it stood in a barn till last year and one side has a little corrosion its a bugger to remove it completely as it covers coats everything and when you try to weld it the fumes destroy the shielding gas or flame unless you remove all the likely heat affected areas its nearly done now

All I am missing now is a propshaft (can anyone tell me what I need please) and is the tie rod rubber bush on the forward most part of the rear suspension similar to the engine mount rubber ?

Hopefully then I can re register it with The dvla once I have it certified that it is a Lotus 7 S4 has anybody done this recently ?

Thanks

Paul