Lotus 7 S4 1974: light restoration and modification

Lotus 7 S4 1974: light restoration and modification

Author
Discussion

Kghaas

Original Poster:

173 posts

150 months

Monday 26th September 2011
quotequote all
EDIT: This is the car as of 1 Nov 2012:




I was a dark and lonely night, when I stubled upon this car on the internet. I already have a couple of toy cars; An MG midget historic racer which I used competitively for a couple of years. And A Porsche 944 Turbo with a lot of modifications. Powerer corrupts...

The Midget:


The Porsche:


Both Cars are driven hard on trackdays and regularely brakes down or are otherwise taken apart by my to do some sort of modifications. So, Why would I want another car? I dont know. And the miss dont wont to know! But I bought it anyway smile

It was just too good a deal to turn away. So I gave him an offer which he could not refuse and sudenly I owned my first lotus. I will ower the winter lightly restore and modify the car. I will update this thread now and then. Please feel free to add comments, critique and other Lotus 7 S4 related stuff.

Plans for the car:
Cycle wings
LHD conversion
New interior
General maintenance

Pickup:


The car is one of the 37 cars which was built at Lotus but assembled at Caterham. I don't know what is the correct term: Lotus or Caterham, but chasis plate stats both names.

Anyway, Took the car back home and started to do som disassebling. No rust what so ever! It look realy good so far.

Som pics:











Edited by Kghaas on Wednesday 31st October 08:49


Edited by Kghaas on Wednesday 31st October 08:51


Edited by Kghaas on Saturday 19th January 13:27

Kghaas

Original Poster:

173 posts

150 months

Monday 26th September 2011
quotequote all
Started to take the car apart. Realy nice to be working on something which is so easy and basic. The Porsche is a PITA in comparison!

Before:


After


Clamshell



For those of you with cycle wings: What do you recommend to "hide" this edge?


Some home repair?


Steering rack. Can someone please tell me what steering rack I should use. I need to get a LHD one.



mickrick

3,700 posts

172 months

Tuesday 27th September 2011
quotequote all
wavey Welcome!
Looking forward to watching the progress. The car looks to be in realy nice condition!
smile

S47

1,325 posts

179 months

Tuesday 27th September 2011
quotequote all
Great photo's - keep us updatedthumbup
Mal

Kghaas

Original Poster:

173 posts

150 months

Tuesday 27th September 2011
quotequote all
I will update on a semi regular basis wink

Spent some time on the web today to source parts, but need help:
Can someone tell me what the steering rack is? I thought it was a Triumph piece but I found a danish website that said it was a "Burman rack from the Ford capri/Escort Sport MK1 models."

Can someone tell me what to get please.

nothing happend in the garage today.

Cock Womble 7

29,908 posts

229 months

Wednesday 28th September 2011
quotequote all
Kghaas said:
Plans for the car:
Cycle wings
I'm sorry, but why would you want to put cycle wings on an S4? Their design is pretty, er, "unique" and the clamshells are an integral part of that.

It would be like buying a classic 911 Turbo and removing the "whale-tail" spoiler.

IMHO, don't do it.

dirtbiker

1,159 posts

165 months

Wednesday 28th September 2011
quotequote all
Cock Womble 7 said:
I'm sorry, but why would you want to put cycle wings on an S4? Their design is pretty, er, "unique" and the clamshells are an integral part of that.
Have to agree (although personally I'm not a fan of clamshells) but I'm also intrigued to see what a S4 with cycle wings looks like too. Such conflict... wink

Looks like a pretty solid basis for a restoration though, will be watching with interest.

Kghaas

Original Poster:

173 posts

150 months

Wednesday 28th September 2011
quotequote all
Thanks for feedback.
Why I want to change the clamshell wings? Well, I just like the cycle style better... Here are a couple of examples from another thread courtesy of mr. Hajo:


Today I fixed the engine. It was running very rough when I picked up the car. So I just did some general tune up. I wanted to assess the engine before I take it out. So far I see no need to overhaule it.

Start up from cold:



I also took out the steering rack. As I found out it is a Ford Escort MK1 rack whith quick ratio. But: When I look around for a new one I only find racks which has a short axel going to the steering rack, but mine has a long one. Can i just swap the one I have? Feedback please.

My steering rack:


Ford Escort Steering rack:

Kghaas

Original Poster:

173 posts

150 months

Sunday 2nd October 2011
quotequote all
Hmmm, Not much feebaack here.
Anyone reading?

If someone has some pics of S4's or caterhams with Either red/black color combination or Gulf livery Please post some samples here. I planned on sticking to Red/Black, but It appears that the car has been blue originaly. If I deside to paint I might go the Gulf way.

Anyway; has taken out everything from the right side and have prepared the left side.

Some pics:
Empty dash.



New holes on the right side. Which of course is the left...


Steering and pedal assembly:


The S4 is bits form a lot of car brands. Maserati two tone horn. Wicked....


Edited by Kghaas on Saturday 19th January 13:30

Mistron

103 posts

165 months

Sunday 2nd October 2011
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I'm reading and watching- It's very handy to have all of these photos, so keep 'em coming!
I don't supose I could ask if you could take a couple of photos of the pedal assembly and measure their overall length and pivot length could you? (they are another of the many bits I'm missing!)
Many thanks
Al

Mistron

103 posts

165 months

Sunday 2nd October 2011
quotequote all
Oh, and please don't do it in Gulf colours. It's become so terribly cliched (and abused- I saw a Volvo estate in Gulf colours a while back!), and the original seventies S4 colours are so much more interesting and unusual.

S47

1,325 posts

179 months

Monday 3rd October 2011
quotequote all
Kghaas
Good photo's, you badly need an original S4 steering wheel though, the one in the photo's is a later addition.
Can't help you with the steering rack - I don't know is the answer, my car has the shorter rack connector??
You'd be better sticking with an original 1970's S4 colour, the S4's I've seen in Non standard colours with stripes etc look NAFF IMO.
Mal

Edited by S47 on Monday 3rd October 09:02

Kghaas

Original Poster:

173 posts

150 months

Thursday 6th October 2011
quotequote all
Nice to see that there is at least some who find this interesting smile

Started to make the dashboard today. I had some alu sheet laying arround so hopefully it it works out.






As for the pedal assembly, here are some pics. Hopefully they help you. If you open the link you can get high res pics.


http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t134/kghaas/041...


http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t134/kghaas/041...

Mistron

103 posts

165 months

Thursday 6th October 2011
quotequote all
very helpfull, thank you.

Al

Kghaas

Original Poster:

173 posts

150 months

Thursday 6th October 2011
quotequote all
Test fitting of dashboard.
Worked out ok.



Edited by Kghaas on Saturday 19th January 13:28

Kghaas

Original Poster:

173 posts

150 months

Thursday 6th October 2011
quotequote all

S47

1,325 posts

179 months

Friday 7th October 2011
quotequote all
Good Idea using ally sheet, if you make the ally panels removable it'll make behind the dash access very easy Indeed, and if you earth the panels the instruments have a good earth toothumbup

Kghaas

Original Poster:

173 posts

150 months

Friday 7th October 2011
quotequote all
Some detail shots





Mistron

103 posts

165 months

Saturday 8th October 2011
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I'm just ordering some parts: are both the brake and clutch master cylinders .625 (5/8") bore rather than 0.75"?

Kghaas

Original Poster:

173 posts

150 months

Saturday 8th October 2011
quotequote all
Both mine are 0.625