Building a Lotus

Sir,

I read with interest your article on building and running a Lotus Super Seven and having just undertaken a similar piece of lunacy myself I should like to add to your very cogent comments.

My first serious trouble was missing pieces—when the kit arrived from the factory the following were listed as missing: (1) gear-lever adaptor plate, (2) angled water hose, (3) fan blades, (4) steering steadying bracket, (5) gear-lever boot. These were in addition to the hood, sidescreens and tonneau cover which I knew in advance would be late arriving.

When I came to the actual assembly I also found that the following were missing: (1) mushroom-headed bolts for rear radius arms, (2) rubber Rawlnuts for wings, (3) nuts and bolts for wings, (4) nuts and bolts for wing stay clamps, (5) cleavis pins for master cylinder, (6) metal sleeves for rear wing stay, (7) overflow pipe. In addition the back axle leaked oil, the nose cowl had to be cut to fit, the centre section was out of shape and the silencer wouldn’t fit the holes in the body sides.

As an extra bonus I was supplied with the following spares: (1) speedometer right-angle drive, (2) central mounting bracket, (3) fan mounting bracket. Later I also received a set of tapered bolts for the back axle, a pair of short brake hose and a set of instructions on how to fit the sidescreens—a week after I had fitted them by guess-work. I must have spent many pennies on telephoning the factory, but in fairness to Lotus I must say that they never once questioned my word that a part was missing—I’m sure they would have sent another engine if I had said that was missing—and mine Was one of the earliest of the 1500 models.

Unlike yourselves I’ve had no running troubles other than A hard-to-find electrical fault which causes a partial cut-out at about 6,000 r.p.m., and I would forgive Colin Chapman almost anything in exchange for the car’s almost unbelievable acceleration and handling.

Oh, I almost forgot—it overheated in traffic until I enlarged the cooling capacity by about 3 pints (I’ll sell the design to anyone).

T. J. MARTIN.

London, S.W.4.