1965 Lotus 7 Series 2
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A beautiful, restored, genuine car...polished alloy body with painted wings and nose, full weather and road equipment (top and side curtains), roll bar, Elan slotted steel wheels with original Lotus hubcaps, strong modified 1275cc BMC engine (half race cam, balanced, head work, competition clutch) with twin SU carbs, tonneau, excellent documentation including English V5 registration documents, old MOT certificate, US Customs importation papers, and current transferable US title.
Road registered and a delight to drive...the BMC engine is smooth and amply powerful and the trans is a real joy to use. With the narrow tires and supple suspension, this really IS a very road-able Lotus 7 with a surprisingly good ride and phenomenal handling and steering.
Last owner had four years of enjoyable use, car is now well sorted and ready for a fun 2010 season. Add a few things (fuel cell, dual master cylinder, racing belts, not much more) and go vintage racing.
Something I have done with my own Lotus 7 since the late 1970s. And what fun....on a number of occasions, have raced at Circuit Tremblant (in Quebec), stuck a muffler on the end of the exhaust, un-taped the lights, and drove into town for some crepes and a magnifique lunch. Afterward, headed back to the track, taped the headlights, removed the muffler and zoooooooooooooom.
Ferraris and Lambos and Maseratis are all wonderful fantasy cars but this Lotus 7 with its easy to maintain BMC engine offers real race-like driving on the road. And with a weight of around 900 pounds, one doesn't have to drive that fast to get the impression of very high speeds. Hence the real source of delight...illusion of speed. And if you want to go faster....install a louder muffler and replace the windshield with a small racing screen..........50 mph will feel (and sound) like 100. Or more.
You just can't find any road legal car that is more fun. And easier to own.
