Lotus 7:
Colin Chapman built his first car in 1947; this car was based on the English Austin 7 saloon car. The body was made of alloy and plywood. Lotus cars progressed with the Austin based cars through the Mark 5 that never reached production. The Mark 5 was to have been a 100 mph Austin engined sports-racing car based upon the Mark 3. The Mark 6 was Colin first car that was sold mostly in kit form and with a tubular chassis. The Mark 7 replaced the Mark 6 in 1957 and is still in production as the Caterham.
The original 7 as designed by Colin Chapman used the anti-sway bar as part of the lower control arm of the suspension. Colin always believed in “adding lightness.” If one part could do two jobs then that made for a lighter car.
This is a no frills car. No doors, not much of a seat, heater (if one was available), and a top was optional, if it wasn’t necessary to make the car go fast Colin really didn’t want it. As I recall the 7 was not one of Colin’s favorite cars, but it was nearly his bread and butter for years.
The Lotus 7 weighed in the area of 1,000 pounds give or take depending on the engine chosen. Engines were mostly up to the buyer and they ranged from the 948 cc engine from the Sprite to the 1,500 cc Coventry Climax.
The Cobra is probably the most copied car in the kit car industry but the Lotus 7 has to be second as the most copied car. You can obtain a new car from Caterham or you can choose from one of the many copycat companies and pick any engine from a Mazda rotary to a Chevy V-6. You can but a book on how to build your own car. In my poor humble opinion nothing beats the original or the Caterham.
The Lotus 7 has been compared to a motorcycle with 4 wheels.
Colin Chapman built his first car in 1947; this car was based on the English Austin 7 saloon car. The body was made of alloy and plywood. Lotus cars progressed with the Austin based cars through the Mark 5 that never reached production. The Mark 5 was to have been a 100 mph Austin engined sports-racing car based upon the Mark 3. The Mark 6 was Colin first car that was sold mostly in kit form and with a tubular chassis. The Mark 7 replaced the Mark 6 in 1957 and is still in production as the Caterham.
The original 7 as designed by Colin Chapman used the anti-sway bar as part of the lower control arm of the suspension. Colin always believed in “adding lightness.” If one part could do two jobs then that made for a lighter car.
This is a no frills car. No doors, not much of a seat, heater (if one was available), and a top was optional, if it wasn’t necessary to make the car go fast Colin really didn’t want it. As I recall the 7 was not one of Colin’s favorite cars, but it was nearly his bread and butter for years.
The Lotus 7 weighed in the area of 1,000 pounds give or take depending on the engine chosen. Engines were mostly up to the buyer and they ranged from the 948 cc engine from the Sprite to the 1,500 cc Coventry Climax.
The Cobra is probably the most copied car in the kit car industry but the Lotus 7 has to be second as the most copied car. You can obtain a new car from Caterham or you can choose from one of the many copycat companies and pick any engine from a Mazda rotary to a Chevy V-6. You can but a book on how to build your own car. In my poor humble opinion nothing beats the original or the Caterham.
The Lotus 7 has been compared to a motorcycle with 4 wheels.
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