1962 Lotus Seven Restoration

Thought I'd start a thread on the Seven I'm restoring, I bought it in the summer and am hoping to have it finished for next spring.

As bought, it had been highly modified for racing in the past and been off the road since 1985.



It came with a spare chassis which is fortunate as the original was past restoring, even the spare one needed a considerable amount of work. I had it soda blasted first.

All the parts marked with an X needed replacing





And I added in some extra section where they won't be seen to aid the fitment of seatbelts etc





The remainder of the car was stripped





Whilst waiting for the chassis to return from the powder-coaters I've rebuilt the engine.






Hopefully I'll get the chassis panelled with it's new aluminium skin over the Christmas break

Hello and welcome, and congratulations for being the first to post a topic in the Seven section
Looking at the photos you have are great, looks like a task and a half but you sound like a man on top of the job indeed. Glad to see such a classic being restored! With your plan to get it finished for the good weather in the Spring, have you got any tours planned for next year? Look forward to seeing how it turns out ...

My plan is to drive it over for the show at Malvern next April. Needed to give myself a deadline

Wow that work is impressive, good luck with the rest.
Cheers
John

PS I'm trying to figure out where I've seen those "original condition" Photos before.

GrumpyBodger wrote:Wow that work is impressive, good luck with the rest.
Cheers
John

PS I'm trying to figure out where I've seen those "original condition" Photos before.

I bought the car from a chap near Kassel in Germany so perhaps you saw it advertised over there? Or perhaps on LotusElan.net?

Yes got it now it was on LotusElan.net that I saw it.
Your pre-crossflow engine looks just like the one that was fitted into my old Mk14 Elite.
Your 7 will be a great Car when finished.
"A Motorised Roller Skate" as my old Boss used to call mine.

Cheers
John

Wow...fantastic pictures, an absolute credit to you, definately looking forward to seeing the finished article...talking about articles, how about writing something for Chicane - our club magazine?
Cheers,
Tim.
LDC publications editor-(Cylinder Ed)

TimS wrote:.talking about articles, how about writing something for Chicane - our club magazine?
Cheers,
Tim.
LDC publications editor-(Cylinder Ed)

Not sure how good my authoring skills are but I'll give it a go once the car is done.

Cheers
Jon

Spent some more time on this project over the break.

Chassis back from the powder coaters. Along with the back axle an suspension components.


Fitting the new aluminium skin panels starting with the floor.


Then foot boxes


Side and rear panels




Couldn't resist dropping in the gauges to see how it looked.


Just the centre tunnel to do and then trial fit the wings and nose cone.

Happy New Year to All

Jon

Is that a normal Pop Rivet Gun that I see or a Clamp Compressor?
Hope you've got something beefy to put in all those 3/16" Rivets.
I have not so very fond memories of a badly bruised hand after doing that job with standard Gun/Pliers.
When those Rivets let go they certainly do.
Job's looking a good 'un

John

Wow, well done, its looking really good, very exciting to see it develop, thanks for sharing the pictures with us.
Have a good new year.
Tim.

GrumpyBodger wrote:Is that a normal Pop Rivet Gun that I see or a Clamp Compressor?

John

The tool in the middle of the floor is the clamp compressor, but I am using a normal rivet gun (in the same picture on top of the box of rivets.) After 660 rivets I'll have a grip like a gorilla! To make matters worse I'm using Monel rivet with a stainless mandrel so they are even harder to pull than normal rivets.

Still not too many left now.

Cheers
Jon

DustyM wrote:

GrumpyBodger wrote:Is that a normal Pop Rivet Gun that I see or a Clamp Compressor?

John

The tool in the middle of the floor is the clamp compressor, but I am using a normal rivet gun (in the same picture on top of the box of rivets.) After 660 rivets I'll have a grip like a gorilla! To make matters worse I'm using Monel rivet with a stainless mandrel so they are even harder to pull than normal rivets.

Still not too many left now.

Cheers
Jon

Oh yes, these tired old eyes!
Looks like the same piece of Kit that I used. Best of luck, let me know when your Riveting & I'll flinch for you.
I remember the pain in my bruised Hand Palm took many days to wear off.
I fitted the new floor on my 7 from underneath with the car on axle stands. Not the easiest way to do the job.
Oh & the re-paneling job is superb, you obviously have tons of experience; please tell us where you got it from, Aircraft industry maybe?

Cheers
John

Thanks for the compliment , I restore classic cars for a living but this is my first time working with Aluminium so I'm quite pleased

Spent a few more hours on the Seven this week,

Got the Gearbox tunnel fitted after running the wiring and front to back brake pipe.



Then trial fitted the scuttle, nose cone, bonnet and lights





And finished off the gearbox rebuild.



Trial fit of the wings next

Cheers
Jon

Wow, its coming along really well, it evens looks like it has a smiley face in one of the pictures well done, thanks for the progress pictures- truely great!

Spent the last week or so trying to figure out the wiring, got there in the end and it all works

Not exactly the most exciting thing to photograph so just the one picture.

Again, not the most exciting thing to report but I got the back axle finished this weekend ready to go in.

It's originally from a Standard 10 but with a few strengthening bars welded on and also the ratio lowered a bit from the Standard 10s 4.55 to 4.11 using Herald parts....

Spent the last few weekends trying to get something resembling a shine on the aluminium panels. At times very frustrating but it came out OK in the end.

Also fitted the front and rear suspension.






not exactly mirror finish but I'm happy enough.



Just waiting for a few parts before it can come off the trestles and the engine can go in.

Getting excited now......

Dream Machine!!!

Looking good... its a real credit to you -it will be great to see it finished, seeing the pictures as it develops is like the spring flowers - a bit slow to start because of the cold - but then all of a sudden bloomin
fabulous
Cheers,
Tim

I've been following your restoration since your 1st post, and with every update I'm more and more impressed with your progress and the very the high standard of your work. It would be lovely to see the car in the flesh one day. It's going to be a real gem

Matt

Mattwatts wrote:I've been following your restoration since your 1st post, and with every update I'm more and more impressed with your progress and the very the high standard of your work. It would be lovely to see the car in the flesh one day. It's going to be a real gem

Matt

Well it is booked on the LDC stand for the NEC Classic Car Show this Year.

Eddie.

Hi Dusty,

would you share with us your secret for polishing Aluminium Sheet?
I've tried Duraglit (Brasso) Wadding, Brasso, Buffing wheels with Soap & yes they do it but what an effort with all of that black residue that occurs. Horrible job

Cheers
John

Thanks for the kind comments folks,

Matt if that was your Esprit at the NEC last year then you do pretty good work yourself!

John, No secret to the polishing I'm afraid just lots of hard work and black rags, started with wet flatting with 2000 wet and dry, then on to course compound with an electric polisher, then autosolve by hand and finally a liquid polish (the name escapes me) also by hand and buff with clean cloths until no more black comes off.

The laws of diminishing returns definately applies which is why I've stopped a little way short of a perfect mirror finish!