Tony Bates
<tony@batesfamily.net>
July 1963 Cosworth Mk IX SB 1761
1963 Factory-built Series II SCCA Lotus Super Seven (left hand drive)
http://www.batesfamily.net/Lotus/Lotus.htm

FOR SALE

SCCA # (0?)0228 (AZ region). VIN #: SB 1761, Registration #: 63 SUPR 7

The original engine was probably a Ford 109E (1340c.c.) Cosworth Mk V, SCCA version, with twin Webers DCOE 40's, confirmed by Homer Rader, the owner of Lotus Southwest, the distributor in Dallas, TX that imported the car. The engine number was S321505E and the carb #'s were l7422 and l7455.The current engine is a Ford 116E (1500c.c.) Cosworth (Mk IX) engine with twin Weber 40DCOE28's (#55187 and 56024) and the original (?) Ford close ratio gearbox.

According to Lotus records the chassis plate that originally matched frame number B1546 was 1761 (no prefix given but it would most likely have been SB). The chassis plate was subsequently lost or transferred to another vehicle. The current chassis plate is a replacement one.

1963, July 12 - Car was shipped from the Lotus Cheshunt factory in the UK to Lotus Southwest, Dallas TX, a distributor in Texas, apparently with a couple other SCCA specials that were bought by racers in the area. Supposedly all painted red. This car was red originally. Apparently only 14 of this type of car were made due to problems with the front suspension collapsing (see later).

1969/70 ? - After a mishap at Riverside CA in 1969(?) where the front suspension collapsed the car was taken to Erik Leonhard's racecar shop in Phoenix, AZ for repair.

1970 ? - Purchased by Erik Leonhard, Phoenix, AZ. Along with the suspension, the original engine (Ford 109E) was damaged so Erik replaced it with a pre-crossflow Ford 116E engine with a butterfly sump (still with the car today but in pieces). He also replaced the original roll bar, as it didn't meet safety standards at that time. The roll bar has an SCCA tech. inspection number (0?)0228 stamped on it. After repairs, the car was successfully raced twice in 1971/2 by Erik at Phoenix International Raceway in D Production (Number was 55) where he won national points. It was also raced with the Arizona Sports Racing Association (ASRA) an amateur local club. The car was red/aluminum at this time. Erik sold the car "complete".

1972 - Purchased by Chuck Collins, Phoenix, AZ from Erik Leonhard. He bought the car from Eric as a basket case. Everything was disassembled. He trailered the car to Wisconsin where he had an English car repair shop at the time. He replaced the original TR10 back axle with another from a local TR as the original was missing. In 1973 he moved from Wisconsin to live in Phoenix. He sold the car to Dennis Noonan while still in Wisconsin.

1973 - Purchased by Dennis Noonan, Newcastle IN. from Chuck Collins. He bought the car on his return from Vietnam. He got the car from Chuck in several pieces. He re-assembled it and drove approx. 250 miles on the street. He painted the car yellow with black wings etc. He then found that the front frame was twisted and the front 1" tubes were almost collapsed. The motor had Dave Bean race parts in it and it was really difficult to drive on the street, over heating etc.

1993 - Dennis Noonan completely stripped the car down to get the frame repaired. On May 20 1993 he had the frame restored and updated to 1969 Super 7 specs at Mick Baker Race Cars in Niles, MI.

1998, July - Purchased by Jim Giordano, Bellevue, WA from Dennis Noonan. The car was still in pieces from Dennis Noonan's strip down. Dennis Noonan did not sell the original dealer fitted "wobbly web" wheels and various front suspension parts etc. to Jim for personal reasons.1998/9 - Jim Giordano purchased a full race Cosworth (Mk IX) 1500c.c. engine from Clem Competition Engines of Dallas, TX. It was originally prepared in 1990 (Sept. 19) by for Sportscar Performance of Arlington TX.

1999, Oct 15 - Purchased by me, Tony Bates, Saratoga, CA from Jim Giordano. The car was still in pieces from Dennis Noonan's strip down and the race Cosworth engine was still in its original crate from 1990.2002, Jan 22 - The car is titled and registered in California as a 1963 Lotus Super Seven 1500.