SimpleSevens: Don Christopher's Lotus Seven

Don Christopher
<don.christopher@comcast.net>

1965 S2 LSB 2096
Ford 105E 997 power, twin SU's

LSB2096 shipped from the Chestnut factory on 31 Dec 1965, which makes it one of the last cars to be built in that factory. The factory records show that it shipped with a Ford 105E 997cc engine with dual SU-carbs, Ford 4-speed gear box, 4.5:1 live axle, all the available options except the oil cooler.With bright-green gelcoated fiberglass (unpainted) front wings and rear mudguards, and bare aluminum body, it arrived at a dealership in Millerton, NY. It was sold to a school teacher in Memphis, TN who drove the car for only a year or two and no more than 600 miles. It was then consigned to Ed Zink who owned a successful Formula Vee race shop in Knoxville, TN, and who also may have been the local Lotus dealer.In 1967 or 1968, LSB2096 was purchased by amateur racer Charles Cox who added it to his collection of race cars at his home in North Carolina. Cox owned it for the next 25 years, during which he drove it less than 6000 miles. In mid-1994, he consigned the Seven to a broker friend in Orlando.

1994

In late 1994, it was bought sight-unseen by Jim Duncan of Cambria, CA who added it to the stable of cars at his fledgling classic car rental company "Cars with Character". LSB2096 was still very original, but had not been serviced in any serious way for almost 30 years. At this point, the car sported black Series 3 rear mudguards and wide Panasport wheels. It had quite a few dents and cracks, most of the rubber and wood was rotted, and the car needed a good cleaning. Jim remounted the original mudguards and Dunlop SP41 tires (all of which had been saved by Cox) and started what would be a year of ongoing repairs. No one ever rented the Seven, but Duncan did drive it up the California coast to Laguna Seca for the Lotus-featured 1995 Monterey Historics where he did a lap around the track. By the end of 1995 he was liquidating his business and advertised LSB2096 in the classified section of Lotus reMarque.

As described in articles on the Evergreen Lotus Car Club web page, David and Virginia Caley of Indianola, WA then bought the Seven and, with Randall Fehr Restorations, undertook a two-year high-caliber refreshening. David rebuilt the engine while Randall took care of the suspension, aluminum, and fiberglass. Great care was taken to maintain the car's originality. David and Virginia then enjoyed a series of tours and meets in Michigan, Georgia, British Columbia, Oregon, and Washington, where they won several awards.

In 2004, LSB2096 traveled from Indianola to my driveway just north of Seattle. Almost forty years of age and still less than 13000 miles on the odometer with David putting about half the miles during his 8-year ownership, including a 1200-mile drive around Lake Michigan.

2005

The Seven is still very original, including its original Ford 105E 997cc engine, twin SU carbs, and 4-speed gearbox.I've since spoken to and exchanged information with Jim Duncan and Charles Cox. Unfortunately, the school teacher's name is long forgotten and no pre-1994 photographs can be found. But both previous owners were happy to hear LSB2096 was still being driven and very impressed with its condition.