SB 2116

John Waltemire writes:

I got my 1st 7 in 1966, a 1964 Cosworth 1500 UK reg. # BTT1B shortly after my family got transferred to London. I don't know what the serial # was, didn't really seem important when I was 17 years old. I went to see Le Mans in 67 in that car and then took it to the US for the summer since it was only about $100 as excess baggage on the Queen Elizabeth. Got back to the UK and sold it in 67 or 68.

I couldn't stand to be without a 7 and got SB2116, a 1966 S2 with a 1500 GT engine in (I think) 1969.

Spring of 70 I changed to a S3 rear axle and got a 1600 X-flow for it from a place that was putting V-6s in new Cortinas. [According to John Watson, the place putting V6 engines in Cortinas was Jeff Uren's garage and the car was called the Ford Savage.]

Brought it back to the US that summer and proceeded to pretty much total it in an S curve coming back from watching races at Bridgehampton. I remember having my passenger get in my friend's car at a traffic light because there was a 427 Corvette next to me. Took him by a few lengths to about 80mph but then the aerodynamics kicked in.

	Here we have a 1976 New Jersey Title and the original chassis plate bearing SB2116.

In April 1971 I ordered a S3 chassis body unit and many other parts to rebuild it (invoice available) from Lotus and had them shipped to the US. Got it running in 72 or 73, this time with a pair of Webers off an Alfa and a Ford BCF 4 cam. [It is at this point that the car lost its original FRAME number, eliminating the possibility of cross checking against the SB number.]

In 1979 or 80 after reading the DSK Cars technical articles I decided to do some chassis strengthening. Now, 20 some years later I've bronze welded the extra tubes in and that's about it. Sold my engine to a friend with a TVR and am planning on a Zetec. At 52 years old now I guess I better get busy. Sure would like to drive it again !