Geoff and 40 UPE on the Stelvio Pass, Austrian - Italian border taken in 1962.

In June1964 after a couple of "European holidays" Geoff wrote to the service manager of Armstrong Patents Co Ltd. Asking:

"I constructed a lotus 7 s2 early on in 1961 and this was equipped with your spring damper units both front and rear. I wrote to you regarding the possibility of fitting firmer springs at the rear and on your suggestion used a pair of AT7/811 springs which have proved entirely satisfactory for the extra touring load of approx 200lbs. Since this time I have really hammered the car particularly the suspension units, over very rough surfaces in Spain and Morocco, some 20,000 miles in total: this obviously says a great deal for the reliability of your products. Sadly one of the front damper units expired- covering the front windscreen with fluid and I must ask you to quote me for a replacement"

The 6-8 week summer holidays to the south of Spain and beyond, continued with the car still going strong albeit somewhat slightly modified. The crankshaft was replaced with one with a longer throw boosting the engine cc from 997 to approx 1200. A larger fuel tank from a Renault was fitted to increase range. The spare wheel was discarded and a puncture repair kit carried, allowing the "boot" to be fitted for extra payload. Alayne, (Giselle's mother) with 40 UPE with boot. North of Madrid approx 1964.

Also a fuel gauge was fitted and an inlet manifold pressure gauge was fitted, the original idea of this was to measure economy (mpg) however Geoff used it to measure altitude. He found that at different altitudes inlet manifold pressure at idle would differ. He could calibrate the gauge and calculate altitude fairly accurately to within a 1000 feet. "at the end of the highest road in Spain Sierra Nevada approx. 11,500 feet, 1967" Geoff tells me that he had to retune the carbs several times on the way up.

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