Summer of 1999 was when I seriously started looking for 'Tank2', however at Stoneleigh Kit Car show that year I was told of a nice 7 copy for sale on the Robin Hood stand, I quickly checked it out, knowing that Robin Hood had been Kit Manufacturers for a decade or so I wrongly assumed that Robin hood 7's were the real thing, I immediately placed a £10 deposit. This wrong assumption was to cause me plenty of grief over the next 2 years and delayed 'Tank 2's' arrival until recently, Not that there were many 'Tank's' for sale, in the years 1999-2003 I only saw 2 advertised for sale, one car was Q reg, [no, thank you very much] and the other was sold before I even had a chance to view it!

Winter 02/03 I rebuilt the Dutton fitting an Injected Ford 2 litre Zetec engine to replace an ageing but very pokey cammed 2.1 litre 'Pinto'. This modern Ford engine is sophisticated, reliable and much less hassle compared to the more agricultural but animal mannered Webered Pinto.I got a lucky break in my search for 'Tank2'. The Lotus 7 club magazine 'Low Flying' had a 'Wanted' section, I'd avidly looked in the 'For sale' section throughout my 7 club membership, without success, and I had an idea, that if I was to find 'Tank2' it could well emanate from an ad placed within the 'Low Flying' mag itself, and so it turned out, as this is how I eventually got offered 'Tank 2'. At first I was offered several 'Tarted' up 'Sheds [you know the type - shiny paintwork with untouched and clapped out mechanicals] purporting to be real Tanks, but I wanted an honest car, It didn't matter if it wasn't perfect, after all it's going to get abused properly, so a few chips and paint scratches etc, were no problem. At last a promising response came from Liverpool, my wife Bon & I went to view it immediately, and I returned home with a big grin, just like I always wore in the 1970's.Now after owning 'Tank2' for a while, I realise just how puny a Ford X flow engine, even a tuned one is, compared to modern EFI engines. With this in mind I have to upgrade 'Tank 2' ASAP. A question regarding just this upgrade was posted on the Lotus7 forum boards, surprisingly, this elicited a few angry replies, along the lines 'that would be sacrilege' to alter one of the few S4's still road registered in UK ­ why?? What's wrong with evolution, besides I'm not into the prawn sandwiches eaten & the BS heard spoken at the numerous classic cars shows now held throughout the UK, It's my car and the thought of Tank with a modern engine has proven irresistible, I'm changing 'Tank 2' to my spec!!

Anyone else fitted a modern engine into an S4? I need your story ­ now.

photos: Don’t buy a Robin Hood 7 - this was one I built. Save yourself suicide inducing hassle from RH’s -‘Tricky Dicky’ buy a Dutton or a Locost instead.