Brian Iriks
<bpi@wave-net.net>
919.7759295 cell
919.7770881 home
FOR SALE
1963 Series II SB1530, Twincam
North Carolina, USA
$26,500.00 or $30,500.00 with enclosed trailer
My father owned and raced Michael Plitkins' Seven. When I picked up my Seven I drove it from Buffalo to Toronto. That drive was almost worth the purchase price. As rough as it was, it was still a blast. I can't wait until I can drive it with "new" everything.
October 2004: The Seven is almost finished. It drives spectacularly!
January 2005: Well worth the wait! An unbelivable kick in the pants. Some sorting left to do during the cold month or two down here. I love my car!
Powered by Lotus Twin-cam "Big Valve" 1558cc, twin Weber carbs, Wide-ratio gearbox with Cortina axle.
photos updated September 2007:
Early 2004: Under Restoration
I would appreciate any input on the history of this car. I have not traced any, other than the prior owner had it for 20 years +/-. I am afraid it was heavily "modified" and it has been a chore restoring it close to original. Any work I have done would allow an "original" resto' with no alteration of "works" parts, other than a new bonnet and rear wings, upon acquiring original components. (i.e.1500 pushrod, semiclose-close gearbox+extension, Standard-Triumph rear axle.)
February 2007: I would love to return my Seven to original spec, but I don't know what it was. I bought the car with a big valve twin-cam, and an MG rear end with half the Golden Gate Bridge welded to it by a high school shop class. My data plate does not have an engine number but, the factory engine mounts seem to have escaped prior owners' hack job. So, I think the original was a 1500 Ford. It was definetly raced, the spare tire frame was cut off, there are holes in the scuttle in front of the drivers seat for a small racing wind screen and mirrors, and a Les Leston steering wheel. The TR 10 axle is long gone. I would say it failed in "flight" as the frame tubes that run below were bent, but the boot tubes were fine. There was battery tray corrosion on the shock tower support tube on the lower right of the boot. There is a frame clip on the left front of the chassis, I left it there instead of rebuilding it for patina.
I think the car spent a lot of time languishing outside after it was wrecked. I found intergranular corrosion in the pan. Just the corners of the lower longeron square tubing in the cockpit was all that was left. The flats had completely disintergrated... Enter my welder. I had to leave town so I hired a guy to replace the tubes. I told him to save the chassis plate, but he threw it out. He did the work in someone elses shop, and basically got kicked out. So I couldn't even search the premesis.
It seems the history of my car followed fashion before form and someone tried to turn it into a dune buggy con series IV. I assume this is the point where I "gained" the big valve twin-cam and the 2128e gearbox with the integral shifter in the tailpiece. Its a nice piece, but not original. (Anybody know what type car this combo came in?) I liked the idea of having a twin-cam car so I had MWE rebuild it and stuck it in.
The body work was unbelievable. The nose was glassed to the bonnet to make a "drop nose" (ala ser.IV). The head lights were bolted to the top of the nose with a scoop for clearance over the cam cover. Each of the fenders were reinforced with 1/2" of fiber glass and 1/4" iron plate, tipping the scales at 15 to 30 pounds a piece. The side panels looked like swiss cheese. There were riveted aluminum patches where the exhaust exits the engine bay, and in the back panel. The exhaust was now run under the car, so they had to put 215 size tires on to keep from dragging the tail pipe. The cosmics fitted were 4" pattern so they filed the lug holes to fit the front hubs.
