Leo Jenbo
leojenbo@hotmail.com

1961 Seven SB1274 116E (pre-crossflow)
Copenhagen, Denmark

Above and below at the 1st Danish International Seven Meeting, June 2003. (thank you to the unknown photographers - please contact me and I will credit you properly

May 2003 -- Out and About!

Winter 2003 - Reassembled and awaiting warmer weather for running in...

Details, details...

The new color is 'Jaguar Westminster Blue', which is dark blue, but much more blue than black. The engine started second time I fired it up - after nearly three years. It runs smooth, but I will have it tuned before it hits the road. The new silencer does not allow any doubt about when the engine is running. I had it made in stainless steel. I have no idea about it's performance, but I assume it has 80-85 HP.

February 24, 2003 - SB1274 has been out for 26 miles now, but it's dammed cold (-5 - +6 degree C), and no heater ! It runs very well, lots of noise and wheelspin (135 x 13" Michelin Classic).

Restoration: The time honored method of transporting the bare CBU...

As purchased...

Half of my wiring seems to be original and mostly OK, but wiring for fan, horn, headlamps, stop lights and flashers are junk and/or have wrong colors. At the moment I am trying to find out what wires should be replaced. I have just cleaned the original petrol tank, which needs a small repair (rust in a lower corner), but should be easily fixed. Then I need a new silencer and seats. White piping should be on the way from Redline. The fiber glass parts are OK, but need painting, and the color will be white (says my wife !).

Next big project is the chassis. When money allows, I will send or bring it to Arch Motors for repair and reskinning including interior. Afterwards I will pick it up and bring it home to Denmark.

I live in the northern part of Copenhagen in Denmark, and I am the happy owner of this 1961 Seven since late last year. As time and money will make it possible, I will rebuild it to be as original as possible.

It was 'born' with a Ford 105E engine, which has been replaced with a 116E (pre-crossflow) still with two SU carburators. Probably I will keep this engine, as it runs well. The frame and chassis is original, but it needs a small repair in the front (left, lower corner) and all the aluminium needs to be replaced. Headlamps are small Lucas, but rear lamps must be replaced as well as seats, rear fenders and the silencer (plus a lot of minor things).

But one day.............

The photo at left is of Kirstine,my wife, who I met in 1964. When the photo was taken in '65, she was 18 years young, but as you maybe can see, she understood and shared my passion for the Seven already at that time. About the Seven on the photo I remember that the owner was a Triumph dealer in the city of Aarhus, where I lived the first 32 years of my life. As you can see, it was upgraded (I would call it downgraded) with aluminium bumpers from a Lloyd, which was a very small German car, which ended production in the mid 60ties. No, they were not required in Denmark - the guy owning the Seven probably thught it looked great, just as the two colored body. The wire-wheel look-a-like hub caps was modern (at least in Denmark) at that time, and so was the 'air intake' in the bonnet, which actually is only three crome rings bonded on the bonnet. The flashers on the front wings were probably also modern at that time. On the positive side, it had the original hood, Wingard rear light and (maybe) the Lucas rear flashers. As I recall, it it had a Ford engine probably/either a 100E, but it could have been a 105E. Unfortunately I don't know where the Seven is today, but hopefully alive. We have 70+ Lotus Sevens in Denmark, but most of them are unfortunately more Caterham look than Lotus.