Donald Smith
<donnnancy@comcast.net>

SC2631

I saw and bought my first Lotus in 1968, a new Elan that I imported from Holland. I brought in a few more Lotus for sale, which led to my getting the Lotus dealership for the Washington D.C. area. My friend Steve Ruddy managed service, a full time job, and I handled sales, a part time job. We sold mostly new Europas, which sold for $4500 and occasionally an Elan ($5000) or Elan +2 ($5500.) Used cars, primarily Elans, helped the business survive. We managed for about two years (1969-71) and when the distributor put another dealer in the area, we shut down.

Steve sold the service business a few years later and moved to Florida. I managed to meet a young lady at the business who became my wife so it paid off for me! We met Hazel Chapman at Leguna Seca historic races some years ago when Lotus was the featured marque and told her we met due to Lotus. She toured the race track in a Lotus 6.

In 1970, I purchased from Caterham one of the 13 Lotus Seven SS, series 3 with Holbay twin-cam. I sold the car to Dr. Messouri of Washington, D. C. I have lost track of the car, but I wonder where it is today. My TCSS was purchased from Caterham in August, 1970. Caterham assembled the car, which was RHD and painted in orange-red. The car had a Holbay tuned Ford twin-cam engine with dual 40DCOE Webers. Its registration number was DME 315 J. It was probably the last of the 13 to be sold. I paid about $3,000 for the car. I drove it to the Lotus factory in Norwich and then to Southampton for shipment to Baltimore. I had a Lotus dealership at the time, called ‘Lotus Washington’ with my partner Steve Ruddy. To make a long story short, I bought a highly modified Elan and sold the 7 to a Dr. Alfred Messori (a psychiatrist!) I have long since lost contact with him, so I have no idea whatever happened to the car.

By 1973, I missed the 7, and I learned that Caterham had decided to offer the series 3 (as a kit) since they were making only the series 4. I think they made about 30 of the kits to determine the market. Steve assembled the car for me, making some improvements which interested Graham Nearn. I kept this car for about 5 years and really enjoyed it. The invoice for this car which I still have is dated Dec. 10,1974. It states that the car is a Super Seven Drophead Coupe chassis number CS3/3563/TCR and sold for 1565 pounds. The engine was the Lotus big valve with dual Dellortos. I drove it on the street and autocrossed it until I sold it to a friend in about 1979.

I have 4 photos of the TCSS and more photos of the Caterham but it was not so unique.

Hindsight being what it is, I should have kept the TCSS. I will say that it was not assembled very well and I was not keen on RHD. I occasionally have fantasies about getting another 7, but I probably will not (I am older and heavier these days!) I moved from 7’s to Morgans, which I have had for 30 years. I also have a new Miata and a RX8.