Charlie Foss's Lotus 7
SB1307
Ohio, USA

FOR SALE: $35,000
Contact: Charlie Foss

Current photos of SB1307 as offered by Charlie Foss.

Charlie Foss writes:

I bought the car in 2009. The car was poorly prepared for racing, with flattened brake lines, undersized bolts (5/16 inch bolts in 3/8 inch holes), and loose transmission mounts & rear axle assembly. The car had to be a beast to drive. It had gone through about 3 owners since Bob Graham had the car, and had been run in a few vintage races.

I bought the chassis sans engine. The previous engine having been grenaded. After a thorough inspection, I determined the best course of action was to start over. The chassis was a mess. The aluminum had been taken off and reattached several times over the years and had numerous holes and crude patches everywhere. The old rotted aluminum was removed and the frame stripped, inspected, repaired (properly) and repainted. The frame was in very good condition and absolutely straight, but it was covered with oil, dirt, and a sloppy paint job. I replaced the roll bar. I am 6'1" tall with size 13 feet and my head was well over the old roll bar. Historically, it was painted a solid yellow, but I just couldn't bring myself to paint that nice shiny aluminum. So now it is a bare alloy body with yellow fiberglass.

Since the car needed a new engine, I had George Bauchman (Midwest Motorsport) build up a fresh 1500 cc precrossflow engine. This is totally fresh build on a previously unmolested Cortina engine. The block is fitted with steel main bearing caps and line bored. Tappets were upgraded to the larger later (711M) style. The head has been bench flowed. It is making over 135 hp (with a very flat power curve from 5900 to 7500 rpm) on the dyno. Twin Weber 40 DCOE carbs, competition rods (Cunningham) and pistons. The transmission is a Ford semi-close ratio all synchromesh 4 speed.

The rear axle required a lot of work. Originally it had been fitted with a Spitfire differential and was using the small diameter TR10 axle shafts. These are too weak for racing. I replaced them with a Quaife LSD, mounted in a TR7 carrier. I then had a set of custom steel alloy axles made. A new lower A frame to locate the rear axle was also installed. The old A frame was junk.

Street update

Decided to retire from racing (again) in 2013. I really like the car, so I decided to change it over to a street driver. I replaced the dry sump with a fully baffled wet sump oil system, installed an Elan clutch (to replace Tilton), added headlights and alternator. I Installed a S4 Seven fuel tank and put the cell on the shelf. Now it just a really fast, fun street Seven. Drives great, but I am getting too old and stiff to drive it much anymore. I only drove it once this summer. I guess the time has come to sell it to someone who can drive it more. This is a really nice car with a very well documented history. I have a clean Ohio tile. The photos at the top of this page show the current condition of the car.

Previous Owner Bob Graham's researched history and photos

The car was raced in the late sixties by Don Kearney, then of Clearwater Florida. The car's history before that is unclear. Don is now deceased but his daughter, who still runs a race prep business in Washington D.C. area where Don had later relocated, related this story of the car to me, Bob Graham.

Don at the time was racing a Triumph Spitfire with some success. He was several times S.E. SCCA champion. He lamented the fact that if he only had a Lotus Super Seven he could win the National Runoffs. An old friend who hung around the shop, one day appeared with a trailer and a bent Seven which had been in an accident and had been procured from a salvage yard. (Current owner Charlie Foss notes: Generally a salvage yard car is a write-off, and the title and serial number plate are removed) Don's friend told him if he could fix it, he had his car for the Runoffs. Don set to repairing the damaged car which needed among other things new sheet metal for the scuttle, bonnet and dash which had been crushed. These he hand fashioned in time to qualify the car for the Runoffs. That year, 1968, they were held at Riverside Raceway in California. The Scrutineers gave Don a hard time about some of his changes to the car but finally relented and let him run. (Charlie Foss notes: I have a copy of Feb 1969 issue of Road&Track which has a picture of the car in the tech line)

He finished a creditable fourth behind three TR4s. Don later took the car to Savanna, Georgia to race. During the standing start the clutch blew up scattering the parts through the top of the bonnet totally unnerving Don. The only thing that saved his feet and legs was a piece of steel put in the foot well for just such an incident. Don sold the car on the spot.

It seems that the car lay dormant for the next 30 odd years in the back of a race prep shop in Alpharetta, Georgia until being purchased by Elliot Evans of New Orleans. Elliot did a sympathetic restoration of the car leaving much of it just as raced by Don. (photos below of car as offered for sale in Georgia)

Due to poor health Elliot was forced to sell the car. It was bought for a wealthy client, who collected original race cars, by a broker in Florida. Unfortunately before delivery could be completed the client died leaving the broker to find a buyer for the car to recoup his investment. This is where I come into the picture. Seeing an ad for the car I (Bob Graham) arranged to buy it.

Photos below of the car as prepped by Bob Graham.

FOR SALE: $35,000
Contact: Charlie Foss