Craig Chima's 1962 Lotus Seven Race Car
Owner: Craig ChimaCity: Akron, Ohio
Chassis: 1962 Lotus Seven
Engine: Ford Kent 4-cylinder (see below)
Race prepared by: Craig Chima at CC Motorsports
The Lotus Seven Model
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Lotus Components, Cheshunt, Hertsfordshire. England.
Chassis No. SB1653. Engine No. S235682E.
Craig Chima's Ownership
Racecar back to at least the mid seventies.
Crashed and re-framed in the early 80s... with a frame from Arch Motors. All brazed.
"Very fragile cars." "Flexible flyers."stressed tunnel
Frame is all authentic to the Lotus design except Craig adds a couple tubes:
1) with the seat removed you can see... extends all the way forward to motor mounts.
2) box tube in front of the seat is heavier gauge than stock (16 instead of 18ga)
3) 0.100" floorpan instead of 0.060", better alloy, glued to the frame to better serve as a stressed skin, aircraft rivets.
4) box tube inside at bottom of tunnel (where before the tunnel was just folded sheet)
5) rear transmission mount was just riveted to the sides of the tunnel, which worked loose.
6) Chapman had rear A-frame... front end is stock back rear six inches is totally redone.
(Car is mounted very low - probably 3" lower than stock - A-frame is flat to avoid rear.
7) Steel tube inside tunnel to act as a backbone too
Earliest seven's had bmc motors, then Ford 1L, then 1340 Ford (which was original "SCCA Seven"),
then 1498cc (which is most popular in vintage) and some people cheat...
1598cc Ford got crossflow head.
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Features and Specifications (as presented)
| Engine: | Ford Kent engine, in various displacements.
(3.19" bore.)
9000 rpm.
~112 horsepower.
A lot of head work.
Steel main caps (instead of iron.)
Steel crank (aftermarket).
Steel rods.
CC Motorsports custom camshaft.
Titan roller rockers. (Stock ratio.)
Very, very light valves - very thin stems.
Lightly sprung valve springs.
Dual Weber 40DCOE28 carburetors.
Shortie full-radius velocity stacks.
Distributor has two leads...
MSD Blaster 2 ignition coil.
Accel Hi-Temp Super Stock Spiro Core 8mm spark plug wires.
NGK C9E spark plugs.
TDC (Fast Forward Components) 3-stage external oil pump, with Craig's own drive pulley assembly.
Remote oil filter.
|
| Cooling: | Fluidyne aluminum crossflow radiator.
Custom fabricated aluminum coolant header tank.
Mocal (10-row) 1/2BSP oil cooler. |
| Exhaust: | custom fabricated four-into-one header, ceramic coated. |
| Transmission: |
Girling 5/8" bore integral reservoir master cylinder.
Hydraulic throw-out bearing. |
| Rear axle: | Morris Minor rear axle.
Limited slip differential.
Full floating, double bearing hubs. |
| Front Susp.: | dual wishbone front suspension.
Alford & Alder forged uprights.
Carrera / QA1 aluminum-bodied coilover shock absorbers.
Hyper-Coil springs.
Adjustable (5 position) anti-sway bar mounted on aluminum pillow blocks.
droop limited? |
| Rear Susp.: | Upper radius rods.
Lower A-link.
Carrera coilover shock absorbers.
Adjustable tubular anti-sway bar. |
| Brakes: | (master) dual Girling 5/8" bore master cylinders with integral reservoir and adjustable bias bar, (front) solid rotors, (rear) drum brakes. |
| Wheels/Tires: | Performance Superlite GTR (13x5.5JJ) aluminum wheels.
Hoosier Street T.D. S tires (P185/60D13). |
| Electrical: | gear reduction starter. |
| Instruments: | (left to right)
Westach dual EGT (700-1700F),
Smiths oil temperature (40-140C),
Smiths coolant temperature (90-230F),
Smiths oil pressure (0-100psi),
Smiths mechanical tachometer (0-9000rpm). |
| Fuel System: | Fuel Safe Systems aluminum fuel cell.
Facet (Bendix style) electric fuel pump. |
| Safety Eqmt: | Schroth 5-point cam-lock safety harness.
Custom leather upholstered racing seat.
Pem All hand-held (Halon) fire extenguisher.
Longacre roll cage padding. |
| Racing Class: | various. |
Engine Installation
Dual Weber 40DCOE28 carburetors.
carbs
Weber type 40DCOE28 number 53981 (and 55952).
valve adjustment
Titan roller rockers - stock ratio. Very lightweight valvetrain.
TDC Oil Pumps (from Fast Forward Components) 3-stage external oil pump.
Note the Hall effect sensor at right.
oil pump connections
tachometer drive
MSD Blaster 2 ignition coil.
MSD Blaster 2 ignition coil.
Distributor has two leads...
distributor
Accel Hi-Temp Super Stock Spiro Core 8mm spark plug wires.
10 Row 1/2 BSP. - Mocal Oil Control Systems - Manufactured in U.K.
Think Automotive Limited, 292 Worton Road, Isleworth, Middlesex.
i engine oil reservoir
Fluidyne aluminum crossflow radiator.
Custom fabricated aluminum coolant header tank.
Custom fabricated four-into-one header, ceramic coated.
exhaust
Three Girling 5/8" bore master cylinders.
bellhousing
Front Suspension
a
b
c
Carrera / QA1 aluminum-bodied coilover shock absorbers. Hyper-Coil springs.
e
f
g
h
i
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Rear Suspension
Lotus Seven's were normally built with modified Triumph T10 rear axles, but this particular car has been
upgraded to a Morris Minor (BMC) axle. They're reportedly 15 to 20 pounds lighter on account of their
aluminum "pig". We're told better ratios and limited slip differentials are available too. Craig added
bracing, modified the axle to be full floating, and upgraded to double-bearing hubs.
Frame is all authentic to the Lotus design except Craig adds a couple tubes:
1) with the seat removed you can see... extends all the way forward to motor mounts.
4) box tube inside at bottom of tunnel (where before the tunnel was just folded sheet)
5) rear transmission mount was just riveted to the sides of the tunnel, which worked loose.
6) Chapman had rear A-frame... front end is stock back rear six inches is totally redone.
(Car is mounted very low - probably 3" lower than stock - A-frame is flat to avoid rear.
7) Steel tube inside tunnel to act as a backbone to the car. Proper rear transmission mount... not just riveted in.
Carrera coilover shock absorber.
d
Connection of the anti-sway bar to the rear axle.
Adjustable tubular anti-sway bar.
Interior
Schroth 5-point cam-lock safety harness.
Custom leather upholstered racing seat.
Westach dual exhaust temperature gauge (700-1700F) and Smiths oil temperature gauge (40-140C).
Smiths coolant temperature (90-230F) and oil pressure (0-100psi) gauges.
Smiths mechanical tachometer (0-9000rpm).
A safety pin prevents accidental engagement of reverse gear.
The floorpan is 0.100" thick aluminum, instead of 0.060" as original, and it's a better alloy too.
It's secured to the spaceframe with aviation rivets and adhesive, to serve as a stressed skin.
Like the floorpan, aluminum paneling on the spaceframe interior also serves as a stressed skin.
The exterior aluminum paneling doesn't.
The box tube in front of the seats is heavier gauge than stock (16ga instead of 18ga).
Headrest.
Roll hoop and shoulder harness attachment points.
Notice also the coilover shock absorber's attachment.
Exterior
We've watched Craig race his Lotus Seven twice. For the 2011 U.S. Vintage Grand Prix of Watkins Glen,
the Seven was powered by a Ford 105E spec motor (997cc, 3.19" bore by 1.91" stroke) to suit SVRA's
Group 1 F-Production requirements. Craig's best lap that weekend was 2:29.527, for an average speed
of 81.9mph over the challenging 3.4 mile circuit. (That's excellent for F-Production.)
For the 2012 "Mitty" at Road Atlanta, the Seven was powered by a Ford 116/122E spec motor (1498cc,
3.19" bore by 2.86" stroke) to suit HSR's Group 2K requirements. Craig's best lap that weekend was
1:48.019, for an average speed of 84.7mph around Road Atlanta's 2.54 mile circuit. He finished 18th
overall out of 54 entries in the Group 2 main event, and 3rd in class. Notably, every other car in that
crowded free-for-all of a race had at least 27 percent more engine displacement. Craig returned to
The Mitty in 2014 and won the Group 2 race outright.
Fiberglass wings. (These are period-correct for a 1962 Lotus Seven.)
Two Dzus fasteners and a piano hinge provide convenient access for refueling.
Aluminium fuel cell by Fuel Safe Systems of Huntington Beach CA.
Facet (Bendix style) electric fuel pump.
Performance Superlite GTR (13x5.5JJ) aluminum wheels weigh ~10.6 pounds each.
Hoosier Street T.D. S tires (P185/60D13).
Photos appearing in this article span two appearances:
(1) "The US Vintage Grand Prix" at Watkins Glen International of September 2011, and
(2) "The Mitty" at Road Atlanta of April 2012.
All photos by Curtis Jacobson for BritishRaceCar.com. Copyright 2020. All rights reserved.
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