Widebody S4 Lotus Seven

[Paul Wilkinson]

I heard Malcolm at Bygone Autos currently has the Black Widebody for sale in his workshop.

Glad to say that Malcolm fixed the clutch (amongst many other things!) and didn't sell it! It was great to see the car moving under its own steam as we put it one the trailer today. There's still a long laundry list of things to do but we're knocking them off one by one....

[Chrionyx]

The other car wasn't bad either... This is another photo of the same Seven with a different line up...

[Chrionyx]

Nice one of the front end...

[Steve Holmes]

Fantastic photos!

[Chrionyx]

It was a fantastic car as womble will attest. I was more familiar with the back of the car or commonly known as the parcel shelf.. as a young kid womble and i would sit in there and be driven around... good fun.. (ah the good ol days)

[Paul Wilkinson]

Awesome pictures. I really like the bit of 'muscle' the wider wheels give the S4 - not as much on 'tippy-toes' as the others.

[Paul Wilkinson]

I was sent some period factory photos today - thanks Hajo!

[W154]

Hi Paul,

I also have a wide body S4, the ex- Murray Bryden car that ran in the Australian Sports Car Championships (when it was for Production Sports Cars) in 1980 - 81. A mate has just finished a wide body conversion on a Norwich S4 and there is also the ex- Dick Smith S4 still running around out of Canberra.

My car ran 1840cc TC, injected and 5 speed Hollinger though laterly it ran with a Pinto 2 Litre and 4 speed. I will be putting it back to TC as time and funds allow.

Do you know if Steele Bros actually produced a wide body version or did Charlie produce a one-off?

I would be interesting to compare notes. I will scan some photo's.

CCR

Aussiemonza
I have just found this site whilst browsing The Nostalgia Forum" on Autosport and came across this forum which I have a VERY personal interest in. I have read through all the comments and I think perhaps a few of them need to be discussed further.
In my opinion any resemblance between the MB car and a Lotus Super 7 Series 4 was purely coincidental. To this day I still don't know how it ever got a CAMS Group D log book. I did a hell of a lot of research on S4 sevens and went to Pomgolia to purchase the real thing after mant discussions with "the powers that be at CAMS". I got my log book only to find that MB then got a log book for what was basically a "hot rod". My memory was that it was powered by a full house Cosworth FVA or BDA can't remember which one and the chassis bore no resemblance to a S4 chassis. Any way that is all in the past, he got away with it so good luck to him. He certainly kept the 934's on their toes at the tight circuits!
As for my old car in Canberra. I converted my race car back to a road car( ie bolted on some road wheels and tyres) and sold it to a chap called Ian (?) McLaren. I was told on good authority that he was killed in the car when it took off on the Westgate Freeway in Melbourne and hit a road sign and burst into flames. If that is not the case I will be very happy to know that Ian and car are still OK.!! My car was a Lotus factory built 7 and had the chassis plate to prove it so if anybody has any info on "current" owner wouldn't mind contacting him/her as I live just down the road on Vic/NSW border.
Will post some more info to set the record straight about racing 7's and some photos of my car undergoing "wide body conversion" and build if any interest.
DS

[Paul Wilkinson]

I for one would be keen to see some pictures!

[aussiemonza]

Aussiemonza
I have just found this site whilst browsing The Nostalgia Forum" on Autosport and came across this forum which I have a VERY personal interest in. I have read through all the comments and I think perhaps a few of them need to be discussed further.
In my opinion any resemblance between the MB car and a Lotus Super 7 Series 4 was purely coincidental. To this day I still don't know how it ever got a CAMS Group D log book. I did a hell of a lot of research on S4 sevens and went to Pomgolia to purchase the real thing after mant discussions with "the powers that be at CAMS". I got my log book only to find that MB then got a log book for what was basically a "hot rod". My memory was that it was powered by a full house Cosworth FVA or BDA can't remember which one and the chassis bore no resemblance to a S4 chassis. Any way that is all in the past, he got away with it so good luck to him. He certainly kept the 934's on their toes at the tight circuits!
As for my old car in Canberra. I converted my race car back to a road car( ie bolted on some road wheels and tyres) and sold it to a chap called Ian (?) McLaren. I was told on good authority that he was killed in the car when it took off on the Westgate Freeway in Melbourne and hit a road sign and burst into flames. If that is not the case I will be very happy to know that Ian and car are still OK.!! My car was a Lotus factory built 7 and had the chassis plate to prove it so if anybody has any info on "current" owner wouldn't mind contacting him/her as I live just down the road on Vic/NSW border.
Will post some more info to set the record straight about racing 7's and some photos of my car undergoing "wide body conversion" and build if any interest.
DS

W154, PM sent.

MB ended up running an all alloy 2lt Alloy Twin Cam on injection in 1981 (he tells me) but sold the car in 1982 to the Alan Jones Driving Centre/Jim Murcott without the Twin Cam, 5 speed g'box, and centre-lock wheels. Murcott put the Pinto in, 4 speed and Rebels. That's how I got it after being fire damaged.

CCR

[Steve Holmes]

Aussiemonza
I have just found this site whilst browsing The Nostalgia Forum" on Autosport and came across this forum which I have a VERY personal interest in. I have read through all the comments and I think perhaps a few of them need to be discussed further.
In my opinion any resemblance between the MB car and a Lotus Super 7 Series 4 was purely coincidental. To this day I still don't know how it ever got a CAMS Group D log book. I did a hell of a lot of research on S4 sevens and went to Pomgolia to purchase the real thing after mant discussions with "the powers that be at CAMS". I got my log book only to find that MB then got a log book for what was basically a "hot rod". My memory was that it was powered by a full house Cosworth FVA or BDA can't remember which one and the chassis bore no resemblance to a S4 chassis. Any way that is all in the past, he got away with it so good luck to him. He certainly kept the 934's on their toes at the tight circuits!
As for my old car in Canberra. I converted my race car back to a road car( ie bolted on some road wheels and tyres) and sold it to a chap called Ian (?) McLaren. I was told on good authority that he was killed in the car when it took off on the Westgate Freeway in Melbourne and hit a road sign and burst into flames. If that is not the case I will be very happy to know that Ian and car are still OK.!! My car was a Lotus factory built 7 and had the chassis plate to prove it so if anybody has any info on "current" owner wouldn't mind contacting him/her as I live just down the road on Vic/NSW border.
Will post some more info to set the record straight about racing 7's and some photos of my car undergoing "wide body conversion" and build if any interest.
DS

I too would love to see pics.

[aussiemonza]

I was hoping we would have heard from W154 by now!

[Paul Wilkinson]

I was hoping we would have heard from W154 by now!

Me too! In the meantime here's a picture pinched off the internet of an S4 that has had its rear widened by cutting off the guards and 'glassing in a strip...

[Paul Wilkinson]

An interesting S4 with deDion rear.

http://www.simplesevens.com/anglocanadian/angloSIVClubman.htm

[Davea79]

Aussiemonza
I have just found this site whilst browsing The Nostalgia Forum" on Autosport and came across this forum which I have a VERY personal interest in. I have read through all the comments and I think perhaps a few of them need to be discussed further.
In my opinion any resemblance between the MB car and a Lotus Super 7 Series 4 was purely coincidental. To this day I still don't know how it ever got a CAMS Group D log book. I did a hell of a lot of research on S4 sevens and went to Pomgolia to purchase the real thing after mant discussions with "the powers that be at CAMS". I got my log book only to find that MB then got a log book for what was basically a "hot rod". My memory was that it was powered by a full house Cosworth FVA or BDA can't remember which one and the chassis bore no resemblance to a S4 chassis. Any way that is all in the past, he got away with it so good luck to him. He certainly kept the 934's on their toes at the tight circuits!
As for my old car in Canberra. I converted my race car back to a road car( ie bolted on some road wheels and tyres) and sold it to a chap called Ian (?) McLaren. I was told on good authority that he was killed in the car when it took off on the Westgate Freeway in Melbourne and hit a road sign and burst into flames. If that is not the case I will be very happy to know that Ian and car are still OK.!! My car was a Lotus factory built 7 and had the chassis plate to prove it so if anybody has any info on "current" owner wouldn't mind contacting him/her as I live just down the road on Vic/NSW border.
Will post some more info to set the record straight about racing 7's and some photos of my car undergoing "wide body conversion" and build if any interest.
DS

As requested

[Davea79]

S4seven. where do the numbers "3060" and "3995" fit in?

The above photo will answer 1 of your questions.

DA

[aussiemonza]

Looking for advice on what the pedal bracket was on a SteeleBro S4? Was it a donor part (Triumph/Ford) or a Lotus/SteelBro fabricated part?

[Paul Wilkinson]

Steelbro fabricated to same Lotus pattern as the UK cars. It was a bespoke item I believe....

[aussiemonza]

Thanks Paul, I have that reference out of the Tony Weale book. Do you have any dimensions/plans or any idea who might have stock (long shot) or be able to manufacture from a sample? Mine was discarded for a pedal box, I want to put back to standard

[Paul Wilkinson]

Thanks Paul, I have that reference out of the Tony Weale book. Do you have any dimensions/plans or any idea who might have stock (long shot) or be able to manufacture from a sample? Mine was discarded for a pedal box, I want to put back to standard

You're going to hate me - I used to have a spare but sold it with a bunch of bits when we moved house.......

Hajo Steffen would be a good person to talk to about this. If you don't have his email address, send me a message and I'll give it to you.

If you are going to have one made (rather than make one yourself) you could get someone to pop mine out and make a copy. I would be happy for someone like Fraser Cars or ByGone Autos to do that - someone local who I know.....