1,498cc Ford 4-Cylinder Engine
120bhp
4-Speed Close-Ratio Manual Transmission
Double-Wishbone Front Suspension
Solid Rear Axle
Front Disc, Rear Drum Brakes

*Offered by its original owner
*Fully restored in 1986
*Raced successfully in-period in Southern California
*Campaigned in vintage events since 1995

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

In his single-minded pursuit of a lightweight and simple sports roadster, Lotus founder Colin Chapman hit upon an ideal formula that paired a racing-style tube frame chassis with a four-cylinder Ford engine that delivered accessible performance at a reasonable price. Chapman's Lotus Seven proved an enduring hit following its 1957 debut, remaining in production at Lotus through 1972 and continued by Caterham to the present day.

In 1960, the Seven was upgraded to the Seven S2, and in 1961 the S2 was joined by the Super Seven S2, offered with a choice of Ford or Cosworth engines. To keep cost to a minimum, all were sold in "kit" form, to be assembled by their purchasers or by independent contractors.

The car offered here is Lotus Super Seven S2 number SB2088, which has been in possession of its original California owner since purchased directly from Lotus in 1965. Equipped with the standard 1,498cc Ford four-cylinder engine and four-speed close-ratio gearbox, SB2088 was assembled in England by DJ Waters, moonlighting from his job as race engineer to Cooper F1 driver Jochen Rindt.

Following its completion, the car was registered in England and driven sufficiently to be classified as a used vehicle upon export, thus avoiding the 17% VAT on new vehicles. Upon its arrival in the US, the car was raced by its owner from 1967 to '69 in SCCA road races at Willow Springs, Riverside, Stardust, Sears Point, and Santa Barbara.

Beginning in 1986, SB2088 underwent restoration by Lotus expert Tom Beauchamp, who'd been mentored by Shelby/Gurney engineer Phil Remington (one of the true-life characters in Ford vs Ferrari). Beauchamp straightened and reinforced its chassis and replaced many of its original aluminum panels, including those damaged when the car was struck from behind during a race. Its Ford engine was rebuilt by ex-Lotus employee Chris Schroeder, after which it recorded 130 hp to exceed the output of the optional Cosworth engine available from Lotus in 1965.

The restoration was completed in 1994, and in 1995 the car returned to action, raced by its owner in HMSA and VARA events. Fifty-four years after it was first built, this Lotus Super Seven S2 remains a competitive and affordable vintage mount, ready for its next owner to enjoy on road or track.