Craig Chima's 1962 Lotus Seven Race Car
Owner: Craig ChimaCity: Akron, Ohio
Chassis: 1962 Lotus Seven
Engine: Ford...
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 to the car. Proper rear transmission mount... not just riveted in.
8) inner skin is stressed. outer isn't.
Fiberglass wings (would have been fiberglass in 1962.)
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.
Very short stroke.
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 gcanti-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: | |
| 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: |
Engine Installation
p
Casting number 711M6015BA indicates a 1600cc "tall" engine block with big bearing caps.
Aluminum plate. Starter ID?
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.
l exhaust
Three Girling 5/8" bore master cylinders.
m bellhousing
o fuel cell
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
Morris Minor rear axle.
Limited slip differential.
Full floating, double bearing hubs.
(in lieu of original Triumph T10 axle...
the BMC axle is 15-20# lighter on account of aluminum pig, better axle ratios, good LSDs,
full floating rear hubs. Single bearing hubs have been upgraded to double bearing.)
b
Carrera coilover shock absorber.
d
e
f
Interior
a
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).
g shifter
h footbox
i head rest
j roll hoop structure
added strength...
Exterior
We enjoyed watching Craig race his Lotus Seven at the 2011 U.S. Vintage Grand Prix of Watkins Glen,
where his best lap was 2:xx.yyy, for an average of 8x.ymph over the challenging 3.4 mile circuit.
We also enjoyed watching Craig race his Seven at the 2012 Mitty at Road Atlanta, where his
best lap was 1:48.019, for an average of 84.7mph over the challenging 2.54 mile circuit.
Craig finished 18th place overall out of 54 entries in the Group 2 main event, and 3rd
place in his 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 with a
larger displacement engine in his Lotus Seven to win the Group 2 race outright.
e
f
Fuel Safe Systems aluminum fuel cell. 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 2014. All rights reserved.
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