The Lotus Super 7 was the brainwork of famous race car designer Colin Chapman, who loved the phrase “less is more.” The Super 7 was a simple, fast, minimalist sports car. Production started in 1957, and continued until 1972 under the Lotus name. In 1973 Lotus sold the Super 7 rights to Caterham, which continues to produce the cars to this day. The Super 7 was a sales success because of its high performance and low cost. The purchase price of an assembled Super 7 was £1157 including the £386 tax (35%); the cost of a kit was £525, and there was no tax. The simplicity of the car was such that most people could assemble the kit in their garage in one weekend. Not surprisingly, most Super 7s were sold as kits. The British government soon noticed this and in an attempt to discourage people from buying the car in kit form, they made it illegal to print assembly instructions. Colin Chapman, the master of making rules work favorably, simply sold the cars with instructions on how to disassemble the cars! In 1973 the British government decided to end the favorable tax status of kit cars, and Colin Chapman realized that would seriously limit the sale of the Lotus Super 7. Caterham Cars in London, England was the largest Super 7 dealer, and they realized that if Lotus stopped making the car they might go out of business. Caterham Cars contacted Lotus, and Lotus agreed to let Caterham continue to produce the Super 7 under license. Fifty-seven years later, the Super 7 is still in production. This particular car has an interesting history. The first owner we know of was Phil Hunt, who purchased the car for $4000 in 1979. The car was apart then, and Phil never worked on it. Around 1995 Jeff Lane purchased the car, and donated it to the museum in 2003 – still non-running. Bob Criss and Jim Biery came to the rescue in 2008 when they agreed to restore the car. Finished in May 2014, the car is finally off its 35-year vacation of being a non-runner!
Specifications:
Manufacturer: Lotus Cars Ltd., Cheshunt, Hertfordshire
Country of Origin: England
Drivetrain Configuration: Front engine, rear wheel drive
Engine: 4 cylinder, water-cooled, 140 HP, 1340cc
Transmission: 4 speed manual
Top Speed: 95 MPH
Years of Production: 1957-1972 (all models)
Number Produced: About 2,500
Original Cost: £1157 (assembled),
£525 (kit car)