Lotus Seven S4 (Type 60): Design, Restoration, and Maintenance

Abstract

In the mid sixties British car manufacturer Lotus were trying to distance themselves from their kit-car heritage. The growing respectability of their productions cars (in particular the Elan) meant that a new class of customer was buying Lotus that didn’t want to be associated with the Lotus Seven. As a consequence Lotus’ founder, Colin Chapman, decided that there should be a replacement for the Seven. In addition, each Seven was loosing the company money. The result was the Series 4 (S4) Seven, which was given its own Type number (60) and was a significant departure from the bare-bones car that Seven owners had become used to. With a fiberglass body and increased interior space and comfort it was intended to broaden the sales of the Seven. This book details the development and history of the S4 Seven as well as a detailed restoration of one particular car: LBS4/2894/GT. This car left the Lotus factory in Norwich, in November 1970, configured with a 1600 cc Ford crossflow engine, a Ford standard gearbox, and was finished in red. The car was first registered in 1971, and had one owner until a fire caused significant damage from which the restoration was intended to rescue it.