Description
H&H Classic Auction @ The Imperial War Museum, Duxford/ Cambridgeshire
14th June, 2023 13:00
1985 Caterham Super Seven 1700 Super Sprint
Estimate
£15, 000 - £18, 000
Registration No: ROY 435E
Chassis No: KS30012R
MOT: May 2024
Registered as a 1967 vehicle with the DVLA when built in 1985
Last registered keeper since 1990
Ford X-flow engine believed to be a 1700 Super Sprint unit
Cliches abound when discussing Colin Chapman’s iconic Lotus Seven design but regardless of whether you consider it to be ‘a four-wheeled motorcycle’ or ‘a racing car for the road’, there is no denying that it offers one hell of a driving experience. Little wonder then that Caterham jumped at the chance to acquire the Seven’s production rights and tooling etc when Chapman decided to move Lotus upmarket in 1973. The first Caterham Sevens were nigh on indistinguishable from a Lotus Seven Series 3 and all the better for it.
The world was a very different place in the mid-1980s which goes some way towards explaining why this Super Seven was listed with the DVLA as a ‘Caterham Ford’ and given a date of first registration by them of 7th April 1967 despite being built in 1985! Of course, the fact that it looks just like a Lotus 7 Series 3 (headlights and wheels aside) doubtless helped. An accompanying invoice from Caterham Car Sales dated 4th May 1990 describes ‘ROY 435E’ as a ‘Caterham Super Seven 1700 Super Sprint’ and reveals that its last registered keeper paid £12, 500 to acquire it. An old MOT certificate issued on March 19th 1990 records the mileage at 6, 712, while one from four years later shows an increase to 16, 105 miles. Seemingly little used over the past thirty years or so, the Caterham remains highly original. Never allowed to deteriorate to the point of needing restoration, its current odometer reading of circa 17, 700 miles is believed but not warranted to represent the total covered from new. Recently recommissioned, the two-seater possesses a current MOT certificate valid until May 19th 2024. Considered by the vendor to be in ‘good’ (engine, bodywork, paintwork, electrical equipment, interior trim) or ‘very good’ (four-speed manual gearbox) overall condition, ‘ROY 435E’ has the benefit of full weather equipment. Offered for sale with V5C Registration Document, current MOT and sundry paperwork.
