Description
H&H Classic Auction @ The Imperial War Museum, Duxford/ Cambridgeshire
19th June, 2024 13:00
1957 Lotus 7 S1
Entered from the collection of the late Graham Nearn, founder of Caterham Cars
Estimate
£25, 000 - £30, 000
Registration No: HSK 227
Chassis No: MK7 856
MOT: Exempt
Very early example of the famous Lotus 7
One of the most photographed examples in existence that features in a number of books about the marque
Entered from the collection of the late Graham Nearn
Fitted with a BMC 948cc 'A-Series' engine
A motoring icon, the Lotus Seven was introduced at the 1957 Earl’s Court Motor Show. Stylistically indebted to its MkVI predecessor, the newcomer featured a spaceframe chassis and aluminium bodywork fabricated by the Progress Chassis Company and Williams & Pritchard respectively (both companies being near neighbours of Lotus). A multi-tubular affair, the Seven’s structure was, in many ways, a simplified version of that which underpinned the marque’s highly successful Eleven sports racer. Designed for fast road and / or competition usage, the newcomer could be had with a choice of Ford ‘sidevalve’, BMC A-Series OHV or Coventry-Climax OHC engines. Available in factory finished or self-build guises, the Seven was expensive compared to the plethora of specials on the market at the time but altogether more accomplished. Only in production from September 1957 to June 1960, the impact of the Lotus Seven S1 was wholly disproportionate to the approximately 243 examples made.
Acquired by the founder of Caterham Cars, the late Graham Nearn, decades ago, ‘HSK 227’ was given pride of place in the company’s principal showroom. The subject of an older restoration and fitted with a "hot" 948cc BMC A-Series engine with Twin SU Carburettors mated to a 'rib-case' gearbox, it is a very well known car having graced the front cover of ‘Colin Chapman: Lotus Engineering’ by Hugh Haskell and been featured in Autocar and EVO magazines not to mention appearing on the Petrolicious and BBC News websites etc. Riding on correct, silver-painted wire wheels which complement its bare aluminium bodywork, this famous S1 would surely grace any Lotus collection? Offered for sale with V5C Registration Document and sundry paperwork.
