May 1999

The Chapman Report

Published by the Golden Gate Lotus Club www.gglotus.org

 

Lotus Calendar 1999

 

May

1-2 Monterey Peninsula British Car

meet

15-16 GGLC West Coast Lotus Meet

and track day at Thunderhill (General memberip meeting)


21-23 Wine Country Classic Vintage

races - Sears Point

June

13 Zender Rallye - Woodside Hills

18 Meeting Hamai's - Palo Alto

 

July

16 meeting TBD

16-18 LOG 19 - Lotus Ltd Corning NY

 

August

8 Santa Cruz Mountain drive sponsored by the Dubberleys

20 Meeting TBD

27-29 Lotus corral at the Monterey

Historics (featuring Auto-Union)

 

Sept

11 British Car AutoX (tentative)

12 All British Car meet - Palo Alto

17 Meeting

 

October

15 Meeting TBD -

Nominations

 

Nov

19 Meeting TBD -

Elections

Dec

5 The Toddler Toy Rallye -Fremont
?? GGLC Holiday Party ,TBD

 

The Prez

By Scott Hogben

Well, by the time you get this CR there will only be about week and a half until the track day. (uh, about a week. Sorry ~ Ed) It sure has crept up on us awfully quick, I still have quite a few things to do on the Europa before it’s ready! Yeah, I know, I said I was going to have the Seven there, but there was just too much to do in too little time. I bailed on the Seven about a month ago and began working on a few easy nagging problems on the Europa. Then, I picked one week before the Spencer’s European open house/dyno day to pull the distributor out to fix an advance problem that I’ve had for too long. Some of you may remember that a few years ago I modified the distributor so I could bolt in the electronic guts from an ’83 VW Rabbit (Bosch) distributor. The theory being that the electronic unit would make the car run better and I wouldn’t have to mess with the points. Also, by choosing the Rabbit stuff, I could drive down to Grand Auto to get parts if I had to. I’ve always been known for my lack of timing and this project simply reinforced that belief. You see, 6 months after I did all that, bolt-in electronic units became available.

After I managed to get everything fabricated and installed, I found out that I wasn’t getting enough advance from the distributor. So, I lived with it for longer than I should and decided that I wanted to fix the problem before I got on the dyno. I also wanted to make the installation of the Hall unit a little more professional looking. I pulled it out and did the necessary machining and while I was at it, I swapped one of the advance springs for a lighter one. It really wasn’t that hard or involved but I was relying on doing the necessary machining at work where I have access to a mill and a lathe. The machinists at work REALLY frowned on me doing car related machining on company tooling, so I had to coax a friend of mine into letting me use his lathe. It turned out great, and it only cost me a six-pack of Coca-Cola Classic and a box of It’s-It’s too!

Memories of the British Meet came back to me. There I was, the night before the open house doing last minute massaging to the distributor body and bolting everything back together. Everything took longer than I though it was going to and I found myself running the car up to 3500RPM at 11:00pm in my brother’s garage to check the advance. His neighbors must love me now. I watched the timing marks go passed the pointer: 15 degrees, 20, 25, 30, 35,.…. Blast! Now I had TOO much advance! At 11:00pm on the Friday night before the event, it was too late to be pulling the distributor and messing with it, so I decided to dyno it anyway and use whatever figure I got as a benchmark.

In the past I had run the distributor from the Seven in the Europa and it really pulled nicely. So I decided that I’d pull the distributor out of the Seven early in the morning and take it with me just in case there was enough time to make a second run later in the afternoon. I was 5th in line and I had reservations as to what kind of power I was going to be putting out. We decided that since the advance was questionable, we’d take the car up to 5500RPM on the first run and then go up to 6000 and 6500 on the second and third runs respectively to see where the power dropped off. Max power was 103.8Hp at 6500RPM. Knowing how much advance I was getting, I was pleasantly surprised to see the power above the 100 mark. I know there are other problems with car, like those frustrating Webers which need to be jetted properly, so I’m eager to make some more changes and dyno the car again.

I had a great time, as did the others, and I think everyone enjoyed seeing the various cars up on the dyno. I know we all enjoyed hearing Victor Holtorf’s Lamborghini LM002! I would like to thank everyone who attended for making Barry’s open house a success. I’d also like to thank Barry for all the hard work he did and for providing us all with a great lunch! Steve Frey, where were you???

Now it’s time to get to work on installing a fire extinguisher, setting the toe, and a host of other necessities required for the track day. Use the time wisely to prepare your car and I’ll see you at Thunderhill!

 

Scott

 

 

Spencer's European Grand Re-Opening and Dyno Day

By Jon Rosner

 

Saturday April 24th was the kind of glowing Spring day that living in the bay area is all about. Eighty people came to Hayward for the celebration of 15 years of Lotus and British Car servicing by Barry Spencer, for the opening of a new location (just down the street) and the launch of SPENCER'S RACING SERVICES.

 

The entertainment was provided by Superior Dyno Services of Fairfield. They were on site with their mobile dyno tester. I followed Shinya Suzuki and his jet black 1991 Esprit Turbo SE up the ramps to what would approximate the upper level of a car carrier, there is was chocked, blocked and strapped down with rear wheels to the wide drum. Keith Paulsen gave Shinya calm and clear directions on how to accelerate and shift while making his three calibrated runs. On the 6,500 rpm run the car roared like a jet leaving an aircraft carrier. 250 horsepower at the rear wheels ! Shinya had only owned the car a few months. When he bought it "the clutch wouldn't engage well, the catalytic converter was plugged, and it needed a lot of minor work." Given that even transaxled cars lose about 22 horsepower this put Shinya's car, with 33,000 miles on it, spot on for a 1991 car in top condition. I asked Shinya for his thoughts, he said "Barry is great, he made the car right."

 

The next car up was Daren Stone with his recently rebuilt and breathed on Volvo P1800 Wagon. The first run produced a few disconcerting wisps of blue smoke, notchy engine response graphs, and 78 horses at the rear wheels. The second run saw him lock the automatic in second gear, swirls of blue smoke and 87 hoses at 5,000 rpm. Daren, who takes everything in stride, seemed pleased with the output.

 

Scott Hogben, Da Prez, had been working on his distributor until the very last minute. The time and effort were worth it. Scott's more or less stock engine sounded delightfully rorty as it climbed to 6,800 rpm and 100 horsepower at 100 mph on the dyno. Pete Richins followed with a wobbly left rear wheel that had a few folks worried, and while even with headers the car was not up to Scott's, Pete produced a top speed of over 105 before coasting down. Troy Delano hit 175 horsepower in his red 1991 MR 2 Turbo with turbine smoothness, lovely engine.

 

Pat Kelly brought her georgeous green and yellow 1960 Series 1 Seven, a car she has won many an event with over the years, alas we did not get to find out just how far you can go when you start with a small 38 horse motor. But husband John did give out free copies of his wonderful MotoRacing Magazine which covers all the local events.

 

There were some doubts about the next vehicle even making it up the ramp, jack stands were brought in for extra support, ramps were spread, and Victor Holtorf cossetted his V-12 7,000 lb Lambo LM 02 to the "center ring." The engine rumbled and the mass of the turning wheels shook the platform. Raw fuel roared down through the intake manifold only to be overwhelmed by the deafening prehistoric bellow of the exhaust for 280 horsepower and 245 lbs of torque at 95 mph.

 

Keith Paulson Superior Dyno Service does between 10 and 20 dyno weekends per year for clubs, they are also available for services ranging from street to short track, Kenworth to Nascar and even dragsters ranging from 20 to 1200 horsepower and torque ratings, they cab be reached at their Fairfield facility at 707425.6062.

 

Back to the main event. When we broke for lunch we were treated to the tasty BBQ specialties of Jesus Villarreal from La Mexicana in Hayward, needless to say with around several dozen guests and participants we kept Jesus and the rest of Barrry's crew quite busy with food prep. The spread was marvelous.

 

The streets were littered with Esprits, Esprit Turbos, Europas, the occasional old Elite, old Elan, and old Seven and long time members who came out of the woodwork to learn more about their cars and to help Barry celebrate the Grand Opening of his new and larger facilities.

 

Spencer's European can now offer new services including on-car wheel balancing, chassis set-up, setting corner weights, check and adjust bumpsteer, full car alignment, scrubbing babies bottoms, changing diapers, sterilizing baby bottles and a host of things no one ever expected like the Spanish Inquisition.

 

We all want to thank Barry for inviting us to his party and letting us play with his toys and ours. Seriously, Barry is an excellent mechanic who offers a wide variety of services and we all wish him the best in his new shop for the next fifteen years !!

 

 

Registration Update: West Coast Lotus Meet light

May 15-16

 

Understanding the nature of his constituents, Scott Hogben has decided to waive the late fees for those of you, um, well, us, who haven’t yet sent in your event registration.

 

Scott can’t add more days to the calendar though, so get off your couches, send in your registration & get those cars ready It’s gonna be a blast!

 

 

Co-Ed …..

By Daren Stone

 

Were the GGLC to adopt a new motto over the last few weeks. It would have to be "sleep is optional". President Hogben demonstrating extended nocturnal wrenching in order to get his Europa to the dyno day, and yours truly staying up until 3:45am the night before the Pacific Coast Dream machines show rewiring The Truck. Although I’m happy to report that Scott made it, The Truck made it, and I mostly made it, it was painfully obvious that we could have done things a little better.

 

Why all this last minute activity ? Resisting exploring the psychological reasons, (probably stemming from an unhappy childhood), I’ll instead take the Tim Allen approach and say that in general we usually underestimate how much time it takes to do a project, and overestimate how much time we have to do a project. How many times have we said "Oh, I can bang this out in about an hour", only to blow that (and a warm dinner) when you realize OSH is only open for 30 more minutes and you absolutely have to have a new tap in order to finish ? Uh-huh, thought so.

 

What to do about all of this ? How to graduate from also-ran to a participant ? Part of the answer lies in planning, assessing what needs to be done, accurately (perhaps honestly) estimating how long it will take, the tools and materials required and most importantly, how much time you actually have to do the project (which may in turn cause you to re-examine what needs to be done). But all the planning in the world does you no good if you never get up and DO IT.

 

I am fortunate enough to live next to someone who knows everything, and while usually entertaining, this person has been talking about putting a V6 into his older Toyota truck for nearly 3 years now. He has the truck, the engine & transmission, and the resources and the time. Why doesn’t it happen? The answer is so simple, it’s eludes us.

 

His truck still doesn’t run for the same reason my Europa still has the crummy last-minute paint job I slapped on tit the night before Monterey. In 1995. (Hopefully I don’t talk about painting my car each time I see him) I think there’s something inside that worries us that once we begin such a big project we won’t have the commitment to follow-through and finish it. So we delay ourselves with more planning, or reasons why now isn’t a good time to start.

 

Nike said it simple enough, but it’s worth repeating: Just do it. If it’s a big project, like putting a V6 in your Toyota or painting the second-most stress cracked Europa, don’t look at the whole project at once or you’ll scare yourself. Like the man climbing a huge mountain, don’t look at the whole mountain, just look at the step in from of you. But unless you take that step, you’re not going to get anywhere.

 

I got myself in trouble with the Truck re-wiring by being unrealistic about how much time it would take to complete, then starting late. I guess you could say I just did it, too late. At that point I had two options: Throw in the towel and not take it to the show, or stay up all night. I chose #2 , which happened to work, but we cannot always choose #2, nor will it always work.

So, with a week and a half to WCLM(l) and the Lotus sitting patiently (untouched) in the garage, what am I going to do ? First I’m going to re-write my to-do list to only call out what needs to be done. And then I’m going to get my butt out to the garage and start doing it. Sounds simple enough, but I’ll be at Thunderhill. Hope to see you there.

 

Daren

 

 

 

9th Annual Pacific Coast Dream Machine Show, Half Moon Bay Airport

Sunday, April 25th, 1999

 

Despite my recollection of this show being somewhat clouded by self-induced insomnia (see Editor’s column, this issue), I can recall it once again being a fantastic collection of nearly everything wheeled and/or powered. War-birds, steam engines, jet cars, tractor pulls, stationary engines, hot rods, low riders, antique trailers & period tow cars, plus the truly odd (how about a street-licensed motorcycle made up to look like an armadillo?).

 

I’ve included a few snapshots of my personal favorites, including an incredible E-type roadster (can you recognize it ?) that’s recently been making the show circuit rounds. It’s named the "Boss Jag" (since it now sports a Boss 429), but before you discount it as another tastelessly overdone trailer queen take a closer look. Okay, the purple suede top & interior do clash a bit with the flawless red paint, but the in my opinion not only the craftsmanship but the design are truly first class. I had the opportunity to talk with the owner/designer at the last Goodguys show in Pleasanton, and was intrigued by a few things: he is the original owner, has been working on it for 28 years, was responsible for all of the design, down to the wheels, which he "sketched, and then had a friend make them for me". Had the owner chosen another color for the top/interior, and perhaps another donor car as a starting point, I think you’d be seeing this car on magazine covers.

 

But back to the "normal" cars, no matter what your preference you could have found it. Provided registrants made an attempt to arrive at the same time, organizers made an attempt to park like vehicles together, no mean feat with a reported 2000 motorized vehicles on hand. Beside the cars there were vendors, snake oil salesmen, a bandstand with live music, the usual overpriced food with long lines, etc. etc. And with this event benefitting the Coastside Adult Day Health Center it’s not only fun, it’s fun for a good cause. If you didn’t make it this year, be sure to put it on your ’00 calendar.

 

Daren

 

FOR SALE

May

1987 Esprit Turbo, pearl/navy, ~30K mi, ex cond., always garaged & covered, $22K, rwatson@directcon.net, (916) 933-4179 or 351-3824 (Sac/CA).

 

April

1960 Lotus 18 Formula Jr , restoration in 1996 with less than 20 hours, log book, VARA, HMSA, and SCCA, All sorts of new parts and spare magnesium wheels, includes custom trailer with tie downs and fuel bottles. E. Moles (408) 268-3239

 

74 Europa Special, 38k miles, original, tired, not running, 99% assembled, all smog equipment, too many cars, $7K. Tom Minnich (562) 697-0547

 

Europa Parts for Sale Adjustable lower links for TC, chrome, exlt cond - $125; aluminum fuel tanks for S2 - $300/pair with sender;; 7 x 13 Monocoque 3-piece race wheels, very light, almost new - $400/pr; instrument binnacle, new, thick ABS - $25; header for Renault motor - $200; brake booster good cond. -$50; set of hubcaps and trim rings, beautiful new chrome -$200. Call John (650) 368-9105 motofab@wenet.net

 

1980-87 Esprit parts, turbo wastegate rebuild kit, new -$100, starter, new - $100; Goodyear NCT 195-60-15 tires, new, (2) - $150; (2) front rims with Goodyear NCT 195-60x15, tires in good condition -$250; rear bumper, minor damage, repairable - $75. All prices include shipping. David Condrack (707) 252-9298

 

March

1990 Porsche 944 S2. Red with a bone and black in. Carefully maintained, only 52,000 mi. $15,500, Rod (916) 773-6452

 

1966 Lotus Elan S2 #26/5611. Fast, reliable well sorted racecar, owned since ‘79, body-off conversion to race car, chassis gusseted & strengthened, racing
springs, Koni’s, oversized F. swaybar, dual brk. sys., larger TR-6 wheel stubs, Autopower roll bar, fuel foam in cell, close ratio trans., 3.77.1 LSD, hardened axle stubs, 3-tube rad., metal fuel & brk. lines, blueprinted Eng. bored .020" over, oil cooler, baffled pan, straight 2" tuned exhaust w/ SuperTrap muffler, plus more, vintage raced 9 yr. $12,500 inc. parts, race equip., single axle trailer. Bill, Elancpe@aol.com, (925) 943-6194 (CA).

Europa Twin Cam body (2009R, VERY early twin cam) The body is in pretty good shape, the rear fenders are flared, but not butchered. Hood and trunk lid, front and rear glass, window clips and frames are all there. Along with a very well made square tube rolling cart. I paid about $500.00 for it, and am willing to sell for same. (I have sent in the non-op '72 status to d.m.v. meaning anyone with a potentially non-compliant later Europa could use the body to do a swap have a legal car.) Jon Rosner 510.923.0738

 

1966 Lotus Elan 52 Roadster. Serial number 26/5611 disassembled for Chassis up conversion to racecar. All pieces inspected, rebuilt or replaced. Chassis gusseted and reinforced. Late model racing springs. Swaybar. Cortina Dual brake system. Autopower roll bar ('SC'CA approved). Fuel tank filled with foam. Close ratio Gearbox. Saulsbury limited slip 3.77:1 ratio . Tempeied inner axle stubs. TR-6 Wheel studs. Engine blueprinted, Bored 0.020 over, Balanced, Head cc'd with SE cams. Intake and exhaust manifold sanded (not polished) to gasket opening, Pan baffled. Straight through 2", tuned, exhaust with "Super Trap" muffler. Raced in 1982 to present in ICSCC, SCCA, HMSA and CSRG. Car has ICSCC and SCCA Vintage Logbook.

Won the 1982 to 1987 ICSCC 'C Production" Championship in the Pacific Northwest. Invited to the West Coast runoffs in GT3. Car kept basically stock and can be converted to street legal car with much work. All parts still available. Asking US $12,500 for complete car, parts and licensed single axle trailer. Bill Root - 1054 Camino Verde Circle, Walnut Creek, CA 94596 (925/943-6194) or e-mail: ElanCpe@aol.com

 

The Chapman Report is published monthly by the Golden Gate Lotus Club, PO Box 117303, Burlingame, CA 94011. The GGLC is a non-profit incorporated car club and is not affiliated with Group Lotus, Team Lotus, or Lotus Cars USA. The GGLC's annual membership dues are $20.00.

 

Opinions expressed in the Chapman Report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the GGLC or its officers. Technical advise should be used at your own risk.

 

Submissions to the Chapman Report are accepted. Please E-mail them to motofab@wenet.net in Word Perfect or ASCII DOS text. Submissions may also be mailed to The Chapman Report at 3507 Edison Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025-1815.

 

1999 GGLC officers are: President: Scott Hogben, Vice President: Mike Schlict, Secretary: Bruce Weinberg, Treasurer: Laura Hamai, Event Coordinator: Victor Holtorf, Membership Chairman: David Anderson, Social Director: John Ridley.

 

Chapman Report Staff: Editors: John Zender/Daren Stone, Circulation Manager: Tom Carney, Advertising Manager: Mel Boss, .