The Birth Of Lotus To The Caterham Seven 160: A Muddy Family Tree - XCAR

[@KlunkerRider]

Oh wow, I *LOVE* that anecdote about the "disassembly" instructions.

[@dickvonduisberg2356]

Colin Chapman was the master of bending the rules to breaking point! :)

[@900108Chale]

Gotta love the British ingenuity! Chapman was a wonderful representative of such engineering that seemed to be lost... yet it is coming back. I am quite sure "Britineering" will surprise us quite a bit in coming years.. I truly enjoy your videos!

[@paulhunter123]

yeah ever driven a car that handels

[@blacquesjacques7239]

Sport cars are primarily European with The British at the head of the table . The US never needed sport cars because of the long stretches of wide open road that were hat pin straight . Muscle sold here . I like muscle but have a soft spot for true sport cars . Two seater convertible lightweight and nimble sports cars are great on some of the older farm roads provided they aren't in disrepair . It also attracts more women . My old convertible GTO was muscley but not especially fierce but man could I fill it up with the lady folk . lol The guys all went and looked at Hemi Chargers while the female enthusiast lingered around my 67 Pontiac . lol

[@paulhunter123]

uk were exporting sports car for the us since the mg tc - most british sports car were lhd

[@rodsdmba1571]

I left England for California as a 10 year old in 1968. There's many a Grandstand Motorcycle scrambles and automobile trials that are fond memories.

[@betacam235]

I'd forgotten the 'disassembly instruction book'... Very good video...makes me want to change the cambelt on mine and get it ready for summer. I have used it through winter with just a Brooklands aeroscreen but reverted to proper screen side panels and a half hood which is mostly rainproof.

[@ianabruce]

Brilliant. Answered a lot of questions I'd held for years.

[@leslieaustin151]

If you can find a copy of the original Haynes manual “Build Your Own Sports Car” you’ll see some nice pics of Lotus 6 cars, and understand more about the construction of a 6 and 7. Les in UK

[@axiomist1076]

Great to know where the 7 came from. I didnt know any of this.

[@BillStrathearn]

Awesome video. Very informative and quite fun to watch.

[@crusherbmx]

Amazing! I love how after that dispute a couple years ago over who had the F1 rights to the Lotus name, one of the teams ended up as Caterham.

[@johnviviani1939]

Good video, having owned a Caterham Series 3 I really think I need the 160. However the Lotus family tree outlined here is very correct until the Mark VI. After the Mark VI Colin went on to build the Lotus Mark VII for a customer, after endless delays the customer Clive Clairemont took the unfinished car from Lotus and completed it himself and it is now known as the Clairemont Special. Colin was experimenting with aerodynamics at the time and went on to build the Lotus Mark VIII, Mark IX, and Mark X that all used the basically the same frame as the Lotus Mark VI. With success Lotu s had with aero, they then created the Lotus Eleven. One evening Chapman was discussing the need for a "mas produced" car to keep money coming in to fund the racing endeavors he sketched a Lotus Eleven on a napkin with out all the expensive hand formed alloy bodywork. This car became the Lotus Seven. So in the Lotus Family tree the Seven came after the Eleven, why Chapman used the Seven name is unknown, but most likely so some Lotus Mark VI owners would think it was a follow-up to their car. If in the US, Birmingham, AL to be exact the Barber Museum has the largest Collection of Lotus cars in the world. Including a Mark I, II replica. THe only Mark IV ever made, 3 Mark Vi's and many others up to and including the Lotus 109 Formula One cars. The collection now numbers 52 total.

[@michaelbowtell731]

You mentioning the Barber Museum car. reminded me that they had chassis 6/13. This transpired to be the VI that I owned for a year or two in the 60's Surprisingly it had no chassis plate as Chapman being superstitious, decided to hide it away in the front suspension. I recently discovered it had a racing history, both before i owned it, and after it was shipped to the US. It had a basic 1172 cc side valve ford with a cutaway sump to allow space for the front suspension, cable brakes. No luxuries like brake or indicator lights, or speedometer (until I acquired and fitted one. In fact the engine provided the only heating in winter. I never did find its top speed, but I doubt of it was much more than 60+.Getting caught in traffic was a nightmare as there was no cooling fan. It was on Michelin X tires and the spare was a different size. None the less it could easily be drifted on the road whilst its trialing abilities were tested in a friends back garden around the tree's. In short it was good fun.

[@pashakdescilly7517]

The most important difference between the Lotus VI and VII is the front suspension. The early Lotus cars all got divided beam axles, with a pivot at the car centre line. That included most of the X1, up to the Mark 2 (sometimes referred to as the Lotus 13), which got a wishbone front end with a Herald upright - as did the Seven. I am wondering which car got the new suspension first, the X1 Mk2 or V11?

[@AlexFuglaar]

Please do more videos like this!

[@Pandamasque]

Brilliant. Apart from other merits, I find cinematography and music very enjoyable.

[@rdrg7362]

Congratulations. Very interesting and well done.

[@Mainsail333]

Great History Lesson, It's true testament to Chapman's greatness that he went to F1 championships and winning the Indy 500 in less then a decade from those trials cars.

[@dickvonduisberg2356]

Craig Maggio Thanks Craig

[@TeslasSecret]

KZbin's algorithm made me realise how much I missed these videos. Why don't we get them anymore?

[@Ernsteverything]

nice video... As a caterham owner, I wondered why no one ever off roaded them or turned them into dune buggies.. My questions were answered.. the Sherpa is kind of epic..

[@yhleray]

Very interesting piece. Looking forward to the next one

[@Brenby]

Thank you for the informative video! I love Caterhams. Can't wait to own one someday.

[@trentbaby65]

Back on track after that god awefull GTR piece. Thank you.

[@Altruistic00]

Please bring more of Daryl and Rich for this kind of video. It is so enjoyable to watch and learn something interesting about a particular car brand be it the history or the present.

[@dickvonduisberg2356]

Thankyou! We have more in the pipeline. Have you seen our Gordon Bennett feature?

[@Altruistic00]

dick von duisberg I just did. Loved it! Brilliant story telling as always. Keep it up.

[@Maitretalon]

Awesome video. Thanks for the insight !

[@sbblakey]

Top Gear-quality camera work. I love it! +1 Sub

[@4thImpulse]

I wouldn't touch one of those trials cars without a roll cage or at least a roll bar installed. Crazy.

[@paulhunter123]

wimp

[@colinjohnston8519]

Just don't roll it..

[@LaurentGIORDANENGO]

Awesome Seven !

[@iJoey819]

Great job very interesting video!

[@The52car]

i cant imagine doing some rough off roading up a hillside without any roll protection, regardless of how light the car is.

[@jama211]

Yeah rolling would be baaad in one of these

[@georgesheffield1580]

These are very low center of gravity cars ,not some tall yank tank .

[@hotrodchukyZZZ]

Very interesting.

[@stephanematis]

This is something David Toye needs to watch :D

[@Miatacrosser]

The Caterham is one of my favorite cars to drive in Grand Turismo 6. Their version, called the Seven Fireblade, has a 1100cc Honda motorcycle engine in it that, when supercharged, makes over 260hp. It's quite fun to drive but has a penchant for going up on two wheels and occasionally flipping over. Especially if you run up on a curb at the apex. Are Caterhams in real life known for this?

[@vitaxiv]

Awesome: LIGHT is RIGHT. I Will love to have one...Oh I got one ;)

[@carlmarkwyatt]

James May's recent success driving a Caterham 7 off road suddenly makes sense to me haha

[@gggromay]

Ian Wright nedds to check out Tim Cameron's cars, might be interesting, fun for sure

[@hyungwoo0312]

Awesome video guys!

[@Eoinkinooone]

great video hope you continue on the history side

[@dickvonduisberg2356]

Thanks! Please check our "Gordon Bennett - the godfather fo F1" video on XCAR.

[@powersliding]

very very interesting

[@1silvervespa]

Over 9 years wow !

[@PaulCuenin]

Really interesting.

[@KALLISSTO]

i love brits.

[@patrickarchibald6787]

+ablougabla Me too, my woman is from Brixton! A Brixtonian in Oz

[@robinyates9426]

very interesting, thanks

[@anewberg]

8:17 "thats not a hand brake" O.o i see what you did there

[@andredc161]

OMG no roll bar on those things...

[@MontyPython12]

They would add too much weight.....

[@SmashGhost]

There is clearly a roll bar on the one they are driving.

[@benhortonben9105]

A lot of classic trials cars didnt and don't have a roll bar. I know of one fatality and that was last year when a Marlin rolled after a brake failure mid hill. That's pretty good as motorsport goes but still no comfort to the family. The passenger was unharmed.

[@holotropik]

Great story, thanks ;)

[@tomstrutt6754]

I'm a huge fan of Chapman and Lotus and would love to watch this video but trying to listen through the "music" is too high a price to pay. It just hurts. I had to stop part way.

[@colinjohnston8519]

Always some wanker moaning about a little background music. Fuck off.

[@steveco1800]

Cool I'll never look at a Caterham in quite the same way now I know its DNA. Trialing looks fun but to be honest glad it is a niche sport - would rather not see them churning up the woods. Best kept for bikers and walkers.

[@xXbackcountryXx]

I would love to own a Caterham eventually. Hopefully by then it will be less and not more of a PITA to import them to the USA.

[@geraldcooper8527]

MOM PICKED HIM UP AT SCHOOL IN A RED HOT ROD ,WOW !!!

[@EricIrl]

Nice potted history

[@clairebannister4749]

no Lotus 3 then?

[@roywhiteo5]

always wondered why the caterham/lotus had that strange shape

[@alvinwoo9705]

I really like that new model with that 80hp engine. but its not coming to singapore. sigh.

[@blasterman2]

That thing would be a great thing to drive around South Buona Vista Road eh. I can just imagine it now.

[@alvinwoo9705]

I just went there just now! LOL. but yea, it would be awesome there...and if can up it to 100hp, it would be a very awesome daily driver.

[@Spencer-ty4sl]

Singapore car rules is fucked up… wish all those exotic cars can be in singapore though :)

[@vikramtiwary4298]

I wonder if we would be able to parallel import one to SG?

[@francoisamsallem]

Boys like mud!

[@blacquesjacques7239]

I figure should my lottery numbers pay off I would start with this and buy every other until I got to one that I just couldn't handle or didn't enjoy . I have quirky tastes in cars . I love the AMC Pacer , The Citroen Diesse ( DS ) , The Tucker Torpedo , The Volkswagen Beetle and Combi , The Jansen Interceptor , The Triumph Stag , The Lamborghini Countach , The Citroen 2CV , The Fiat 500 Abarth , Willys Jeep etc etc

[@calgarytomaz]

I'm still waiting for the day I can pick up a Caterham 7 for a reasonable price. Too bad they are $50K - $80K CAD. :-(

[@jamescallaghan8156]

Tomaz you missed the RHD 1992 7 that was for sale last summer in Canmore for $22k.

[@calgarytomaz]

I guess I did! Dammit! I am keeping my eyes and ears open for something.

[@TristanMorrow]

But, the Lotus 5!‽????

[@RamonPetrolheadGarage]

Thank you for this awesome video! We have linked it in our website: petrolheadgarage.com/Posts/lotus-caterham/ Thank you XCAR!

[@dickvonduisberg2356]

Ramón Fernández Thanks Ramon! Have you seen our website - www.motorpunk.co.uk ? Similar stuff on there you may like.

[@RamonPetrolheadGarage]

Thanks mate! ;)

[@resnonverba137]

Interesting. Please pronounce 'homage' correctly; it's not a French cheese. Thanks.

[@TheCaterham6]

The way to Go................Buy 1.

[@wackedoutdude]

Looks like an amazing car love the wheels and the style. But that engine will suck ass. Should have put a 2-litre Ford engine in there or similar. That way it would have more potential in the future.

[@WildStyle]

Make a hard top one and I will be all over it.

[@Cur8or88]

Why are these things so pricey? I need one.

[@snootbritton]

Simplicate?

[@dickvonduisberg2356]

Yes, it's a phrase that Colin Chapman borrowed from an aircraft designed who originally said it, but "simplicate" is correct, even though it sounds wrong.

[@Stoneheadification]

Weird, britisch people reviewing a britisch car on the wrong side of the road, but the stearing wheel is in the right place...

[@StewMM]

You can't spell British. Well done.

[@Stoneheadification]

StewMM sorry, the germanness came through

[@dickvonduisberg2356]

It took some concentration! We got some strange looks on the motorway. Great car though.

[@tomeis8499]

We get it Xcar, you love the lightweight british stuff. No disrespect but please no more! Please show something different at least for a while!

[@colinjohnston8519]

Oh fuck off

[@CarlosOliveira-cj3iz]

You british...you are different.

[@rossthorneycroft4956]

Simplicate!!....😅😂😂

[@jimcroyts5592]

Good Lord!! Darrell, one of the announcers, sounds like an old woman! What a horrible voice for an announcer!

[@dickvonduisberg2356]

jim croyts That's his presenting voice, we make his use it. Normally he sounds so Welsh no-one can understand him.