1959 Lotus Seven

• One of approximately 243 Series 1 cars built and consequently now very rare
• Purchased and built by period Lotus stores man Jay 'JJ' Hall on 20/11/1959
• Immediately entered a long competition career, with period film capturing some events
• Relocated to Scandinavia in the mid 1960's and bought by Per Roxlin in 1985
• Roxlin undertook a full restoration and upgraded it to 'Series A' spec with the desirable BMC 'A' Series 1098cc engine and 4-speed gearbox. The bodywork was restored by Williams & Pritchard, original Lotus coachbuilders
• Repatriated in 1995 by Rod Leach and remained in a private collection for around 20 years
• Fabulous period competition history (separate panel) and eligible and welcome in historic motorsport today
• Still immense fun on the road, and nicely restored with great history, this is a charming example of the embryonic Lotus Seven

Typifying the maxim that a whole can be greater than the sum of its parts, the Lotus Seven was introduced at the 1957 Earls Court Motor Show. Based around a multi-tubular spaceframe chassis, the aluminium-panelled newcomer was powered by a choice of Ford 100E, Coventry Climax FWA or BMC A-series engines. Popular with sporting motorists and club racers alike, the Lotus Seven evolved through Series 2, 3 and 4 guises before the design rights were sold to Caterham in 1973.

Sevens dominated club racing in the late 1950's and early 1960's, and with Team Lotus starting to give the established 'Scuderia' cause for concern internationally, the fever to go racing was rife for Lotus' in-house store's man, Jay 'J J' Hall. Astonishingly, our research into this car led us in early 2020 to catch up with Jay, who is now in his 80s, and discover the story of this Lotus direct from the source.

Jay started working for Lotus in 1958 and, like all new recruits, was told upon his induction not to have any wild fantasies about 'staff discounts'. So when the itch to race needed scratching, Jay and some like-minded and highly talented colleagues sought to build their own cars instead. Led by renowned car designer Len Terry, the group's resulting sports car specials were known as the Terriers and they proved very effective. Too effective, in fact. Several wins and podiums not only upset Lotus owners, who disliked being beaten by something built by the factory workers, but Colin Chapman himself was furious. Len Terry was fired over the fiasco and, on the advice of Mike Costin, Jay sold his Terrier back to Len so that he could