Upcoming Events:
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Annual Lotus Corps Summer Picnic
Jul 12, 2026 12:00:pmJoin us as we gather for our annual picnic - this year at the Herzog’s lake house in Antioch. Enjoy being in or on the water - swimming, boat rides and fishing will be available. Picnic festivities will begin at...
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Saturday in the Park
Jul 18, 2026 11:00:am
Venue: Pratt's Wayne Woods
We’re headed back out to the western suburbs for our June Saturday in the Park. Join us at Pratt’s Wayne Woods in the Bartlett/Wayne area. This park was suggested by club member John Janisch last year and everyone that attended...
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Car Show for Veterans
Jul 19, 2026 11:00:amLast year’s Veteran’s Car Show was a hit, with more cars showing up than in previous years. This is a car show held privately for the pleasure and enjoyment for the veteran residents of the federal medical center. Cars of...
Recent Articles
- A Funny Day at Donnybrooke
Years ago, when I was a national driver, campaigning my ol' Lotus Super 7 in SCCA's D-Production, I entered a race near Brainard, Minnesota, on a track titled Donnybrooke International. It was late in the season, always hot and humid, when the mosquitoes are abundant, obvious, loud, irritatingly bothersome, and leave a signature. I had - I Think I Have One of Those in Stock!
So, I was in the final stage of assembly and testing of the Detroit car. Also known as Elan restoration #12. I had taken multiple rides through the neighborhood forest preserve. Everything was working as it should. Most things worked fine right away. A few things needed some prodding to get working right. The carbs - Let There Be Lights, Please!So things are moving along pretty well on my latest Elan restoration, which I refer to as the Detroit car or Elan restoration #12. Dash is all wired up. Rubber carpet installed. Interior side panels done. So I went and bought a battery the other day. I mounted a battery cut-off switch to the battery
- Elan 5-Speed Conversion
So, maybe it's a matter of getting older, but highway driving at 70+ mph with the engine buzzing at 4000+ and lots of wind noise is less appealing today than 30 years ago. I had a Hyundai Elantra recently and 5th gear at 75 mph, 4500 rpm, was dead quiet - no engine noise, no - Some Trouble With An Engine Build
There’s something to be said about a “Crate” motor. You see them being used on car and motorcycle shows shown on cable TV all the time. They eliminate a lot of the potential pitfalls in doing a car restoration or a custom motorcycle build as well. You simply order up the engine you want, specify