Upcoming Events:
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Pizza / Social Gathering
Aug 27, 2026 6:30:pm
Venue: Aurelio's Pizza
Come join us at Aurelio's in Addison to eat pizza, drink beer and talk cars. Social Hour 6:30pm Brief Meeting 7:30pm
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British Car Festival
Sep 13, 2026 9:00:am
Venue: Harper Community College
The 40th edition of the British Car Festival. This event was conceived by the British Car Union, a consortium of Chicago area British Car Clubs, of which Lotus Corps is a founding member, and has been going strong ever since....
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After the Fest Cook Out
Sep 13, 2026 3:00:pmBarb and Ken Olendzki will be hosting an After The Festival party and dinner at their house. Lotus Corps members, guests and Lotus entrants to the British Car Festival are all welcome. Please RSVP to Barb and Ken. Watch for...
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