Custom Lotus Seven-Style Car with 409 V8 Heads to Auction
A one-off, street-legal clubman car, blending Lotus Seven aesthetics with circle-track racing components and a blueprinted 409 cubic inch Chevrolet V8, is
A unique, street-legal custom car that merges Lotus Seven styling with asphalt modified racing hardware is now for sale. The vehicle, listed with a Montana title as a 1974 LOTU, is being offered at no reserve from Plymouth, Connecticut.
This bespoke machine is built around a tubular steel spaceframe chassis that incorporates an integrated roll cage. Power comes from a blueprinted 409 cubic inch Chevrolet V8, sending power to the rear wheels via a Tremec TKO five-speed manual transmission and a Winters quick-change locking differential. The seller, who acquired the car in 2023, has fitted a new nose panel, headlights, and quadruple taillights, and repainted the steel roof and fiberglass body in Freedom Blue Pearl.
Powertrain and Performance Specs
The heart of this custom build is its extensively modified Chevrolet big-block engine. The blueprinted 409 V8 was built with a lightweight crankshaft, roller rockers, an Edelbrock intake manifold, and a Holley four-barrel carburetor. An MSD ignition system and a dry-sump lubrication system are also fitted. Exhaust exits through long-tube headers with side outlets that feature cutouts.
The drivetrain specifics are as follows:
| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| Engine | Blueprinted 409 cubic inch Chevrolet V8 |
| Induction | Edelbrock intake, Holley 4-barrel carb |
| Transmission | Tremec TKO 5-speed manual |
| Final Drive | Winters quick-change locking differential |
| Ignition | MSD system |
| Lubrication | Dry-sump system |
Chassis and Styling Details
The car's construction blends classic British kit car inspiration with American racing ethos. The steel spaceframe provides the foundation for an independent front suspension and a torque-arm rear setup, with adjustable coilovers at all four corners. Steering is via a rack-and-pinion system, while braking is handled by unassisted four-wheel disc brakes with Wilwood wide-five hubs and an adjustable bias control.
For rolling stock, it rides on multi-piece 15-inch wheels wrapped in wide 29x18.50-inch Hoosier tires. The interior continues the purposeful theme, featuring fixed-back bucket seats in tan and white, Simpson five-point use, a quick-release steering wheel, and AutoMeter instruments. The odometer indicates approximately 700 miles since the build was completed.
The Lotus Seven Legacy
The original Lotus Seven, which inspired this custom's form, has a long history in the specialist automotive world. Lotus produced just over 2,500 Sevens between 1957 and 1973, with most sold in kit form to avoid British Purchase Tax. The design was later sold to Caterham Cars, which has since built over 22,000 examples. The sale of specialist collector cars like the original Lotus Seven often occurs through venues like Marque Selling, a UK-based auction house founded in the 1980s that operates live, online, and telephone bidding formats.
The source notes that the exact builder and the motivation behind this particular hybrid creation remain unknown. Silodrome describes the car as "the most unhinged Lotus Seven-style clubman we've ever featured," suggesting it would be "enormously entertaining to drive." With the auction having no reserve, the final selling price will be determined solely by what a buyer is willing to pay on the day.
