Thread: Chevron 7 clubman resto

For many years I've restored, ridden and raced anything on two or three wheels but I've decided I need a change of scenery so yesterday I started a new project that takes me back 55 years to when car racing was my thing. Last Saturday I bought a Chevron 7 Clubman. A real seat of the pants open sports car that weighs less than 600kg and with bugger all luxuries but something I've wanted since seeing a Lotus Super 7 in the '50's. This shape has been copied by many companies over the years either as a basic kit or a turn key complete car so when I saw the Chevron at what I thought a good price I had to have it.These first photo's are what the seller used in his ad.

7 clubman.jpg7 clubman .jpg7 dash.jpg7 with webers.jpg

This car is very low and with my back problem I needed it at a workable height so today was spend making four dolly's to not only get the height but the ability to move it around the workshop.
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Tomorrow I'll start pulling bits off but before I go too far I want to test the engine. Unfortunately the Webers pictured above didn't come with the car so there won't be any engine noises until I source another set. When last on the road it was running on LPG so because I'm converting back to petrol I need to make a fuel tank along with a million other little things.

For what it is worth and my experience with tuning multiple carby set ups over many years I would put injection on it. It is far more simple to tune and is basically set and forget along with easier starting especially for a car that might not be used for extended periods. Modern injection systems are basically plug and play these days or being a Toyota motor a wrecker would have the mechanical bits. Webers are a pain and there are less and less people who really can tune them v's the people who think they can and they are also sensitive to atmospheric changes. Good luck with the project, clubmans are a bundle of fun to drive.

Injection was the first thing I thought of Chris but decided that carbies would be easier to set up seeing an ECU isn't required. Maybe a trip to the local Toyota wreckers would be the best option. I'm told the motor is good but I'm open to alternatives.

Originally Posted by Snapey

Injection was the first thing I thought of Chris but decided that carbies would be easier to set up seeing an ECU isn't required. Maybe a trip to the local Toyota wreckers would be the best option. I'm told the motor is good but I'm open to alternatives.

I would be looking at injection and coil on plug ignition possibly all from a late model Toyota. The modern ECU's from Haltech or similar are fantastic pieces of kit.

It's only 2 carbys. How hard could it be .

If you are considering injection at least use a pair of weber style throttle bodies to maintain that classic look.

LPG tank in a 7 must be interesting! I can probably recommend a couple of places that are pretty handy with DCOEs and have the required emulsion tubes, jets and chokes on hand - a bit of a distance from Picnic Pt though - you've also got to contend with old worn out carbs or the later knock-offs with questionable QC.

Originally Posted by GuzziJohn

It's only 2 carbys. How hard could it be .

If you are considering injection at least use a pair of weber style throttle bodies to maintain that classic look.

Carbys are right when they are initially set but as soon as the aiir pressure changes they have lost that optimum even if by chance someone accidently got them spot on after many hours of work. People used to say SU's were the worst at this but in my experience Webers are at least as bad. I would put four ITB's on it from a bike and go from there. Plug on coil using a Haltech or similar and when the tune is right it will be permanently set. I think the top bloke in Sydney is Castle Hill Exhaust for information on the best way to go, he has a long and deep knowledge of this sort of stuff.

My thinking for a project like this is the vehicle is a toy to be enjoyed and if you can jump in it and it goes with no issue then it is enjoyable and gets used. If you have to fiddle with it every time you want to go and have a drive it quickly loses the fun factor and is not driven. Modern systems ensure it will go every time you want to drive it. I nearly talked my son into buying one once but I was unsuccessful because I live near one of Sydney's ultimate driving roads and the combination of both was very appealing. He bought a Superkart instead and I lucked out.

Before I go much further with this project I think need to find a club or group for help. I have no problems with painting, upholstery and the mechanical side of things but when it come to electrics I'm lost. Fuel injection is the way to go but do I just bolt on a set of GSX1400 throttle bodies I have and get a Haltech ECU or buy a complete car like a 2000 Corolla I'm looking at. I prefer the car option because I need a fuel tank and a better wiring job than what's there now.DSCN0889.jpg Not a lot happened yesterday except for removing a few body parts. Most of the time was spent tripping over the dog and DSCN0891.jpgDSCN0894.jpgfinding the right spanner to fit the Whitworth, metric and AF bolts.

Surely you'd put a fabricated tank, rather than a production car one in a 7. Usual cornering abilities exceed a standard sedan...and most of those suffer starvation pushed within the limitations of road tyres.

As to the motorcycle TBs, I'd probably look towards a 20v set for a relatively straight forward bolt-on, I think I might even know someone with a set.

Back in the day, the PRB boys all used to run SMC autronics on the toyotas. They're obsolete , but stoneaxe reliable and probably more than sufficient for this thing unless you wanted to go all-singing and you can usually pick them up for 2 used bottlecaps.....or less than 1 weber.

There is a Clubman forum for online help if that suits you or maybe one of the Toyota forums may be of help but I have found over the years that there is generally one or two people who know what they are doing on fora and you need to find them. PM me with your contact details and I can suggest stuff, I have sort of been down this road before, for instance the electricals and data systems on our kart was worth well north of $10000 and that is a place you need not go unless you want to. A bit of planning before pulling everything apart is time well taken in my book.

Electrical systems are a pet hate for me because most are not well done. Harnesses can be bought and if possible modifying a factory harness is practical and if done properly reliable. The fuel tank you will have to get made for two reasons, one is the fact that it is unlikely you can buy one and the second is that tanks for FI are different to tanks with carbies because they have a swirl pot in them fed by a second pump.

Is this going to be a track car or road car and is it already registered? Here is a link to the Performance Forum that goes to a thread on a Clubman and could have links to other sources. Be very aware that this forum has no borders when it comes to bad language and telling people where to go and what do in a very few words but it does have some pretty good knowledgable guys. The thread is from 2013 so keep that mind and it is quite long. I don't live a million miles from you and my son is good at electronics in cars as he works for a Mazda dealer as theiir go to guy for electronics and he did lot of stuff on the kart. Ultimately you need to decide exactly how far you want to go so send me a PM and we can have a chat. These projects always seem to get bigger than we planned, it is the way of the world.

https://performanceforums.com/forums...81-prb-clubman

Originally Posted by Hunch

Surely you'd put a fabricated tank, rather than a production car one in a 7. Usual cornering abilities exceed a standard sedan...and most of those suffer starvation pushed within the limitations of road tyres.

As to the motorcycle TBs, I'd probably look towards a 20v set for a relatively straight forward bolt-on, I think I might even know someone with a set.

Back in the day, the PRB boys all used to run SMC autronics on the toyotas. They're obsolete , but stoneaxe reliable and probably more than sufficient for this thing unless you wanted to go all-singing and you can usually pick them up for 2 used bottlecaps.....or less than 1 weber.

You would know far more than me on clubbies and point him to putting the ITB on etc. I didn't read your post before I wrote my last one.

This page has links to fora etc ClubbiesSA Links Page

Many thanks for that information Chris ... I'll go through it over the weekend.

Registration ... I wish. Before I bought the car I phoned a guy in Qld who's selling a similar looking car with the same grill as mine who told me his car has a VIN and build date on the RH chassis rail. That gave me hope of fairly easy rego but I can't find a number anywhere so registering it might not be so easy after all. Surely a manufacturer would stamp something on a frame. Next week I'm going to see the guy who does my blue slips to see just what it takes to get a VIN issued and who a local engineer might be.

At the moment I'm on hold until I find out about rego so tomorrow the Katana is getting an outing.

Originally Posted by Chris Parks

You would know far more than me on clubbies and point him to putting the ITB on etc. I didn't read your post before I wrote my last one.

Don't know about that too much! Have associated with a few clubbie types on the competition side for decades, ironically they were probably the ones that killed-off their own fairly even, well attended series with upgradeitis.

Were the Chevrons available in kit and built form, like the Westfields? That might explain lack of chassis#.