Automotive

He cheerfully backed out the Seven, dragged us outside into the light rain, obligingly fired up the car and said "Let's Go!"



and we went for a little spin, followed closely by my wife in our rental car (to prevent any foolishness) 

It was relatively terrifying, as the car was a bit "deferred maintenance" and loosey-goosey, especially in the wet. That didn't deter me though



However, he didn't want to sell the Seven. So we left empty-handed.

Not long after, I got my 91 Lotus Elan FWD onto a race course, and was partnered up with this guy for a few hours.



My Seven-hunger was reawakened.

Do you mind a few extra photos at this point? (just skip over if it's too much)

Then I heard about a Seven for sale locally, and was out the door and off to buy it without a second thought. Turned out it was the Prisoner car from the photos in Coronado, 2 years before.

I bought it and happily raced home to show my wife.



But as she pointed out when comparing it to the Volvo "it's maybe not the safest car on the road"!



But we had lots of fun having three Lotuses at once.



Looking for posing spots to accentuate the sportiness of the car,



driving the dickens out of it,

pretending to be a race car driver,



even using the foul-weather kit which was hard to put on, and even harder to enter,

although it was very claustrophobic with all the holes sealed up around you.



The fleet gathered for a photo



Then one of my clients sponsored at Caterham Driving Day at Silverstone, so I had to fly to England for that (with Mrs C in attendance as chaperone)



and driver!

She loved it.

I thought I was doing rather well on the course until the instructor lady came over and said "Let me show you how it's done, big boy"

and proceeded to terrify me as she smoked us around the slalom course.



I wanted to stick around for more punishment but she had other fish to fry...

Soon after, we were at home and while sitting at a stop light I was hit from behind by a lady in a BMW who dozed off somehow and just rolled into me. I wasn't hurt and the car was just lightly bruised, but it was a warning.

In any event, I sold the Seven a year or so later due to ill health and heart problems. I haven't really regretted it. 

The annoying elements have faded (couldn't get it smogged, insurance company balking, uncomfortable, 100-mile range before bladder forces a stop, etc).