18 Mt Hamilton night run hosted by Mike Schlicht

May 19 meeting

OK folks here is the first big club event for 2000. Mike Ostrov has generously offered his shop, knowledge, and humor for a Spring tune-up day in El Sobrante. Many of you have been to Mike’s before and know that he is well equipped to help you service most aspects of your lotus. Mike can answer any question you may have regarding fiberglass and paint work, although he won’t be breaking out the sandpaper for this session. He is offering to help with minor tune-up work including compression and leak down testing, carb synchronization, etc. Mike is also equipped to help you with wheel spin balancing, and camber checks.

After a few hours at the shop, all the Lotus’ that are still running will head up to the San Pablo Dam with lunch at the local deli or Cactus Jacks BBQ. If you wanna hobnob with Mike remember to bring lots of candy and don’t mention anything about electronic fuel injection, cell phones, computers, or anything else designed after 1967.

The show starts at 10:30 and you should call or email ahead if you plan to attend. (510) 232-7764 or mikeostrov@webtv.com

Directions to Mike’s

1. Take Hwy 80 to El Sobrante and exit on San Pablo Dam Rd

2. Bear right on San Pablo Dam Rd and go about 2 miles

3. Left on Appian way (light).

4. Right onto Santa Rita Road.

5. Shop is on left about 40 yards up.

This will be a relaxed Pre-run for the June event. Mt Hamilton Rd is 54 miles of the windiest twistiest roller coaster of a road you have ever been on. It climbs from sea level to the top of 4200 ft Mt Hamilton and back down to almost sea level in Livermore. Most parts of the road are 30-50 mph with 100+ mph stretches in the middle. Make no mistake this is in my estimation the most serious Lotus road in the country, and I have been all over the country. I am not claiming it is the best Lotus road, just the most serious. In other words this road has every possible kind of corner, curve, dip, shallow rivers, cliffs, drop offs, possibly fog, snow, rain, etc. It is reasonably well maintained and I have never had any mechanical problems in over 18 years of driving this road, so long as you stay on the road! It is not uncommon to find rocks and other road hazards in the winter so this will be a relaxed run.

We will start from the parking lot of the Grandview restaurant, on Mt. Hamilton Rd, 1000 feet above San Jose. The Grandview has beyond a doubt the best view of any restaurant in the South Bay. It even has decent food, so join us and plan on having diner there! It will take about 50 minutes to get to the top of Mt Hamilton and about 2 hours to Livermore. The night time view of the Bay Area from the top of Mt Hamilton is well worth the drive! On a clear night you can see all the way to San Francisco. We will stop 3 or 4 times along the way to rest.

To get to the Grandview, from 680 take the Alum Rock exit going East. Drive about 1.5 miles until you see the sign for Mt Hamilton Rd on the Right. Stay on Mt Hamilton Rd for about 3 miles until you get to the Grandview. Mt. Hamilton Rd is windy all the way and for the first mile there are many turnoffs, so be careful not to get lost. It climes all the way so if you find yourself on a downhill road, you made a wrong turn.

In case of snow on Mt Hamilton and they close the upper road we may decide to run it in reverse from Livermore. From this direction the road is never closed!

Ok motorheads, this may be the best event of the Lotus year. If you’ve never been to the Dream Machines show before, then ya gotta make it. This is the 11th annual event at the Half Moon Bay airport and has grown to include about 2000 vehicles. This ain’t just cars though. You’ll see helicopters, airplanes, boats, motorcycles, tractors, steam engines, and anything else with a motor (or that some crazy can fit a motor into).

I guarantee that anyone who attends this event will have a great time and see many things that will truly astonish them. How ‘bout a blown, V8 powered, hemi Radio Flyer wagon? Or a Ferrari 308 powered Harley? Or a WWII P51 modified for air

racing ?

Many GGLCers have already committed to attending this event and it will be great to have a bunch of Loti parked together. The plan is to meet in the Half Moon Bay shopping center parking lot (at hwy 92 and hwy 1) at 9 AM and enter the event as a group. We must enter together to be able to park next to each other. A group will be leaving from the Stanford Shopping Center parking lot (where we meet for the ABCM) at 8AM to drive over the hill up the coast to HMB.

The cost for the event is $25 per car at the gate and all proceeds go to support the Coastside Adult Day Health Center. You can also pre-enter for $20 by going to www.miramarevents.com/dreammachines/.

Half Moon Bay Airport, located on Highway 1, 5 miles north of Highway 92, 20 miles south of San Francisco. Spectator Admission: $ 10 for adults, $5 (age 5-14 and 65+), and free for kids age 4 and under. Tickets are available at the gate only.

I have good news for everyone, as I write this article a deposit check is in the mail to Thunderhill!!! For those who haven’t been able to make it to the meetings lately, we’ve been discussing options for the WCLM and you may have been a little puzzled by what appeared on our calendar for the month of September. But, I’m happy to say that we’ve made a decision and moved forward with planning what I hope will be another great event. Anyone who has listened to my pestering and actually worked on their Lotus in preparation for this year will be ahead of the game and won’t regret it a bit. For everyone else, now you have incentive to get to work on your cars!

Ask anyone who went to WCLM ’99 and they’ll tell you what a great time they had at Thunderhill. So, I’m starting early and I’m asking everyone to set Friday September 29^th aside for some hard-core enthusiast driving! We’re still forming the details of what else we will be doing over that weekend, but we’ll certainly inform everyone as the plans develop. The most important thing is, we have a track day!!!

Remember that we have a checklist that the tech inspectors will be using to make sure your car is track-worthy. Don’t get caught with a car that fails inspection the day of the event! I’ll be asking Joel Farber to put the inspection list on the GGLC website in the coming weeks so that you can look through it and start marking off the things you might need to address. Look for the list on the website soon and take care of things ahead of time so that your inspection is a speedy one. For those without internet access, I’ll be bringing several copies of the checklist to the monthly meetings if you’d like to pick up one there. In addition, depending on the available space in the CR, we might be able to add the list to an issue of the CR as well. We’ll certainly try.

Take a look at the calendar of events in the CR, there will be a couple of opportunities to get your cars tuned up, both chassis and engine-wise before the track day and I hope you’ll take advantage of them. Our first event will be in March where we’ll be stopping in to visit Mike Ostrov for a spring drive, lunch, and tune-up day. Last year Mike had us over for his glass-fibre seminar and we had a great turnout with lots of participation by everyone. This time Mike will be concentrating on the more mechanical aspects of our Lotuses and you won’t want to miss out. Check out the details elsewhere in the CR, and dust off your cars and get them ready for this event!

Later in the year, John Zender will be offering his tools and his shop for anyone who needs to fabricate or repair anything relatively small like a bracket, etc. You know, the one you’ve been meaning to fabricate or fix for a long time but you just haven’t had the right equipment to do it? Well, this will be a chance for you to get it done, or whatever other small job you might need to take care of. These are two great opportunities to get some good advice and to get started on preparing your cars for the track. And if by chance your car is all prepared to go to the track, don’t let that deter you from coming out to simply stretch the legs of your Lotus or "talk shop" with the other GGLC’ers.

I know I’ll be taking advantage of these events myself, with March here already I’m going to have to get to work on both the Europa and the Seven soon. After all the stories I told my brother last year about how great the Europa was on the track, I think he wants to get some track time himself. That means I need two cars this time!

As I reported last month, the Seven’s water pump blew out on me, but I couldn’t believe just how bad it was until I got it out. It clunked around so much, it was as if all the seal and bearing materials had disappeared! As I’m writing this article, the new pump is sitting in the garage waiting for the weekend. I was so happy last month because I knew the pump would be easier to do on the Kent engine instead of a T/C, but I was disappointed to see that the gasket for the new pump is a one-piece affair for both the pump AND the front cover! Well, that works out for the best because the front cover leaks anyway and I can fix that problem at the same time.

Well, that’s the latest on both the club events and what’s going on in my garage. Stay tuned for more on the WCLM 2000 developments, but in the mean time, you know what to do. See you at the next meeting!

Scott

Club car news; Bruce’s ‘90 Esprit SE is still for sale although I’m not sure who is babysitting it now if you are interested. Mr. Zender has shelved the plans to stuff a big American V8 into his yellow Esprit S2, instead opting to freshen up the original motor. Victor Holtorf is looking for a real Eleven to add to his stable. And yours truly has embarrassingly not done much of anything with my poor old Europa, save dipping the water out of and buying a bunch of fiberglass repair materials. I guess the current garage-dwelling project does have a Lotus element to it tho; until I finish wrenching on the White Sprite, the Europa will have to wait it’s turn outside.

Speaking of wrenching, no matter what car it’s on I hope you all are taking advantage of the rainy weather to get that car ready as we have a full dance card. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen so many diverse activities on our calendar. Something to suit everyone’s tastes and hopefully everyone’s calendar, so I hope to see you and your car on the road.

Daren

As a club member for over 20 years and a Lotus owner for over 25 years I was not happy when our club dues were raised to $25.00 (per year).

I feel that since the dues are now $25.00 our Chapman Report should be at least 12 pages not the usual 8 or occasional 6. If this is to (sic) difficult on those hard workers who produce our newslet ter (and they do a fine job) then I feel the extra $1200 + should provide more club activities that the club dues pay for not the members that attend the functions. Example: have an all you can eat lunch on a weekend at some place like Sizzler that the club pays for – at the most 60 will show, this would cost the club about $600.00. Keep the cars running.

Steve Frey

p.s. Just a tidbit from the past - Geroge Varmusa of Twin Cam Enterprises offered me a Weber head with duel (sic) DCOE 40’s installed on my Europa complete, for $600.00 - this was in the late 70’s.

Kiyoshi responds to last month’s letter questioning the rationale behind the dues increase (up $5 to $25/year);

Dear GGLC Members,

I read with interest the open letter in last month’s C/R concerning the increase in the GGLC dues from $20 to $25. It occurred to me that some background would be helpful to the members to help put this dues increase in perspective.

When I joined the GGLC some 22 years ago the dues were $15 per year. The GGLC gave club members a variety of services which included:

• Monthly C/R newsletter
• Membership cards
• Club events
• New Member packet – roster, interchange manual, supplier list, club badge
• Annual calendar
• Club event insurance (through NCSCC)

I began editing the C/R in 1978 and at that time postage was 13¢ and the cost to print the C/R was under $100 per month. Our annual expenses were under $1600.

In the late 80’s the dues were raised to $20 because printing costs, postage and insurance costs had risen. Over the years we have had to cut some services to keep our dues at these affordable levels. You’ll note that the club badges and membership cards have not been distributed in nearly 10 years. The Interchange Manual has been converted to on-line via our web site, but it to had been discontinued for a period of time.

Today members receive –

• Monthly C/R newsletter
• Club events
• Club sponsored Internet message board
• GGLC web site – with back issue of the C/R, tech articles, parts interchange, links

The biggest change in services has been the loss of affordable insurance. With the demise of the NCSCC we lost the means to share this expense with other local car clubs. We are not quite large enough to get the per member cost down to an affordable level on our own ($5-7 per member). We have contacted the other west coast Lotus clubs about forming a West Coast Lotus Club organization so that we can not only better share information and events, but jointly secure club insurance.

All of these things are being done to reduce costs and maintain and improve member services. Speaking of costs, let me share what kind of costs we are looking at today. Postage is now 33¢ for a single ounce (about 8 pages), additional weight is 23¢ per ounce, printing of the C/R is well over $200/month. Thus since the late 70’s most things have over double in cost, yet we’ve held our dues down. Our per member costs look like this today (annualized)

C/R Printing $10.00

Postage $ 4.75

Events & more $ 4.75

Web $ 2.20

Total $21.70

That’s before insurance!!! The total club annual expense is nearly $6,000, four times what it was in 1978. Were our dues to have risen a similar amount they would be $60/year. Overall, I think our club officers have done a great job of holding down costs, keeping membership dues as low as possible and maintaining the important member services. I’m hopeful that with the new dues we’ll have a bit of extra money to put into better and new member services.

I hope this discussion helps the members understand our situation and why the dues were increased to $25. It was the last option.

Kiyoshi Hamai

Vignette No. 1

Rasputin is walking a mile, not for a Camel but for his Donkey, a raggedy-assed ’64 beetle, parked on the fringe of downtown San Sodom. Anxious to forestall the parking Patrol, he begins to cross Howard St., a fast four lane One Way, against the light, but this move is thwarted by a bunch of fast-moving cars making a run for the green.

"Optimistic Idiots" thinks Rasputin, haven’t they figured out that in San Sodom the light always turns red just before you get there?"

Shore enough, when the cars are fifty feet from the intersection, the light changes and almost everybody slams on the brakes and pulls heavy G’s. The exception Is a big SUV with a massive steel beam and pipe cow catcher in front. It is being piloted by a Gay Citizen who is so busy chit-chatting on his cell phone that it takes him a few seconds to notice that he is traveling much faster than everybody else, at which time he locks ‘em up and comes sliding into the intersection.

On his left, in the fast lane of the cross street, sits an all "Black is Beautiful" muscle Mustang with flares and Mags. It is being piloted by an Afro-American merchant of "Controlled Substances" who is eager to demonstrate his racial superiority by blasting across the intersection while the wimpy whiteys are still just thinking about it.

Both characters are very fortunate and the damage is slight; the cow catcher merely shaves the Mustang’s flares.

The Afro immediately pulls over, exits his wounded Pride and Joy, and exhibits a strong desire to participate in an impartial intellectual discussion about the whims of fate.

The gay Citizen appears a bit flustered, and indicates, via sign language, that he is pulling over into the Bus Stop across the street. When there, he decides that he should go to the far end of it so’s not to impede a Bus. This move takes him out of the Afro’s line of sight, and he suddenly remembers a very urgent appointment and departs at a velocity commensurate with his abilities, blissfully unaware that the collision had sheared off his front license plate and left it laying in the middle of the intersection.

The Afro-American merchant of "Controlled Substances" was also unaware of this potential treasure, and remained so, because Rasputin didn’t bother to tell him about it.

T’was not because ol’ Rasp was envious of the Afro’s wealth and prestige, it was just a case of "When in Rome …" and in San Sodom the dominant social obligation is that one must never, regardless of circumstance, lift a finger or bat an eye in any way which could somehow be beneficial for someone else.

When you’re in San Sodom, you are alone.

Wanted: complete Turbo Esprit motor and/or tranny. Must be late model fuel injected type and Renault tranny. Also need louvers for rear deck lid on Esprit-any year OK. John (650) 368-9105

motofab@fusiontechnology.com

Europa parts for sale: Full set of front lower A-arms in excellent condition with new black powdercoat and bushings installed - $100 each or

$300 for the set. John (650)368-9105

motofab@fusiontechology.com

1965 Elan DHC for sale: ex-Orosco car, BRG w/yellow stripes, new top & bows, good condition. Asking $14.5, located in San Jose.

(650) 965-0869.

Factory Turbo system for Esprit. 7.5cr, 2.2 pistons, turbo, wastegate, blow-thru Dellortos, all cast manifolds, ducts and adaptors. $1500. Steve Lipp. (604) 255-6957 or wigl@radiant.net

1972 Lotus Europa Twin Cam #2553R. 51K miles (16K miles since complete restoration). Immaculate! Smog Exempt! Essentially stock with some nice upgrades. $10,500—let’s haggle. Call Stephan for the details @ (925) 229-5162 (h) or (510) 245-4523.

1995 Plymouth Neon American Club Racer (ACR). This is it! The ride that has dominated SSB & D-Stock since its introduction in ’94. Meticulously maintained Coupe with 150 hp twin cam; 50K miles; rev limiter; 15" X 7" TSW’s with new RE71’s, plus stock alloys, A/C; PIAA drivers; K&N, DMV paid thru June ’00; suspension properly set up at Roger Kraus Racing; factory service manuals; etc., etc. All Plymouth/Neon–identifying labels removed (only wears Lotus emblems). Very Black. Always garaged and/or covered. Call for more info (925) 229-5162 (h) or (510) 245-4523 (w). Asking $8,000.

Wanted 16 used Twin Cam mag wheel lug nuts. Steve (707) 644-1651 11am-5pm or Tues/Wed evening.

The Chapman Report is published monthly by the Golden Gate Lotus Club, PO Box 117303, Burlingame, CA 94011. The GGLC is a non-profit incorporated car club and is not affiliated with Group Lotus, Team Lotus, or Lotus Cars USA. The GGLC's annual membership dues are $25.00, (effective January 1st, 2000).

Opinions expressed in the Chapman Report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the GGLC or its officers. Technical advise should be used at your own risk.

Submissions to the Chapman Report are accepted and encouraged. Please E-mail them to lookbusy@ix.netcom.com in MS Word or ASCII DOS text. Submissions may also be mailed to The Chapman Report at 579 Rockport drive, Sunnyvale, CA 94087.

2000 GGLC officers are: President: Scott Hogben, Vice President: Victor Holtorf, Secretary: Jon Rosner, Treasurer: Laura Hamai, Event Coordinator: John Zender, Membership Chairman: David Anderson.

Chapman Report Staff: Editor: Daren Stone, Circulation Manager: Tom Carney, Advertising Manager: Mel Boss.