This month in ONE’S THAT GOT AWAY we look at a car that never really even started. It was produced by Buckinghamshire-based company called Britton:Hazelgrove and was the most delicious replica of a Lotus Seven Series 1, which was originally created in 1957 by Colin Chapman and followed on from the sublime Lotus VI (six).

To the un-trained eye the BH was indistinguishable from the real thing

Formed by Lee Hazelgrove and David Britton it came to light in 1987 and although not an exact copy it did look pretty convincing all the same, and I guess was more representative of an Series 1 clubman racer of the early sixties who normally junked their Lotus Eleven rear suspension set up in favour a Ford Pop live axle as per the later Series 2 of 1960.

Body panels were made from aluminium with the exception of the rear wings made out of GRP, and to all but the hardened Lotus 7 Register member was indistinguishable from Chapman’s baby.

Simply beautiful

The beautiful spaceframe chassis was of a similar style to the Series 1 and fabricated from 1-inch and 3/3-inch round and square section tube of 18 gauge steel, and was TIG, MIG and nickel bronze welded. The B:H featured one of the original’s three main engine choices of 1957 by using the 80bhp BMC A-Series. (Ford Sidevalve or Coventry Climax were the other Lotus options). Therefore performance was on a par with the original for added authenticity and more than lively from a jewel of a car weighing just 410kg.

Superbly crafted chassis

The demonstrator that I had an all-too brief drive of was built regardless of cost and only the very best materials were specified, with even the fuel and brake lines being of aviation quality. I suspect that the reason the project was abruptly halted was the cost involved. Although we’re talking 17 years ago and details are sketchy I seem to recall that an expected build price for a homebuild was around the 20 grand mark. That was a fearful price tag for 1987, and an industry more used to a £1000 Dutton or Pilgrim Bulldog and is the equivalent of £35,000 today! All the more nonsensical when you can pick up a genuine Series 1 Seven with real patina for around £15,000!

Period interior

Messrs Britton & Hazelgrove were very experienced car restorers and had built a lovely Dax Tojeiro, which I saw when I visited them and I think they concentrated on their mainline of business.

Sad really because it was truly beautiful machine.

Words by Steve Hole

Photos from the totalkitcar Archive