1994model Birkin Seven

A truly “Super” Seven, standing boldly before us with its already low stance further lowered for optimal balance, enhanced by a striking triangular roll bar. The original bright yellow fenders, complemented by Lotus-colored racing stripes on the nose cone, create a striking contrast with the white Panasport eight-spoke wheels—a choice made with a dedication to reducing unsprung weight by sticking to 13-inch wheels. This combination gives this particular Seven an undeniably cool presence.
For ten years, the owner has kept this Seven close, spending countless nights in the garage, painstakingly refining this simple machine to his personal taste, almost entirely through DIY efforts. Despite the demands of his business, his garage life has been a fulfilling escape, always accompanied by the Seven he envisioned. His workspace is meticulously arranged with air tools and a vast array of equipment, reflecting his deep passion for British cars—having previously fully restored two Lotus Europa S2s. It’s a space designed for the sheer enjoyment of working on cars.
On a chilly early March morning, with an outside temperature of just 2°C, our feature began with the Seven waking up from a completely cold state.
The ritual of entering a Seven begins with stepping over the precisely nuttered carbon side curtains, which can be removed with just a few screws. Sliding into the tight cockpit, the owner remarks, “From 4,000 to just over 6,000 RPM… That’s where this Kent engine truly shines, making it an absolute blast on the mountain roads.” He prefers the lively, lightweight nose of the Kent engine over the heavier, high-output BDR or modern Rover and Vauxhall units, relishing its classic character. Over the past decade, he has implemented numerous original modifications to ensure an immersive driving experience. His philosophy? “By eliminating unnecessary movement in the cabin, the driver can feel every nuanced behavior of the Seven through the seat, pedals, and steering wheel.”
The first thing that catches the eye is the race-inspired, custom cockpit. The owner opted for a one-off racing kart seat, even tighter than the standard Seven bucket seats, molded precisely to his body. Once inside, the carbon Tillett seat wraps around the driver, while thick foam pads at the knees prevent any unwanted shifting during hard driving. Extending the legs and gripping the steering wheel, one immediately feels at one with the car.
Under the hood, even the pedal covers have been removed for ease of maintenance, revealing thoughtful refinements in the accelerator linkage and clutch stopper. The finely-tuned pedal setup enhances balance between the left and right feet, making heel-and-toe downshifting second nature. These small yet significant adjustments amplify the direct connection between driver and machine, elevating the Seven’s already engaging driving experience. Further enhancing control, the owner installed a small-diameter Momo suede Formula steering wheel—the same style used on mid-80s McLaren MP4 race cars—perfectly complementing the Seven’s raw driving character.
The suspension setup plays a crucial role in shaping the Seven’s handling dynamics. The owner chose AVO dampers, a reputable choice for lightweight cars, pairing them with custom short springs—150kg at the front and 100kg at the rear—ordered specially from a UK manufacturer. The resulting setup, dialed in meticulously on local mountain roads, achieves a perfectly balanced ride height and an optimal damper setting. The rear stays composed without excessive harshness, while the front remains supple. This allows for the signature Seven-style cornering: slicing through bends like an axe, with the front cutting in sharply and the rear following in a rhythmic dance.
“When I first got it ten years ago, the carburetor settings were completely off,” the owner recalls. He has since gone through extensive trial and error—adjusting slow jets, main jets, air jets, emulsion tubes, and venturis—to extract the best performance. A small floating sticker inside the engine bay details the precise Weber jet settings, a testament to the level of fine-tuning that has been poured into this machine.
Among Seven enthusiasts, it’s often said, “A Seven begins and ends with the Kent engine.” This 1.6L OHV Ford Kent crossflow engine, while mostly stock in terms of internals, has been fine-tuned to perfection. The owner personally performed valve adjustments with meticulous precision, turning the crank by hand to locate top and bottom dead center, ensuring the best possible setup.
Recently, he replaced the battery with a high-performance Odyssey dry cell unit, providing strong cold-start capability. Despite the frigid 2°C morning, the engine fired up instantly with a crisp initial burst. The high-revving engine’s mechanical symphony filled the air, enhanced by a warm, mid-range exhaust note. Rather than opting for a sharper tone, the owner specifically chose a steel muffler for its rich, resonant quality. However, to align with the car’s modern race-inspired aesthetics, he added a carbon fiber muffler cover, along with a cheeky Car Chemistry exhaust badge as a personal touch.
As seen in the accompanying video, this Seven transforms even an ordinary drive into a thrilling experience. The owner reflects on his decade-long journey with the car:
“On my days off, I’d pull the Seven out of the garage early in the morning while my family was still asleep. After a drive, I’d return and start thinking about what I could improve next. Searching for useful parts at hardware stores, experimenting like building a model kit—that was the most enjoyable part for me. If this were a modern, expensive Super Seven, I might have hesitated to modify it so freely. But the Birkin Seven welcomed my ideas, letting me enjoy ten years of pure fun while maintaining it in what I now consider its best possible state. It has always enriched my life.”
Looking back, this Seven is the ultimate expression of an enthusiast’s dream:
Thrilling to drive through the mountain roads of the Akagi foothills… A joy to admire in the garage, glass in hand, on quiet nights… And endlessly rewarding to refine, one detail at a time.
This is a truly “Super” Seven—one that embodies the spirit of passion, craftsmanship, and driving purity.