Garth,
Thanks...., I think. Anyway, a fellow list member told me how to contact Ernst Star who with his father ran Lotus bikes back then. I've exchanged emails with Ernst and he confirmed that this bike is, indeed, one of the three original prototype Lotus Super Pro Aero bikes! Here's what Ernst said about it:
"David, Your information is correct. The three bikes were all 64 cm and painted in the team racing color. There was a limited production run the following year but those bikes were all painted gold. If memory serves me, the bikes pictured in Bragg's book and Popular Mechanics were from the later production run. I would check with libraries or the publishers but Bragg's book may be out of print. Good luck and congratulations on your purchase. It was a sweet bike as I recall - very stiff stays for sprints and hill climbs and very responsive. You may have the last of the prototypes in that color. That's as much as I remember - it was a long time ago!"
So it appears the three prototypes were made in 1981 and were pink and while the production bikes were made in 1982 and were gold.
Cheers!
David -- in the pink -- White Burlington, VT USA
Bianca Pratorius wrote:
> I saw one of these in San Francisco back in the early 80's. I don't
> know how rare they were but I do know that the owner who was going
> north along the eastern edge of the park near American Cyclery was a
> fast talented rider. I have loved this bike ever since (in pink). I am
> thankful that it didn't show up in my size (54) because this is the
> one bike my wife and biking buddies would have a hard time accepting
> due to anti pink peer pressure. I think the pink color is cool and
> doesn't remind me a bit of door to door salespeople working for Mary
> Kay. Enjoy that gruppo, you lucky scoundrel.
>
> Garth Libre in Miami Florida USA