JohnCh

I've moved the resulting thread drift back to core thread starting here but have left the initial post about the spring error above as a quote to ensure it is not lost here.

Thanks @Rashid_seyadi, Here is a link to the new thread:

A quick fix is to cut off a short piece of rubber hose, split it lengthwise and attach to one hose with a couple of zip ties.

Great spec! A couple of comments: Regarding the LED headlights, @Outbound is a lighting engineer and shared this post with the source of the Caterham headlights at a fraction of the price. I believe he may be using these now, and if so, can comment effectiveness. Delving into engine upgrades, it's a potential slippery slope with a lot of options. Fortunately, there are a number of people here with firsthand experience who will hopefully chime in. I won't rehash what we've already shared via email, but for the rest of the group I will highlight that you are used to cars with much stronger acceleration than a 420R, so the usual comments about it likely having more power than you need, don't necessarily apply. A big question you'll need to answer is how much work you want to do now vs. how open you are to doing an engine project in the future? By all accounts, switching to factory roller barrels or aftermarket ITBs wakes up the engine and adds to the aural experience, and can be pretty straight forward. Any meaningful cam upgrade in the 420 require tearing apart the engine to accommodate valve lift -- the 420 cams are close to the limit with stock pistons -- at which point the slippery slope has arrived. In addition to SBD and Raceline in the UK, there are Esslinger and Hasselgren in the US. I know there is also another Duratec builder in the Portland area but can't recall his name. During the build, a couple of modifications to keep in mind: replace the scuttle rivets with rivnuts and bolts to make future under scuttle work much, much easier; and if you need to remove the honeycomb boot floor for any reason, cut it in half to make future removal/installation easy rather than an exercise in frustration.

One of the best reasons to create a build thread

I've started a sticky post of build blogs on the web. I will update this initial post with new links from the community that are provided below, but I want to set the ground rules to ensure this post remains valuable and doesn't simply become a huge list of links that overload a new builder with options. These are dedicated build blogs or web sites, and not build threads on various forums. People can easily find those on their own by visiting the sites. For a link to make the list below, you must have personally referenced the blog during your build, or referenced/reviewed it later, and can personally vouch for its value. Let's face it, some blogs are a lot better than others. We shouldn't muddy the waters with those of lesser quality. You must include the following information: manufacturer, model, approximate year, and engine if applicable. If the builder gave their blog a distinct name, please include that as well. I will group the links by manufacturer. The hope this continues to go grow over time and become a valuable resource to builders regardless of kit purchased. Remember that many official build manuals are available for download in the Library. Caterham A Caterham 420R SV Build ~2023 420R SV 420 Detailed Build Blog ~2019 420R S3 Team420RBuild ~2019 420R SV Caterham 7 Diaries ~2018 360R SV Purplemeanie ~2016 420R SV Caterham 310 R SV Build Blog ~2019 310R SV

I'd ping Lifeline USA to confirm that their current 3-hole adapter will still fit your setup. Their phone number is in the upper right corner of the page: https://www.lifeline-fire.com/lifelineformulacarweld-onquickreleasesteeringadapter.aspx

As others have said, welcome and sounds like a fun project. Definitely start a build thread in that forum so everyone can follow along and help out. It also makes it easier for people doing research in the future to find the thread and learn from what you did. https://usa7s.net/ips/forum/41-build-threads/

I learned this morning that Skip Cannon ( @scannon ) has passed away from natural causes at the age of 80. I knew Skip virtually since he popped up on the old California Caterham Club forum in 2005 where he causes a bit of a stir with his plans to install a turbo Miata drivetrain in his new Caterham SV. The transmission wouldn't fit without surgery, leading many people to question his sanity, but he carried on with his plans and made it work. In the end he created a very well-sorted beast of a car. It's not lost on me that many years later, Caterham adopted that same transmission to replace the Type-9. But he was the first. Skip was passionate about se7ens and Miatas, always happy to share his experiences and insights, and was not one to let circumstances get in his way. For me, there is no better example of that than his infamous butt-extractor, built to address shoulder issues which impacted his ability to exit his car. Although I only met Skip in person once, we shared many emails over the years. I always looked forward to those exchanges. For those interested, there is a very nice post about Skip on Grassroots Motorsports and another thread on Miata.net. https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/off-topic-discussion/miata-guru-skip-cannon-has-passed-away/274255/page1/ https://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=787195 (Note: this thread is in the Water Cooler forum which requires registration to view.)

Here is a picture with the scuttle removed that shows the wiper motor bolted to the metal platform.

Speaking from recent experience, softbits isn't much better. I received notification yesterday that my order placed with them on 7/19 is finally shipping. That despite receiving an auto-generated email on 9/17 informing that product was back in stock, and two subsequent emails from me pointing this out and asking for an update.

If you want the Thundersports half hood, you can order it from Caterham. One other angle you might be able to try with Oxted if you are trying to avoid purchasing from Caterham; they gave me an option of using either vinyl or mohair, however, I don't see the later on Caterham's site. That material might be considered a custom order and one Oxted would be willing to do. Can't hurt to email Jo and ask.

From what I've been told, Oxted's agreement to provide the OEM parts to Caterham now prevents them from selling those same parts directly to the consumer. Those purchases must be made through Caterham or their dealers. I suspect this is why the website is no longer active. The exception is custom work. I was able to use this angle when I purchased my half hood from them last year. They made a third-brake light cutout to my supplied dimensions. Although I can understand the direct-to-consumer restriction from Caterham's perspective, it's a shame given the difference in customer service between the two companies. Jo at Oxted has always been very responsive and helpful, whereas Caterham can best be described as hit or miss.

Congratulations on getting the car. Given it is a new Caterham and the battery failed so quickly, it might be good to first determine if it is a duff battery, or something else. Will it start on a jump? Have you checked fluid level in the cells? Have you checked alternator output? Have you confirmed all the cables are tight?

I should have figured that out.

Is Caterham finally fitting a fuel filter?

Me or the car?

Secma F16 Turbo GT: https://www.secma-performance.fr/vehicule/f16-turbo-gt/

For critical fasteners, I would use a thread chaser or make one from a bolt as @hyper7 suggests. A tap can remove material, not just crud, and has the potential to tweak the thread profile which can weaken the connection.

If I were currently planning to buy a new kit, I would give the MK a long look. Based on what I've seen on YouTube and what I've read in various places, it sounds like a compelling option.

That's great to hear! Hopefully you or one of your customers starts a build thread here. I think the community would love to see how the MK goes together and learn more about the car. https://usa7s.net/ips/forum/41-build-threads/

If you want to approach the problem from a different perspective, consider buying motorcycle jumper cables. Their smaller clamps work well with the bolt heads on the battery. I carry these on tour and have jumped a Caterham with a PC680. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000UKD6II/

Glad to hear you're making progress. And yes, Josh is extremely helpful and knowledgeable. Definitely one of the good guys.

@Legs, how is your build progressing?