JohnCh

The audio on this one is pretty good. Never get to full throttle due to traction issues but running to 8k rpm. @Austin David if you remove the additional tracking info from the youtube URLs (after the ?), videos will embed.

I had to look for the video

Assuming it is still effective after all those miles, hence my parenthetical "working" proviso.

I love the license plate! An easy way -- or so I'm told -- to check if you have a (working) LSD is to raise one rear tire off the ground and rotate it by hand. If there is some resistance, you either have a plate type or torque biasing LSD. To check which type, raise both wheels off the ground and again rotate a wheel. If the other wheel rotates in the same direction, then you have a plate type. If it rotates in the opposite direction, then the PO probably installed a Quaife. I can second the value of a CAN gauge. I'm running an AiM display in my car and have a screen set up that includes Lambda and TPS. It's really useful when evaluating the map for drivability. Not as good as logging, but if something seems awry on a drive, you can quickly evaluate where it's happening without plugging in a laptop. As for the sound of ITBs. Yes! I have Jenveys sticking out of the bonnet. The sound is great, albeit rather loud. Having gone through a few different cam configurations over the years on a 2.0L Duratec and now a 2.4L Duratec, you can really hear the difference between cams with the ITBs. The more aggressive the profile, the louder and angrier the sound.

@ashyers turned me on to them when I was building my 2.0L Duratec engine. I've used them several times since then.

This is my go-to vendor for O-rings. Huge number of sizes spanning many materials and their prices are reasonable. https://www.theoringstore.com/

Someone on lotuselan.net recently had a similar issue with UPS for an ECU and a wiring harness. They applied the same eight tariff classifications to both parts. Three of those classifications were free, two were 10% and the remaining two were 25%, for a grand total of 70%. I'm still fighting FedEx's invoice for tariffs on my package they lost. They finally responded this morning to the last two email I sent them over two weeks ago, where I politely suggested they pull their collective heads out of their asses. Their response to both emails read: Dear Valued FedEx Customer, Thank you for contacting FedEx Disputes. • The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that IEEPA tariffs charged by CBP were unlawful. We are assessing whether these invoices contain charges for IEEPA tariffs. • You do not need to take any action on these invoices at this time. The following link will guide you to recently posted information relating to the United States Supreme Court ruling and what it means for our customers - https://www.fedex.com/en-us/shipping/international/us-tariffs-impact.html Thank you, FedEx U.S. Duty and Tax Department (Enterprise Business Services) Progress?

This is a rose joint (aka Heim joint, rod end bearing). The bolt goes through the top, then through the spacer which is installed in the A-arm, and is held in place with the nut. To adjust camber, simply unscrew the bolt from the nut, lift it out, then raise the A-arm so there is sufficient clearance to screw the rose joint in or out of the arm. During this process, the spacer remains in the upright.

The bolt removes through the top, while the tapered part remains in the upright. The rose joint can then be rotated 180 degrees and the bolt reinserted. I bought them from Jack Webb after completing the build but before I had the alignment done.

That's why I had Bruce Beachman install these when he did my alignment. In addition to making camber adjustment easy, it also allows for a 1/2 turn of rotation when setting camber, rather than the ball joint's full turn requirement.

HR has a long and catastrophically unsuccessful history of trying to create a kinder, gentler, more sensitive Croc. According to a recent LinkedIn post, they have finally thrown in the towel. Probably the only decision they've ever made that gets his approval.

The lowered floor pan ends at the front of the pedals, so the space immediately below the pedals is unchanged. It also slopes upward from the seat area to the pedals -- the cross section is not rectangular -- so your heels only sit about 1/3"-1/2" lower than the standard floors. The other factor that comes into play for the lowered floors is preferred driving position. I like to sit low and ideally have my butt and heels on the same plane for back comfort. With the standard floors on an SV, I felt like I was sitting up too high compared to my Westfield and felt less a part of the car. It exacerbated that aspect of the SV I dislike compared to the more cosseting S3. This is purely down to personal preference and reinforces the importance of trying various cars to see what works best for you.

Getting back on topic, I've been involved in se7ens for a very long time and was fortunate to know exactly what I wanted for my car, including the extensive modifications done during the build. The one exception was failing to order the optional carbon fiber indicator pods. Since I'm not a big fan of carbon fiber exterior bits, I ignored those; however, the standard pods are made from a really cheap looking, shiny plastic that looks out of place against the fancy looking pearl paint. It's not something I notice day-to-day -- and those same pods didn't bother me on the Westfield with its non-metallic/pearl exterior -- but it does irk me every time I'm up close to that area to remove the nosecone or clean the front. If it wasn't such a pain to deal with the wires that thread through pods, I'd switch them out.

Improved dampers, along with different spring rates, made a huge difference to my car. It wasn't just ride and wheel control that improved, but traction out of a corner was significantly better when driven back-back with a stock 420R SV running the same tires, air pressures, and alignment settings. This despite my engine producing a lot more power and torque. I'm looking forward to hearing your impressions.

I bought the 2.4L short block, cams, and valve springs from them. All the other parts and fasteners needed to assemble the completed engine were purchased from Raceline and various Ford dealers.

28mm is small. Below is a screenshot from Tony Weale's book:

Hi Folks, if we want to continue the conversation on the bill impacting three-wheelers, let me know and I'll break it into a separate thread in off topic. Regardless, let's please keep this thread focused on @Jenks questions about Se7ens.

Caterham recently changed their pricing model for the US. If you haven't seen it, read this post that outlines the changes and powertrain prices. You can download the latest US price list at https://caterhamcars.com/us. With the new prices, a stripped 420R starts at $77k delivered. It's not hard to option one over $90k. Calling @Anaximander who has a lot of experience with Stalkers and can likely address those questions In addition to the kits you've mentioned, I'd also investigate the MK and GBS. There are a few people here who own them and can hopefully chime in. Although MK has an option to use a donor Miata, I've heard that many simply purchase the needed parts new. -John

It's great to see your kids are still involved with the build. Are they enjoying it, or was a little bribery required to keep them working? Any major issues along the way? From the thread, it seems like it's been surprisingly uneventful.

One thing I noted during my half door experiment is that like the side curtains, they virtually eliminate air flow around the legs, which can lead to heat build up on hot days. At some point, I want to experiment with deflectors/ducts around the windscreen to see if systematically channeling air into the cabin can address that low-pressure zone and mitigate the issue.

I experimented extensively with wind deflectors on my old Westfield. I found the key was to extend the length well below the door cutout and angle them very far forward, as shown in the photos below. Not particularly attractive or aerodynamic, but with them in place, turbulence was much closer to running with side curtains than without. A few years later, I mocked up half doors out of cardboard. Compared to the wind deflectors, they did a much better job reducing turbulence in the cockpit from about mid torso down, but unlike the deflectors, they didn’t do much to stop the wind from hitting me square in the face. Although, it's possible that in combination with the smaller, commercially available wind deflectors, they would have done an acceptable job in that area. -John

Piling on to @CBuff, before anyone checks themselves into jail (literally) let’s remember this is a public forum, which has never supported sharing ideas on how to commit fraud or even skirt along its edges. Every state has its own laws for registering a kit car; some make it easy, some make it impossible, and most fall somewhere in between. Further complicating the situation, the individuals working at DMV offices are rarely well‑versed in the nuances of their state’s regulations in this area. As a result, they often default to the safest and simplest answer for them: “No.” This is why the advice to visit multiple DMV offices until you find someone who actually understands your state’s laws is both sound and legal. It also means the responsibility is on each of us to do our due diligence and become familiar with the relevant statutes before we show up at an office. And for those who like to fly a little too close to the sun, think carefully about the risks of publicly discussing your flight plan.

@Moby65 I removed your PII when approving your post above. We have scammers who read the site, so sharing your full name phone number, and email address can create a lot more spam and potential scam attempts for you. I have sent that information to @Anaximander to ensure he knows how to contact you. Cheers, John

Have you checked out @Croc's latest post in his for sale thread, which he updates weekly? I see a couple of Caterhams that come in at $35k or under.

There are a number of us on USA7s with Miatas. I have a '91 base NA with Flyin Miata suspension, chassis, and brake upgrades, but the engine, with its blistering 116hp, remains stock. It's huge fun and fights well above its weight, but for me, on a winding back road, there is no comparison with either my old Westfield or the Caterham. It's hard to have the same level of immediacy in a car that weighs over 50% more, and few cars are as intuitive, progressive and steerable with the throttle as a well-sorted se7en. When the road and conditions align, they create experiences that stick with you for a very long time. Having read through your great thread on miataturbo.net, you've built a very special Miata, and I have no doubt what you wrote above will prove true. It's nice to have choices. I'm looking forward to reading how you evolve the Caterham.