Bruce K

I contacted Marshall-Goodman regarding the Caterham 480 SV. It was sold before it ever hit the showroom floor. A customer was looking for a Caterham, and when one was traded in, management contacted the customer immediately. The customer agreed to the price, and the car was sold. The ads were just a precaution in the event the customer decided against the car.

Remarkable, both the minutiae and the substantial departures that Beachman Racing and yourself have wreaked upon this incredible car. You remind me of Bill Fink, fitting monster LS1's and dozer Tremec trannies into the antiquated engine bays of long door classic Morgans. Bill's installations looked like factory jobs, and, indeed, Bill communicated closely with the factory and shared his improvements. His upgrades led to future changes in the Morgan line, including BMW V8 and Ford V6 motors, greatly strengthened frames and suspension enhancements. Are you communicating with the factory regarding your Cat Kong project? You should - you might improve the breed for all of us! And, who knows - they might sponsor some of your work, or pick up Beachman's reluctors. Anything they do for you will be a lot cheaper than running a Formula 1 team or co-developing the sister car to the Renault Alpine!

Very kind, Kitcat. Thanks so much. And imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so you are welcome to use my words anywhere.

Thanks for the well-spoken endorsement. And if that 6 liter is successful in sodding the top of my head, my next car will be a Bugatti. In a straight line, and up to 100 or so, the Lola can't be much quicker than many Stalkers. The mid-rear engine configuration will improve traction, just as it has with the C8 'Vette, but many Stalkers are rolling around with cubes and power to match (even exceed) Can-Am cars of the sixties. Most Bruntons weigh a few hundred pounds less than my Lola, which is heavier than stock (works T70's and Bruntons are about equal in weight at around 1,800 lbs.) It's after 100 where differences will be exposed. My Lola will achieve higher top speeds, and reach them faster, while generating greater cornering forces. That is, I think, the performance quadrant from whence hair-growing will arise. I promise to stay within my limits. And add dive planes. Vis-a-vis brakes: Works T70's employed Girlings with discs slightly inboard of the uprights. This resulted in cooler brakes, cooler tires and more consistent tire pressures. John Surtees' was instrumental in the adoption of this solution. Moving the discs a bit inboard while not increasing weight, however, yielded a somewhat complex and delicate architecture. Sometime in 1965, at Mosport, while testing a T70, the disintegration of a hub carrier at speed nearly cost Surtees his life. The car veered and tumbled, and ended up on top of Surtees, pinning him face-first into the outfield sand with gas draining everywhere. Quick-witted corner workers saved John, who went on, in the next 12 months, to win 5 of 6 races and the inaugural Can-Am championship! The mettle of men like Surtees is grist for another complete exigesis. I'll conclude by noting that my car employs more efficient and modern AP brakes, surrounded by heavier a-arms and links, positioned for better durability inside the wheel drum. Oddly, I am looking forward to driving this car on the street as much as on the track. It will not have the cat-like reflexes of a Caterham, with that featherweight steering and ability to move with your thoughts. I imagine a heavier version of a Cat - perhaps a lynx, or a lion. Still unimaginably maneuverable, still impossibly strong, just a tad more ponderous. I've enjoyed years where I've accumulated 5,000 miles driving my Sevens - and I live in Michigan! Driving a smooth back road, on a warm sunny day, in a topless Seven - that's a feeling like you could lean back and drive right up into the clouds. I can't wait to experience that again. Guaranteed my road miles will be seven to one over my track miles. The development of the car will be fun and interesting. There are likely fewer than 500 original and continuation T70's ever built (my considered estimate). They are important, championship-winning cars, but there is no Lola forum out there on the web. Perhaps I should start a forum page here - what do you think? Presuming, of course, my deal goes through and I can complete the purchase. (Images of stock works inboard Girling disc brakes versus conventional outboard AP disc brakes, as fitted to my car. Note the ducted fresh air provided to the latter, and unnecessary for the former:)

Croc (my wife often calls me by your nom de plume, with a couple added words referencing a jar or vessel full of expletive deleted): I continue to maintain the "WCM & Other Super Seven Repair & Update Manual". I have done so reflexively, always believing the next Super Seven is around the corner. But I am now contemplating a radical turn (not Radical). One of my hundreds of searches turned up a Lola T70 Spyder Mk I continuation. It has a similar triangulated steel space frame, assembled with aluminum panels into a monocoque like the original, but connected with screws plus modern adhesive unavailable to Lola engineers at the time. The car also has smaller fuel pods on either side, which allows a wider cockpit, so both seats in this car are adequately sized, and spaced a suitable distance apart. Additionally, the steel frame, aluminum panels and suspension components contain additional metal, rendering the car a bit heavier, but also more rigid and better suited for street use. Otherwise, the car is largely indistinguishable from original Mk I Spyders: The nose is ex-works, the rest of the body panels are heritage, the steering wheel is Montmorency, Smith's gauges, center-nut pin-drive wheels, Hypercision 6-liter bowtie V8 with quad Weber 2-barrels, Willens harnesses, original Lola ceramic badges - the list goes on. Fortunately for me, the car also has a low roll cage (removable side bars), a fire system, logbooks, and qualifies for vintage racing. - never been there, want to do that. The looks sold me on the car. From my point of view, Eric Broadley's Lola T70 Spyder Mk I & II deserves mention with any of history's great sports car designs - right up there with the Tipo 33 Stradale, the Ferrari 250 GTO & the XKE. Seguing back to Sevens, this T70 is comparable to a Stallker XL - similar power and brakes, a bit more weight but better aero, conventional outboard coilovers, but shielded from turbulence by that lovely Lola nose. The mid-rear engine placement should cede handling to the Lola. So - if I succumb to this particular form of automotive heresy, can I retain my USA7's participating member status? Or do I have to install cycle fenders and Brooklands windscreens? (I did not provide an image of the actual car, as the purchase is still ongoing. Looks the same except for livery and LHD:)

Ok, wise guy! Thanks for the info. Enjoy your Superlight. Did you ever install the Quaiffe sequential trans???

Work can be done. Was the car sold? Is there contact info? Thanks!

I searched for this car. Found a 2018 listing for a Caterham R500 with Quaiffe 6-speed sequential shifter AND a spare 5-speed convential stick, on the California Sevens site, for the ludicrous price of $25,000. There were several inquiries, but no responses. I don't think this was ever a serious ad. If someone is selling an R500 at any fair price, please advise. I am looking to purchase a Caterham with similar specs.

Is this car sold? I offered my email in an earlier reply, but never received any photos or answers to my questions. I am 100% a serious buyer, and would pay cash.

I apologize to everyone who was trying to help me. Unlike Croc's "Cars for Sale", I was not regularly following this thread. None of the answers were addressed to me, so I was not notified and failed to respond. All caught up now. Thanks, Kitcat Mark IV Croc and others. I have opened Croc's attached USA dealer list hotlink and will make inquiries. Mark IV: Are you Kampena, Rocky Mountain or Time Machines? I'll call you first.

Agreed. I haven't tried that trick, because I'm aware of the consequences. I am looking at a JPE Cat in England - that qualifies for import now. However, I believe the final price will be too high. Further, that Vauxhall 2 liter, though a great performer, poses problems, much like a BD series Cosworth motor - few qualified rebuilders, high parts prices, incessant delays for everything, rapid cost escalation. Still, thanks for your concern.

Hi, Astro Bob. Sorry I did not get back to you earlier, but I did not receive timely notice of your post, and just observed it now. Happy belated holidays to you and the wife, as well. I noted with interest your reference to Mark IV and Bruce B in Washington State. Are they Caterham dealers? If so, I would like to communicate with them - do you have contact info for them? You could provide it here or in a PM. My wife is like yours regarding driving trips. I can occasionally coax her into the passenger seat, but mostly for Alfa or Porsche club events - the social angle is an effective lure with her. Solitary sojourns in the country, or along the shoreline of our rivers and great lakes, not so much. I love to steal the last couple hours of daylight and race off into the fading sun, often with no particular destination. My favorite sunblaster was any of my Super Sevens. I remember the sunlight glinting off the long bonnet, and the guttural roar of the motor, and the front wheels bobbing. For me, it was like piloting a speedboat on land. The wife would rather watch a Hallmark love story on cable.

Fantastic work, Croc, and a completely gorgeous car. I apologize - I would not have PM'd you for info if I had known about this thread. Your detailed explications have provided me with additional choices for my forthcoming Seven - thanks for that. I simply cannot make this ANOTHER multi-year project, so a Cat that I can upgrade to 2.5 liters or a stock 620R are now my primary choices. Best of luck with this trailblazing venture - to be able to accurately state that your (anything) is among the (any ultimate quality) in the world is an amazing accomplishment in 2021. This is a Caterham to drive into the cloud tops of Mount Olympus - congratulations!

JohnCh - I just learned about this project today - thanks so much! I look forward to the new features, and eagerly await the rollout. I especially agree with the opinions expressed herein regarding the many thanks due to you, Croc and other administrators and assistants. "Labor of love" describes it all: Lots of labor, and payment in love. For years now, I have been editing and compiling the "WCM & Other Sevens Maintenance & Upgrade Manual". The manual is now 193 pages deep, and is regularly updated and expanded. A couple times per year, I offer a PDF version on the forum (free of charge). I have retained the emails of all manual applicants over the years, and every spring I send out fresh editions to over 100 individuals on file. I believe this manual would be of assistance to any Super Seven owner. Perhaps it should be offered on the new forum site as a perpetual resource. I should have continued capacity to edit and update the forum file copy. This manual began life as a personal resource. I used it to record all repairs and upgrades performed on my personal WCM S2K, including uprated oil sump, anti-cavitation fuel system, stainless braided lines and -AN fitting upgrades, rollbar-mounted chmsel, oil accumulator, racing mirrors/tires/shocks/springs, rod end upgrades, street and track alignment settings and much more. Once I offered my experiences for general consumption on the forum, contributions from other Seven owners began flowing in. I incorporated these into subsequent editions of the manual, and 193 current pages are the result. Another example of "labor of love". Let me know how you would like to proceed, and good luck with your project. Thanks!

One of the most informative, complete, precise, intriguing car ads I have ever read - great job!

The asking price on the www.hillbankusa.com website is $104,950. Of course, I would offer less than that. The 620R with the Sadev box is a rare bird. Christopher John Inc in Florida can import a 620S in the mid-80 thousand range, but not the 620R (per Christopher). All 620's are RHD only (due to the position of the supercharger on the left side of the engine bay, and concomitant lack of space for a steering column there). Therefore, I have considered importing one from England. Most used examples begin in the low 50 thousand pound range and go up from there. That's $70,000 and up, with international shipping to an eastern port costing under $2,000. Once stateside, I have to find out if the car will be treated by officials as a 1966, or as a circa 2015 model. If considered later production, it won't be allowed on the street. I wouldn't be interested in that option. More work to do on this matter. IF ANYONE HAS EXPERIENCE REGARDING IMPORTATION OF A CATERHAM, PLEASE JUMP IN.

While responding to this thread, I also wanted to reach out and say hello to Astro Bob - hope that your C7 is treating you and the wife well, while providing some exciting motoring. I have been debating this exact question for a couple years now. I am getting close to pulling the trigger, and whether my target is a Stalker or a Caterham will likely be the product of my final few moments of hesitation. I have owned 3 Sevens over the years (one so radically rebuilt, it qualifies as a fourth). Each was more powerful than it's predecessor. That means, if I rest my sights on a Caterham, it will need to be a 420R, 480R, R400, R500 or 620R. Choosing the right Brunton is easier. I would want an M-Spec chassis with inboard shocks - after that, the LS engines fitted to most Stalkers are natural born killers, so no real debate on that point. I know it sounds loony, but I am actually considering the lightly-used (mostly for promotion) 620R offered by Hillbank USA. The 6-figure price is a knockdown turnoff, but the car is 100% track ready with big brakes, IRS, supercharger and Sadev no-clutch sequential shifter (clutch to start, but no clutch when shifting up through the gears). The car provides 310 hp, with another 20 likely available with a good tune. The price for a good supercharger and a Sadev sequential is about $20,000, so the price is not just about the Caterham name. A Stalker providing equivalent performance can be had on the used market for half that money, but it will be a rev-lacking, big-footprint vehicle weighing 700 additional pounds, and incapable of providing the same steering feel. It will be a Seven, and one of the best (I call them America's Donkervoort) but at the other end of the spectrum. That said, you can do a lot to perfect a car with a spare 50 large.

Did you option the LED headlights? CF cycle fenders? Is the entire interior maroon (seats, carpeting, side panels), or just the seats? Thanks!

Also, are there any other options that you did not include in your original post? What is the width of the 15" diameter Orca wheels? The actual finished weight of this car? Please also describe your assembly process. Thanks!

bruceakopitz@gmail.com - thanks!

Any other images of this car? Thanks!

I talked to the gentleman selling this car early on. He was gracious and communicative, and sent me a number of pix. The car is very well assembled and looks great. The problem is this: It is essentially an old-style Brunton V6 chassis equipped with a honking LS V8 motor and Tremec trans. This old-school chassis is equipped with outboard front shocks and a solid rear axle, and does not feature those aerodynamic F1-style inboard front coilovers which are so delightfully adjustable. It does not feature the modern IRS design including excellent Cadillac diff that Brunton developed in the early 2010's. It is a transition model between the supercharged V6 Bruntons with the hood scoop (the original model) and the current LWB V8 model. At the time, the gentleman's asking price was equivalent to the market value of a used latest-gen Brunton, and that is why I broke off communications. All of that said, the car, like all the earlier V6 Bruntons, is very capable, and with the V8, very fast. Hoever, due to the old-style chassis, and relative to the new car, performance will suffer over broken or bumpy roads and at high speeds. The car is also an SWB design. I like the Brunton SWB's because they look more authentic - more Sevenesque. But they do not handle as well as the LWB Bruntons, and thus are less popular among Brunton cognoscenti.

The Aero to buy is the Series III. With that upgrade, Morgan fixed the crossed eyeballs, enhanced the merge lines of the grill and fenders, and reduced the trunklid height - all visually pleasing upgrades. Series III's routinely sell for $20 to $30K more than prior Aero models. I also love Morgans, but Sevens are rawer still - they handle better, provide greater acceleration, lighter steering with lots of feedback (Morgan steering is famously numb), they're controllable with the throttle, have better brakes. Same wind-in-your-face experience, but faster, lower - altogether more visceral.

This 190 page manual began as an update & repair journal. I used it to journalize the work on my individual WCM. Lots of member comments, suggestions & repair histories later, it has grown to include information on all common Seven iterations, with a remaining focus on the WCM cars. YOURS FREE with your return name & email. Good luck with your cars, enjoy the upcoming topless weather, and STAY HEALTHY!

I apologize for the late response to some of these emails. The most recent update of the manual went out today. Thanks, good luck, and stay healthy!