Kitcat

I found the cloth standard seats in a Caterham to be among the most comfortable I have ever sat in. Just needed to add a lumbar pillow.

A Se7en that is sorted out is reliable and anything that breaks can usually be easily fixed, even by a total non-mechanic, like myself. It has reasonable storage space if no passenger. My Caterham is 99.8% waterproof. I don't plan on 1K mile single day trips. My record is about 500 miles. And I make plenty of stops to stretch. Typically I am on back roads/blue highways and so I don't make a bee-line from point A to point B, which slows me up. If you relax and enjoy the ride it can be wonderful. As on a bike, the se7en experience is totally different than a car (no radio, no cosseting, loads of fresh air, unimpeded views of the mountains, etc.). And you are never lonely-every stop is occasioned by lots of admirers. Se7ens are somehow disarming and make people smile and want to talk. Again it slows you up, but enriches the trip. Happy trails. Mike M

MoPho ! Hank-The video brings to mind the classic Chevy Chase line to Danny Noonan, in Caddy Shack:"Be the ball Danny". YellowSS-Wow!

RossD: AMEN! Perhaps the prettiest car ever made.

Typical price for nice 1600cc 1980's Se7ens w/this car's spec seem to be mid-high teens. If your goal is to auto-x it locally, that price range may be ok. If you are serious abt auto-x, the car is too dated to be competitive. If it is primarily for street use, then the car isn't set up for that and it will take some time/$ to convert it. If the selling price is low enough it mite make sense. Otherwise, it's nearly 30 years old, has continuously been beaten on at auto-x's for decades and Westfields typically command a few thou less than Caterhams. Not esp tempting IMHO, unless price is rock bottom (Under $15K). Mike M

Welcome to the Forum Dave. This place is like a AA meeting, but for se7en addicts: Hello, my name is..., and I fell under the spell of the se7en in 19--. My 1st post in this section was almost identical! You definitely have se7en DNA-looks like your parents also had the car bug. I know it can skip generations since neither my parents nor 3 grown boys has any interest in cars. I suspect that "Scot",who left you the info, has a orange Caterham Superlight. He was tearing up Summit Point's Shenandoah circuit at this Fall's LOG 30 gathering and is an excellent auto-X-er as well. You are right, there is an amazing amt of talent and experience at this forum. I look forward to reading your posts. Mike M.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words:)!

I think they designed the FIA bar with the forward lean so as to still be able to use the top. Perhaps lower the seats/drop the floors? My stock cloth seat fit with the headrest on, even shoved all the way back (the headrest just squeezed under the upper bar-with a little pushing on my part). Ditto my Tilet seat. At 5'9" my head is a long way from the bar. I run w/a full harness which, hopefully, will keep my head away from the bar in the event of an accident. Not so sure the 3 point belt wld do that.

Mike-Sounds exactly like almost every car repair experience I have ever had:). And why I mostly leave it to the "experts". Mike M

Tom: No return to Summit Point? I cld be talked into that, tho NJ is way far. Now that we sort of know where we are going at SP we mite have even more fun. Given that Mike, like me, finds it difficult to locate the time to add washers to his side mirrors in order to make them functional, I am betting he passes on the build-it-yourself approach. Mike M.

MNLotus: I eliminated my full-tank gas smell when I tightened the hose clamp on the rubber fill-tube at the top of the tank (in the boot). Now I just have a gas smell on hard cornering (auto-X style). Mike M.

Croc/Mike: Thx!!!!! Plz send to me: Mike Mooney, 917 Main Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202. Mike M.

John: I had missed that discussion, thx. Perfect Winter/indoor project. Mike M.

Note, Congress is currently debating whether to renew the massive federal subsidy for putting ethanol in gas, as well as the subsidy for renewable energy sources. Early betting says ethanol in gas subsidy gets renewed, renewable energy sources subsidy goes down. Which makes sense in that it doesn't make sense:).

Tom-I use the flat glass, only because that's what they sent, I didn't know I had a choice. But I am happy w/it and the side mirrors. All, BTW, are a total PITA to adjust, including having to pull the whole thing off the car to make major adjustments on the side mirrors. Once they are set, it's great but who knew that it was so hard to make an easily adjustable mirror (like you mite buy at Pep Boys for $9.99)? Mike M.

FWIW-all theory aside, I have had zero problems with storing my Seven for 4 months a year or my snow blower 8-9 months a year with pump gas containing the usual amounts of ethanol. Maybe the problem isn't as big as advertised? I always add Sta-bil tho don't know if it helps or if there really is no problem. Mike M.

Tom: I just measured my center mirror and it is identical in size/elevation to the one you are looking at-in fact it may be the identical mirror. It is what Sevens and Elans sells as part of the official Caterham-Brooklands set-up. Mike

Interesting as I was at the '08 PVGP at BeaveRun and hanging w/Andrew7 as well. So, you and I may have met. I drove my se7en there from Cincy, see avatar to check if you recognize it. It was parked next to Andrew7's, tho I left before he did. Mike

Nice work! Forum member Andrew7 is a Pittsburgh based Lowcost builder. He and his father both built cars. A7's has a bike engine, not sure about his dad's. Edit: I just read thru the 1st few months of your build diary and am changing the "Nice work!" to "Phenomenal job!" Those of who buy cars that are already built have no real appreciation for how many details and challenges were sweated over during the conceptualization and build phase. Mike M.

I am up to 13K miles on my soft Toyo RA1's. 15x 205's all around. Not much tread left tho (naturally shaved) so not safe in the rain. Lots of previous discussions on this forum abt tires/wheels so maybe try a search?

Part 2? I'll have to recover from part 1 first-I am feeling queasy:)!

Or, Google: "woolies trim". Then search their site with the word "screen". Mike M.

Dave: My flickering light issue has disappeared, at least for now. Why not do a separate post on your fuel delivery problem? One of our members (JohnK) used to tune and/or retune S1 engines for Super Performance. Maybe he'll have a thot? Mike

Always been a fan. I happened to be watching the nite of his first appearance on the Johnny Carson show (1963?). He was a riot. Talked about the challenge of driving a stick shift VW on San Francisco's steep streets. After his routine, he got invited to sit on the couch next to Johnny, which was always a big honor, and demonstrated the performer had impressed the host. And he was even funnier ad libing w/Carson.

Now that's what I call a rear "wing"! (And it has "happy mods" too!). Seems to have had a pretty impressive auto-x history, esp., for a 1600 Crossflow.