Kitcat

I have been e-mailing Craig about a rebuilt Crossflow. He mentioned he has a new shop that's 3x as big as the one I saw. He has 6-7 Lotus/Caterham projects underway there, including some race cars.

Craig: Why not do a separate post on the forum and add photos? A recurrent topic amongst our members is how to improve existing roll over/collision protection. So you might generate some interest. I know I'd like to see the bolt in assembly you have just completed. Wouldn't hurt either to add some estimated prices for various systems. Mike M.

For those wondering, Craig is a long time Caterham aficionado and has raced them for many years in SCCA. I visited his well equiped work shop/restoration shop a year and a half ago and all was neat and tidy. I expect anything he produces will be top-notch. Mike M.

Wow, you were flying! It was the straightest auto-X course I have ever seen. We used to set ours up so the 'Vettes had trouble breaking 60 mph.

Clues: She was waaaay overdressed. She wore a wrap. (Easy to slip in and out of). It was polyester (no wrinkles). She wore slip-on heels (speedy to put on take off). She materialized out of nowhere and disappeared into thin air. It was a motel parking lot at 10:30 on a Sunday night. But what a pro-she definitely had me going, was super sales woman, I came away with new respect for the profession.

Prostitute story: After enjoying a leisurely late dinner w/YellowSS and his cousin John, prior to the LOG 30 track day, I went to the parking lot and, on their advice moved my Se7en to a more visible spot. As I jumped out of the driver's seat, a lovely, well dressed woman in high heels came up and professed great admiration for the car. Se7en owners know that everyone loves our cars and wants to talk abt them and I sort of brushed her off with the usual thank yous. But she was VERY persistent, she loved it's lines, etc. AND she' really like to go for a ride! I assumed that the car was exerting its usual gravitational pull on females, so I again repeated the standard thank you's etc. I then pulled out my car cover to tuck the car in for the night. As I did, she bent over to pick up one side of the car cover to help me out. Hmmmm. That was a first. Being the polite county boy that I am, I said "Thanks, you are just what I need here." She looked me right in the eye, at close range, and said: "That's right, I am EXACTLY what you need!" And begged for a ride again promising to help with the cover when we returned. Of course, if I weren't such a wimp, this story would get much better at this point. But, sadly, after she finished helping with the car cover, I told her how tempting her suggestion was, but said I had to call it a day. So instead of continuing the adventure, I went into my motel room where I drifted off to sleep entertaining various fantasies abt strapping her into the passenger seat harness and.... The next day Tom and Cousin John, upon hearing my story, simultaneously said: "Wow, you found a parking lot prostitute." It had honestly never occurred to me that the woman had a financial motive when throwing herself at me. I had naturally assumed that it was a combination of my general studliless, combined with the aphrodisiac a powers of the se7en. Ahh, a dose of reality. But, even now, I do occasionally think abt strapping that lovely lass into the passenger seat and.... I don't know what the prostitute would have actually cost but, you know, you can't put a price on a good fantasy, especially when it involves a se7en, and a sexy, willing female:)! Mike M.

Cell phone is of little use if you break down out of cell phone coverage (as I did on my 1st trip after buying the car). I have fixed the following w/elec tape: broken throttle linkage, fuel line leak, busted side mirror mount. Not permanent fixes, but good enough to get me home. I have used a stubby screw driver and stubby phillips screw driver to fix 1/2 the things that have come loose on trips. A flash light is essential, since odds are good that some issues will occur in pitch dark (as my out-of-cell -phone-coverage problem did). I use one that's like a miner's light (it straps to my forehead, leaving both hands free). For long trips, I ditto Slomove's list. I also take a small, portable, jump charger. It has a 12v socket so I plug my GPS and radar detector into it. Mike M.

Tom: I guess my only concern with staying at the track itself is this: Will there be attractive prostitutes in the parking lot like there were where we stayed near the Summit race track:)? Mike M.

New R 500, R 300 and a used '99 Superlight ($39K).

Jon: Yes, 612 miles , one way, I can't wait. I will slap the "knobbies" on the se7en before I leave. After all, I was the next car after Croc went cross country at Log 30, purely on faith. (And I had just met him). All I saw was a hill and sky. He at least had walked it and knew what was on the other side. I was: ""OK, here we go, Oh Sh*T!"

Tom-Sounds good. If the sevens group thing doesn't materialize we can always sign up individually. My experience from organizing track days out here is that there is the "talk" and then there is the "walk". And they are 2 different things. So I wld be very impressed if 10 se7ens of whatever stripe showed up (including me:)). Nothing wrong for shooting for more tho. Yes, cousin John is a keeper. At 6'3", 260 (estimate) he'd only fit in a Cat SV, and even then, barely. Maybe someone will have a Stalker? Mike M.

Tom: Ditto both days for me. If I am going to drive that far, I want to get my money's worth. I have the days blocked off the calendar and my wife has blessed it so it looks like the real deal. If if I read your prior posts, it is all theoretical at this point tho-no actual booking of the track has occurred for us that day exclusively ($$$$), or for us in tandem with another group to bring down costs, correct? Mike M.

Skip-what a tale! Maybe you should write a book? Jon, the switch from 1600cc to 1800 cc engine was in '94. I know because in 1994 I sold my white '93 for a white '94 R package, mostly to get the bigger engine, but also for the Torsen LSD. I was an auto-x guy back then and the R-pkg was classified the same as the earlier model Miatas with the 1.6 motor. It was the only time I ever had the coveted motorsports "unfair advantage". It lasted 2 events and then the fastest 2 Miata drivers showed up w/their own R-packages and my brief moment of auto-x glory was over.

Karl: When are you replacing/selling your car's frame:)!

I have a beater Prius, gets 40-50 mpg depending on temperature, tire pressure, etc. Excellent in snow IF on snow tires. Unbreakable after 90K miles. Battery packs are going 200K+ miles w/o replacement. Very comfortable, quiet, lots of interior room. Zero fun to drive but fine for boring commutes. I know there is a lurking hatred for Priuses out there, they somehow push some people's buttons in a big way(Owners are imagined to be elitists, effete, snooty, haughty, self-important, etc.). But judged on their merits as transportation appliances, they are pretty cool. Unlike Skip, I have only had 2 Miata's (I am hoping he starts a separate thread called something like:"The Miata's I have loved, hated, gone broke with..." and explains why so many). Anyhow both of mine were daily drivers and I totaled 10 years of driving with them. No problem w/snow as long as the Blizzaks were mounted. However rust from too many winters on salted roads chewed them up. MPG was around 30 overall. Fun to drive factor is way high and, since it's a "chick car", chicks like them (and their drivers). Mike M.

I have a stock Caterham S3, with heater and full weather package. It seems perfect for both touring and track (I drive it to all track events). Suspension is not harsh but performs well at the track. Seats are very comfortable. As others have noted, the bane of se7en owners, especially on long trips, are heat and noise. Do a search for those items and you will find many ideas for making things better, tho there is no total solution. Mike M.

Every track day had different rules on passengers. It seems to be a function of the insurance provided. Most will allow other registered drivers to ride along. Some will allow anyone who signs a release and has a helmet to ride. I have had many fun cars at the track: Miata, Evo VIII, M3, Caterham, etc. By far, the most fun I ever had was in,my '05 Honda Accord, 4 door, 4cyl, auto. It had terrific balance, decent acceleration/braking, lateral grip etc. It was so easy to drive and had no stability management to overcome. And it was the ultimate sleeper. My fellow drivers could not help openly sneering when I showed up. I recall one guy in a super-charged Miata having a good laugh-until I rode his bumper around the track. So don't write off the Volvo, ya just never know.

Welcome! First, it's nice to have a new member who isnt named Mike:)! I am already devouring your website: Ahh, so that's where the fuel filter is:). Many of our members were born with their brains pre-wired and loaded with automobile info. Others of us are pretty clueless mechanically, so all of your site's photos and explanations are most helpful. Mike M.

Most Forums have a rule that says the for-sale section is not a place to offer opinions on the car, the seller, the car's price, etc. Seems like a good rule. Regardless of what any of us think, this car will sell based on its perceived value to the buyer/seller.

"Carrying costs" can be huge: principal, interest, property taxes, property insurance, liability ins, contents ins, condo fees, appliances that break down, etc. Then there is the hassle factor-one more thing to worry about, tenants that trash the place, rental agents who screw things up. And that is where you have to go for vacations from now on. OTOH-if it makes your wife happy: priceless.

Can you say dry sump? The engine looks huge. What is the point of this arrangement? Doesn't it put the heavy part of the engine up high, to the disadvantage of handling? I suspect there are many reasons this is not the customary engine arrangement.

I think the exchange rate is a huge barrier to Caterham sales here. The Birkin prices-out much better for a relatively similar se7en, in part due to the decent $-rand exchange rate. Sevens and Elans site says they have delivered more se7ens than any one else in the U.S. I think they are including resale of used se7ens tho. And there hasnt been a new posting on their site in about a year.

Google says a SV is: 11', 11'7" w/spare, long. 45" tall 66" wide Will be interesting to see Croc's real world #. Not sure if above width incl mirrors. The above sound like my S3. Mike M.

Put me down as a definite maybe for the June dates. It's so far off it's easy to be unrealistic:). It wld be "fun" to match my 95 hp wonder against all of your overpowered monsters (for the 1 st 1/2 lap or so:)). Yes, definitely let Jon's Miata in so I have someone I can run with! Mike M.

Since age 15-16, thanks to R&T, bought at 61, am now 64. My advice to you "youngsters" lurking: Don't wait that long, tho for me it was worth the wait:). Mike