Kitcat

Wow! Death defying idiocy! I have a headache and my stomach is doing flip-flops. Folks who don't have 8 minutes to squander shd scroll to abt the 5-6 minute mark when it gets even more interesting.

Looks great! It is skid plate so sheer beauty isn't essential tho I'd say your workmanship was stellar. Show us another picture in a year and well see if it has acquired any "patina". FWIW, my se7en has abt 3 1/2" clearance too. Never had a problem running w/o a skid plate in 26K miles, tho do have a haunting vision of Martin's badly damaged oil pan in the back of my mind.

Russ: Ditto the Kent love. The Kent is not pretty to look at but makes a glorious sound. Also, while not hi-reving (mine redlines at 6500) they are real stump-pullers, lots of easy to use torque in a nice wide rev range. Compared to a Zetec, they make tons of pollution, get much worse gas mileage, and are rougher running. But they are easy to love and mine has, at 26K been totally reliable. Powering a 1200 lb car certainly doesn't over-stress it, even when driven by a maniac, as mine is:). Mike

My very brief Google search shows the Kent weighs 20 lbs less than the Zetec and has a lower center of gravity. But it makes less power. All of which conforms w/my fragile memory of previous posts on the subjet. BTW, I like the Quaife idea.

Hey, it was 64 in Cincy yesterday, back to normal tonite tho (23 degrees). Streets are still loaded w/salt, so no se7en ride possible.

As a car guy,that's what I always have assumed heaven would be like:)!

Alakossie: "Scorn", never. "Envy" is more like it. I will look into ordering the seat padding from Tillett. The headrest and lumbar tweaks are also nicely done and the whole look is quite professional. Mike M.

But, cars are good, esp if lots of $ is involved. So I think the formula is backwards. Since cars are good and =$, girls are good too, for the same reason (and several more that come to mind:)).

Karl: I like the way you roll! (I have a hunch Ben at Caterham USA does too:)). Is the new engine the same spec as that planned for Croc's new Caterham? Mike M.

Alaskossie: Where did you buy the seat pad and lumbar support? I replaced my stock driver's seat with the CF Tillett (so I cld use the 5 point harness at track days) and it is reasonably comfortable but could be better. Mike M.

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.