Kitcat

Has anyone else seen the video of this racing tragedy? Essentially Stewart is racing in close quarters, makes contact with another driver who crashes. Then that driver is so ticked off he unbuckles climbs out onto the track and walks into traffic pointing and calling out Stewart, whose car then sideswipes and kills him. Unbelievable....

Nicest scratch built 7 I have seen to date. Which is saying something Love the diagonal door cut-outs, only Caterham and Birkin are faithful to that original detail. Engine is a Zetec?

Loved seeing the rearward shots. Whole new perspective on the track (well, except for those occasions when I have actually been pointed backwards there:)).

Martin: As always, good to hear from you. Great job on the GT6 Mk III!

Looks like a nice street tire set-up to me:). You have just enough tread that you can handle a bit of rain, the rest of the time the aggressive rubber will fit the car's personality. I ran Toyo RA1's on the street for years (205/50x15)putting over 12K miles on them.

Beautiful build. And, if loose carpet is your big problem, you have nailed the build.

I agree about the waiver protection, better to have than not, but unclear how much real protection it offers and I get to hire an attorney on my nickle to find out. Will take yr advice and call my agent. I have an "umbrella" plan that is supposed to cover all the loose ends.

Croc: Good question-what do I do if I run over someone at the track and I have no insurance? Hopefully the waiver that we all sign upon entering the facility wld cover me? What insurance protection is available to me? As you note, I can insure the car but that doesn't cover liability (running down a pedestrian while doing donuts in the paddock). Maybe my homeowners policy?

State Farm insured my Xflow Caterham for 5 years, ending in 2011,then my Birkin for 2 years, ending in 2013. Must be that state-to-state thing Croc was discussing. I dont have insurance on my current Caterham because it is, as they say, actually a race car. So never driven on the street. Cost was same as my other older cars. I got a price break because didn't (typically) drive over 5,000 miles a year.

I used this wrap on my X-Flow headers and out the exhaust pipe to the exhaust can without any apparent ill-effects to the engine. I put 12K miles on it after the wrap. I did a lot of track days and often mid-summer when weather was scorching.

For your use: You dont need LSD. You dont need a plumbed in fire system (doesn't hurt to have a portable fire extinguisher strapped in somewhere handy tho). Airfoils are not needed 5 sp is simpler to shift that 6 sp & has overdrive. Mite be nice to have 6 sp with 1600 engine to maximize minimal power. I'd add the track day rollover bar-it is much stouter than the little standard bar. Also works with full weather kit. Having sat in both cloth and leather Caterham seats, I prefer the (cheaper and lighter) cloth seats. Owner vs professional build. It depends. I had a professionally built Birkin that had to be disassembled and totally rebuilt from the ground up-so dismal was the "workmanship". Private owners who build their own cars tend to lavish time and attention to detail that a professional couldn't afford to do and still make a profit. Maybe consider a used vehicle? Don't overlook the Stalkers-a whole lotta car for the $.

Tom: top speed so far?

MichaelD. I had a similar problem: car wldnt make any power, had to go a gear lower everywhere. My 21 gallon fuel tank(car was built as an endurance racer) was near empty so I added 10 gallons of 100 octane race fuel and performance/power came right back (Only $12/gallon!).

I am running a Toyo R888 13x185x60 on the front of my car as a rain tire and backup track day tire. Wonderful tire: Doesn't give up a whole lot to the tiny little slick I usually run at the track. Performed admirably in the monsoon that we had at the se7ens event at NJMP 2 weeks ago.

Excellent car control/save on the fastest, scariest turn on the track, IMHO. So easy to try to jerk back to the right and, around we go...., where we stop.....???

So I guess you were actually going 50% faster than 145 mph! Not sure you can trust Suave, you know he was raised by, and imprinted on, Caterham owners Tom and Croc:).

Amazing performance! And you almost never got to 4,000 rpms (redline is 8,000), even doing 145 mph down the straight, you are almost idling the engine. You enter the straight at 120 mph, my top speed at the end of the straight.

Last set, again from awards night. And to summarize the 3 day event: Thursday night: outdoor barbeque/dinner/beer, socializing; Friday nite: Ditto Saturday night, indoor dinner, drinking, socializing AND awards for being there and for drinking, socializing and eating. Apparently there was even some racing squeezed in somewhere along the way. #1-Other Jeff (Hey there were 4 Mikes at my table alone that nite, it gets confusing), accepting his hardware (plastic ware?) in the spirit with which it was given. #2-MichaelD with Croc (Michael J), joining Jeff2, and Tom being photoed by me (Michael M) in the awards line. #3. Now it gets wild up there: Scott on left and Pete, on right join the other honored award recipients up front and they and the crowd goes slightly crazy. #4. Tom presents Nancy (Hands clasped, Klassic69's wife) with the good-sport award for coming to this event with her husband (yet another Michael) on her 45th wedding anniv. What you cant see is the wedding type bride/groom arrangement on the token award. Tom's lovely wife, Kathy, looks on at the left, no doubt thinking: Tom better not try this with me:)). #5. Time for some bench racing and general revelry. I slept 10 hours a night for the 2 nights following this event. What a great time!!!!!! Thanks again Tom (Yellow SS) and Mike (Croc).

Next set from the banquet/awards night: #1-Tom in blue shirt giving Jeff an award, #2-Croc in black shirt giving Dave his award, #3-Croc giving Roman an award, #4-Steve and Tom #5 Tom, Croc giving Shane his award (A soft, plush stork:)). All photos via my I-phone and it was challenged in the low light.

They keep coming: #1-Group photo at the barbeque on July 4. Note the weather change! This is at a track owner's place near Millville. It includes everyone at the 2 day event, not just the USA7s folks. #2 is the view from our outdoor barbeque/group photo on July 4. All the folks in photo #1, below, were seeing this view. #4 so much food, so little time....

Yet more shots: #1, Rain in the paddock on Lightening, the nite before the July 4 event. #2 This poor guy misunderstood the event concept and brought toque, not torque. #3, July 4. #4 Rain in paddock July 4, a.m. It was into this lovely mess some of the more foolhardy of us ventured. #5 Tom's front tire, my front tire.

Some shots from the weekend: # 1 is on the road to NJMP. Also serves as sort of a visual representation of what its like to be on the track in a Caterham between 2 V-8 Stalkers! #2 is BBall's ultra-shiny Caterham, sitting in its ultra-cool trailer. #3 & #4 are details of the Stalkers of Shane and Mario. #5 is Michael D, showing just how confident we Caterham owners are in our inherent manliness.Beside him is Mario (I think his Rottweiler is chained to his Storker).

SK400. After reviewing your list I wld agree with the areo screen idea. A Brooklands screen is more expensive, but is also an effective solution. As you know, I chased you for a coupla laps (and visa versa). The only place I thot you cld get speed was the entry to the bowl, where it seemed thet you were overly cautious. Everywhere else, it looked like the hammer was down! And, a trailer upgrade mite be in order:)! Talk to Karl?

OK, my turn: Just back after 1700+ miles. Some shout-outs are in order: 1] Croc (Michael Johnson) and YellowSS (Tom Gavel). Wow, epic event. I know I am just another voice in the chorus at this point but terrific work putting this together, herding cats, fighting weather, herding more cats, dealing with schedule changes that threw all plans off, herding yet more cats....The "banquet/awards ceremony" Saturday night was unforgettable. So was the 4th of July dinner on the water at Don Fehrbach's place. I would return next weekend if there were a repeat tho happy to wait til next year. 2] NJMP. What a place! Everyone one was so nice. No frowns, no attitude. The whole philosophy of this world-class facility was: How can we make you happier, your experience better? The food was incredible. If you ever have been on a cruise where you have almost too many choices of fabulous food, you have some idea of what we experienced. 3] The wives and girlfriends: what women! Not a fluff chick in the group. Maybe they have to be special to put up with us and our cars/hobby? 4] The USA7s gang. Everyone one was friendly/helpful. I had a dodgy hydraulic clutch and was ready to trailer home. MichaelD, BBall, Pete, George Alderman and others descended on the car and trouble shot the problem, had the fluid drained and replaced, and the clutch operational in 30'! Thx guys! 5] The weather gods. Yes, the a.m. sessions of the first day were rain-filled or wet/drying but it soon cleared and turned into 2 of the most perfect track-weather days I have ever had. Hurricane Arthur threatened, but a run-of the mill Jersey storm showed up and kicked Arthur's butt out to sea (Lesson, dont mess with Jersey!). 6] Pictures? That will have to wait as I left the camera cord in the trailer. 7] I did download the one session of video where I actually remembered to turn on my GoPro. It includes a big "off" at turn 7 where I was focused on Mario's Storker bumper and forgot to drive. Other highlight of the video is Shane's Storker doing a "warp speed" past me in the bowl and onto the straight.

Thx for the update George! Very impressive to beat Ian Prout, he is an experienced and accomplished racer. Maybe time to start a new thread? This racing themed narrative doesn't really fit under parts for sale/half-shaft. Mike M.