Kitcat

A comparable Caterham ('83, 4sp, 1600 cc X-flow, solid rear, short cockpit) mite go for around $16K-ish. I doubt a Donkervoort is worth that much, but really no idea. A lot depends on condition, how it drives, how it sounds and whether you are smitten.

My 97 X-flow ran fine on 91 octane.

How about "Lighting Strikes Twice," in honor of my multiple lurid slides into the grass:)?

Croc: Ya took the words right outta my mouth:). I esp agree w/pt 3. It has to be unrequited puppy love that is driving up the prices of those cars (Saw it at age 14, said "Some day....", then 50 years later the rich boomer can realize his dream). Without the youthful fantasy propping up prices, the value of most of these old gems will slowly fade. They cant hold a candle to, say, a new Ford Fiesta ST in terms of handling, speed, steering feel, braking, reliability, gas mileage, safety (not to mention $21K cost of purchase along with a nice warranty). As to se7ens value, unlike the other collector cars, they have been continuously made, improved, refined. So rarity is not a factor except for the Lotus iterations. An excellent original example will likely appreciate. But, again, why buy one when a new Caterham/Storker/Birkin/Westfield/etc., will run circles around it- except for puppy love?

That windshield sure makes me nervous: it looks like it could detach and slice off the driver's head! Otherwise, an amazing resurrection.

180 Hp (more likely 160 at the rear wheels), for $14,500? I paid $1K for a junk yard Duratec that made 160 hp at the rear wheels with the throttle bodies from my blown engine.

The stock Caterham oil "guage" (Thx jfgw!), is more of an "off-on" gauge than a measure of oil pressure (It tells you there is oil pressure, just not how much, with any accuracy).

Look forward to reading and seeing more abt this car. I find it very tempting.

K-69: Tom's headlights are all part of an sophisticated engineering effort to keep his car from going too fast and scaring him:). Look at those pontoon fenders and double wide front tires, plus as you have noted, raising his mirror so it sits right in the middle of the strongest blast of air. Each is an integral part of his subtle effort to slow down!

MichaelD: Yr se7ens partner in Zetec-engined crime, Folis Jones, had an oil pump go at high rpm (7400+ rpm) and it cost him his (v expensive) engine. My Zetec maxes out at 7000 rpms, which is considered a safe # for the stock oil pump.

I am pretty sure there will be a prize for the "Best Beauty Queen", if she (or he) shows up in a dress! Let's call, uh, "her" Miss USA7s. Points will be subtracted for possessing actual beauty, after all, this is to honor the "Storkers" on their parade lap around the paddock:). Addendum: Points will also be added for tackiness, sleaziness and tattoos (fake or otherwise). Maybe Bessie the Se7en could offer some tips to prospective contestants? She has been quiet for far too long around her

All kidding aside, everyone (even me:)), will try their best to be polite and respectful on the track. That will be even more tru in this se7ens only group. When we ran with other makes, there were the occasional Audi/Lexus/Corvette drivers with attitude issues. Sometimes we se7enrs wld eventually give as good as we got (I mite "accidentally" cut right in front of an offender who had refused to let me by once I finally got the point by. Another time I just passed the guy w/o a point bye (I know, shame on me, I get it). Typically a "friendly'' chat with the offender after the session ended was sufficient. Failing that, a friendly chat with the organizers wld help sort the fellow out. It typically was someone refusing point byes, or holding everyone up all around to the straight, then blasting away, only to be caught at 1st turn and holding everyone up again (I am getting steamed all over again, just thinking abt it.). Often it was a newbie who simply wasn't watching his mirrors and was oblivious. Rarely, it was an ego thing. Other infractions included such things as passing under yellow, yakking w/passenger and not having "situational awareness." As most know, its more fun to be the hunter than the hunted (How many time has the guy in front of you just gone off the track in his effort to keep you in his mirrors and forgetting to drive?). And it can be very instructive (shocking even) to see how much faster some people are at certain parts of the track, and to watch and learn. Long story short; this will be a fun event, we will keep bragging and kidding to the pits/bulletin board, on track we will be unfailingly respectful. As to point-by's, the passee seems to dictate the terms. Typically he maintains the line but lifts so the passer can get around. Sometimes the slower car moves off line to let the faster car maintain momentum. It is not helpful if the slow car maintains the line and drives as hard as he can without lifting:that really doesn't give the passer a meaningful, safe way around him.

Just be glad I dont still have my Evo. I recall a track day where they said as long as you kept 2 wheels on the track it was ok. Of course, they meant if you slid a bit wide and partially off the track, no foul. But I routinely kept the outside two wheels just on the inside of the track in tight corners-the rest of the car was on the infield. It really straightened out the corners and fit the Evo's rally type suspension perfectly. Definitely the fast way around. After that event they changed the rule:). But I think in spirit of se7ens brotherhood, I will do better at NJMP-unless, of course, Tom is behind me!

Right, just Lightening both days. Its a relatively easy track to learn, tho it takes a lot longer to learn how to maximize speed. It has 3 straights where point-byes are easily given. I know it goes without saying that newbies shd take their time and enjoy learning the track and its nuances. It will be very hard to run with Tom and Croc right out of the box as they have hundreds or 1000's of laps there and know its nuances. By Saturday afternoon, I expect most people will have figured it out.

Klassic-Glad you can make it! This should be quite the event. I am sure you have an excellent plan to celebrate your anniv, even if it mite be a day or 2 late. If not, may I suggest Paris? My wife and I celebrated our 30th recently there. Can't go wrong with that choice.

Croc: Project car? And as seschm noted, you are slipping:).

My '97 1700 Supersprint w/Dedion never did that. No idea why yours would. Jack it up and see what's loose/missing/rubbing for starters?

Karl: There is a big article in the NY Times "Dining" section today abt the explosive growth in bourbon craft distillers. Truly the 'patience is a virtue' expression has never been more apropos: the best is aged 8-20 years. So you are playing the long game here. Their top 5 included Middle West Spirits Oyo Bourbon Michelone Reserve, made in Columbus OH.

The distillery is a work of art!

Use it as a delivery vehicle:"We guarantee your order will arrive faster than any of our competitors'!"

Karl: If your booze is as wonderful as your car, ya got a winner! I will take a 1/5th of the gin and of the rye:). Also, best of luck w/selling your peerless Cat, someone will be getting a car from the top of the Caterham food chain.

Interesting that little .8 mile Eldora Speedway in Ohio made the cut. Nice bucket list. I count 3 that I have been to. Got a ways to go:).

Tom: Just buy the R500 for sale in Ohio and be done with it:)!

Tom: Sounds like your trusty Rover engine made it thru w/o incident. That has to be a huge relief as you were concerned abt engine replacement at end of last year.

My Touareg goes abt 10K miles on 5 gallons of urea. If I am towing a lot, that drops some. And, at this point, urea is not very expensive.