Kitcat

Thx for explaining what my next part failure will be, I have been wondering:). (Calling Dave Bean next).

"You have come a long way baby!" Given the current trend of women being better educated and better employed, maybe in 50 years these ads will be back in vogue, but with men in the subservient role(:?

Rough crowd! Most drivers buy fire proof suits for in-car use: se7ens owners need them for their conversations w/other se7ens owners:).

Car refresh is coming along nicely. I got the aluminum pellets that Croc recommended to replace foam in my fuel cell, + new wheel bearings, new bushings, new cycle fenders, new quick release mechanism, new 1/2 shaft, nut/bolt check, new muffler bracket, added a fuel filter before the pump in addition to one after the pump, etc. New harness belts have been ordered. Now, after all that maintenance work, watch me drive it straight into the tire wall on my 1st lap:).

Thankfully for Stewart and others, I will only pose a danger if they are off the track:). Speaking of getting belted, what IS the expiration date for our seat belts/harnesses? I have never had that be an issue.

$22K is definitely ball park. Be aware tho that these undriven, like-new cars are old. So old bushings, old hoses, etc. And lack of use is not necessarily good for wheel bearings, engine, etc., etc. My ideal used Caterham is one that has been used and maintained regularly, more than low mileage. Still, I think the price is reasonable if it's in as-advertised condition. Other thots: the Dedion rear is a plus, ditto long cockpit. Is it 5sp., 4sp or 5sp, LSD, leather seats, weather package (top, heater etc.), standard roll-over bar or FIA bar? My 1st Caterham was spec'd like yours and I loved every minute of it (after I replaced tires, hoses, engine mounts, -you get the idea). I put 15k miles of combined street/track use on it and a smile never left my face.

Skip: Now that I have seen your Caterham's engine bay, I am never taking my car's "bonnet" off again! I think it is worthy of posting on the ''Best Seven picture ever'' thread.

Tom: As I recall, some Ferrari drivers even do lurid spins whilst pointing rambunctious se7en drivers by. In defense of 'Vette, BMW and Porsche drivers, there would be far fewer track days if those brands quit coming. And I'd love to own each of those makes' newest models (I'd even be willing to be publicly ridiculed for doing so:)).

NVP: My tie down straps and ratchet mechanisms take up at about 1' of extra space on each end of the car. How will you secure your Westfield on the trailer with so little room?

NVP: Nice, but it looks pretty small. I think the Caterham's length is 122", suspect Westfield is around that as well.

My break-away box has a plastic trigger connected by a braided wire to my tow vehicle. If, God forbid, the trailer popped off its hitch AND the safety chains that connect the trailer to the tow vehicle also failed, the trailer wld be left behind. In that event, as the two units separated, the separate wire to the safety box wld trigger the electric brakes to be activated. On mine, there is a small motorcycle sized battery on my trailer that powers the elec brakes. I take it out and re-charge it before every trip. Also periodically pull the wire while stationary and then get in tow vehicle and try to pull my still hitched up trailer. If it doesn't want to move, elec brakes are working (I tend to do this on gravel/dirt driveway as threshold for dragging trailer w/locked brakes is much lower).

The Divas is kind of a blend of se7en and Cobra. But it works for me. If I can only have one of the above tho, I will take the Rover engined cat and challenge you Duratec guys in the straight line wars:). (I cant believe YellowSS7 hasnt bought this guy's engine yet).

NVP: If you manage to build your Westfield in 3 months and then drive cross country to Carlisle from CA, you will have to change your user name to MVP:).

I am looking forward to seeing this winged Stalker at NJMP in July. I think the wings are why some call it a "stork"er, right?. Just be sure you stay on track" that beautiful front wing won't last long in some of the rockpiles they call run-off areas there!

My '09 Birkin had "Lotus" printed on its seatbelts, rugs, cam cover and everywhere else they could think to put it.

Hmmm, the Blatchat info is sobering. The Dedion tube sounds like another part that should at least be routinely inspected, if not replaced, with some regularity. When it fails, the term "catastrophic" seems in order. At least that's what I call it when a car makes a 90 degree turn, all on its own, while pointed straight.

Yes, it's a bit unnerving to realize that back in '61, when I "fell under the spell" of the Lotus 7, it was a 4 year old design(:. If only I had aged as well!

K-69: I am (very) impressed w/your tow mileage. My diesel Touareg mpg drops from mid-30's at 70 mph, to 11-12 mpg when towing a similar sized V-nose trailer w/my Caterham at 70 mph. My all time worst was 9 mpg for an extended 80+ mph trip (time saved speeding was offset by frequent stops for fuel(. Best towing was abt 13-15 mpg at 60-65 mph. Best unloaded was 38 mpg. BTW, I paid $4.5K for my 16' enclosed steel trailer which weighs abt 2200lbs, empty, maybe 3700 lbs loaded w/Caterham and race junk.

Two years ago, I paid a dealer $23.5K for my '03 Superlight spec'd somewhat like yours. Have seen others go for into the mid to upper $30's.

Other advantages I have enjoyed with a fully enclosed trailer: A place to hang a change of clothes and a private place to change into those clothes, while standing up, after a day at the track. Regardless of the ambient temperature, I manage to sweat thru whatever I am wearing during the day on track. Making the long drive home in a fresh set of clothes does wonders for my mental health. It is also nice to have a place to sit out of the sun/rain/wind on those (all-too-frequent) days when the weather gods are not smiling. A set of RaceRamps will solve most clearance problems into the trailer.

Speaking of U- boats, anyone who has not watched : "Das Boot"(subtitles of course), is missing one of the great war movies of all time. Go to Netflix ASP:)!

Interesting thread which, thx to being so old, I'd forgotten all abt:). Anyhow, I see in 2007 I was 60 and had 3 kids in college and no se7en. Now I have no kids in college and I have had 3 se7ens (including my current one).

Interesting front cycle wings on the last car. I never saw a lipped cycle wing on a Caterham. First car is being sold by Park Place Motors, a high-end dealer in WA state. I bought my current Cat from them. Nice selection to choose from: lurkers, Spring is just around the corner:).

Thx guys.

My car is apart for winter maintenance. My mechanic is replacing the existing foam in my 21 gallon Fuel Safe tank (at my request). Looks like the official Fuel Safe foam is incredibly expensive (approx $800.00). What is a good substitute, if anything? Not trying to cut corners on safety, but if there is a adequate substitute for a more reasonable price, I am all for it.