Kitcat

Texas Motor Works says a new model is in production and is on its way to these shores: bigger cockpit, more footwell space, bigger engine bay, better suspension, etc., for just a few hundred more $$$'s. Original model will remain available. Shd be intersting (I wonder if they will fix the atrocious seats:))? Apparently some have been produced and shipped elsewhere, including Holland where they are being raced. All of this, per a Dick Brink post on the Yahoo Birkin group site. I dont see any pix yet

Yes Tom, I mite be a bit speedier than you, tho dont recall ever lapping more that 1x, often none- but what you are forgetting is whatever time I may gain on you I lose sliding backwards into the dirt, returning to the pits, pleading my sad excuse to the track manager, etc:). It really cuts down my total mileage!. I consider it a good day if I can log 100 miles on track (and that's w/o any off track adventures). Young guys, like you and MikeD, can just blast around til your tires melt.

Michael D: Any chance you meant 300-400 Miles? Otherwise, those are some brutal track days!

I mite be jealous if I had any idea what GOA was! And 30 degrees sounds cold (it's 59 in Cincy) and my beer costs a buck so I can handle all of this:).

I like that it has a curb weight "of less than pounds." That's what I call lightness!

Wonderful! Did you know that if you right click on any photo, you can e-mail it-to your self or others? (as I just did, several times).

No one is worried about salt/snow removal chemicals?

That's what I call using ALL of the track (and I thought I was aggressive on climbing curbs, not any more:)). Your engine makes a much higher, more metallic pitch than mine. What is the white smoke on accelerating out of hard right hand turns? Excellent way to end the year! And, nice to see so many se7ens on track, for a moment I thought I was watching our annual se7es event at NJMP.

I have walked your path, with your model se7en. Doubt clam removal will do much, but just a guess. My X-flow topped out at 105-07 mph and wasn't fast enuf to have lift. Brooklands in place of full screen helps a little, ditto turning headlights sideways. Some have reported a bit more speed w/top up, sidescreens on. Engine upgrades to X-flow-are expensive and add modest power. For $10-16K you can buy a BDA that drops right in (and makes same hp as a $1K Duratec). FIA bar is huge safety improvement, same for seats with anchor strap for 5-6 pt belt. My odessey included upgrading to a much higher hp Birkin and finally a full toot, track only Caterham, w/cage, fuel cell, Zetec, etc. And both later cars were/are much faster than the X-Flow. Are they funner-actually, that's a pretty close call.

I think we have seen this but no such thing as too much of a good thing. For a lot less $, Birkin will sell a supercharged version of its IRS, widetrack car-abt $50K. That buys a turnkey Birkin. As I have discovered though, that means the key turns, but other things may not work so well. So some expensive sorting may be required.

Oooooohhh!

Perhaps pay a visit to focusfanatics.com, a forum, as the name implies, for Ford Focuses. TONS of tuning info abt Zetecs (and Duratecs) there. And TurboTom hangs out there, aka:1turbofocus, and he is a font of real-world based knowledge abt Zetecs of every stripe. He mite have some helpful info.

Definitely a fun read. It will be an interesting moment when they pry Castro's cold, dead hands off the country he has strangled for the last 70 years. If capitalism is re-introduced to the island its effect could be profound and transformative. Hope I live long enough to see it.

I like the Glen better too, at least it's within a day's drive of some of us mid-westerners. Another catch for track day folks is that you have to have a PCA instructor ride with you and sign you off as safe. If, like me, you have no passenger seat, then the ride-along ain't happening. Is this the excuse I have been looking for to buy a Porsche?

Mark Twain famously said that he would move to Cincinnati if the world were ending as this town is 20 years behind the times:). Looks like I am sittin pretty!

Those pixs make the typical LOG gathering look small-time. Interesting fiberglass hardtops on a coupla se7ens, never saw that before. Unique combination of practicality and ugliness. It takes the amazing lines of the soft top se7en and totally ruins them. But to each his own, the car is probably faster/quieter/dryer, just less cool.

I make all my cars stronger:)!

Al, and others: definitely come to the next June track days at NJMP. No need to put your car on the track, if that is not your thing. We always have some se7ens there just spectating, bench racing, hanging for dinner/drinks, etc. And non-se7en owners should come too. It is a good time to see a bunch all in one spot and see if you think it's for you. As far as the BDA being like the Intial D etc, I gotta admit, the reference is lost on me:)!

Jeff: Based on the photos I see here, the stock Cat cage just follows along the side of the car. If you look at MichaelD's last photo in the group he posted, you can see his cage flares out on each side away from the body. The cage I have on my Cat does the same thing, maybe more, on the driver's side. This wld seem to provide some crush space in the event of being T-boned. I am sure the Caterham cage you are looking at is better than nothing but am not sure it provides optimal side intrusion protection. Just a thot. Mike M.

Hartley's website says it has been sold, no new engines for now, etc.

Both YellowSS and Blubarisax have saved 70-100 lbs without using any carbon fiber. Guys, wanna share your secret?

I see the dates, but is the location still uncertain?

Mid 50's? You say it like it's a bad thing:).

I see the Stones are doing their 50th anniv tour. Like the bumper sticker says: "Old guys rock:)."

A six acre choo-choo train line? I want to see that built! Or, maybe, instead, a go-cart track linking the properties??? Sounds/looks like you have quite the setup without any of that tho. And a se7en too:)!