Kitcat

Bessie: I am rarely speechless, but you got me here:).

Test drivers must bring their own heart medication:) (Did Hank give you that line:)). Good luck w/sale, if it works, I'm next!

Today's fuzzy results. I left w/o the dyno sheet so this is the faxed version. Bottom line: 165 hp, 150 lbs torque-on a $1K junkyard motor w/no tuning. Looks like I am going to have to add the Birkin supercharger option to keep up w/all those East Coast Cosworth Duratecs and Rover engines (You guys know who you are!). 20120815161328169.pdf

Are you kidding, it is great news:)! Of course, I am just getting started with this one. Off to Waterford Hills race track next week, we'll see what breaks there.

Amazing car, amazing price. Is it perfect, no, but neither are the 2 Caterhams or 1 Birkin I have or do own.

Chris T at Sevens and Elans has a place that rebuilds them. He mentioned it when I called him after my X-flow alternator died a few years back. I ultimately used a local place in Cincy to rebuild it.

Wires to starter were shot, replaced wires and now the starter (an Autolite) works fine again. Spluttering is due to bad fuel pump, it's being replaced (same unit as used in Porsche 911). Here's hoping.

I got the car on the chassis dyno this morning. It made abt 166 hp, 150 lbs torque, right abt what I expected. On a notoriously conservative dyno. My X-flow made 95 hp, 93 lbs torque on it a few years back, as noted above. I somehow left w/o the dyno sheet so can't post at moment. Will get and add later.

Sure looks like it.

Thx Glenn, we are on it! Once I fix the starter I will try to find out why (else) the engine won't run. I was doing laps at my first lapping day in it recently and it just spluttered out. At 1st it wldt rev over 2K, then nuttin. Seemed like bad gas, or (my theory) degraded foam from fuel-safe tank. We shall see. Good thing I have a backup se7en:). When it ran tho, man, it was fast:outta my way GTR, etc.

Glenn-I saw him there maybe 4 years ago. He was w/his son who also had a Caterham with him. Frank was chasing down Corvettes so it was fun to watch.

My '03 Zetec's starter has died. What is the replacement/source? When the starter on my X-Flow died, we ultimately had it rebuilt as replacements were not to be found. I am hoping the Zetec will be more user friendly?

15K miles out of my Toyo RA1's, and still going strong, and 1 brake change after 24K miles here. There is another 260 CSR in Clev, I met him at a Nelson's Ledges track day. Until you get the transport driver's name and cell, its all talk w/PPL. I was told they were watching my car load "as we speak". Didn't happen for another week. Part of the problem was they agreed to split shipping, wh/made them hold out for cheapest deal.

Tires/brakes last for ever (everything else falls off tho:). I do track days at Mid-O and Nelsons Ledges, Waterford Hills, etc, so hopefully we will see each other soon on the track and can compare notes. I also did the Acura school at Mid-Oh, in'94. Yr new car will be a huge step up from the RX8. BTW, I bought my Caterham from P Place Limited a few months ago. Ya got to stay on them abt shipping, I was promised 10 days, got the car in 40 days. And then only after ramping up complaints and getting everyone in their food chain excited.

"Emotion over numbers", makes sense to me. And based on that, give me the Elan-that is one ugly Miata.

If we had a top 10 "Best photos ever'', the one immediately above crossing the dam wld be on my list, as wld Wemtd's winter photo, just above it. Hard to believe the great shots just keeping rolling in.

Man, the for-sale cars are suddenly flying off this site. Congratulations on the sale!

What was sales price (I might have to raise what I am asking for mine:))? JH-Looks like you got a great car. Robert expended much time/love making that car just right.

"Ongoing ultimate upgrade?" I am listening:).

X-flows use up hoses and engine mounts pretty regularly, mite be a good time to replace? I always carried a jug of antifreeze mix. And tighten bolts/nuts/screws (my taillight fell off once, never thot to check its tightness). Front suspension came loose on one 1300 mile trip. Never is good when car starts steering itself. I had tightened all before the trip except one impossible to reach bolt on each side of front suspension. So naturally both came loose. On a Sunday, before a track day that was part of the trip, when all auto parts stores in rural PA were closed. My Garmin GPS lead me to a farm supply store that had just the tool I needed. Cell phones are great, IF you are not too rural, as I was when my throttle linkage failed. So check that for loose play, it is adjustable and can be tightened. My X-flow Cat used a throttle cable that pushed the throttle lever. And it broke where the cable attached to the arm. After that I carried a spare t-cable and the little cylinder that attached it to the arm next to the carb (I fixed my problem by connecting the t-cable and arm with elec tape-drove it 500 miles that way).

Second car owner is in denial. One would think that all the no-sales over all these years would convey the message that his price is too high. To be insulted is silly. I had some low-ball offers on the se7en I sold and on the one now for sale and have appreciated that someone liked them enough to try to buy, even tho I didn't sell to them.

Lots of smiles from the ladies. I was roaring in to work today in my Birkin and way off saw a female walker, who stopped dead in her tracks, put her hands on her hips and just stared w/amazement when I zoomed by. I pulled into our parking lot at work and a woman who was parking her new Audi convertible, saw my car and changed her parking spot, just to be next to my car. Also gave me a lovely smile. But, the most love comes from inner city folk who shout, wave, beg for rides and are generally entertained by the sheer craziness of the car. Next are boys ages 3-12, then boys 12-17, then boys... you get the idea. Certainly guys on cycles are huge fans as well. Recently a guy popped a wheelie for my benefit. Now that I think abt it everyone loves to see these cars:).

Yes, 1st is Southwinds7, 2nd the guy who thinks his $25K Caterham is worth $30k+ and it's theorized he keeps bidding it up himself. It has been sale for years, and over and over on E-bay. I dont buy the 3rd car's alleged bid either, I think they'd sell in a heartbeat if they really got that price.

James A: Very impressive! It's hard enough to cut 1/10th of a second, so 2 seconds is great. Are car/driver doing the Runoffs this year?

Nice. Birkin America now sells a supercharged version of my Duratec. Or just upgrade existing car like mine for abt $4K. Similar spec to the Caterham. In theory, at least, a pretty low cost option as the base motor is $1K at local junkyard, so if blow it up (not that I wld do that), just replace engine with another $1K motor and transfer the supercharger to the new powerplant. A lot less expensive than blowing up your $20K Cosworth or Vauxhall of similar power.