O Racer

Here's a photo

A bunch more questions... What is the stock wheel offset for the early 90's Cats? I assume you should stay with this same offset as you upgrade to wider wheels. Are there any issues with stock hubs when I add wider wheels and soft compound tires? Seems like a lot of you guys have cars newer and further developed than mine, I want to make some improvements to lap time and safety but I think my goals might be more modest as my engine HP goal of even 175 is less than the stock Sevens that followed. I do not plan to change transmission or diff as I am happy where I am at speed wise will be happier a little faster but I don't mind getting past at track days by faster cars. After three years racing in Spec Miata I much more enjoy the simple pleasure of the track day experience So, and that's a big so, as for wheels and tires If I go 6x13 front and 8x13 rear now thinking of Hoosier A6 or R6 tires, is that enough wheel and tire for my intended build out? Also, I am still running the stock exhaust I understand it will not fit with 8" wide rears so i will change to side exhaust. Any suggestions for a minimal muffler to meet 92 DB with my engine? Thanks to all for your input John

Thanks Croc and Kitcat, I am going to start changes with tires, wheels and brake pads for the next track day and take it one step at a time The car has a stock cloth covered seat, 5 point belts, has had a single Brooklands screen for years, one Rayodot convex mirror each side and just added a sports racing aero mirror on a 5" stand in the center. I added cycle fenders replacing the clam shells and took off the headlights and indicators as where I live no one seems to care and I still drive it on the street. I have looked into Tillet and bead seats and that's on the list, I am lucky to be 5'8" about 165lbs so I fit nicely in all cars Does the FIA roll bar bolt in? Is it the one available as a factory part from Caterham? If I knew how to add a photo I would. I have a good pro shot from the last event, I am computer challenged if anyone can help on that I will keep posting on my changes and results and continue to ask for help and support Hope to see you at a Laguna or Sears event The car is #18 yellow/aluminum, I am old and gray John

Hi Tom Glad to hear the new size slicks worked so well for you, nothing like new tires, cannot wait to treat myself to new slicks and see the results to my lap time. I run Lotus and Shelby club track days, both do a good job controlling the run groups and the drivers seem to drive well and watch their mirrors. Without the straight away speed I need for cars to back off at the start of the straight to get past then I disappear by the track out of the first turn, cannot wait for a few more HP and new 13's and slicks With my plan to upgrade engine from 130 to 160 or so HP and with 13" wheels what wheel width would you recommend? My first choice was 6"fronts and 8" rears using the Cat wheels Any suggestions for wheel width and wheel brands that the fast guys are using on your side of the country My two main tracks Laguna Seca and Sears Point have short straights so top speed is not as much an issue, handling yes very much Thanks John

I moved this to the general technical thread

This thread was moved from 'parts wanted' My Seven is a bone stock '91 chassis with 1700 AX cross flow, Sierra 5 speed and Dedion rear, I raced other cars over the last 20 years so this car was used sparingly with about 12,000 miles. Sold the last race car and have done 3 track days since late Nov. all at Laguna and have had more fun than I have had 'real' racing in years.So the grand plan...I have a 4/4 Morgan with a non cross flow 1500 and a push-pull 4 speed that has been crying out for an engine swap for 22 years. I found an identical AX based low mileage Super Sprint that needs pistons, machining and assembly. The plan is to put my Seven engine and Transmission in the Morgan as is and do a build out of the new engine, not in any way to full race specs but something more than my stock 130HP engine for some more straight away speed and some more torque for the upgrades where I get pulled. I am down to 1:49 second laps at Laguna on 10+ year old Kumho 185-60-14 radials so with the extra power and 13" race tires I will be even happier I like the idea of a dry sump on the rebuild as Laguna has some high G up and down hill turns I am also still using the stock original brake pads and rotors, that is next in line to change So starting from a stock Seven is like a clean sheet of paper, I want some more speed, grip and handling but not too radical for the street Anyone like to chime in and give me ideas all appreciated. John #18 yellow/aluminum 1991 Caterham Seven

Thanks Tom, Kitcat and Croc for the advise, further info from me might lead to more ideas from followers of this site so here goes. My Seven was a bone stock '91 chassis with 1700 AX cross flow, Sierra 5 speed and Dedion rear, I raced other cars over the last 20 years so this car was used sparingly with about 12,000 miles. Sold the last race car and have done 3 track days since late Nov. all at Laguna and have had more fun than I have had 'real' racing in years.So the grand plan...I have a 4/4 Morgan with a non cross flow 1500 and a push-pull 4 speed that has been crying out for an engine swap for 22 years. I found an identical AX based low mileage Super Sprint that needs pistons, machining and assembly. The plan is to put my Seven engine and Trans in the Morgan as is and do a build out of the new engine, not in any way to full race specs but something more than my stock 130HP engine for some more straight away speed and some more torque for the upgrades where I get pulled. I am down to 1:49 second laps at Laguna on 10+ year old Kumho 185-60-14 radials so with the extra power and 13" race tires I will be even happier Kitcat, I like the idea of a dry sump on the rebuild as Laguna has some high G up and down hill turns I am also still using the stock original brake pads and rotors, that is next in line to change So starting from a stock Seven is like a clean sheet of paper, I want some more speed, grip and handling but not too radical for the street Anyone like to chime in and give me ideas all appreciated. Perhaps this thread should get moved to another subject, if someone knows how, please do John #18 yellow/aluminum 1991 Caterham Seven

Thanks for the input, if I can ask, I appreciate knowing the size tires you are using assuming 6" fronts and 8" rears Have not raced on bias ply tires since the mid 70's, how does the handling differ from radial race tires, one thing I do know is that they need to be warmed up before any hot laps My Seven is yellow/aluminum I built it in '91, its the last car I sell BTW running in Northern CA, you?

Kitcat, Thanks for the tip on 15's, I ran those Toyos in Spec Miata and for the money definitely a great tire Does anyone have experience with Goodyear or Hoosier slicks, will save my 14" setup for street so slicks will only be for track use

Doing track days with my 90's Seven on 14" wheels with old Kumhos and with the lack of 14" race tires decided to go to 13" wheels Anyone have two 6" x 13" and two 8" x 13" Caterham used wheels for sale? Thinking of new Avon CR500 tires for new wheel set up. Any advise on that...choice of compounds. If not Avons any advise on other race tires and how they may compare to the Avons Having too much fun now cannot imagine the difference with the new set up

I have a 1991 Caterham with the stock 1700cc cross flow engine with 40mm Webers I have started to track day the car, twice since Nov. at Laguna Seca A miss has developed exiting turn six going up hill and turn ten downhill both left corners, also a bit exiting two Fuel system, stock gas tank, Facet 35gph electric pump, Facit filter mounted near pump, another small in line filter before Webers, removed air cleaners just straight velocity stacks Seems like it got worse from first track day in Nov to second one in early Feb Any ideas, what is correct fuel pressure for Webers, is 35gph pump adequate? Thanks for your help

Thanks to Michael D and Croc for advise for updating my Seven, doing my research and looking forward to other member ideas. rnr...thanks, recently joined GGLC, I joined during the day in the Sierras visiting Dave Bean's shop. I was there in my Seven, I know Don Nester real well. I have pencilled in Feb and April Laguna dates, definitely April. See you John PS if anyone interested I did my story on the New Member thread. I have been around!

I am a new member to USA7's but an old(er) Lotus owner. My story... I first had an experience with a Lotus 7 in the mid 60's, a friend bought one in New Jersey and asked me to come along on the ride back to Long Island. If you have never been in the area, riding a L7 through the NY Metropolitan area is an experience to be remembered...the pot holes were big enough to swallow a 7, the trucks all looked like modern day monster trucks and the drivers, well they are crazy! That Seven was a bare aluminum chassis with yellow wings and nose. I took a picture of that car and pinned it to every garage wall I had saying one day I will get one. I went on to racing my own Bugeye Sprite in the Northeast in the late 60's then flat towed it cross country (behind a VW transporter) to the SF Bay area and continued racing it until 1976. Moved to Hawaii in 1977 and temporarily gave up cars for sailboats but that only lasted about 10 years or so and I started getting back in racing with rented cars, bought a Morgan street car but that wasn't enough. Then I was finally able to realize my dream and bought a Caterhan kit from Seven's and Elans, built it and first drove it in 1991. That car... aluminum skin with yellow wings and nose, had to be like my friends. It is pretty stock for the period with 1700 cross flow engine, 5 speed Sierra Box and De Dion rear. Drove it in Hawaii if you can call that driving then shipped it back to SF area so I could have fun after a work trip in SF. Bought a vintage OSCA in 1994 and raced Monterey Historics, shipped it to Italy and ran the Mille Miglia Historica four times and the Targa Florio once, all dream like experiences and raced Monterey more, now we are both retired Bought an Elise in late 2004, I had seen a yellow one in Europe and hoped one day they would be federalized, bought one of the early ones and I still love it. Moved back to Northern CA in 2008 and I can now really enjoy my cars as we live in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada range and good roads start right outside my door. Raced a Spec Miata for three years and gave it up when I spent more time doing body work than I needed to do on mechanicals. Great learning experience. Went to a track day with my Seven last month with the Shelby Club at Laguna and had a blast, not sure they liked me much though as I was faster than the new BOSS' Anyway, the Seven is the last car I sell or maybe my wife sells after I am gone, it is the one that gives me the most pleasure. Looking forward to being part of this forum site as I plan to make my Seven more track day and less street so I have much to learn. John Grosseto Sonora, CA

Hi all I am new to this site but not new to Caterhams as I built mine from a kit from Chris T. in 1991 and have owned it since. I have other cars but this is the last one I will ever sell! I have rallied it and did track days in the past, decided to get back on the track again so did a track day with the Shelby Club last month at Laguna Seca I had so much fun I decided to make it a more dedicated track day car and have started the process by getting a set of cycle fenders to replace the clam shell ones I got with the car. I have so many questions, thought I would do them one post at the time but here goes with my list: Car is a 1991 Caterham 7, 1700 Crossflow, Sierra Cosworth 5 speed, De Dion rear, 5 point belts, stock windshield replaced with Brooklands windscreen, stock roll bar, otherwise pretty much stock with about 14,000 miles -replace stock seat, any suggestions since seat width limited to 16" -add a fuel cell, I see ATL and Fuel Safe make one that fits but price close to $2,000, also foam degrades if you use pump gas. Any suggestions -Have 14" Panasports with Kumho tires with TWR of 50, nice and soft but no longer available, nor does it seem there are any race tires out there in 14" size. Any suggestions at 14" or if I change to 13's or 15's. -Stock brake pads, rotors good, any suggestion for a race pads -Muffler has loose baffles so though I would replace with Bullet type, ideas? -For 2013, thought I would do some engine work but limited to head. thinking HD springs, rockers (roller?) and push rods if stock not suitable -For looks, sides of car are bare aluminum, gravel blasted from gravel coming off soft tires, they need sanding as that are pretty rough, suggestions Realize this is a lot, thought I would put this out for comments. Would post photos but could never figure out how Thanks all John

Hi all I am new to this site but not new to Caterhams as I built mine from a kit from Chris T. in 1991 and have owned it since. I have other cars but this is the last one I will ever sell! I have rallied it and did track days in the past, decided to get back on the track again so did a track day with the Shelby Club last month at Laguna Seca I had so much fun I decided to make it a more dedicated track day car and have started the process by getting a set of cycle fenders to replace the clam shell ones I got with the car. I have so many questions, thought I would do them one post at the time but here goes with my list: Car is a 1991 Caterham 7, 1700 Crossflow, Sierra Cosworth 5 speed, De Dion rear, 5 point belts, stock windshield replaced with Brooklands windscreen, stock roll bar, otherwise pretty much stock with about 14,000 miles -replace stock seat, any suggestions since seat width limited to 16" -add a fuel cell, I see ATL and Fuel Safe make one that fits but price close to $2,000, also foam degrades if you use pump gas. Any suggestions -Have 14" Panasports with Kumho tires with TWR of 50, nice and soft but no longer available, nor does it seem there are any race tires out there in 14" size. Any suggestions at 14" or if I change to 13's or 15's. -Stock brake pads, rotors good, any suggestion for a race pads -Muffler has loose baffles so though I would replace with Bullet type, ideas? -For 2013, thought I would do some engine work but limited to head. thinking HD springs, rockers (roller?) and push rods if stock not suitable -For looks, sides of car are bare aluminum, gravel blasted from gravel coming off soft tires, they need sanding as that are pretty rough, suggestions Realize this is a lot, thought I would put this out for comments. Would post photos but could never figure out how Thanks all John