Alaskossie

Anybody out there who has foregone carrying their spare tyre (tire), and who has the long, threaded spare-tyre hold-down rod lying around? I went on the season's first blat yesterday evening, and when I returned, I noticed that I was missing my spare tyre. Surprise! I retraced my blat, and about six miles out I found, lying beside the road, the tyre and the fitted cloth bag that I keep inside the tire well -- but no hold-down rod, of course. (I was fortunate to even find the tyre -- it could have rolled for dozens of yard off the road. The rim shows a little road-rash). Thanks for any help!

Dave, I know that everything you say ls no doubt true, but ---- I still say, "Perish the thought!"

OMG, Lotus joins Rolls Royce and Bentley in the senseless pursuit of the lowest common automotive denominator, at the expense of heritage..... Will it never end? I'm now waiting with bated breath for Morgan to announce its own SUV from Malvern.

Perhaps use marine-grade plywood instead? This is taking the Marcos concept to a whole 'nuther level.

Since there are only three 7-type vehicles in Alaska (all of them Caterhams), it's pretty likely that the Great Unwashed up here have never seen one -- through a few seem to have read about them, or played video games with them.... (When I drove up the Alaska Highway in 2010, no day went by without at least one person correctly and enthusiastically identifying my car as a Caterham....) My usual answer is that "It's a 2007 Caterham, the successor to the 1958 Lotus 7...but with 6 times the horsepower." How fast? "I'm too scared to find out...." Kit car? "The factory sent me three boxes, and I followed the assembly guide and put the parts together...."

I have a half-hood or bikini hood from Softbitsforsevens. I have installed some carbon-fiber stiffener slats in velcro'd pockets in the hood, and need to waterproof the stitching, as well as the hood generally. Nick at Softbits told me that they use Granger's waterproofing (which I was able to find locally), but despite my enquiries, Nick has not told me how they apply it to the half-hood. Any experience or recommendations out there?

Terry Johns in CN has all of the info on what individuals signed up and made deposits -- I don't have it. I posted an announcement on USA7s as soon as the decision to to postpone for one year was reached. Sorry that you did not get the word at the time.

Personally, I cannot tolerate that garrulous, pompous ass JC, and I make it a point to never watch (or even consider watching) the show.

I have wanted clams on my 2007 S3 with wide track, but I want carbon fiber clams to match the decor of the rest of my car. The late lamented RIF in UK had molds to build them in c/f, but he unfortunately passed away before he could get around to it. Bob Simon and I were exploring a source in USA willing to make c/f clams if he had the fiberglass originals to start with, but we didn't get beyond the speculation stage. Years ago in Washington, DC, my first ride in a Seven was in one that had clams, but the owner had moved them outboard about 1 inch with a square-tube spacer than fit between the body and the wings. With a wide-track, designing clams that sat a bit further outboard might be a capital idea.

Dave, Did you have some really spicy food for dinner last night? Seriously, in a small town like Bozeman, this episode sounds like the beginning of some movie plot. Definitely a Seven drive you'll not soon not forget!

Skip, If folks made deposits but will plan to move their schedule for the Blat by one year to 2016, their deposits will be considered as remaining in place and paid-up. If people made deposits for the 2105 Blat, but they cannot participate (or do not want to participate) if it is moved one year ahead as is now planned, please contact Terry Johns at terryjohns@live.ca Alaskossie

Tom, Actually, I'd love to try it..... don't get me wrong. I know that the sequential box with electronic assists is what the current F1 driving gods are all using (they obviously have to, to be competitive). But I'm afraid that I am old-school -- I look on the earlier F1 drivers who had no electronic assists for engine and gearbox managements as being, without question, on the highest row of the F1 driving gods' pantheon. Alaskossie

Rahul, I'll put my best efforts to the re-scheduled Polar Bear Blat 2016. Let's all see if we can recruit some other like-minded Seven owners who are looking for a real road adventure next year. Take it from me -- I've driven the planned PBB route before (most of it in a Seven, in fact), and it will be the Seven blat of a lifetime! This will be a trip you can tell your disbelieving grandkids about, while you travel the Interstates in your autonomous, automatically-guided mobility device.... Alaskossie

Tom, Pardon me, but how can one really feel like a driving god when the electronics are doing much of the god-like work? I can't flat-shift without breaking something, but I can do my own flippin' blipping, thank you! If i were looking for the absolute fastest track times and didn't feel a bit chagrined at having the electronics giving me some some of the critical driving skills that an accomplished coachman used to perform, perhaps I might consider a different perspective. But I'm a street driver. Your remarks on the Caterham 6-speed for street driving were right on. I have a longer-legged (lower numerically) rear axle ratio in my Caterham, to give the 6-speed more of an "overdrive" effect on the highway.

The organizers of the 2015 Polar Bear Blat from Vancouver, BC Canada to Anchorage, Alaska must announce that the Blat has been postponed one year, to 2016. This postponement is due to Terry and Chris Johns’s unforeseen family circumstances. To date Terry has invested over 135 hours of his time as well as $450.00 in website costs to organize the Blat, and this time and expense will of course be well-spent to assure the success of a 2016 PBB. Although we are sure that news of this postponement will be a great disappointment to those who have made plans, scheduling the PBB to begin in July 2016 should better assure its success, because it will give us more time to promote the event, and also the weather in Alaska in mid-July should be better (i. e., drier). Over the past few months we have had several people who had signed up pull out. The problem when people pull out is that this unavoidably increases the per-person shared cost of the support vehicle and trailer. We had decided early on that a support vehicle and trailer are necessary for a blat of this length and remoteness. Whether in 2015 or 2016, in reality we need at least 12 Sevens to make this epic blat affordable for all. For the 2015 Blat, we have signed up seven cars, including the organizers. So Terry and I have decided that with Terry’s present family situation, and in the interests of sharing costs more widely and offering the opportunity for more people to plan ahead and sign up, postponing the Polar Bear Blat until 2016 is the wisest option. The Itinerary, Route, Road Book and most Hotels will remain the same -- all that will change is the PBB’s dates, to begin in mid-July 2016 (depending, for the return trip, on the exact dates of the Alaska Marine Highway schedule for 2016, to be available by mid-October 2015). For those who have signed up for the 2015 PBB and have made paid reservations with the Alaska Marine Highway System, your cancellation of your reservation now will get you a full refund, less only a $10.00 administrative fee. Any hotel rooms reserved should be subject to cancellation without penalty, at this point. We know that although there will be disappointment at this postponement of the PBB to 2016, but we hope that each PBB participant who has signed up will want to turn the calendar a year ahead, and will wish to have their paid PBB entry fee remain in place. If you do decide to pull out completely at this point, then please contact Terry regarding your entry fee. What Terry and I are hoping is that everyone who has been committed to the 2015 PBB will stay committed to the concept of this bold Seven adventure, and will try to recruit other Seven owners to make this epic event happen in 2016. Just looking at the map and the PBB itinerary are enough to make any Sevener want to hit the road! For further information, contact Terry Johns at terryjohns@live.ca Tom Meacham Anchorage, Alaska USA

That road test in R&T in 1961 is precisely the first article I, as a faithful R&T subscriber since 1958, had ever seen about the Seven, and it is this road test that convinced me I eventually had to have a Seven -- it only took me until 2007, 46 years later. You are right, the description of the Seven in this road test completely describes the car -- then and now. It is (we hope) a timeless description.....

What was the exhaust layout, then? Why the 12 pipes on each side? Twin exhaust valves with separate pipes?

Skip, Notwithstanding the title, Mavis actually has a 24-cylinder Packard engine, not a 12 (or else each cylinder has two exhaust pipes). Where is the catalytic converter, anyway?

Last message contained some confusing stuff that I thought was edited out. So, a corrected message: Terry Johns and I have been working to get all the necessary route and lodging details taken care of, and we have what we think are close to final documents (especially the itinerary and the important info on making reservations for each night's stay). Go to http://www.7cars.ca/polar_bear_blat.htm for the details and downloads, including the Road Book. I will be working on a supplement to the Road Book to list scenic/historic sites and optional side-trips along the way, day-by-day. The critical thing is getting room reservations, and most importantly, the Alaska State Ferry reservation for the return from Whittier, AK to Bellingham, WA to Vancouver on Day 18 (August 31, 2015). I am planning to do the PBB in "reverse" (ferry from Whittier, AK to Bellingham WA, then join the Blat in Vancouver and drive the route up to my home in Anchorage). I'm looking for another single driver to share rooms with on the drive up. If interested, please contact me.

Terry Johns and I have been working to get all the necessary route and lodging details taken care of, and we have what we think are close to final documents (especially the itinerary and the important info on making reservations for each night's stay). Go to http://www.7cars.ca/polar_bear_blat.htm for the details and downloads, including the Road Book. I will be working on a supplement to the Road Book to list scenic/historic sites and optional side-trips along the way, day-by-day. The critical thing is getting room reservations, and most importantly, the Alaska State Ferry reservation for the return from Whittier, AK to Bellingham, WA to Vancouver on Day reservation large on Day 18 (August 31, 2015). I am planning to do the PBB in "reverse" (ferry from Whittier, AK to Bellingham WA, then join the Blat in Vancouver and drive the route up to my home in Anchorage). I'm looking for another single driver to share rooms with on the drive up. If interested, please contact me.

Rahul and Jim, The Hotel List you referred to in the link is generally the same, but I need to get with Terry Johns and revise the dates to conform to the PBB's Aug 14, 2015 departure date from Vancouver. I think Terry has changed the accommodations in Watson Lake, BC (the Air Force Lodge is too small). Also, the hotel in Cooper Landing (Aug. 27, Day 14) is not confirmed and may change, and we will have a total of four days in Anchorage (nights of Aug. 24, Aug. 25, Aug. 28, and Aug. 31). I am trying to get a hotel with a better rate in Anchorage than the one we initially found. So I would recommend holding off on making hotel reservations a few days, until we firm things up in Cooper Landing and Anchorage. You should have plenty of time to make your hotel reservations. Tom

The Final Itinerary is now out, with firm dates of departure and arrival. See attached .pdf. Also, booking information is in another document (attached). The critical item for all present PBB registrants, and any later registrants, is vehicle space on the Alaska State ferry departing from Whittier, Alaska for Bellingham, Washington late (11:45 pm) on the evening of August 31, 2015. If you are too late to make a reservation on this sailing, the next sailing is two weeks later, on September 14, 2015…… Only one support vehicle with trailer is presently planned. We will be carrying commonly-needed spares for Lotus/Caterham vehicles. We hope to have room for luggage in a roof rack, but plan to pack light, and plan to carry at least some of your gear in or on your Seven. Space limitations in the support vehicle mean that one small suitcase for singles, or one medium suitcase for couples, is all that can reasonably be accommodated. Plan to use Laundromats en route…. Also plan to look into the Seven-packing alternatives offered by SoftBitsforSevens and other suppliers. Because we will not be able to get premium (90-92 octane) gasoline at every fuel stop on the Alaska Highway, all PBB 2015 Sevens should be tested in advance on a quarter-tank of regular (87-89 octane) gasoline. Investigate how your car handles regular gasoline at modest performance levels, so that you will know how well it tolerates the lower-grade stuff. We plan to have an auxiliary tank with premium gas in the support vehicle, but it will not be able to carry enough premium fuel if everyone insists on premium all the time. Also, carry some bottles of octane-booster for emergency use, if needed. We will try to provide a list of the fuel stops along the Alaska Highway where premium-grade petrol should be available. PBB Booking.pdf PBB 2015 Final Itinerary.pdf

Tom and Ray were always entertaining, even when they took their car examples to extremes. My son (living in Cambridge at the time) was on their show once, after he lost 5th gear in his Honda hatchback. BTW, there is a gold-lettered window in a second-floor office on Harvard Square in Cambridge that says, "Dewey, Cheatham & Howe." The thing that I now regret most is that Tom and Ray always dumped on Alaska and those who choose to live here, every time a caller from Alaska was on the show -- and we Alaskans never got the chance to have Tom and Ray come up to Alaska and visit, to really learn how (and why) we live here.

Rahul, Yes, I got notice of the ferry schedule over the weekend. We are working backwards from an August 31 departure date from Whittier, AK to Bellingham, WA, to get the start date from Vancouver. It looks like August 13 as Day Zero, Aug. 14 as Departure Day from Vancouver, BC, but will need to do further calculations, because a same-day ferry connection from Valdez to Whittier is not available this year. We should have a near-final itinerary ready soon.

Bruce, Here are three photos -- I hope they are clear enough. My front wings are the standard Caterham SIII c/f wings, not the CSR ones.